In the past year, my life as a gymnast has showed me the importance of confidence. At the beginning of 2018, I was just recovering from a broken hand. When I found out about the fracture right before the start of my competitive season, I was devastated. The thing that worried me was the thought that the level 8 season I had just prepared for would not happen after all. However, I worked harder than I ever had and eventually, I earned most of my skills back. I started out competing just beam and floor, but I was soon able to compete all four events. I made it to the Regional Championships; though in my mind, my season did not meet up to my own expectations.

After the competitive season, I vowed to try and regain all the skills I lost after my injury, along with more new skills for the the upcoming season. I felt that by achieving this goal, I would be guaranteed an outstanding season. While this may be true, the true key to an outstanding season is being confident in yourself and trusting that you are capable.

In the end, while my summer training was successful and I am now able to compete level 9 in 2019, my prior hand injury left me with a lack of confidence. The words, “Can I really do it?” and “What if...” crept into my head more often than I wanted. I found myself questioning my every move and my abilities as a gymnast. As I conquered the battles of doubting how capable I am of doing certain skills, I have learned that this type of mentality will prevent you from reaching your full potential.

Even though my bones have healed, my fears have not. I strive to overcome them in 2019 through positive self talk. When I walk through the doors of my gym, I want to tell myself positive phrases. Before I do a skill that I am particularly nervous about, I want to tell myself positive phrases. These phrases, like “you can do it” or “believe in yourself”, will put my mind into a optimistic and confident mindset.

By Nadia Herrera-Set, Level 9 Gymnast, Accel Gymnastics, Burlingame, CA