October Reflections - Inner Game

A month of self awareness

I'm writing this from my special breakfast cafe, still with my oat milk cappuccino, but this time I've treated myself to a cheeky slice of sourdough piled with avocado, halloumi and a perfectly poached egg. It feels like my little ritual, a pause in the week, a moment to think, and a space to just be.

This month, I've been thinking a lot about the Inner Game, Timothy Gallwey's idea that our greatest opponent isn't out there in the world, but within us. The way we talk to ourselves, the stories we tell, the expectation we silently carry, that is where the real challenge lives.

The Day I Forgot My Prosthesis

One morning, I left the house in a rush and realised later I'd forgotten to wear my prosthetic. My first reaction was pure panic, that voice in my head whispering... 'Everyone will notice', 'You don't look right', 'How could you forget something so important?'.

That inner commentary felt brutal, do you know the one?

For a moment I wanted to hide, go back home, to 'fix' it. But then, something shifted, I took a breath and thought.. What if this is an opportunity to show up differently, proud , purposeful and unapologetically me?'

As I went through the day, I realised: no one else saw me through that harsh lens, only I did. The discomfort softened, and what replaced it was quiet pride and focus on the things I wanted to do, well.

That moment taught me of the importance and power of self-awareness.

• Learning to Listen Inward

Self- awareness isn't just about noticing what we think or feel, it is about understanding why we think and feel it. It's the difference between reacting and responding; between judging ourselves and being curious.

When I started to pay attention to my inner dialogue, I saw how much energy I spent trying to be 'enough'. When I shifted it from self-criticism to self-compassion, I felt freer, lighter and more connected to the moment I was actually in.

That's what The Inner Game is really about; learning to quiet the noise so you can play fully in sport, in work, in life.

• Anchoring through habits

I've found that simple, steady habits help me stay grounded in this practice. A daily walk outside, journaling the gratitude I feel, reading a good book, learning a new skill, to finding a song that lifts or matches my mood.

These are not just routines, they're the tiny acts of self-respect, helping me reconnect when my mind tries to run away with the game (I just lost the game, IYKYK!).

When we treat self-awareness as a skill, something we can strengthen with practice, life starts to feel less like a battle and more like a conversation with ourselves.

The Real Inner Game

Gallwey wrote that 'the opponent within one's own head is more formidable than the one on the other side of the net.'

I'm learning that the mind can be both critic and coach, but it's up to us which one we choose to listen to. The more I practice, the more I notice; it's not about perfection. It's about progress, presence and kindness and choosing to keep showing up.

Three takeaways

     1. Awareness creates choice, when you notice your thoughts, you stop being ruled by them.

     2. Self-compassion is strength, treating yourself kindly, unlocks resilience.

     3. Presence is powerful, joy lives in the now, not in the 'should'.

Optimistic October

This month's theme 'Optimistic October' feels like the perfect lens for reflection. It's not about pretending everything is fine, it is about learning to turn challenging thoughts into helpful ones.

When that inner critic starts to whisper, we can ask:

• What else could be true?

  
  

• How can I support myself right now?

  
  

• What is one small, positive step I can take?

Optimism isn't blind positivity, it's a practice of perspective. It's choosing to see possibility even when things feel uncertain.

Every time we reframe a thought, offer ourselves patience, or choose to believe growth over guilt, we're building mental muscle. That's the true inner game, not silencing the mind, but training it to work with us, not against us.

A picture of positive affirmation words like love, perspective and play.

Here's to an Optimistic October, one thought, one breath, one hopeful moment at a time.