39-Caitlin Foord-on sacrificing the “little parties in between for the bigger party at the end”

In today’s episode, I interview Australian national soccer team member, Caitlin Foord. Caitlin grew up a 2 minute walk from the beach in Lake Illawarra, New South Wales, Australia. Before Caitlin took up soccer, she participated in athletics, touch football, and surf life saving. At age 9, Caitlin played in her first soccer game at age and scored 6 goals. She hasn’t stopped netting goals since. Caitlin scored a goal in her first appearance with the Matildas. At 16,, she was the youngest Australian player to play in a World Cup and was voted the Best Young Player of the tournament. Caitlin has played in the the Australian W-league with Sydney FC and Perth Glory, in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) with Sky Blue FC, and is is currently playing in the Japan Women’s Football League  with the Vengalta Sendai Ladies.

In our conversation, we talk about

-the biggest differences between playing in Japan, USA, and Australia

-the times she had to sell chocolate bars at school to afford to go to soccer tournaments

-the sacrifices her mom, a single parent, made to help Caitlin pursue soccer

-why Caitlin hates warming-up

-her experience with being burned-out from soccer, and the strategy she used to fall back in love with her sport

-why she thinks the Matildas’ world ranking has continued to rise

-her love affair with music festivals, her dog Peach, and Chipotle

And more.

Enjoy, my conversation with Caitlin Foord!

Show Notes

:48 Who is Caitlin Foord  Sky Blue FC

2:50 Caitlin’s adjusting to the Japanese culture

6:40 Caitlin’s Japanese team – Vegalta Sendal

7:24 How does Japanese soccer style compare to US/Australian?

11:40 Cailtin’s early soccer travel and struggles of homesickness

16:00 Cailtlin’s childhood home,  Illawarra

17:40 Cailtin’s young star in soccer v. touch football

21:55 Her mom’s single parent support and selling chocolate bars to pay for      tournaments

27:23 Australian Nat’l team call up at 16 years old.

32:10 Cailtin’s favorite game

35:38 Her ability to separate soccer from other aspects of her life

40:29 Has she ever been burnt out from soccer?

43:20 Are their training things that Cailtin doesn’t like?

45:29 Caitlin’s morning routine

Brittney Cameron

@bcam00

47:01 Caitlin’s free time activities

48:15 Caitlin’s biggest misconception about herself

50:28 Is Caitlin a go with the flow athlete or an overthinker?

51:50 Her biggest accomplishment

52:45 What does she want to accomplish before she retires? And how does she want to be remembered?

53:45 Caitlin’s pregame body and mental prep

54:30 How does she deal with a bad game?

56:13 Best opponent and best teammate

Christie Rampone

@christierampone

Sam Kerr

@samkerr1

59:38 Best game day chants

1:00:39 Biggest life lesson from playing soccer

1:01:55 How does Caitlin eat a taco?

1:02:58 One simple tip for female athletes

1:04:22 Caitlin Foord

Follow Caitlin:

On Twitter: @CaitlinFoord

On Instagram: @CaitlinFoord

Caitlin’s obsession with her dog Peach (Instagram: @BrindlePeach

Share the love

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Resources

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38 Paige Pattillo- On 100 miles races, running with poisonous snakes, and her motto “just don’t do it”

In today’s episode, I interview ultra-runner Paige Pattillo. Paige grew up running in her hometown Bothell, Washington. She ran cross country at the University of Portland. Two years ago, at the age of 26, Paige ventured into the ultra-running racing scene. Paige recently completed in the Gorge Waterfall 100k, and because of her finish, was one of just ten people to receive a golden ticket to the Western States, one of the most competitive and prestigious 100 mile races in the world.

Who in their right mind would want to run 100 miles? I did not understand it, until I did some investigation. After talking with Paige, it’s clear why people catcha the ultra-running bug.

Paige is a very inquisitive soul and we go deep into her mindset during her races.

In our conversation we talk about:

-why Paige and her wife, former Seattle Reign FC Player Keelin Winters Pattillo, lived in a camper van for over 3 months in Australia for their honeymoon

-Paige’s counter-cultural motto “just don’t do it” and how training less improved her performance.

-Her experience with  “runner’s high” and how she loses sense of time.

-How she deals with the negativity during the lowest point of her races.

-Her training regimen for the Western States 100 mile race

-Why she believes every human, physiologically, was made perfectly for long distance running

And more.

Here’s the the 100 mile Western States documentary Paige shared with me. Be prepared to get me amped up on life! LIFE IN A DAY | The Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run

I hope this interview gets you inspired as well. Enjoy, my conversation with Paige Patillo.

Show Notes

:54                             Who is Paige Pattillo?

1:30                            What type of person wants to run 100 miles?

4:38                            Paige’s Honeymoon in Australia

6:32                            Her experience WWOOFING down under

9:24                            Paige’s encounter with deadly snakes

12:00                   The most prestigious and oldest 100 mile race

13:08                   Did Paige always have a goal of running the “Western States”?

14:03                   How does one qualify for the Western States race?

15:44                   Paige’s 1st qualifying race

17:44                   What is the “gap the chase pack” strategy?

22:40                   The power of letting go

23:08                   What is Paige’s training regimen?

24:38                   Are the majority of elite runner sponsored or working full time?

25:38                   How does Paige balance her life?

27:13                   Typical Ultra runner compared to Paige

29:00                   Paige’s approach of less training mileage

32:07                   Paige’s motto: “Just Don’t Do It”

32:50                   Paige’s alternative training – yoga, strength, cycling

34:40                   Comfort in Discomfort

37:25                   Arrow Living Article: When Two Competitive Athletes Fall In Love

37:43                   Paige’s running mindset and why she would choose to run 100 miles

40:27                   Advice to  “non-runners”

44:44                   Paige’s race mindset – the runner’s high and lows

53:00                   How to get out of negative thoughts on a run and her mental strategies

57:15                   How is running a metaphor for life?

100:40                  What is a safety runner?

1:01:10                 Paige’s replenishment choices

101:59                  What is Paige’s goal time?

1:03:13                 Paige’s morning routine

1:03:50                 One belief that other people think is crazy

1:06:50                 Biggest misconception about Paige

1:07:19                 What non-athlete does Paige look up to?

1:08:45                 Paige’s favorite failure

1:09:54                 Greatest accomplishment

1:10:11                 What mental & body prep does Paige do before a race?

