There is nothing more frustrating than setting a goal, working hard for it, and then feeling like you are getting nowhere. You show up, put in the effort, and instead of building confidence, you leave practice more discouraged than when you started.

In this week’s episode of the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m breaking down why so many athletes get stuck in this cycle and how to set goals that actually move you forward. Instead of focusing on what is “wrong” or what you “can’t do,” I’ll show you how to reframe your goals so that they build confidence, not fear.

At a recent Confident Gymnast Clinic, I worked with a gymnast who swore her switch leaps were terrible. She wanted to “fix” them because they were “bad.” After a few reframes, her goal shifted to simply getting better at her switch leap. That change in language, paired with a focus on small, specific improvements, completely transformed her progress. Within ten turns, she went from discouraged to confident on high beam.

This is the power of focusing on what you can do instead of what you cannot. Progress does not come from criticizing yourself, it comes from celebrating small wins, stacking them over time, and building a foundation of trust in yourself.

If your athlete is stuck in a cycle of frustration, or if you as a parent or coach are unsure how to help them move forward, this episode will give you the tools to change the way you set and support goals.

In this episode, Coach Rebecca talks about:

• The trap of negative goal setting.
• Why progress starts with point A, not perfection.
• Simple shifts athletes, parents, and coaches can make today.
• How celebrating small wins builds lasting confidence.

“Instead of focusing on what you cannot do, focus on what you can do, and then ask yourself, what is one thing I can do right now to make it better?” – Rebecca Smith

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: rebecca@completeperformancecoaching.com

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I had the privilege of chatting with international elite gymnast Céleste Mordenti, the first gymnast from Luxembourg to ever win a FIG World Cup medal.

Céleste’s journey hasn’t been an easy one. As a young gymnast, she rose quickly through the ranks, representing Luxembourg at European and World Championships. But behind the medals and the spotlight, she battled the same struggles so many gymnasts face — fear, mental blocks, and the pressure to be perfect. At one point, she couldn’t even bring herself to swing giants, a skill she’d done for years.

In this episode, Céleste opens up about what it really takes to build lasting confidence. She shares how changing environments, learning to step back, and redefining progress helped her shift from panic and frustration to a place of trust in herself and joy in her sport again.

What makes her story so powerful is that she proves confidence isn’t something you’re born with — it’s something you can build, no matter how stuck or scared you feel.

Whether you’re a gymnast, parent, or coach, you’ll find inspiration and practical takeaways in Céleste’s story — from normalizing fear to celebrating small steps, and ultimately learning that setbacks are just part of the path to success.

In this episode, Coach Rebecca and Céleste talk about:

• Competing on the international stage as a teen
• What it feels like to get stuck in the cycle of fear and mental blocks
• How supportive coaching can completely shift an athlete’s confidence
• Why taking a step back is actually the fastest way forward

"Taking a step back isn’t leaving the path to success — it is the path to success." – Céleste Mordenti

Follow Céleste on Instagram: @celestemordenti

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: rebecca@completeperformancecoaching.com

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m talking with Utah gymnast Avery Neff — a rising star whose journey proves that resilience, mindset, and belief in yourself can take you further than raw talent ever could.

Avery wasn’t always the clean, confident athlete you see competing on the NCAA stage today. She started as a “floppy” gymnast, throwing skills with no fear but little form. With the help of her coaches, her relentless drive to prove herself, and a mindset shaped by her fearless family, she turned those early struggles into the foundation of a championship career.

In this episode, Avery shares how she developed her growth mindset, how she pushed through one of the toughest moments of her career — spraining both ankles her freshman year — and how she worked her way back when everyone thought her season was over. She also opens up about the importance of setting big goals, visualizing success, and finding joy in the process, even when fear or setbacks creep in.

Whether you’re an athlete learning to push through fear, a parent supporting a child through setbacks, or a coach looking to inspire your athletes, you’ll walk away from this episode with powerful lessons on confidence, perseverance, and chasing big dreams.

In this episode, Avery and Coach Rebecca talk about:

• Why resilience matters more than natural talent
• The mindset that helped her recover from two sprained ankles in record time
• Why believing in yourself (and saying your goals out loud) changes everything
• How gymnastics taught her life lessons that will carry far beyond the gym

"If you’re not saying it, somebody else is — and somebody else is going to get it before you do." – Avery Neff

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: rebecca@completeperformancecoaching.com

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m talking to parents who are navigating one of the hardest parts of raising athletes: watching your kids struggle with disappointment, pressure, and even toxic coaching environments.

As parents, our instinct is to protect our kids from heartbreak and setbacks. But what if the very challenges we want to shield them from are the ones that help them build resilience for life? Using clinical psychologist Dr. Becky Kennedy’s “bench” analogy, I share how letting kids sit with their disappointment — instead of rushing to fix it — prepares them for the bigger benches of adulthood, from heartbreak to career setbacks.

