By Kate Bennett, PsyD
[Thrive into the Weekend: A blog series designed to empower athletes to thrive in life and sport by facilitating intentional and mindful actions]
Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and slowly exhale. As you exhale, take a moment to connect with your needs and desires for the weekend. What do you feel intrinsically motivated to do? Maybe it was a long week and you need time to rest. Perhaps the weather forecast has you excited for an outdoor workout. It may be that you desire connection with friends or family. Identify what you need this weekend to experience fulfillment and how you intend to accomplish the activity.
Close your eyes again, take another deep breath, and slowly exhale. This time, as you exhale, think about activities you feel extrinsically motivated towards. Do they support your values, needs, and desires? Do you feel overwhelmed by the number of activities you identified? If your answers are no and yes respectively, take a moment to re-evaluate and prioritize. Thrive into the weekend by engaging in your internal drive while balancing it with external demand.