1:11:04                 Post race movement activities

1:11:25                 One simple tip for female athletes

Share the love

If you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

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4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Resources

Paige and Keelin’s love story: When Two Competitive Athletes Fall in Love

Watch this to get amped on life! LIFE IN A DAY | The Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

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37-Amandine Henry-On moving to the US, mistranslations, and fake tans

In today’s conversation I interview French national team footballer Amandine Henry. Amandine signed her first professional contract at 17 years old. She’s competed in 3 UEFA Women’s Champions League finals, was the recipient of the Silver Ball award in 2015, awarded to the the second best player at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. She’s played most of her professional career with Lyon in France, but recently finished her second season with the Portland Thorns, helping the team win the 2017 NWSL Championship.

Amandine arrived in Portland hardly being able to speak English, but after two season’s abroad, she was able to do this entire interview in English, with only a few misunderstandings.

In our conversation we talk about:

• how Amandine learned english, and the funniest mis-translations with the team

• the experience playing with boys teams up until age 13

• the time during her career when she thought about quitting soccer

• why Amandine doesn’t believe in setting goals

• how she cooks all of her meals at home with a robot

• why coming to Portland was the best experience of her entire soccer career, even moreso than playing in a World Cup and winning champions league

• and she answers several fan questions, both in English and in French

Did you enjoy my conversation with Amandine? Let me know the favorite thing you learned in the comments!

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2. Click “view in itunes”

3. Click the “ratings and reviews” tab

4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Resources

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content

Follow Amandine:

On Instagram: @henry_amandine6

On Twitter: @amandinehenry6

NOTES:

:46                     Amandine the French soccer legend

1:25                    her non english background and her funniest mistranslations

2:22                   Subscribe to arrowliving.com for chance to win Amandine’s cleats

3:03                    Bonjour Mandy!

3:58                    Amandine’s final english test and how she learned the language

5:45                    How and why did she decide to play out of France?

6:22                    Biggest difference between her hometown and Portland

8:42                    Weirdest clothing she has seen in Portland

9:08                    What is Amandine’s style of play?

10:30           Pregame routines

10:56           Favorite song

11:34           Why does she write her number on every teammate?

12:12           Kendall’s bet with Amandine’s goal scoring

13:20           Her St. Tropez obsession

13:44           Amandine’s love of fashion

15:08           When did she start playing on boys soccer teams?

19:24           Her transition to women’s teams

20:25           When did Amandine sign contract with Lyon?

21:10           Does she feel it’s important to set goals?

22:20           How did Amandine handle her first injury?

24:01           What does she like to do outside of training?

25:30           What’s the hardest thing about being away from her home country?

26:24           Favorite part of her career

27:42           First thought this morning

28:09           Her morning routine

29:55           Funniest mistranslation

32:03           What is a kitchen robot?

33:25           Most rewarding accomplishment

34:04           What does she wish she knew as a kid?

35:24           Favorite school subject

35:50           Has she ever gotten tired of soccer?

36:44           Dream meal

37:45           What 3 people would she choose as dinner companions?

38:10           Most interesting thing she’s learned

38:37           Why does she change her socks after a game?

40:49           What Portland restaurant reminds her of home?

41:40           What advice would she give her daughter?

42:50           What will she miss about playing in Portland?

43:20           Favorite TIFO

43:45           Sinc, Angerer & Tobin – playing against and as teammates

44:45           Favorite english phrase

45:55           Who are her funniest teammates?

48:20           Best memory as a Porttand Thorn

36-Christine Sinclair- On how to be a leader and her recovery from perfectionism

In today’s episode, I interview the captain of the women’s Canadian national soccer team and Portland Thorns FC striker Christine Sinclair. Christine is a Legend with a capital L. She attended University of Portland (Go Pilots!) While there she was a Mac Hermann trophy recipient and a  2x NCAA champion.  She has received countless other accolades throughout her career including being the a 12x recipient of Canada’s Soccer Player of the Year, 2x bronze Olympic medalist, she’s been short listed for fifa player of the year 7 times, and is the second leading goal scorer in the world, just behind Abby Wambach.

But even more admirable than her accolades, is who Christine is as a human. Despite being one of the top players in the world, she is incredibly down to earth. Christine despises being in the spotlight and is a private person in general, but in our discussion she opens up and explains in her own words, she’s actually not a “hermit.”  You’ll see that she’s a little bit weird and quite funny.

In our conversation we talk about

• How everyone can be a leader, and what it takes to become one

what it was like surpassing her idol Mia Hamm in all-time goals-scored

-The impromptu speech she gave in the locker room to her distraught teammates during the Olympics

-How the loss of multiple family members completely change her perspective on soccer, and allowed her to take her game to the next level

-Why she slurps mustard before and during the half-time of games with Emily Menges  (Emily also makes a guest appearance!)

-The method she uses to become a world-class finisher

-Why she named her achilles tendon “Clarence”

I’d love to hear what you learned from this episode. Please leave a message in the comments

Show Notes

:57 Who is Christine Sinclair?

3:45 Charlie, the love of her life!

5:15 How did Christine choose University of Portland

9:00 How was winning the NCAA women’s soccer championships?

10:05 What is Sinc’s top moment in her career?

11:15 Other sports played by Christine

11:45 When did she know soccer was her main sport?

13:25 Was she always a standout player?

14:04 Did she have goals from the beginning of her career?

14:35 What players did she idolize?

15:32 When did she know she would play in a world cup?

15:44 What did it feel like to surpass Mia Hamm’s goal scoring record?

18:02 Why is Christine so well liked by teammates?

19:45 Does Sinc like being a leader?

21:05 Can everyone be a leader?

22:32 What is Christine’s memories of the 2012 London Olympics

26:57 Why doesn’t Christine like being in the spotlight?

28:15   Her perspective on social media

30:28 How does she deal with her competitiveness?

31:40 The importance of team bonding

36:29 Her battle with being a recovering perfectionist

37:55 How has Sinc learned to play more freely?

40:10 What would she tell her 18 year old self?

42:14 Sinc’s favorite coffee shop

43:42 Favorite restaurant

44:38 How has she dealt with body pain?

50:40 Christine’s stats & records

55:03 What does Sinc like about Portland, Oregon

56:31 Her morning routine

58:34 What is the biggest misconception about Christine?

