How I struggled transitioning out of sport, and the 5 things that taught me for lifelong health

Shifting from being an athlete to a long term health approach was one of the hardest transitions I've ever had to make

Heck, I'm still learning about the process

Being an athlete was incredibly stable. The goals are well defined. The regimen is well structured. You wake up, show up, do what your coaches say. You focus on performance. It's very clear where you have to be and what you have to do.

It was easy, I felt completely in the flow

Ever since that life ended for me, it feels like I've never been able to find that flow again.

I have more time, but I have less direction. It's hard to shake the feeling that my best days are behind me- and that those athlete years were my peak performances. But slowly, bit by bit, I've been thinking about what made the athlete's life so good for me.

Here are 5 principles that I had back then, and that I'm trying to build now.

#1 Give yourself structure

When I had a clear schedule, I didn't have to make decisions about where I needed to be and what I needed to do. I just had to focus on showing up

Clear schedule --> Less decision making —> More headspace

#2 Get a Coach to take care of the big things.

Similar to above, having a coach to take care of the strategy side gave me the space to focus on applying the tactics.

These days I'm trying to be everything- the coach and the athlete.

That's overwhelming

#3 Chunk it one year at a time (or less)

My only focus as an athlete was the next tournament. I didn't need to worry about what was happening 2, 3, or 4 years from now.

For long term health, it's overwhelming to think about it all at once.

It can work to break it down into 1 year chunks.

#4 Surround yourself with a team

Accountability was built in for me as an athlete. My teammates helped me focus on showing up and being consistent. It even tickled my competitive bone to beat them once in a while.

Your journey to lifelong health also needs teammates

#5 Find and Celebrate Personal Bests

As an athlete it was super motivating to keep pushing for a new personal best each time. With long term health, the 'personal bests' are less clear.

Ask yourself: What counts as a milestone for lifelong health?

It's been this process of slowly trying to learn how to be healthy, fit, and a functioning person after having wrapped up my identity in being an athlete for so long.