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Newsletter June 2016


          Control of your emotions is the most important mental ingredient in your golf game. Emotions indicate what you are thinking about yourself and your golf game. The way you communicate with yourself is more important to your brain than your results. 

          Emotions are biochemical events in the brain that can lead to powerful changes in the body. These energy changes either move you closer to or further away from your peak performances. The emotions of fear, anxiety, and anger move you away from playing to your potential. Your disturbing emotions can interfere with your arousal levels, breathing, concentration, the tempo of your swing, decision-making, confidence and most of all, enjoyment of playing the game.

 

          Your emotions are a natural expression of being human. Your thoughts produce these learned emotions. When you are controlled by your emotions, it is difficult to think clearly. Thinking too much about mechanics, control of your swing or your score can produce the feelings of anxiety and fear. When you focus on your missed shots you lose energy and don’t have enough left to concentrate on what you do want to create in the present moment.

 

          Emotionally charged events make a strong imprint in your unconscious mind where all your memories are stored. Your unconscious mind records everything literally without judging. Because of all the excitement surrounding a hole-in-one, it is easy to remember all of the details. In the same way, if you react with anger to a missed shot, it will also be stored as a strong memory.

 

          Playing golf well demands emotional control for consistency. Unlike other sports there is no physical outlet for frustration and the golfer must deal with the feeling before he hits his next shot. Destructive or harmful feelings must be replaced with positive affirming ones.

 

          Emotions are instantaneous responses to your thoughts. If you control your thoughts, and your feelings come from your thoughts, then you are capable of controlling your feelings.

 

          To become a healthy, happy person free of debilitating feelings, involves learning to think differently. It requires being responsible for how you feel. It means taking action to change your thoughts. This is what is meant by an attitude adjustment.

 

          To change a thought that has been reinforced hundreds of times requires reinforcement over and over again for the new thought to replace the old one. It then becomes your new belief system. It requires discipline and determination to let go of each and every thought that sabotages your golf game and your happiness. It is much easier to give up and feel sorry for yourself. In this world, it seems we receive more attention and pity when we are unhappy (or hit poor golf shots) than we are in control of our life and are happy.

 

          Life or a round of golf is seldom all good or all bad. Don’t make your missed golf shots the central theme of your day on the golf course. If you are feeling afraid that you will not make a certain number, or make an important putt, or not be able to shoot your fine front nine score on the back nine, you are attached to the emotion of fear. Fear or negative thoughts create tension in your body resulting in more missed shots.

           Control your emotions by developing the attitude/thought that golf is a fun game to play regardless of how you are playing. Be grateful that you are able to be playing this great game of golf. The challenge of the game is to allow yourself to do the best you are able and to accept the results.

 

          When your emotions are out of control on the golf course, it is a perfect time to analyze and change your beliefs that are causing the distress so it won’t happen again. The same negative beliefs will probably cause you problems in your off-course life also.

 

“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” ~ John Wooden ~ 

 

 

Play “in the zone” with Joan

Entrain Your Heart & Mind for Peak Performances 

 

 

© PositiveMentalImagery 2016 – All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

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