Kick Off 2025 with Game-Changing Habits

Listen to Chicago Red Stars center back, and Soccer Resilience pro Ambassador, Cari Rocarro’s inspiring words to motivate you to take small, consistent steps to strengthen your mental fitness. How does she know it works? That’s how she’s built her strong mental game and helped other players develop their mental fitness too.

Building Helpful Habits for 2025

We’re only two weeks into 2025 and many of us are already struggling to stick with our New Year’s resolutions. We can help. 

First, let’s change the term resolutions to intentions. This steers your mind away from focusing on outcomes to focusing on the process of growing and improving in a certain area. A process focus helps you push through setbacks rather than being derailed by them. 

Second, the key to building a helpful habit in an area is to first build a routine of consistently showing up in this area. How do you get started? Commit to a small, daily step in an area for 30 days (i.e.,1-5 minutes in an area, one healthy meal a day). It is a simple yet profound way to initiate change. Make sure to use strategies such as setting reminders on your phone, make it part of your morning or evening routine, etc.. 

How do I know it works? In 2022, I embarked on a 30-day challenge to meditate for just one minute everyday. By the end of the 30 days, I had a newfound confidence because I had trained my mind to show up for meditation. Then, I began a 5 minute daily meditation practice and I have only missed about 5 days in over two years.

Ready to build habits that boost confidence, performance, and mental resilience?

Explore our player courses today! 

Mental Health Tip For January

Did you know that outcome focused goals (i.e., scoring a goal, getting a shutout) actually heighten our stress and anxiety? Why? Because we are trying to control something we can’t control. 

Instead, focus on two or three actions you can control (i.e., making runs, strong in tackles) to put you in a better position to accomplish your goal. These process focused goals increase our motivation and sense of control.