When you’re struggling to find your way out of a bad mood (insert frustration, disappointment, doubt, etc. here), it would be great if you could find a quick and easy trick – and an athletic anthem might just be one of those tricks!
You already know that music can calm you down, pump you up, and put you in a good mood, but did you realize that there’s a special sort of song that’s also been proven to improve your optimism and self-belief? That kind of song is called an athletic anthem, and it works because its lyrics contain hidden positive-affirmation sentences - messages that remind you to never quit, stay positive, and always believe in yourself. "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus is a good example. Here are the lyrics:
"There’s always going to be another mountain. I’m always going to want to make it move. Always going to be an uphill battle - sometimes I'm going to have to lose . . . I've got to be strong, just keep pushing on . . . "
When a song delivers an empowering message like this, it becomes more than music – it becomes an anthem. Its power comes from the idea that catchy music often has a weird way of getting stuck in your head, and that’s exactly what you’re hoping for! After all, what could be better than getting good thoughts stuck in your head at a time when you’re feeling bad?
The first step to finding an athletic anthem is to take a look at your playlists to see if any of your favorite songs are athletic anthems. You can do this by performing an online search to see if any of your songs have positive messages hidden in the lyrics. Once you find a few anthems, you can create a riding playlist using those songs. Perhaps you listen to a few calming, yet empowering songs the night before an important ride and a few upbeat songs the morning of those rides. Here are ten good examples of athletic anthems:
There’s just one rule when it comes to athletic anthems: they’re only to be used before mounting! Our sport requires you to be hyper-aware while mounted so be sure to leave your earbuds at home - that's exactly why you want to listen to your anthems before you ride and why you want those positive and empowering lyrics to get stuck in your head before you mount up!
I hope you enjoyed this month’s tip and that I’ll get the chance to teach you in one of my upcoming fall clinics around the county (grab your mask and come join me!) For more information on my clinics, or hosting one, please visit www.pressureproofacademy.com.
United States Eventing Association (USEA) members at the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention were in for a treat on Friday as the U.S. Eventing Team was on hand to discuss their accomplishments this year at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.
“Test the best without hurting the rest,” said show jumping course designer Chris Barnard as he and fellow designer Marc Donovan led a lively discussion for nearly 50 participants at the Show Jumping Seminar on the first day of the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention.
This afternoon, USEA President Louise “Lou” Leslie welcomed U.S. Eventing Association (USEA) Board of Governors members, USEA staff, and USEA Annual Meeting & Convention attendees to the first of two Board meetings which will take place during this year’s Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, with the teaser that 2024 is going to be full of initiatives for more opportunities to access the eventing experience, some of which attendees might get first wind of during this year’s gathering. The 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention takes place Dec. 7-10 at the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel.
Welcome to the Show Me state and to Area IV USEA members! The 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention kicks of tomorrow and features four full days of educational seminars, committee meetings, and social gatherings all with one aim—to bring the eventing community together to continue to improve upon and celebrate the sport that we all love. This year’s Convention takes place in St. Louis, Missouri, at the Marriott St. Louis Grand in downtown St. Louis from Dec. 7-10, and we have rounded up everything you need to know to make the most of your time in the heartland.