Growing up an athlete, I was no stranger to bruises, strained muscles, and achy joints. Ten years of competitive gymnastics wreaked havoc on my body, both physically and mentally. Gymnastics was an intense sport revolving around being flawless. Our coaches taught us to strive for and attain perfection, which in turn became a gift and a curse.
This demand to be perfect was a gift in that it drove me, and continues to drive me, to achieve at a high level and pursue my goals. The downside, however, was that my self-confidence plummeted since gymnastics trained me to believe that even my best needed to be better leaving me anxiously trying to prove myself and my abilities. After countless years of wear-and-tear on my body, I could barely run ten …show more content…
Instead, I found Bob Rydze, a supportive coach who came out of retirement to take me in and help me slowly build my confidence back. He reassured me that plenty of athletes struggle with confidence and fear, and I felt less alone in dealing with my anxiety. Along with training my body, I learned to train my mind as well. I studied books written by athletes and sports psychologists on how to overcome fears of failure, I researched different breathing and thought management techniques, and I kept a practice log where I wrote down positive aspects and successes from each practice. By attending practice day-in-and-day-out tirelessly changing my negative thoughts into positive ones, I built back my confidence. Slowly but surely, I discovered my love for diving again and ended up finding a spot on the University of Iowa diving …show more content…
The University of Iowa provided me with opportunities to further immerse myself into the medical world. Through the athletic department's Health C.A.R.E program, I took advantage of the large teaching hospital by volunteering and shadowing medical professionals. The day I volunteered with my teammates is one that I will never forget. I spent my time with a deaf, autistic three-year-old boy with a minor heart condition. With his father overseas, his mother was taking care of him herself and had spent nearly 48 hours in his hospital room without a single break. I assured her I would take great care of her son, and after she left, we played with his toy dogs, chased each other around the unit playing tag, and we danced and sang with his favorite Elmo piano. When his mother returned, it delighted her to watch her son dancing and giggling, happily capturing the moment on her
This demand to be perfect was a gift in that it drove me, and continues to drive me, to achieve at a high level and pursue my goals. The downside, however, was that my self-confidence plummeted since gymnastics trained me to believe that even my best needed to be better leaving me anxiously trying to prove myself and my abilities. After countless years of wear-and-tear on my body, I could barely run ten …show more content…
Instead, I found Bob Rydze, a supportive coach who came out of retirement to take me in and help me slowly build my confidence back. He reassured me that plenty of athletes struggle with confidence and fear, and I felt less alone in dealing with my anxiety. Along with training my body, I learned to train my mind as well. I studied books written by athletes and sports psychologists on how to overcome fears of failure, I researched different breathing and thought management techniques, and I kept a practice log where I wrote down positive aspects and successes from each practice. By attending practice day-in-and-day-out tirelessly changing my negative thoughts into positive ones, I built back my confidence. Slowly but surely, I discovered my love for diving again and ended up finding a spot on the University of Iowa diving …show more content…
The University of Iowa provided me with opportunities to further immerse myself into the medical world. Through the athletic department's Health C.A.R.E program, I took advantage of the large teaching hospital by volunteering and shadowing medical professionals. The day I volunteered with my teammates is one that I will never forget. I spent my time with a deaf, autistic three-year-old boy with a minor heart condition. With his father overseas, his mother was taking care of him herself and had spent nearly 48 hours in his hospital room without a single break. I assured her I would take great care of her son, and after she left, we played with his toy dogs, chased each other around the unit playing tag, and we danced and sang with his favorite Elmo piano. When his mother returned, it delighted her to watch her son dancing and giggling, happily capturing the moment on her