Gratitude Walks, Mental Reps & the Power of Self-Talk

Gratitude Walks, Mental Reps & the Power of Self-Talk

This morning’s walk felt different. The sun hadn’t risen yet, but the light was already shifting. The pool—buzzing with life yesterday—was quiet. Still. Clean. And the air? Crisp with the hum of birdsong.

It’s Monday.

Day one of Junior Gold qualifying.

Bella Love bowls tonight at 8:30 p.m.

And this morning at 7:00 a.m., one of the mental performance athletes I work with—Zayne—kicks off his first block.

The practices, the Youth Open, the Expo—every rep, every moment—has led us here. But before the games begin, I start with something simpler: a gratitude walk.

Gratitude always lifts my attitude and raises my altitude.

As I walked under the canopy of mature trees, breathing in the cool air and centering myself for the day, I tuned into a message from Brian Cain on the Mental Performance Daily podcast. He said:

“Self-talk is a skill you can train—not a trait you’re born with.”

That hit deep.

I’ve learned firsthand that self-talk isn’t just for the confident or the elite. It’s a tool anyone can sharpen. Just like strength training, it builds over time—rep by rep, breath by breath, moment by moment.

So today, I’m flipping the script:

• “I can’t” becomes “I’ll figure it out.”

• “I’m nervous” becomes “I’m ready.”

• “This is pressure” becomes “This is purpose.”

As I prepare to support Bella Love and Zayne today, I’m reminded of something simple but powerful:

The voice we hear most often in life is our own.

When that voice is trained with gratitude, curiosity, and growth, it becomes our superpower.