In our fast-paced world, prioritizing long-term wellness can sometimes take a back seat to the demands of daily life. However, maintaining good health and overall well-being is crucial for a fulfilling and vibrant existence. In this article, we will explore nine actionable tips that can help you foster a healthier and more balanced life.  Limit Exposure to Toxins Take proactive steps to reduce unnecessary exposure to toxins and pollutants. Consider using natural cleaning products and opting for organic foods to limit chemical intake. Staying informed about potential environmental hazards ..read more

Instilling a love for sports in your children doesn't have to break the bank. Plenty of wallet-friendly strategies can help you support your kids' athletic interests without sacrificing your budget. In this article shared by Mind-Design Sports, we'll look at practical approaches to increase their performance and sports journey while keeping costs in check. Research Community Sports Initiatives Look for local community sports programs that offer free or low-cost activities. Many communities host sports clinics, workshops, and events that cater to young athletes. These programs provide a great ..read more

Udo Wagner is one of the most successful German fencers of all time and the only ever fencing Olympian medal winner of the former German Democratic Republic. He won a silver medal in the individual foil event at the 1988 Summer Olympics for East Germany. Four years later, he won a gold medal in the team foil event for the reunified Germany at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Today, Udo Wagner is a fencing coach for German pentathletes. He is also the father of one of my fencing buddies and team members. I have long wanted to ask Udo a few questions about his views on the differences between being a t ..read more

You may have heard of “The Zone” as it applies to athletic competition – something like, he or she is playing as if they are in “The Zone.” That state of mind can be experienced in other endeavors like music, art, acting, etc. The state of mind might go back 2,500 years to Ancient China. But, where did the term come from? What were its origins? When did we first hear it described? It is difficult to say and, I guess, that when “The Zone” first came to be used by those in sports is as much a mystery as the state of mind it signifies. Perhaps, it can be traced to a 1961 film and a few statements ..read more

“Football is probably 95% of mentality. That gives you the baseline to perform. There are a lot of players that have ability – that’s why they play at the top level. But what sets them apart is their mentality.” These are the words that Marcus Rashford told interviewers when explaining his recent red-hot form at Manchester United. His improvement demonstrates how mental strength plays an important role in sports, by ultimately managing resilience and confidence but also helping resist from negative thoughts. Rashford’s game is full of confidence, whilst he has worked incredibly hard to fight ..read more

'It's O.K. not to be O.K.' This is what Naomi Osaka wrote in her article published in Time magazine. As a four-time grand slam champion and the first Asian player to hold the number 1 ranking in tennis, withdrawing from the 2021 French Open to tend to her mental health was surprising to some but not shocking. Mental health is becoming more normalized in society, and professional athletes like Osaka are at the forefront of this movement. In her article, Osaka explained her action of pulling out from the French Open and emphasized the importance of athlete mental health.  "Believe it or no ..read more

Have you ever noticed that athletes often turn to their coaches first when they are winning, or when they are performing poorly?  Coaches are some of the most influential people in an athlete’s life and they have a significant impact on the success and development of an athlete. Athletes rely on their coaches for their technical and tactical expertise and guidance. However, coaches can also be mentors and motivators for their athletes and provide a shoulder to cry on.  Strong and positive coach-athlete relationships are important not only because they produce better results on the c ..read more

Have you ever heard the saying ‘the key to happiness is letting go of that idea of perfection’? Quoted by Debra Messing, an American actress, it holds true - releasing your perfectionism can be liberating. Even more so, this detachment of extreme precision is what can contribute to better mental health and overall success.  There is often a blur between what people define as a ‘perfectionist’ in contrast to a ‘high achiever’. Perfectionists must appear perfect, even to believe it’s possible to achieve perfection. They are motivated by fear and paralyzed by the idea of failure, whereas h ..read more

When watching professional athletes compete, we have all witnessed some of them performing rituals before games. For us, they might seem funny and unnecessary, but for the athletes, they might be the key to their success. These rituals could include their pregame clothing, music or food, and even warmups or celebrations during the tournament. This superstition in rituals is mostly caused when athletes try to identify the causes of good or bad performances. It could be certain songs that stimulate emotions or if they’ll recognize unusual things they did before the game, like getting a new hairc ..read more

What does it take to persevere in times of great struggle? What does it mean to be a part of a team? This blog recounts my high school experience with sports and explores how being part of a team taught me to persevere and just keep swimming. Recently, I decided to start swimming again, and I couldn’t help thinking back to my first high school year. It was approximately the first week of the school year, and Club Rush overtook campus. Booths were endorsing incoming first-year students to join school-sanctioned activities and sports.  I had always considered myself more of a bookworm than ..read more