59:31 What one belief does Christine have that others think is crazy?

1:00:20 Favorite failure

1:02:21 Greatest accomplishment

1:04:32 How has she developed her amazing finishing skills?

1:06:00 What is Sinc’s one simple tip for female athletes

1:07:30 Favorite downtime activity

1:08:15 What does Christine enjoy most about scoring goals

1:08:45 pregame rituals & superstitions

1:09:57 What 3 Thorns players would she choose to be with on a deserted island?

1:10:24 Has there ever been a moment when she wanted to quit soccer?

Share the love

If you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

1. Click HERE

2. Click “view in itunes”

3. Click the “ratings and reviews” tab

4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Resources

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content

EP 35- Nadia Nadim- On Fleeing the Taliban and How to Get Rich and Famous

In today’s episode, I interview Danish footballer Nadia Nadim. Nadia is genuinely one of the happiest people I know. She’s also one of the most confident and unafraid to speak her mind.

Nadia was born in Afghanistan during the war.  At 11 year’s of age, Nadia’s dad, a general in the army,  was killed by the Taliban. Nadia’s mom knew there wasn’t a future for her children in Afghanistan. One night, her family snuck out in the dark and fled the country. They took a plane to Italy, where they were then smuggled in the back of a delivery truck for 48 hours, intending to end up in England. When they arrived, a man walking his dog informed Nadia’s mom that they were actually in Denmark. After finding the police, Nadia’s family was taken to a refuge center.  Nadia’s family patiently awaited approval into the country. If they were denied, they would have to return back to Afghanistan.

While at the refugee center, Nadia was introduced to soccer. She kicked around with the other refugees, whom were from all over the world. One day at a nearby field, Nadia, decided to walk up to the coach of a team during a training session, and through hand gestures, because she didn’t speak Danish, she asked if she could play with the team. The coach let her join and her career was launched. Nadia currently plays club soccer for the Portland Thorns, is a Danish national team member, and is simultaneously studying to become a plastic surgeon.

In our interview, Nadia talks about:

-her family’s escape from the Taliban

-her plans on becoming rich and famous

-balancing medical school and professional soccer

-how Nadia uses getting “pissed off” to her advantage on the field

-the two things that Nadia doesn’t think she’s good at life (she claims to be good at everything else)

-the belief system behind why Nadia knows she can do anything she sets her mind to

I’ve also written an additional article on Nadia  in which she tells stories we didn’t cover in this interview, like the time she lived in a low income city and built a soccer club starting with 7 players, that grew to 217 children.  We talk about the colorful headband she wears on game days, and how the first headband she wore was made by cutting the elastic band off of her underwear,  how she prays 5 times a day, and the other ways she aspires to give hope to refugees.

Read the article  here:  Arrow Liver: Professional Soccer Player, Nadia Nadim

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If you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

1. Click HERE

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4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Resources

Additional Article on Nadia Nadim: Arrow Liver: Professional Soccer Player, Nadia Nadim

Follow Nadia Nadim:

Instagram: @nadi9nadim

Twitter:  @Nadia_Nadim

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

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EP 34- The Day I Met Ryan Gosling and Decided to Quit Soccer and Travel the World

In today’s episode, I tell the story of the time I was over facing numerous setbacks throughout my soccer career. I contemplated giving up soccer and opening up a frozen coconut yogurt shop, or an earthy chill-vibed cafe, or a surf and soccer school in South America. I also kinda met Ryan Gosling ….

“There comes a point, when these things start to pile up and you inevitably begin to question your trajectory. It’s like if you were to play a continuous game of Jenga for a year straight with friends. And every round, you are the one who pulls out the wood block that makes the entire tower come crashing down. The first few times you may attribute your defeat to luck, or lack thereof, but then after the 12th time you start to wonder if the game is rigged. Or maybe it’s just not your game. Maybe you should just accept that it’s not your game, and go to the cupboard to pick a new one.

“Is soccer just not my game?”

Full written article with pictures HERE

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4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Resources

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content

EP 33- Arrow Tip Tuesday: Love Yourself in the Mirror

I recently watched the above youtube video, of a young girl, Jessica, who  is standing on her bathroom counter, looking into the mirror, and shouting all the things she enjoys about her life. “my whole house is great! I can do anything good….I like my hair! I like my hair cuts! I like my hair ties! I like my pajamas!  I can do anything good!”

It made my heart smile. The video has received over 19 millions views.

What would people think if the video content was the same, except the child was instead, an adult?

My guess is the video would not go viral, understandably, because adults just aren’t as cute. But I believe the behavior would be labeled as childish, self-absorbed, egotistical,  and borderline psycho.

I have a confession: I’m addicted to talking to myself in the mirror. Yes, I am crazy,

but I’d rather be a crazy person who gazes deeply into my own eyes every morning and loves myself, than a crazy person who walks around acting like I’m okay all day, but inside I feel worthless.

It simply feels good. And it feels good to feel good.

There is research up the wazoo about how self-love leads to more happiness, better health decisions, less risk of depression and anxiety, enhanced academic performance, increased problem-solving skills, reduced procrastination…the list goes on (Huffington Post article with scientifically backed benefits here)

I’ve noticed that practicing self-love translates into other areas of my life, including my sport.

I bounce back quicker from an inaccurate pass on a day where my energy feels off, and when I receive criticism. Instead, of swearing at myself and asking what the hell is wrong with me, I send myself some love, and move forward.

Loving ourselves as a child comes naturally, but as we age, it becomes increasingly difficult. We are constantly being influenced by our environment on what is “good” and “bad”, and if we aren’t doing “good” then it’s easy to self-criticize. We have to consciously practice self-love every day or we fall into the comparison trap, and perceive ourselves as inadequate.

Loving myself in the mirror is the single greatest exercise I do to gain confidence.

Our relationship with ourselves is the only one that is guaranteed. We cannot escape the conversations that we have in our own head every day. I don’t know about you, but I personally prefer to talk with kind-hearted souls, rather than bullies.

The Mirror Exercise

1. Look look in the mirror, and stare deep into your eyes. Not in the way you check to make sure your toothpaste isn’t smeared on the sides of your mouth, or that your nose isn’t symmetrical with your lips. But in the way that you would look at the one and only love of your life.

There’s something about looking into your own eyes that forces you to be present and realize that you are a human being who is doing the best they can, just like every other human in this world.

