All of us at one time or another have a bit of downtime to ourselves. What we do with it can affect the rest of our time that’s occupied with life, work, training, racing or just being.

Positive thoughts can be anything from a simple meditation mantra to being thoughtful about gratitude in your life. Fill the quiet and calm space in your mind with things that are positive, supportive, kind and rejuvenating.

Negative reinforcement can be detrimental to allowing yourself to stay strong, motivated and inspired. If you find your thoughts wandering to “I should be doing this or training for that” when you have a bit of downtime, it’s time to refocus your mental energy.

The bottom line here is DON’T give into the dark side! Remind yourself that each day can be a chance to reboot and restart yourself fresh.