athlete supportFeelingsHealthinjury recoveryMindsetPerspectivePressurePsychologySelf-DiscoveryTrust
Staying Positive During Injury? Maybe That’s Not the Goal.
“How do I stay positive during recovery?”
Such a common question I hear from teen girl athletes working through injury, performance anxiety, and even eating disorder recovery. Even when they’re not asking directly, there’s a sense of isn’t this supposed to be the goal, that I should be staying hopeful and positive that everything is going to be ok?
And it makes sense, positivity is often held up as the gold standard. If you’re doing recovery “right,” you should be staying upbeat, focusing on the bright side, and feeling grateful. But my honest take: positivity is not the goal and sometimes, it can actually get in the way.
The Problem with Chasing Positivity
Positivity, in itself, isn’t harmful. Looking for the good, practicing gratitude, and shifting perspective are all supportive tools.
But when positivity becomes the goal:
You start filtering out the hard parts of your experience
You feel pressure to “be okay” even when you’re not
You may interpret difficult moments & emotions as failure
For many teen girl athletes, trying to stay positive creates an exhausting inner dialogue of “I should be more positive.”, “Why am I still struggling with this?”, and “If I were stronger, I’d feel better by now”. When recovery doesn’t follow the timeline you hoped for, and it often doesn’t, positivity can quickly flip into self-doubt, frustration, and shame.
What Actually Helps More Than Positivity
Instead of aiming to Stay Positive, what if you anchored onto more solid ground?
Trust. Choice. Belief.
Now you’re working with your current reality, while keeping hope that things are changing and unfolding for you!
1. Trust Your Body’s Healing (Even When It Feels Slow)
Your body is designed to heal. That doesn’t mean it will happen quickly or predictably but healing is happening, even when you can’t see it.
Trust isn’t loud or flashy. Sometimes it thinks like:
“Something is still happening, even if I can’t measure it today.”
“My body hasn’t given up on me.”
“I know my body is doing what it can today”
This kind of trust can create a little stability, especially on the most wobbly days.
2. Focus on What’s Within Your Control
Injury and recovery can literally feel like everything is out of your hands. But there are always areas where you do have choice.
You can’t always control:
Healing speed
Outcomes
Other people’s expectations
Pain levels
But you can control:
Your effort in rehab
Your self-talk
How you respond to unexpected’s
The support you seek
Shifting your focus on where you have some choice can build some confidence and momentum.
3. Visualize the Outcome You Want
This isn’t about pretending everything is perfect. The mind is so powerful and what we think, what we believe creates our setpoint. Kind of like a thermostat in a house automatically set to a certain temperature. If our setpoint is constant fear and dread that we may never be able to play again, our mind is going to set the wheels in motion to find that truth. Now I’m not saying ignore your worries. They are important to acknowledge also. This is more about mentally rehearsing possibility.
Take a few moments each day to imagine:
Your body healing itself
Moving freely again, doing what you love
Feeling strong and grounded
The brain responds powerfully to imagery. When you consistently visualize recovery, you’re reinforcing belief and direction, not just “good vibes.”
Measure Progress Differently
One of the biggest traps in recovery is only looking for big physical milestones. Yes, those matter but they’re not the whole story.
Progress might look like:
Going from immobile → walking around your house
Lifting your arm just a little higher than last week
Having one less moment of frustration today
And sometimes, progress isn’t physical at all:
You are discovering something new you enjoy
You are creating some closer relationships
You are developing patience or perspective
Noticing these matters. They’re signs that growth is happening, even when healing feels slow.
Making Space for the Full Experience
Recovery is not a “positive-only” journey.
There will be:
Frustration
Disappointment
Anger
Fear
Doubt
And none of these mean you’re doing it wrong. In fact, allowing these emotions without trying to immediately replace them with positivity creates emotional resilience. Emotional resilience to serve for the rest of your life to get you through the ups and downs of life.
You don’t need to feel good all the time to heal.
So… Where Does Positivity Fit?
Does positivity still has a place?
Looking on the bright side can be a helpful tool. It’s one of many. Think of it as something you can visit, not something you have to live inside 24/7. You don’t need to stay positive to move forward. Being connected to yourself, your effort, and your direction is where the biggest recovery is happening.
You can consider that instead of asking-
“How do I stay positive?”
Maybe it’s more of:
“What can I trust is right for me right now?”
“What’s one thing I can do today that supports my recovery?”
“Where am I seeing even the smallest progress (physically, mentally, emotionally, socially)?”
If you’re in the middle of injury or recovery, you’re not failing if you don’t feel positive. And your path forward isn’t about forcing a feeling, it’s about building a relationship with yourself that includes trust, belief, and steady action.
Let’s Keep Walking Together
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I appreciate you!
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Let’s walk this path together with presence, courage, and a little more ease.
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