I LOVE watching the Olympics. I will admit it may be a bit of an addiction.  I can’t remember a time when I didn’t watch them. This year is especially exciting for me. In Israel the winter Olympics are only partially covered since it is the Middle East, and we don’t really do snow.  So this year in the Big Apple I get to watch all kinds of sports I never even knew existed.

Inspired by both the Olympics and my business coach, who constantly talks about the connection between sports and mindset, I started a new exercise routine.  As many of you know, I have been out of commission for several months due to my broken ankle, and the time has come to move! Those of you who follow me on Facebook may have seen some of my posts on the matter.

Like many of you, I have found it hard as I grow older and the demands on my time increase, to allot time for exercise. I know it is important, I know I feel good when I do it, and yet the reality is that for years I have been very inconsistent with my workout routine!

They say it takes thirty days to form a habit, and I am on the way to creating a new one.  I have been waking up an hour earlier than usual every morning to make sure I get my workout in, without getting distracted.  While I would love to say I am doing every recommended exercise, the truth is I cannot do many of the routines without hurting my ankle.  But instead of shortening my workout time, I simply choose “ankle friendly” exercises to replace the ones I can’t do yet.

What I love is the message I get every morning from the video I am watching that keeps telling me- “It is not about you being perfect, it is about you doing it!”

One value that I have repeatedly observed at the Olympics is commitment.  I have witnessed participants who have chosen to invest all of their focus and energy in a specific competitive sport.   I have seen how these athletes stay focused on the goal, whatever the ups and downs they may encounter.

What a value for our teen girls to learn!  Whether they commit to sports, the arts, social action, the environment, or whatever calls them, maintaining focus and commitment in their teen years is a great springboard for the quickly approaching adult years.   Whatever area speaks to your teen, the key ingredient is your daughter’s passion.  It cannot be your passion as her parent, it must be hers.

If she follows the path that calls her with passion, there are many benefits and lessons to be learned, such as:

• Not giving up when things are difficult.
  
•  Striving for excellence, not perfection.
  
•  Getting perspective by thinking of the long term or the big picture. 
• Learning from mistakes and/or failures.
  
• Taking goal-directed actions, even small ones, rather than procrastinating.
• Reponsablity

There are many more benefits to following  your passion and committing to it.   But another key factor is finding a mentor. It is very important that as your daughter goes through her teen years she has a responsible adult that she can talk to and learn from, who is not her parent. Even if you have a fantastic relationship with your daughter, one of the major tasks of adolescence is separating from your parents. This has many implications, the most common being that teens often do not want to listen to their parents.  It is often much easier for them to hear a neutral adult, whom they do not have any history with, and who is not part of their struggle for independence.  It is only when they reach adulthood that they will be able to look back and recall how wise you were.  For many teens, the most accessible mentor is one who supports them in connecting to their passion.

What is your daughter passionate about? What can she do for hours without getting up or being distracted? And who is currently playing the mentor role for your daughter?

To a week full of finding passions a nd successful communication

Much Love and Support

Tova