Inner Noise

A coxswain deals with a lot of noise, in and out of the boat. You have the coach's words, your teammates' words, the words of other coxswains in other boats, your own words and inner tension. Somehow all of that noise has to be assessed and/or blocked so that your words, your plan, your race can come out. If you aren't careful, those other elements can get to you, and you find that you are screaming at the top of your lungs for no reason. At that point, you've already lost. 

I had this experience (again) this week. I was on the train from the airport to downtown Atlanta, and even with my earplugs, the outside noise was pervasive. Everyone was talking loudly to each other, the sound of the train, the noise in my head about finding a job and my issues with my current job were all building this impossible wall I couldn't get over. I was angry at people. I didn't even want to talk until I got home. 

How do you deal with the noise? The stress that comes along with your surroundings, as well as your own inner dialog. 

I read Bethenny Frankel's A Place of Yes a couple years ago, and the concept of noise stayed with me. Noise is self-generated. It's an negativity that you've placed in your own way. Maybe it was the culmination of things, or maybe it's one thing that tips you off. 

This weekend, I'll be experimenting with things that will eliminate the noise and replace it with something constructive. 

Maybe these:

• A 5-mile spring race through Inman Park
• Sushi Nami Too for a dinner date
• Reading poolside
• Editing my resume
• Breaking in my new Hunter Wellies
• Write a new story/blog post