1. Look into your eyes until you feel that you have connected with your true self. You’ll know when you know.

2. Talk to yourself as if you are your best friend. Tell yourself what you love about yourself. I say things like, “I love you. I believe in you. You are the hardest worker I know. I am so proud of you for all you’ve been through. You are a champion. You are the hardest worker I know. Your dreams are coming true.” This is your time to tell yourself what you want to come to fruition, for yourself, and not anyone else.

3. Continue speaking to yourself in the most compassionate, genuine tone, until you feel the way that you want to feel.

4. Repeat this exercise as often as you like (anytime you’re alone with a mirror). I perform it as part ofmy morning routine, after I visualize, make my bed, and move. I find this exercise most effective when I’m feeling low or want to get myself pumped up on life.

This exercise for sure feels bizarre and uncomfortable at first, but I believe you can’t grow without some discomfort. 
If you’re bold enough to try it, let me know what you think. Did you notice a difference in your mood? What kind of things did you say to yourself?

Share the love

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4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Resources

Video of girl loving herself in the mirror

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

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EP 32- Mana Shim- on desserts, death and befriending strangers

Professional soccer player Mana Shim has a go with the flow attitude and has relied on her intuition her entire life. At 15 years old, the Hawaiian native left surfing, beaches, and her family behind, and moved to Arizona with the hope of playing college soccer at a Division One school one day.

Mana’s decision paid off, and she was recruited by her dream school, Santa Clara University. After college, Mana entered the NWSL draft, but did not get selected by any teams. She opted to tryout for the Portland Thorns, because it was the cheapest flight and the team was talented.

Mana balled out, made the team, and has been with the Portland Thorns for 5 consecutive years.

In this interview, we start out talking light about desserts, and then dive deep (in typical Mana fashion)into the topics of fear, anxiety, and death.

We touch upon:

-Mana’s uncanny ability to befriend strangers

-the mental state that allows Mana to play her best soccer

-why Mana doesn’t share her goals with people (except her therapist)

-the day Mana’s dad passed away, and why it was one of the most beautiful moments of her life

-why suffering is necessary to live a fulfilled life

-how to become a more trustworthy person via what Brene Brown calls  B.R.A.V.I.N.G

-and of course, we talk about surfing, and the best wave Mana has ever ridden.

Share the love

If you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

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4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Resources

Click HERE to follow Mana on Instagram

Click HERE to follow Mana on Twitter

Click HERE for another interview and full story with Mana

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

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EP 30- Arrow Tip Tuesday: Move in the Morning

When I have a killer workout planned, the worst part is hardly ever during the exercise, but rather the anticipation. It’s the mental chatter:  Ughh, this is going to suck, i just want to get this over with…but once the workout begins, even if I’m gasping for air and praying I make it out alive,  the pre-chatter still was the worst part.

The same thing goes for mornings. Mornings have the potential to be the King of mehhhh-like thoughts.

But like workouts, this pre-chatter isn’t serving us.

And when anything is not serving me, I like to nip it in the bud ASAP.

Tony Robbins, a master of the human psyche,  holds seminars to get people amped up on life. I attended one of his speaking events.  Consistently, people leave feeling like they are on top of the world. One of the main ways he gets people  to change their beliefs is through movement. He says that the mind is the weakest part of our body. This is because our brains are programmed to survive, which can cause us to see things as more threatening than they are in reality… like getting out of bed.

Tony explains that the quickest, most effective way to change our internal state is to move. Physical activity changes the biochemistry in your body. It sends endorphins into the brain and regulates your mood.

One of the exercises Tony had the audience do was to celebrate like it was the greatest moment of your life. To get as into it as possible, throw your arms up in the air, hug people, jump up and down. At this event there were thousands of people screaming like little kids and the energy I felt was outrageous.

When you full on celebrate, extending your arms up, this movement opens up your diaphragm and fires off neurotransmitters into your brain that make you happier.

This is why my morning routine always includes some type of movement.

In episode 27, I detailed the first part of my morning routine, in which I visualize while half-asleep. After this visualization, I get my move on!

My Morning Movement

I stretch out my entire body and yell a positive statement to myself like “let’s goooo kendall, today’s about to be a beautiful day, I love you!!” I’m 110% fully aware that this sounds cheeseball with extra swiss, cheddar and mozzarella, but it works for me. When I yell, rather than whisper, these affirmations radically alter my sleepy state and make me feel more alert. I then get out of bed, and do some sort of exercise.

Moving is powerful stuff. As athletes, there’s a reason we all love moving. It makes us feel good.  I love moving, as long as it’s not the beep test, or a run exceeding 10 miles, or burpees, or hills or…. just kidding, sort of.

But my movement in the morning, takes less than 5 minutes,  and it without fail gets me juiced up.

Prior to my concussion, I had a routine in which I would do 20 push-ups and a one minute plank each way.

But the movement doesn’t even have to be that extreme. I now take a more gentler approach to wake up my body, I begin with some neck and back stretches, and then I finish with whatever movement I’m feeling lunge squats, jumping in the air Tony Robbins style…I do it until my heart rate is elevated my breath quickens, and my body warms.

Then after that, I’m in a way more lively state and ready to seize the day.

I recommend experimenting with what movement works for you. You may like to ease into it with yoga or just get down and dirty. If you want,  try my push-up plank series. The first week I started this program I did 10 push-ups, and then a 30 second plank each way. Each week I added 1 push up and 5 extra seconds to each plank, until I worked my way up to 20 push-ups and 1 minute plank each way.

This would get me Ronda Rousey-fired up to start my day.

Except that I don’t have any desire to beat girls up. I prefer to throw hugs and not punches.  That’s just me.

If you try out my plank/push-up series let me know how you like it! Do you have a morning movement routine? Do you have any suggestions on how I can improve mine?

Let me know!

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Resources

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Garga Caserta-Thorns FC strength and conditioning coach-on maximizing speed, injury prevention, and the Brazilian capoeira

In today’s episode, I interview Garga Caserta. Garga is the Thorns FC performance management consultant and strength and conditioning coach. He is the owner of GC Strength,a sports performance center specifically for soccer players. He is also the father of two dogs, and soon-to-be human father, as he and his wonderful wife, Molly, are expecting a baby boy.

