Footballer and commentator Georgia Yeoman-Dale used to get performance anxiety and found breathing exercises and meditation helped her through it.
Georgia Yeoman-Dale has been kicking goals, both literally and figuratively, since making
her debut for Canberra way back in 2011. Some 90 W-League appearances, and five
international caps with the Matildas, later, and the talented midfielder has turned her
attention to commentating on the game she loves.
With a resume that impressive, you’d think performing at the highest level comes pretty
naturally to Yeoman-Dale, but actually she tells Health Hacker the opposite is true, with the football ace turning to deep breathing exercises to calm her nerves before big games, or big TV moments on Channel 10.
“I meditate all the time, just not always in the way that a lot of people would picture meditation,” Yeoman-Dale says.
“I do practice mindfulness through breathing on a daily basis. I used to get performance
anxiety a lot when I played professionally, and now I experience the same thing working in
the media. I find breathing exercises the best way to calm myself.”
The magic of meditation or mindfulness is that you don’t need to dedicate hours at a time
to it. In fact, studies have found that just 60 seconds of focused breathing is enough to
change the way your brain is working in that moment.
I’m a big fan of four, seven, eight breathing. It’s easy — simply breathe in for four seconds,
hold your breath for seven seconds, then slowly breathe out through your mouth for eight
seconds, counting them out in your mind as you go.
Try it, and see if it works for you.
Focused breathing is skill Georgia says she’s had to call on a lot, because while most of us try
and avoid doing the things that make us feel nervous or uncomfortable, she says she
charges right at them.
“You need to be okay with feeling uncomfortable,” she says.
“Some of the best things that have happened for me in my life have come off the back of me doing something I really didn’t want to do.
“Going on TV for the first time was like that, and now I have a full-time job doing
commentary and analysis on TV and I love it.”
* Georgia Yeoman-Dale is a football expert/commentator on 10 and Paramount+.
GEORGIA YEOMAN-DALE ON …
Best advice she’s ever received
“My grandmother once said to me ‘everything is temporary’. I think it’s a good way to view
life, the good and the bad. Relish the good times because they won’t be around forever, and
ride out the tough times because the good times will return.”
Training for a changing life
“For me, it’s a balanced diet with lots of salad and veggies and low-impact exercise. Ten
years playing football professionally takes a toll on your body so it’s time to start looking
after my joints so that I’m not in a wheelchair at 50. Gone are the days of weightlifting, time
trials and sprint training, I now get my exercise through pilates, yoga and the occasional spin
class.”
Five foods she couldn’t live without
“Toast, avocado, Vegemite, cheese, and coffee … I know coffee isn’t a food, but I’m sure you
can guess what my breakfasts look like …”
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