06/03/2026
You're standing on the pool deck. You have the snacks, the schedule, the extra towels, and the encouraging smile. From the outside, you look like you have it all together.
But internally? Your mind is running a marathon.
My daughter came home from evening practice yesterday in pain. Double practice day, and somewhere in one of them, something pulled. The meet starts Friday. Two days away.
And here's what makes it heavier: she missed most of last long course season with an injury. We did the ortho visits, MRIs, PT, chiropractor, the stretching, the waiting, the wondering. She fought hard to get back. And now here we are again.
So yes, I'm in problem-solving mode. Chiropractor. Stretching. Managing the pain and the logistics. But underneath all of that is the real weight. Will she be able to swim? How do I hold her disappointment if this takes her out again? How do I hold all of this together while also holding her?
If you're a sports mom, you know this feeling. The quiet, heavy anxiety of carrying your child's stress on top of your own, while trying to remain the steady anchor for everyone else in the room.
Here's what I know as both a brain health coach and a mom sitting in exactly this moment with you. When you perceive a threat, even a non-life-threatening one like an injury or an uncertain meet, your brain fires into hyper-vigilance. It tries to protect your child by over-functioning and over-planning. But thinking your way out of that anxiety doesn't create clarity. It just creates more noise.
You don't need to solve the entire weekend right now. Reduce the scope. What is the one thing you need to do in the next 15 minutes? Maybe it's the chiropractor. Maybe it's making sure she eats and rests. Maybe it's reminding yourself what Philippians 4:6 was actually written for, moments exactly like this one.
Anxiety is maintained by what you keep rehearsing. You don't control every thought. But you are responsible for what you keep entertaining. Slow your system down. You already have what you need.
👇 Sports moms, what do YOU do when competition weekend hits and your brain won't stop? Drop it in the comments. You might be exactly what another mom needs to hear today. And if this spiral is something you're living every single weekend, send me a message. This is exactly what we work on together.
