Janus: the Roman God of beginnings and transitions. The double-faced God looks in opposite directions; toward the past and also toward the future. The month of January has been named in remnant of this Roman God, representing the doorway into a new year. As 2015 approaches, we can take time to use Janus as a guide to look both at the past year and what the New Year has in store for us. The beginning of the New Year is a time for fresh starts, new creations and a chance to begin again. The importance of looking forward to what lies ahead in the upcoming year and what may rise within you, your sport, your relationships and your hopes is something to spend time cultivating. Take time to set daily, weekly and monthly goals for the year that help move you in the direction of what it is ultimately important to you. To help fuel you, remember to let your values guide your goals. Here are three keys questions to ask yourself when developing your goals:

• What is my passion ...
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How should I prepare mentally for a game? While there are techniques and suggestions for mental preparation, the biggest thing to remember is that the best mental preparation for any game will come from both trusting your physical training and being aware of what it is you do mentally when you perform at your best. Mental preparation for a game will vary by the individual. For example, one athlete may prepare best by listening to music on their own and conversing with others minimally before a game, on the other hand another athlete may need to talk and interact with others to prepare, neither approach is right nor wrong. The trick is to key in on what works on an individual level, and channel your preparation through that. That being said, here are a few preparations strategies to try and see if they work for you: Mindful Behavior: Mindful behavior has been shown to significantly increase athlete’s performance. Before a game your brain can be going in a million di...

Ask anyone how many hours of sleep, on average, they get per night. What do they get? Somewhere between 5-7, if you're lucky. Then ask a doctor how many hours of sleep, on average, you should be getting per night. What's their answer? Somewhere around 8, but with a push towards getting somewhere closer to 10. So then ask anyone what their response to that recommendation is. What's that going to look like? Something along the lines of "Yeah, right" but probably with some more expletives worked in. But then what if I told you that there's some new research happening at Harvard that might end insomnia forever, and make it so everyone could get the sleep they need? Now we're talking, right? Sure enough, the work of Dr. Patrick Fuller is maybe getting us to exactly that point. Dr. Fuller is working on sleep medication to help ensure full, rich nights of sleep. And not the 'full night's sleep' that current sleep medication provides that leaves you groggy upon waking up or is indefinite in...