In this episode, we talk about how Garga grew up playing futsal in the streets of Brasil and how as a child, he had already calculated how many World Cups in which he was going to play in his lifetime. We discuss how Garga first gained interest in the power of movement through the capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics and music.

In the second portion of the interview, we dive into technical aspects of speed, agility, strength, and all things mobility.

Garga talks about:

-the most common mistake athletes make while training

-the importance of a meaningful warm-up

-how to prevent injuries, particularly acl tears

-the key components to increasing your speed

– why he makes Thorns FC players, wear gps and heart rate monitors every training

-why coach Mark Parsons and he plan out every single training session before our season starts

and more.

If you stick around to the end of the interview, Garga has a special gift for you!

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Garga Caserta.

Shownotes

:50 Who is Garga?

4:00 Garga’s art of coaching

5:21 His upbringing in Brazil

7:47 How and why did Garga move to the US.

10:07 What inspired his interest in movement?

17:00 When did Garga stop playing soccer?

22:06 Why did Garga come to Portland?

23:18 Garga’s transition to the Thorns conditioning coach

24:45 How does Garga prepare for Thorn’s pregame warmups?

27:35 What is central nervous activation response?

30:09 Benefits of warmups

30:48 Biggest mistake of running form

33:24 Tip for increasing running speed

36:08 Is speed and agility innate or taught?

37:47 How much does weight training influence speed?

41:01 Does Garga like heavy or light lifting?

43:46 Why is doing more not always better?

48:41 Importance of building fundamentals

51:00  biggest mistake rushing preparation

51:50 Garga & Mark Parson’s preplanning training sessions

55:07 Garga’s lighter day schedule

57:16 GPS systems & heart rate monitors

1:03:04 Garga’s video replay analysis

1:07.41 Garga’s new company

1:11.54 Fan questions

1:13.45 How can female athletes decrease the possibility of ACL injury?

1:16.35 What is the best method to increase speed and stamina?

1:18.04 How important is stretching?

1:20.01 What is one of Garga’s craziest beliefs?

1:21.38 Is there a body prep you do every day?

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Resources

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Click HERE for Garga’s Free 1 month strength and speed workout

Click HERE for Garga’s Instagram & HERE for his Twitter

Click HERE for Garga’s Website

EP 28- My Whiplash Heatstroke Fifa ‘94 Concussion

In today’s episode, I tell the story of the first game I ever voluntarily subbed myself out of a game: the day I got my concussion. In episode 26, I read my piece Why I Saw Strange Men in my room (and am telling you about it 8 months later). This was the first time I opened up about my concussion.

I wrote that piece as a reflection to process my lack of progress and debilitating state.  Why is this happening to me? Why am I not getting better? Will I ever be able to play soccer again?  I was desperate to find an answer, but finally realized sometimes the best thing we can do is let go and trust that things will work out how they are meant to be.

Today’s piece titled My Whiplash, Heatstroke, Fifa 94 concussion  brings it back to the beginning. From here on out, I will tell my story chronologically. I have learned heaps about concussions, and even more about myself-who I want to be, why I am playing soccer, and my philosophy on life.

I am very passionate about telling my story because I know there are so many people out there who are struggling, feel like they are alone, and may be losing hope.

But, I truly believe that our setbacks are our biggest teachers. That’s the whole reason behind Arrow Living’s name. “An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. In life, when you’re faced with difficulties, it means it’s going to launch you into something great, so just focus and keep aiming.”

Link to full written article with pictures: My whiplash heat stroke Fifa ‘94 Concussion

For great resources and concussion recovery support check out: : Headwayfoundation.com

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Resources

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EP 27- Arrow Tip Tuesday: Visualize Your Day (while half-asleep)

It’s the championship game. Pouring down rain. Tie ball game. The clock is ticking down, with one minute to spare. The ball is passed to you. This is your chance. The moment you’ve dreamed of your entire life. You wind up to take the shot and ……..ring!!!! You’re alarm goes off, waking you from your slumber.

Not only did you miss out on your chance for glory, but now you’re groggy, and pissed, and the last thing you want do is leave your warm covers.

In EP 22-Arrow Tip Tuesday: Create A Morning Ritual,  I talk about how snoozing your alarm is kind of life telling yourself the day isn’t worth waking up for.  I’ve been trying out a new technique lately, that allows for extra bed time.

In my past morning routine,  I immediately hopped out of bed and pounded out twenty push ups, and a one minute plank on my sides, and face-down. That strategy was effective in jolting me awake. But, since my concussion, I’ve transitioned into a more gentle approach.

Instead of bouncing right out of bed, I take the opportunity to capitalize on my half-asleep state and visualize. Most often I’ll wake up before my alarm goes off.  And immediately upon awakening, I’ll visualize exactly how I want my day to go.

I have this theory that this comatose state  is magical and allows me to tap into my soul. After doing some research, I think I’m onto something.

Why visualize?

In all my interviews, nearly every person thus far has mentioned that they practice visualization. Jacqueline Wiles  visualizes her ski race, Michelle Betos visualizes right when she wakes up, Emily Menges and Katherine Reynolds visualize before arriving to games.

Visualization is powerful for athletes because when you imagine an activity, you are using the same pathways in your brain that are used when you actually perform that action. So, it’s as if you are doing an actual reputation, further ingraining the skill into your brain.

Why visualize half-asleep?

Visualization is extra beneficial right when you wake up, because you are in a deeper brain wave state.

Brain waves are electrical pulses from masses of neurons that communicate with each other.

Delta-waves occur when we are in deep restorative sleep.

Theta-waves occur in lighter sleep, and deep meditation.

Alpha-waves occur when we are present, in a resting state.

Beta-waves occur when we are awake, alert, thinking rationally.

When you visualize upon awakening,  you will often be able to penetrate deeper into your subconscious, causing the images to stick more.

What do I visualize?

When I visualize in the morning, I lay down on my back, shut my eyes, and imagine exactly how I want my day to go.  

I make sure to get as detailed as possible and make myself feel exactly how I want to feel. Visualizations are the way you want to feel, they maximize your experience because the brain learns and retains information better with emotions.

I imagine the immense energy I feel when I pop out of bed, the music that will be playing when I walk into the the locker room, my body moving effortlessly at training, performing my neck stretches cooling down…all the way to how I want to feel when I get to bed.

