Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Imagery for the Super Bowl XLIX Teams

Photo courtesy of Microsoft Office



Super Bowl XLIX is just a few days away.
No doubt the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks are preparing for the big game by doing practical things like creating and practicing offensive and defensive strategies to defeat the opposing team. The athletes are probably powering up by drinking water and eating protein and other high-energy nutritious foods to build muscle and increase stamina; hopefully, they are also able to get adequate rest (sleep) so they can be focused and sharp on game day.
 I wonder what they are doing to mentally prepare for the game. I am sure that New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll are giving their respective teams pep talks to help build up the players’ confidence in their prowess on the field. Following are some imagery exercises I would guide them through before they walk onto the field to further increase their confidence so they can focus on the game and earn another championship ring.
·                     Tune out all of the negative discussion, comments and analysis about your team and NFL politics that you may overhear around you. These things have already happened; now it is time to focus on the game you are about to play.
 
·                     Take a minute to relive how confident and enthusiastic and joyful you felt when you won your previous Super Bowl championship. When you have a good image of this experience, draw a deep breath and feel the power, excitement and confidence that washed over you when you made that snap, threw/caught the touchdown pass, ran the football all the way to the end of the field for that touchdown. Release any lingering negativity or doubt as you exhale that breath.
 
·                     Allow your body to do what it already knows how to do. You have successfully done each of these plays thousands of times in practice and during other games. You did them to win your league championship. You did them when you won your last Super Bowl title. Your body knows how to do each of these things, so keep your mind/thoughts out if your body’s way.
·                     Every time you are in possession of that football, notice how every muscle in your body is feeling stronger. Your confidence in your ability to score (or assist that score) a touchdown grows exponentially. You know that you can run faster, throw further, jump higher, block more effectively than your opponent. You catch that football out of the air as if it was already in your possession, and your confidence in your ability to help win this game is twice as strong.
·                     As you play, you know that you are throwing/kicking/catching/running that football the way you have trained all year for this moment to do. You are also throwing/kicking/catching/running that football with all the joy and excitement of that child in you that has always loved this game, dreaming of this moment to win another Super Bowl championship.
·                     Remember: You are already a champion many times over! You are competing in this championship because you earned the right to be there, through the various competitions you have won during the past year.
Good luck, teams!
 
 
Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.
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