The moment I click into my skis, I know everything is going to be wonderful. I’m outside doing what I love more than anything, or damn near close. Not that I haven’t had my fair share of crashes, surprises, and disappointments—but one thing I’ve always been known for was managing to whisk up a smile no matter what.
When I was a little girl, I drew a poster of myself winning a gold medal. I didn’t know much about vision boards. Possibly they had yet to be invented. Honestly, I just thought I was being funny, victorious me drawn as it was on the backside of a Tommy Moe poster. I made sure my team kept it up on the wall as I trained and worked and sweated my way to the World Cup. Looking back, it was a bold statement, but it always brought me back to my favorite quote, one attributed to Henry Ford: “Believe you can or believe you can’t, either way you will be right.”
For me, it’s all about positivity. To achieve success on the mountain or in life, it’s vital to approach it from a place of joy. In times of stress, I think of things that make me happy, helping keep my mind and body clear to focus on the moment.
Our bodies are incredible contraptions, capable of astonishing things, but they tense easily when stressed. When I first made it to the World Cup, I felt so nervous to perform. Errors slipped into my runs at the first turns and my focus oriented towards not making mistakes rather than the true goal—skiing fast. Eventually one of my coaches pulled me aside. “You look like you’re trying too hard. You’re over-thinking. Right before you kick out of the gate, think of jelly doughnuts and surfing. Forget about the results. Just ski.” The impact this had on me was remarkable. Then and there I made a pact—soon a tradition—of smiling and laughing while I kicked out of the start gates, from Killington to St Moritz and back.
Next time you’re standing on top of a run that’s a little intimidating, or maybe you’re skiing for the first time after an injury, try my trick. Close your eyes, visualize yourself making awesome turns, and think of something that fills your body with that warm fuzzy feeling of joy and pumps out all those endorphins that skiing produces so magically. And don’t forget to smile before dropping in.
