Typing Out Loud: The Power of Positive Thinking

I did it: I am signed up and will be taking my adult gold moves in the field test next week Friday. The butterflies have already started to flutter. Why? Because I want this, I want to perform well, I want to test well and pass.

The flip side is the negative thoughts are already creeping in. In order to exorcise those demons, I'm going to just type them out and air them out.

Patterson is so cold, I'm going to get stiff and fail.

I'll get so nervous, I'm going to blow those brackets.

I'm going to embarrass myself.

I'm not a real gold level skater.

I'm going back to the other side. I want to focus on some of the positives heading into this test, and see if I can combat the negatives that are currently making my arms hot.

I'm prepared. I have been working on this test since I passed silver moves three years ago.

I'm ready. I have been working and tweaking those brackets and I have finally got it down.

The judges are proud of me. At a competition this weekend, one judge nodded and said I was ready without seeing me skate. One gushed, "Oh you have arrived! Your gold test is a big deal, good for you!" and another was more concerned about what I would wear than whether I was prepared, which tells me that I must give off the aura of being prepared.

Michelle is nit-picking small things, which is a clear indicator that she is now looking for ways for me to be over-scored.

Past history: Granted, I have failed a moves test once. But I was also sick with a cold and the coach who prepared me for the test was new to moves. Since, I passed silver moves over by 3 to 5 tenths over, and was told my pre-bronze test was one of the best tests - PB or otherwise - he had ever seen.

I can do this.

Visualization. Even as I am typing this, I'm visualizing going through my test, remembering all the little things I need to do and how to do them. Pacing in the power circles. Waiting for the 3s. The push for the figure 8. Sitting on that hip and riding the edge to the bracket, and getting the hip swish.

Confidence. As I was struggling with the brackets, I started saying "confident" in my head before the turn instead of saying " #$%! " Huge difference in how I held myself and how I skated.

I think most of all, I'm going to muster up excitement this next week. I should be excited - this is a GOLD test! I should be eager, I've worked my ass off for this. I should be proud, I've done the work, now it's time to show it off.

I hope this little exercise works.