I often visualize something going wrong in my day. I do this to train my mind to not be shaken if I encounter an unanticipated challenge during my day. This prepares me to get myself back into a clear space.

Sometimes I’ll top the visualization off with a something I want to happen in my life-like blasting that game-winning goal that my alarm so rudely interrupted me from.

This usually takes me 10 minutes.

Then I hop out of bed, make my bed and resume the rest of my morning routine which I’ll talk about in future episodes.

For the scientific benefits of visualization check out this article: 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-science-of-visualizat_b_171340.htmlhttp:

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4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Resources

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

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EP 26- Why I Saw Strange Men in my Room (and am telling you about it 9 months later)

In 2015, I suffered a concussion that completely changed my life. My entire career I have been someone who prides themselves on working hard.  If someone tells me I’m not going to make it, I say “thank you” and add fuel to the fire.

During our offseason, we are in control of our training. For me, most days are double days, at least, and then I’d spend my free time at coffee shops writing.

But this offseason, I couldn’t even walk, ride in a car, or be around people for extended periods of time without debilitating symptoms.

Despite my symptoms, I was determined to get back in time for the start of the NWSL season. .

But my body literally wouldn’t let me “work harder” to get back.

When you lose the thing that you dedicated your entire life to, when you have to drastically reduce your daily activities, and when the sole purpose of your entire day is to just get through the day with minimal symptoms, it makes you think about life differently.

I asked myself questions I never pondered before:

Why do I want to play soccer so badly? Who am I if I don’t have soccer? Why am I so desperate to find answers? What’s the purpose of my life?

It is this self-examination of my motives and feelings behind my aspirations that has had the most profound impact on my life-far beyond any workout regimen, diet, or training strategy.

My concussion has been by far my biggest life teacher.

The extreme lack of resources out there for proper concussion treatment is astounding. I have searched far and wide for answers, traveled across the country and up to Canada to see a neck specialist, implemented a new nutrition plan, and tried out dozens of other unconventional approaches (which I plan to write about).

I want to share what I have learned. But above all,  I want to provide hope for anyone who is going through a difficult time, even if it’s not a concussion.

Even though my symptoms were immobilizing, the internal struggle far exceeded the physical pain.

I know that feeling of hopelessness and loneliness: no one understands my situation, why do things like this always happy to me, will I ever get better?

We all have our own unique struggle, that’s no better or worse than anyone else’s. It’s just life.

And this is mine.

I have a separate “my concussion story” section on Arrow Living  in which I will continue telling my story, as well as interview specialists, and people who have helped me along the way.

If you know anyone whom you think this would help. Please pass it along.

Full written article: /why-i-saw-strange-men-in-my-room-and-am-telling-you-about-it-9-months-later/

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If you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

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Resources

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EP 25- Arrow Tip Tuesday: Why Making your Bed Changes the World

I never used to understand people who made their bed. Why bother taking the time when you are going to be getting back in and making it messy at the end of the day anyways?

As I mentioned in episode 17 in the article I wrote, Throwing Away 9 Trash Bags of Clothes Changed my Life, I am inherently a slob and tend to be suspicious of those whose living space smell of Windex and resembles a vacated crime scene. .

What are they trying to hide??

But, awhile back I read a quote from Commander Navy Seal, William H Mcraven, that peaked my feathers.

“If you want to to change the world, start off by making your bed. If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do one task and then another. And by the end of the day that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed and It will reinforce the idea that the little things in life matter.”

Ohhh snapp. Did he just equate making your bed with changing the world??

I’m down to change the world, so I figured it was worth a shot.

I did. And now I always, always, always make my bed. Here’s why:

Charles Duhigg, author of bestseller The Power of Habit, calls this kind of habit, a “keystone habit” because it creates a positive change that will then set in motion your ability to perform other good behaviors.

Once I make my bed, it symbolizes that my day is starting, and it is my first opportunity to demonstrate that I am taking control of my day.

There are so many uncertainties in life. Even if you begin the day with the best intentions, things can go sideways fast.

You could slip on a banana peel on the way to training, get side swiped in your car,  yelled at by your coach, miss the game-winning shot…. the possibilities are endless.

But, no matter how crappy your day is, when you come home and all you want to do is sleep, you will see that at the very least you made your bed. Not all is lost.

It’s such a small habit, but  I am learning that I am a highly visual person. If I see a distraction in the my outer life, I’m going to feel off internally. So making my bed is one action I can take to help me reduce that stress.

Also, think about when you stay at a hotel. When I am traveling with my team and enter my hotel room, I get giddy when I see the bed covers are tucked in crispier than a newly minted dollar bill.  Sometimes I do think the covers are so snug they make me feel like I’m going going to lose circulation, however that’s just a personal preference. The beauty about making your own bed, is you call the shots.

If you’re a science-based person, a recent study showed  “71 percent of bed makers consider themselves happy, while 62 percent of non-bed-makers admit to being unhappy. Bed makers are also more likely to enjoy their jobs, own a home, exercise regularly, and feel well rested, whereas non-bed-makers hate their jobs, rent apartments, avoid the gym, and wake up tired.”

There’s something to be said about making beds.

Arrow Tip: Make your bed

If you still feel you are too lazy to make your bed, then here’s a video on how to make your bed while you are still in it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD8y1kRpMqw

No excuses to at least try it! if you don’t like it, you can go back to crumpled sheets.

Do you make your bed? Does it make you feel as happy as me? Let me know in the comments

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Resources

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EP 24- Jacqueline Wiles: US ski team Olympian- On chasing snow and dreams, with a side of medicinal mushrooms

In today’s episode, I interview US downhill and super G ski team member and Olympian Jacqueline Wiles, aka Janky Lil’ J . Take a look at Jackie’s Instagram and you’ll see beautiful snow-capped mountains ranging from Chile to New Zealand to Switzerland. Jackie is living her dream, but her life isn’t always glamorous. Behind those photos are grueling traveling schedules, hours spent in the gym, and races lost by just .01 of a second.

Jackie wouldn’t want it any other way and is grateful for her journey.  From the moment Jackie started skiing at age 2, she had a need for speed. By age 3, Jackie distinctly remembers being upset that her 5 year-old brother was able to start ski racing, before herself. All her life Jackie knew that she wanted to make the US ski team, and held onto that image despite people doubting her.

