I did a backflip yesterday. It was my second time on a trampoline. I didn’t grow up stepping on a trampoline, ever. There is a little girl in me – curious and courageous. A coach walked me through a step-by-step progression. He showed me how to fall safely onto a big foam bed, then how to roll backward into a foam pit, and then how to jump into the foam pit. He guided me to backflip into a lower foam pit. After that, we moved to the trampoline. He demonstrated how to move my hands, counted down to the jump, and helped me feel and ride the springs. I repeated the movements with his help. I face-planted, and the sting from the textured trampoline net really woke me up. I hopped off to the hard side, and when I landed, I bit my tongue mid-bounce. I was spent, burned through all my calories, and breathless, yet I didn’t want to stop.

Three takeaways from his coaching:

• Step-by-step progression matters
  Building skills and confidence in small steps is crucial.  If we’d started straight on the trampoline, I might have talked myself out of it, letting fear win. My own journey with coaching and being coached today reinforced the value of patient progression—from the easy to the challenging, from cautious breaths to exhilarated leaps.
• Highlighting what I did right matters
  My coach highlighted each right move, which reminded the little girl inside me that “a good job” deserves recognition. Repeating those successes helps rewire self-talk from self-doubt to self-belief.
• One simple, repeatable approach works
  One instruction at a time, reinforced in multiple ways. Verbal cues, demonstrations, and hands-on guidance cover visual, kinesthetic, and auditory learning styles. I’m carrying that approach into my teaching—addressing all learning preferences for ski students as well.

In my skiing coaching, this gentle approach nudges my students forward. If confidence is low, we build it with repetition. If fear appears, we go to an easier run on a slower pace for a lap or two. When we’re on a tougher section and fear creeps in, I’ll propose three turns at a time, then they follow my lines. Before I take them to the top, they already know how to side slip, engage uphill ski edges, and shape turns to stop. Of course, life’s worries and pre-existing vulnerabilities throw off all of their newly learned skills, so I model it first and invite them to follow. I remind them to breathe, smile, and snap a photo.

My coach was McCoy on trampoline. My inner child thrived; that little girl was so proud! I love to play, and I was the oldest there among six girls. I didn’t mind. I’m working on keeping my courage up when I’m terrified of not belonging, rejection, making a clown of myself and more. The moment of awareness is powerful and unstealable. I found myself seeking validation, but awareness is growing. It’s a journey—new feelings with new people, a touch of doubt, and a resolve to rise higher. It’s remarkable how quickly I can shift between doubt and certainty. I did a backflip, and it felt liberating. I’ve carried many limiting beliefs that my joints are worn out and balance is off, but I’m choosing to rewrite that story.

Today and the season ahead

The countdown to the snow season has begun, and I’m choosing to stay present, balancing anticipation with patience. I’m ready to reach new heights, to learn, and to share this journey with YOU.

I’m grateful for this coated backflip experience, for the steadiness of my breath, and for the courage to step out of the comfort zone with full commitment. I’m excited for the snow season, AND I’m practicing presence—savoring the accomplishment of the backflip while staying open to the next summit.

I’m on a mission to reach new heights, embracing challenges with an open heart. My higher self is arriving, one brave step at a time. Thank you for seeing me and being here!

A note for you, friend
If you’ve ever hesitated to try something new, consider the three takeaways I’m carrying forward: progress in small steps, recognition of what you’re doing right, and keeping the approach simple while engaging all the ways you learn. You don’t need to be perfect to start—you just need to start, then keep going. Come and join me on a ski day at Deer Valley in 2025-2026 winter!