Think about the last time you felt apprehensive, anxious, scared or full of self-doubt?
Chances are you were doing one of two things; reflecting on what happened in the past (and worrying that it was going to happen again) or projecting into the future about what could happen (and visualising a thousand different outcomes, all of them bad - like I do!).
This was the big ‘aha’ moment I had thanks to this week’s guest on Sparta Chicks Radio.
I’m not one to sit and meditate; I get my form of meditation on the trails.
However, I now realise that when I’m feeling the most scared or nervous - whether it’s about not being ready, good / fit / fast / strong enough or what others might think — I am either reflecting on the past or projecting into the future.
I’m not being present in the moment.
And I’m certainly not focusing on what I can do in that moment to move closer to my goal.
If there is one woman who knows the importance of being present in the moment as a way to manage and control fear, it’s our guest today on Sparta Chicks Radio - Olympic Gold Medalist and aerial skier, Lydia Lassila.
Who better to talk about managing your fear than a woman who hurls herself off a jump, on skies, and attempts to land complicated manoeuvres that have never been done by a woman?
If you don’t know Lydia, let me introduce you.
She won the Gold medal for freestyle / aerial skiing at the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver in 2010.
After that, she took a break, had a baby and then returned to the sport to win the Bronze medal at the Sochi Winter Games in 2014.
And, most remarkably in Sochi, she became the first woman in history to land a jump with a quadruple twist (the tongue-tying and highly technical “quad-twisting-triple somersault”).
She’s since had a second child and is now training to compete at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games which will be her 5th Olympics.
In this interview, we talk about:
* how she got into the sport of aerial skiing, even before she knew how to ski,
* the importance of being open-minded to opportunities and following your curiosity and intrigue (the part of you that says “that sounds cool, I’d love to try that) and how doing so has changed the trajectory of her life,-
* how she manages and controls her fear (hint: it’s about staying present),
* that she still wants to vomit before a big jump (I know a few Sparta Chicks who can relate!),
* how to deflect the fear that other’s are experiencing so it doesn’t affect your performance (I love the imagery of using a shield!), and
* how you get your head around doing something never before accomplished by a woman.
She’s a delightful, inspiring and down-to-earth woman and I hope you enjoy our chat as much as I did.
Click here to listen on iTunes.
Notes and resources:
2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver: here's a short video (on YouTube) of the jump that put her into the lead during the final (and the medal ceremony).
2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games: you can watch Lydia attempt the quad-twisting-triple-somersault (the first by a woman in history in competition) in the final here (at the 2min mark).
Lassila’s Giant Quadruple Leap for Womankind via Olympic.Org
Olympic aerialist Lydia Lassila the first woman to nail quad-twisting triple somersault via Sydney Morning Herald
To find out more about Lydia or to say hello, you can find her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or via her website.
Check out BodyIce on the website or on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.
You can watch the trailer for The Will To Fly (or find out where it's been shown) at www.thewilltoflyfilm.com.
You can also order Lydia’s book “The Will to Fly” at her website.