I also dive into an important and difficult topic: what to do if your child’s coach crosses the line into emotional abuse. I share guidance on how to recognize red flags, when to approach a coach, and when to go directly to gym owners or SafeSport.

Whether you’re supporting your child through a tough season, or wondering how to handle an unsafe coaching environment, this episode will give you tools to respond with calm, connection, and courage.

In this episode, Coach Rebecca talks about:

• Dr. Becky Kennedy’s “bench” analogy for building resilience
• How disappointment today builds confidence for tomorrow
• Recognizing the signs of emotionally abusive coaching
• When to have a conversation, how to approach it, and when it’s time to leave

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: rebecca@completeperformancecoaching.com

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m talking to athletes and parents who are in the thick of it — setback after setback, injury after injury, and feeling like the dream is slipping away. If that’s you, I want you to meet Arya and her mom, Sara.

Arya spent years navigating injuries, mental blocks, and environments that didn’t bring out her best. She battled fear of re-injury, lost skills, and even walked into the gym in tears some days. Through it all, she held onto her dream of competing college gymnastics.

In this episode, you’ll hear how Arya went from feeling stuck and unsupported to thriving in a new gym environment, regaining her skills, and finally achieving one of her biggest goals: competing at Eastern Nationals.

Whether you’re an athlete facing challenges, a parent supporting one, or a coach looking to help your gymnasts overcome obstacles, you’ll walk away with powerful lessons about resilience, environment, and finding joy in the sport again.

In this episode, Arya, Sara, and Coach Rebecca talk about:

• Why environment matters just as much as mental training for success
• The moment she knew it was time to change gyms (and how she found the courage to do it)
• Why focusing on small goals and loving the sport again made all the difference
• How she made it to Eastern Nationals — and why it was even more meaningful after years of setbacks

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: rebecca@completeperformancecoaching.com

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m talking to athletes who are stuck. You know you’re capable of doing the skill—you’ve done it before—but for some reason, it’s just not happening right now. Maybe you’re dealing with the pressure of move-ups, recovering from a past fall, or your brain is simply hitting the brakes. You’re not alone, and there is a way through it that doesn’t involve just pushing harder or trying to force your way over the mental block.

In fact, trying to "just do it" is usually the opposite of what works. In this episode, I’m sharing what actually helps: starting with ditching perfection, tuning into what your brain needs, and building momentum through small wins. Whether you're the athlete going through it, or a parent or coach supporting someone who is, you’ll walk away with clear, actionable tools to make progress—even when progress feels slow.

In this episode, Coach Rebecca talks about:

• How to shift your focus from perfection to progress
• The power of treating each turn like an experiment
• What to do instead of comparing yourself to your best day
• Why communication with coaches and parents is important to getting unstuck
• One essential mindset shift for parents

“When you stop judging every turn and start treating it like data, you actually build the confidence you’ve been chasing.” – Coach Rebecca

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: rebecca@completeperformancecoaching.com

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m sharing one of my favorite topics: the “camp magic” that gives athletes those powerful bursts of confidence, and what you can do when that confidence disappears back at the gym.

Whether it’s a breakthrough skill at camp or a fearless moment at competition, those experiences can feel like superpowers. But why don’t they last? I’ll explain what’s actually going on in the brain when athletes are in fresh, positive environments, and how you can capture that feeling and bring it home.

If your athlete has ever done something brave at camp or at a meet, only to freeze again in practice, this episode is for you.

In this episode, Coach Rebecca talks about:

• What “camp superpowers” are, and why kids often break through blocks in new environments
• The science behind how your environment impacts confidence and fear
• What to do when confidence fades once your athlete is home
• How to identify your “camp alter ego” and show up as them every day

“If you want consistent confidence, you have to figure out what sets you up for success, and then do more of that.” – Coach Rebecca

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: rebecca@completeperformancecoaching.com

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m sharing the simplest way to build confidence, even if you feel like you don’t have a single extra minute.

So many athletes and sport parents tell me the same thing: “I want to feel more confident, but I’m just too busy to add one more thing to my day.”

Trust me, I get it. Between school, sports, work, and everything else, life is full. But what if I told you that just 10 minutes a day could actually rewire your brain for more confidence, happiness, and success?

In this episode, I’m walking you through the exact mental routine I use every single day. It’s fast, backed by research, and it works, even for the busiest athletes and parents.

Whether you're an athlete trying to rebuild trust in yourself after a setback, or a parent looking to support your child’s mental game without overwhelming them, this episode is for you.

In this episode, Coach Rebecca talks about:

• Three brain-based strategies that take just a few minutes a day
• How small daily shifts in mindset lead to big confidence wins
• What the research says about gratitude, mindfulness, and affirmations

“Confidence isn’t something you’re born with, it’s like a muscle. You’ve got to do your daily reps.” – Coach Rebecca

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: rebecca@completeperformancecoaching.com

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com