After years of climbing the ranks, Jackie became one of just a handful females in the entire United States to be a part of the U.S ski team.  But her journey was just getting started.

Only certain members of the team are fully funded, and at the time, Jackie needed to find $25,000 to continue her dreams. She was able to raise the money through sponsorships, including one from her teammate Lindsey Vonn, through the Lindsey Vonn foundation. Also, Jackie’s teammates and her came up with a creative fundraising strategy, and sold “An Under The Suit: Bodies of the Ski Team”  calendars in which they posed naked on the mountain.

Jackie’s sport is filled with ups and downs, but she’s always learning from them and eager to keep improving.

In our conversation, we dig into:

-how Jackie qualified for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics just weeks before the event
-why Jackie posed naked on the mountain to assist her in raising the $25,000 needed to pursue her dreams
-becoming the first ambassador to her teammate Lindsey Vonn’s foundation, The Lindsey Vonn Foundation 
-how Jackie deals with skiing’s uncontrollable factors such as weather and slope conditions
-Jackie’s specific visualization technique before races
-Competing in World Cups (which are a lot different different than soccer World Cups)”
-how Jackie  travels and lives out a suitcase for the majority of the year
-Medicinal mushrooms and why Four Sigmatic Mushroom Tea  is  one of her favorite products to improve her performance
-what she’s thinking about when she’s  bombing down the hill at 70mph
-And a lot more

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Shownotes
:49           Who is Jaqueline Wiles?
4:07         Where did her nickname come from?
5:08        Jackie’s favorite song and music she listens to while skiing.
7:11          Jackie’s childhood skiing days
8:33         What other sports did Jackie play?
9:55          Angry 3 year old Jackie and her goal at age 5 to always ski.
11:27         What speed does Jackie ski at in competittions
12:28        Does fear intensify Jackie’s focus in skiing?
14:23        What does Jackie prepare for in each new terrain?
16:50        How much training is done on slope vs. gym?
18:38        How does Jackie incorporate visualization into her training?
21:38        How is it training for hours for just an 1 1/2 minute race?
24:03       What’s is Jackie’s prerace preparation?
25:33        Jackie’s decision to not attend college
27:57         What age did Jackie not see athletic progress and how did she change that?
20:04        Does Jackie spend more training time on the mountain or in the gym?
30:47         How did Jackie’s new training (Facebook@ BODY by TROY ) change the path to the  US Nat’l   team?
32:54        Training abroad experience
36:20        Does Jackie enjoy the individual competition or the team experience?
37:17          How important is equipment?
38:53         How does Jackie get back from a bad race experience?
40:17         Does Jackie journal?
42:13         Jackie’s blog  http://www.jacquelinewiles.com/blog/
46:38         Jackies naked calendar experience  http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/suit-calendar-features-nude-portraits-u-s-ski-team-gallery-1.2921503?pmSlide=1.2921600
51:48          How does US ski team sponsorship work?
53:38          Lindsey Vonn Foundation  https://www.lindseyvonnfoundation.org
56:17           Jackie’s morning routine
1:00.09       Has Jackie had a bad spill?
1:01              What’s the biggest misconception about Jackie?
1:02.17        What is one of Jackie’s craziest beliefs?
1:06.47        Does Jackie follow any type of diet?
1:08.26       What does 18 year old self Jackie wish she knew?
1:09.35        Jackie’s favorite failure
1:11.08        Jackie’s favorite accomplishment
1:12.53        Jackie’s one tip for female athletes

Jaqueline Wiles    http://www.jacquelinewiles.com
Jaqueline Wiles ski camp  http://www.jacquelinewiles.com/skicamp.html
Jackie Wiles instagram https://www.instagram.com/jankylilj/

Resources

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

Click HERE  to be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other exclusive content

Click HERE to check out Jackie’s Blog

Click HERE to support Jackie and her dreams

Click HERE to follow Jackie on Twitter & HERE to follow her on Instagram

Click HERE to sign-up for Jackie’s 6 day camp at Mt Hood

EP 23- The Day I Lost my Most Prized Possession

Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, the Portland Trail Blazers are my favorite sports team. Ever since I was little, my two brothers and I would paint our faces, makes signs, and cheer our hearts out at games. I got so obsessed that I created a shrine of Blazers newspaper clippings in my bedroom. As a teenager, I was convinced that I was going to marry an NBA player. I’m not so sure that’s what I want now, but I’m never one to close any doors. My point is, I’ve been a fan my entire life. And on today’s episode, I have a story regarding that. Back in high school, my neighbor asked my younger brother Brett to help out with a garage sale. When the day came, Brett decided he couldn’t make it. So, me being the generous sister that I am, filled in for him. Best karma moment of my life. While there, I ruffled through the bins they were selling, and came across a gold mine: a retro, throwback, one-of-a-kind, Blazer crew neck sweatshirt. It smelled like my grandma’s musty old basement, but that just added to its vintage value…..My story today still hit’s a tender spot. It’s the day I lost this most prized possession.  I still have faith that one day we will be reunited 
Full written article with pictures here: The Day I Lost my Most Prized Possession

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3. Click the “ratings and reviews” tab

4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Resources

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

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EP 22- Arrow Tip Tuesday: Create A Morning Ritual

Morning people. My college self just threw up in my mouth a little bit. As a teenager, if I had to wake up before my body felt ready, the entire world was dead to me. I walked around with a blank stare, wishing that a UFO would fly down, lasso every human who attempted to talk to me, and transport them to Mars, until I woke up on my own terms.

Legitimately, if someone greeted me with a “hi, good morning!” I’d think how dare you have the audacity to say such a thing to me before 10am.

But then, after college, I read an article by this dude name Hal Elrod. He mentioned that the single biggest contributor to his success in life was having a morning routine.

What?? Is this guy for real?

He brought up an idea, that rattled my morning-hating 10x snooze-button hitting self.

He said that every time you wake up, and hit the snooze button, you’re essentially, saying “I hate getting up, so let me do it over and over and over again.”

Wow. Truth. I am voluntarily re-living the most unenjoyable part of my day.

Since then, I’ve researched highly impactful athletes and people in this world, and have noticed that the majority of them all have some variation of a consistent morning ritual.

And it makes sense. Our days are filled with uncontrollable factors.  Once our day gets rolling, it’s so easy to get caught up being reactive. We get a text from a friend, we show up to training and our coach tells us what to do, we respond to all our piled up emails ..…by the end of the day, it can leave us feeling drained as if we never took time to ourself.

