I recently polled a group of cornhole players to find out what they thought some of their biggest hurdles are in the game of cornhole. One of the common responses was "I need to get out of my head". 

I followed up by asking what was happening in their heads that impacted their games and received varying answers that alluded to the fact that the head dwelled too much on past or future parts of the game.

We know that being in the head isn't helpful, but it is where most of us are comfortable. We spend most of our days up in there. And for work, learning, and other aspects of our lives, we better be operating in that space.

But the beautiful thing about sports, creative endeavors, and fun games is that we don't have to operate from this place. We actually get to live out of our bodies where we feel the most present and the most free. 

Humans however are creatures of habit and so it doesn't take long to jump back into the comfortable space between our ears.

The good news is, it's a simple solution to shift out of this place. Get back in the body.

It's much easier to be in the body for long periods of time in sports and games that are fast-paced because there is no time to get stuck in the head space. But ask any free-thrower or kicker how things change when they are in this role compared to faster-paced parts of their sports.

So your job as a cornhole player is to come back to the body and stay there as long as possible. When you notice yourself getting stuck up in your head use that as a reminder that you've jumped back into familiar patterns and it's time to get back into the body. 

Don't dwell, beat yourself up, remind yourself this doesn't work, etc. Just say, "Oh, time to get back in the body!" and move on with the steps listed below:

How To Get Into The Body & Stay There Longer

1. The first step of this process happens before you get to a cornhole tournament. It consists of a deeper awareness of the body throughout the day. Set an alarm on your phone and have "Body check-ins". This is when you just start to take notice of your body in your physical space. Notice your feet on the floor or your sit bones on your chair. Notice the feeling of the air and the sounds in the room. Notice the sensations in the body and the experience of your skin. Take it all in.
   
   
2. Next is setting yourself up for success during a match or tournament. During your warm-ups become hyper-aware of your body in relation to the room, the floor, and the bag in your hand. Don't think about what's happening, just use some of your warm-up time to connect to yourself and your body. This is a great time to use meditation or whatever helps you become more present. 
   
   
3. Repeat the process above at a micro level during your down and backs. Use your down and back as a time to reconnect with the body and ground down through your feet. Notice the feelings that come up before you start a game and instead of making meaning out of those feelings or wishing they were different, just feel them without judgment. Point out where you feel them and what they feel like. 
   
   
4. Throughout the game, you will find yourself drifting back to your head. It's normal for humans to make meaning out of experiences. So when you miss a shot or have a strong emotion it's easy to automatically jump back in the head to make sense of it. Notice this and let it go. Come back to your feet on the floor. The bag in your hand. Back to the body.

These are some easy ways to train yourself to operate more in the body than in the head. It will take time and practice to shift your habits from automatically operating from that space between your ears but you will be a more present, connected, and patient human from practicing this. And of course, a better cornhole player.

Give it a shot and let me know how it goes!