
Cricket, the weather and our mind.
By Olivia Rae
In coaching and in life I use the weather as a comparison to how we feel. It’s really helped me and so it could also help others.
A fair few cricket games were cancelled this week due to rain. My game was one of them and I had few hours at the ground watching the rain come down and then a call off and a 3 hour drive home. During the wait at the ground a teammate gave me a colouring book and then the covers on the pitch were no longer the focus. It reminded me of the power our thoughts can have over us and how when they are no longer there, we actually feel fine.
The more you focus on wanting the storm to pass and how frustrated you are at it, it will occupy your conscious mind more. Your awareness becomes solely about the storm and the impact it is having on you. Looking at it constantly won’t make you feel better, you’ll be constantly reminded of what you can’t do and how dark and grey it is outside.
So what if you find a task that can grab your attention away and clear your mind?
Same goes for when you have a period of time where you feel nothing is going your way in cricket (or in life). Acknowledge the feelings and then find a way to take your focus away from them. The more you focus your attention on the negative feelings, or the poor performance, the more it occupies your conscious mind and the more power it will have over you. You’ll understandably feel rubbish. And you’re likely to take that into training and games.
Accept the tough times are happening (like the rain outside) and find something to do that can occupy (or even better clear) your conscious mind. The sun always comes out again.