But the start of the day, is something we can always control. In implementing a morning ritual, we are able to start the day on our own terms. It’s an opportunity to show ourselves that we value our well-being and are in control of our lives. Once you find a ritual that feels good to you, it allows you to start the day off feeling alive, and excited to crush the rest of your day.

For the past four years, I’ve been tweaking my own routine, and have developed one that get’s me feeling like I’m Cinderella and that Prince Charming just returned my glass slipper.

Throughout the next few weeks, I’m going to walk you through my exact morning ritual that gets me into this enlightened state. Every one is different, but there’s a few main components that I believe will set you up for your day, and at the very least, make you not want to hit snooze, or hit anyone who tries to say “good morning!” to you before you’re fully ready.

Arrow Tip: Create A Morning Ritual

Specific details to follow in the future

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EP 21-Katherine Reynolds: Professional Soccer Player- On working hard, striving to be your best, and picking a wedding dress

Professional soccer player, Katherine Reynolds has played in 79 out of the 86 National Women’s Soccer League matches. However, her path to becoming a consistent starter did not come without it’s challenges.

After attending Santa Clara University, Katherine was drafted to the Boston Breakers. Just days before the beginning of the season, she was unexpectedly cut from the team. Katherine ended up getting picked up by the the Philadelphia Union. That season, she seldom saw the field, and considers that year one of the most challenging ones of her life. But, Katherine is someone who prides herself on working hard, and the following year, her career took off. Katherine has played every minute of every game in multiple seasons. It’s incredible feat just to stay injury-free at the professional level, and testament to her reliable, consistent play.  

In our conversation, we talk about the responsibility that comes with being the oldest of four sisters, how she became an 8 time state champion in track by her sophomore year of high school and then decided to quit, the crazy story on how she very-last-minute got recruited by her dream school Santa Clara University, how she deals with the stress of playing professionally, her recent engagement and what she’s looking for in a wedding dress.

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If you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

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4. Click “write a review” and show me love <3

Resources

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

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EP 20- Losing Someone Close to Your Heart

Today on the podcast, I share a piece I wrote as a reflection to process the first time I lost someone really close to my heart; my grandma.

As athletes, we invest our heart and souls into our sport. We become obsessed with being the best. And we get in this routine of waking up every day wanting to be faster and stronger and better and better and better and when things aren’t aligning the way we’d like, it can be stressful. We get worked up when our coach yells at us for messing up a drill, or we have to run extra sprints, or we show up late for training because of traffic…. We can fall into this rut for days, or months or even years and question, “why is this happening to me???”

And then, out of nowhere, something unexpected happens that jolts you back into the present. It makes you realize that what we were worrying about was minuscule and meaningless in the grand scheme of life.

The above  picture perfectly encapsulates everything my grandma means to me. I just finished playing a game at Providence Park, and ran over to my family’s seats to give them some love. I was greeted by my grandma, who’s grin I can still feel beaming down on me today.  She’s wearing  the purest smile. No verbal exchange is necessary. I can see her genuine excitement to be in that moment. She carried this demeanor with her every day. Fully invested in the the now. Her smile reminds me of the power of presence. We do not have to wait for some life-changing loss, injury, or tragedy to gain perspective. Every single day, we can choose how we want to show up for life. I choose to be grateful and live fully. What do you choose?

Full written article with images here: dear-nonie-one-last-letter-on-love-and-traveling-every-day/

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Resources

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EP 19- Arrow Tip Tuesday: Find an Accountablity Partner

Accountability partners for goals are what butter is to coffee, or what collagen is to bone broth or, what cacao nibs are to goat yogurt…you know what I’m saying?? Okay maybe not, if you aren’t as fond of these concoctions as I am. But for real, accountability partners are the bees knees.

An accountability partner is someone you join forces with to hold one another responsible for your respective intentions.

(Side note: In the past, the term  “goals”  have signified too much rigidity, as I tended to put too much focus on the end result. I like to use the word “intentions”, because it reminds me that the end results are something to aspire to, but they do not define me. It allows me to fully enjoy the process. That’s just my preference, but you can use whatever word you want: goal, intention, result, outcome etc.)

This past offseason, Arrow Liver, professional goalkeeper, and diving-header goal legend Michelle Betos  and I were accountability buddies. Each week, we emailed each other what went well in our training, and what we wanted to improve the following week.  We chose tasks that we typically struggled to complete on our own, and just needed a little extra push.   

One week, my focus was to get back in to the habit of documenting and reflecting upon all of my workouts. Another week, Michelle wanted to improve her ball striking technique. That week, she sent me a text of her foot taped up. Most humans, tape their ankle if it’s injured, but Michelle’s ligaments were fully intact. She taped her foot  in order to recondition her brain to strike the ball with her foot in that specific position. That’s Michelle Betos for you. If you haven’t listened to her full podcast , that’s not the craziest thing she’s done to improve her game.  

A few weeks after we started this accountability thread, I saw an incredible stat:

A study conducted at Dominican University of California showed that people who wrote down their intentions, shared with a friend, and sent weekly updates to that friend were on average 33% more successful in accomplishing their stated intentions than if they were to keep them to themselves.

Woahhhh. That’s a ⅓  greater likelihood of crushing your dreams!!

Accountability partners are effective because when you tell someone else your intentions, they become more than just about you. This person serves as a greater reason to follow through on the action. Also, this gives you someone who is supportive of you and equally invested in pursuing their own visions. Plus, even if your desired outcomes are different, it’s way more fun to salsa dance together to your dreams.

Arrow Tip:  Find an Accountability Partner

1. Find a mate you trust, who will keep you honest, and agrees to be your accountability partner

2. Converse about your intentions and the actions you want to take to meet them

3. Set-up the specific actions you will take, and create general timeline for when you will accomplish them 

4. Check in with each other once a week, in person, via text, email, phone etc.

5. Celebrate the progress! Fist bump each other each time you make a gain.

Do you have an accountability partner? Have they helped you make moves in life? Let me know!

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If you haven’t already, I would be so very grateful if you rated and left me a review of the podcast. It takes two minutes! Here’s what to do.

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Resources

Click HERE to become a part of Friday Feelz

Click HERE for a list of the 10 books I believe ever female athlete MUST read.

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