The advice I give everyone is: be kind to yourself. This applies to the players on our team or a person on the street. That means physically, mentally, and spiritually. There’s a lot of stressors in life. The first thing you need in recovery is to give yourself space and time to acknowledge the challenges you’re going through. When we help our players bounce back from injury, or a difficult situation, we focus on the mental aspects as much as the physical ones.
Mental
● Think about things you’re grateful for. I use my commute into the city to think about what’s important to me, and focus. You can do this on your own commute, or as a journal practice at the end of each day.
● Try to focus on the positive. Setbacks are hard, but they happen to everyone. If you’re stressed, try mental health techniques like relaxation imagery. Try closing your eyes and visualising a favourite, peaceful place.
● Make an action plan for your next steps that balances positive reinforcement and personal accountability.
Physical
● Our players get treatments with our training staff to get back to play. Cold tubs help their bodies as much as their minds. For you, a brief blast of cold water to start your shower in the morning can do wonders for mental clarity!
● Life is expensive. It can feel hard to justify spending money on ourselves. YouTube has plenty of free instructive videos for yoga and stretching. Just type in “restorative yoga” and get out your mat.
Looking for more health advice? Put your wellness first with Lumino Health’s Provider Search from Sun Life.
