We all feel them … butterflies. The truth is, butterflies are neither good nor bad; it’s all in the way you interpret them. Butterflies are what we feel when our stress-response (a.k.a. fight-or-flight response) has been activated; and it gets activated when our brain perceives a potential threat. The key words so far? Interpret, perceive, and potential.
Here’s what I mean: butterflies are simply the energy that your body generates to help you deal with a potential threat. The threat doesn’t even have to be real, you just have to think there’s a threat and your stress response switches on. And what most people do once the butterflies start is to think “uh oh, this isn’t good. That feeling in my stomach means that I’m nervous, and nervous is bad.” This is mistake number one!
As soon as you interpret the butterflies as bad, then your brain sees this as a threat (something bad is going to happen), and your stress response goes into over-drive. And the cycle begins. The little butterflies become enormous pterodactyls that eat away at your confidence. Your heart rate soars, your breathing rate increases, and you begin to sweat (and not in a good way). Some athletes even get sick. This is all normal, but it doesn’t have to be this way. All of these symptoms occur because in times of stress, the body shuns all the blood away from the gut and directs it to the muscles, heart and lungs so that you can spring into action. But as long as you’re stressed, your ‘thinking brain’ shuts down — that’s why you tend to make mistakes or overthink things.
So how do you tame those butterflies? First, you have to see butterflies for what they are: a signal from your brain that says “Hey, pay attention, what you’re about to do is important, so let’s get the energy going.” The key is to interpret that extra energy as a form of excitement. Tell yourself, “Yes, here we go! My energy is flowing, and I’m excited for this game.” It’s not so much about relaxing and getting rid of the butterflies, it’s more about keeping the butterflies within your control and turning nerves into excitement.
Here’s the fine print: You actually have to practice this mindset! Yes, you read that right; it doesn’t just happen on its own. The way you think is a skill – you have to train your mind to think in a way that is performance-enhancing. Practice is about repetition, so any time you feel those butterflies, acknowledge them and welcome them! They are there to help you. Smile and focus your thoughts on what you can control. Don’t worry about others, don’t worry about the outcome, just focus on yourself, your game, your strengths. Take control of your butterflies; use them and feel their positive energy!
[templatic_contentbox type=”author” title=”Dr. Natascha Wesch”] Dr. Natascha Wesch is a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) and a Mental Performance Consultant in private practice, who works with individual athletes, coaches, and teams of all levels and backgrounds. To learn more and to contact her, visit www.elitemindperformance.com or find her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/elitemindperformance [/templatic_contentbox]
