The Mindset Workshop I Wish I Had
Nine years later, returning to offer what I once needed most
It’s officially that deep-of-winter-trying-my-best-to-find-sunshine-through-the-clouds time of the year.
I’m nine years removed from the frigid walks from my dorm to basketball practice, but my body remembers exactly what it felt like. My chest tightens. My stomach flips.
When I played basketball at Princeton, we had three days maximum at home for Christmas break. Life outside the Princeton bubble kept moving while we ran sprints to get back in shape after a few days off. Vacations were nonexistent. The season was long.
I viewed them as sacrifices at the time, but I now see those moments as what led to some of the most surreal experiences of my life: trips across the country and world, the NCAA Tournament, historic wins, nonstop laughter with best friends who turned into sisters.
It took time, but I now know that it’s okay to hold two (or several feelings) at once.
I can feel anxious remembering the pressure while still being excited to see former teammates and cheer on the current team. I can feel the weight of expectations and still feel deeply grateful.
That idea, holding pressure and gratitude in my body simultaneously, became the guiding light for the workshop I facilitated for the Princeton Women’s Basketball team a few weeks ago.
Returning to Campus with Perspective
On the train ride back to campus, one thought kept surfacing: I wish I had this.
When I played, we talked about confidence and trust, but quietly. I did my best with the tools available, but I still carried so much internally. The expectations I set for myself, the overthinking, and the relentless self-pressure. All of it lived inside me.
I’m proud I made it through four years, but it didn’t happen without a ton of struggle. Even now, I’m learning about the kindness my coaches and teammates showed behind the scenes.
I spent the train ride slipping back into my college mindset, naturally turning to my 2017 playlists. “Learn to Let Go” by Kesha and “Good Old Days” by Macklemore immediately took me back to senior year. The lyrics capture how I finally felt that season. I trusted my hard work and reminded myself that after a lifetime of competing, it would be my last chance at organized sports. I let go and just played the game I loved.
That idea became the heartbeat of the workshop.
Inside the Workshop
The session wasn’t about fixing anything. It was about noticing.
We reflected on how pressure shows up during Ivy League play and what actually supports confidence during a long season. We talked about expectations and perspective, about confidence that does not depend on stats or approval, and identity beyond performance.
Instead of goals or promises, we closed by identifying our mantras. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I would’ve written Power Forward as my mantra nine years ago.
Leaving Campus a Bit Lighter
I teared up while facilitating the workshop. It felt like a full circle.
I saw pieces of my younger self in that room. I would have hugged her and reminded her she’s balancing ambition, pressure, joy, doubt, and so much more all at once.
I would have told her: You can feel pressure and still play with joy. You can care deeply and still compete freely. You can feel anxious and excited at the same time. Keep powering forward, soak it in, and it will all make sense soon enough.
I’m grateful to Princeton Women’s Basketball for the opportunity to return, reflect, and share space with this team.
Go Tigers!
Originally published on the Power Forward Substack.
