Positive Golf Tip - A Gift to Yourself
Here is an item from a recent issue of our newsletter. It has a good message and a tie-in to the season. It's a different take on the traditional gift-giving approach that can lead to a lot more enjoyment and satisfaction on the course in the coming year. And it's not about your spouse or your kids giving you the latest driver of your dreams...
Generally, the concept of gift-giving conjures up thoughts of giving gifts to other people for holidays and other special occasions. When we think of ourselves, it is usually from the gift-getting perspective - what gifts we would like to get from others. When asked about this, most golfers will share a wishlist that includes clubs or other equipment or training aids or books. There is a whole different way of thinking about gifts that goes beyond the giving and receiving of "stuff," however. It's called A Gift to Yourself, and it gets to the heart of you and the heart of your game.
Giving a gift to yourself is all about giving yourself what you really want. As a golfer, you may say, "I want new clubs or some lessons, so I'll go out and buy them and that will be my gift to myself." But stop and think for a moment. Think beyond the clubs and the lessons. What you probably really want is a great golf swing. A swing with beautiful motion, perfect rhythm, and awesome power. At the core, that is what you want. The other things are what you think or hope will give that to you.
Giving yourself what you really want is about acknowledging that true desire (the great golf swing) and then accepting it and allowing it to happen. Sure, you can easily and willingly accept new clubs or some lessons. But the heart of accepting and allowing - and the heart of long-term change - is at the mental level. It goes beyond, and before, those new clubs or lessons. Giving yourself the gift of a great golf swing is about accepting the good, and the changes that go with that. It's about accepting the new expectations, new images of yourself playing well, and a new enjoyment of the game. While many folks "hope" to hit the ball better, deep down they are used to visualizing themselves hitting errant shots, expecting fair results, and feeling frustration rather than enjoyment. Giving yourself the gift of a great swing involves changing - and accepting - positive new images and expectations for your game. It also involves accepting new ways of thinking about yourself and your swing, including more confidence, more trust, more awareness, and more focus, and less pressure, self-doubt, and fear of past mistakes and negative future possible outcomes. Along with that is accepting new swing thoughts and "feels" that will help your physical technique.
Yes indeed, giving yourself the gift of a great golf swing means changing - and accepting - new mental habits. And along with the accepting is allowing - letting go of old ideas and resistance to change and allowing new ideas to "take root" and a new "swing-friendly" mindset to grow. It is relaxing the mind, and ultimately the body, and allowing the smooth, rhythmic motion to flow and happen without the restriction of tension, resistance, and anxiety.
So this year, think about what it is you really want for your game - for many that is a great swing. Then decide that now is the time for you to accept that gift and allow it to happen. You are the only one who can give that gift to yourself, because you are the only one who can make the changes which make it come true. But when you think about how wonderful the gift is, and how much you will enjoy it when you have it, each step and each change is worthwhile and is the means to a very worthy end. Here's to your positive changes and the enjoyment of your Positive Golf gift to yourself in the year to come!
Cheers!
Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
Co-Founder, TheHeartofGolf.com
http://www.TheHeartofGolf.com
(To subscribe to our Positive Golf e-newsletter that is published on the 1st and the 15th of each month, go to http://www.TheHeartofGolf.com/newsletter.aspx. You'll receive a free downloadable Positive Golf e-book when you subscribe!)
Here is an item from a recent issue of our newsletter. It has a good message and a tie-in to the season. It's a different take on the traditional gift-giving approach that can lead to a lot more enjoyment and satisfaction on the course in the coming year. And it's not about your spouse or your kids giving you the latest driver of your dreams...
Generally, the concept of gift-giving conjures up thoughts of giving gifts to other people for holidays and other special occasions. When we think of ourselves, it is usually from the gift-getting perspective - what gifts we would like to get from others. When asked about this, most golfers will share a wishlist that includes clubs or other equipment or training aids or books. There is a whole different way of thinking about gifts that goes beyond the giving and receiving of "stuff," however. It's called A Gift to Yourself, and it gets to the heart of you and the heart of your game.
Giving a gift to yourself is all about giving yourself what you really want. As a golfer, you may say, "I want new clubs or some lessons, so I'll go out and buy them and that will be my gift to myself." But stop and think for a moment. Think beyond the clubs and the lessons. What you probably really want is a great golf swing. A swing with beautiful motion, perfect rhythm, and awesome power. At the core, that is what you want. The other things are what you think or hope will give that to you.
Giving yourself what you really want is about acknowledging that true desire (the great golf swing) and then accepting it and allowing it to happen. Sure, you can easily and willingly accept new clubs or some lessons. But the heart of accepting and allowing - and the heart of long-term change - is at the mental level. It goes beyond, and before, those new clubs or lessons. Giving yourself the gift of a great golf swing is about accepting the good, and the changes that go with that. It's about accepting the new expectations, new images of yourself playing well, and a new enjoyment of the game. While many folks "hope" to hit the ball better, deep down they are used to visualizing themselves hitting errant shots, expecting fair results, and feeling frustration rather than enjoyment. Giving yourself the gift of a great swing involves changing - and accepting - positive new images and expectations for your game. It also involves accepting new ways of thinking about yourself and your swing, including more confidence, more trust, more awareness, and more focus, and less pressure, self-doubt, and fear of past mistakes and negative future possible outcomes. Along with that is accepting new swing thoughts and "feels" that will help your physical technique.
Yes indeed, giving yourself the gift of a great golf swing means changing - and accepting - new mental habits. And along with the accepting is allowing - letting go of old ideas and resistance to change and allowing new ideas to "take root" and a new "swing-friendly" mindset to grow. It is relaxing the mind, and ultimately the body, and allowing the smooth, rhythmic motion to flow and happen without the restriction of tension, resistance, and anxiety.
So this year, think about what it is you really want for your game - for many that is a great swing. Then decide that now is the time for you to accept that gift and allow it to happen. You are the only one who can give that gift to yourself, because you are the only one who can make the changes which make it come true. But when you think about how wonderful the gift is, and how much you will enjoy it when you have it, each step and each change is worthwhile and is the means to a very worthy end. Here's to your positive changes and the enjoyment of your Positive Golf gift to yourself in the year to come!
Cheers!
Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
Co-Founder, TheHeartofGolf.com
http://www.TheHeartofGolf.com
(To subscribe to our Positive Golf e-newsletter that is published on the 1st and the 15th of each month, go to http://www.TheHeartofGolf.com/newsletter.aspx. You'll receive a free downloadable Positive Golf e-book when you subscribe!)
Labels: golf improvement, golf swing improvement, mental golf
posted by Rick Semple at 1:13 PM
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