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PerformHappy with Rebecca Smith

PerformHappy with Rebecca Smith

By: Rebecca Smith
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About this listen

I’m Rebecca Smith, your podcast host, and High Performance Coach. I’m Director of Complete Performance Coaching and founder of The #PerformHappy Community.Maybe you’re a gymnast with a fear of going backwards. A swimmer who can’t seem to go any faster. Or a parent who is clueless about how to help your child succeed. You might be stepping up to tougher competition and looking to raise your game. Whether you're struggling with a mental block, or you just had the best season of your life, this podcast is for you.Kids need resources to deal with the pressure of competition, but they don’t necessarily want it to be their coach or parents.I teach parents, coaches, and adolescent/teen athletes of all abilities how to achieve their personal best. These are the tips and mental toughness strategies that my clients tell me help them most.I also provide insights for parents and coaches who want to support their kids and their teams.Performing well is a blend of hard work, skill and mental toughness. I’ll teach you how to use all 3 to be the best athlete you can, and have FUN competing in your sport. Mental skills translate to all areas of your life. When kids learn skills to cope with stress & emotion in a sport context, they become better prepared to thrive in school and beyond.Join me each week as I help people reach peak performance and maximum enjoyment.

© 2026 PerformHappy with Rebecca Smith
Episodes
  • 3 Tips to Develop Patience
    Feb 10 2026

    Waiting can be one of the hardest parts of growth. When things feel uncertain or out of your control, the urge to figure it out now can be overwhelming. Patience rarely feels exciting, yet it is often the skill that determines whether you keep going or give up too soon.

    In this episode, I share why patience is one of the most powerful traits athletes and high performers can develop. I open up about my own struggle with impatience and the discomfort of not knowing how things will turn out. Like many athletes, I wanted certainty so I could feel safe and confident, but life does not work that way.

    I reflect on my own journey and how my path was far from linear. From childhood dreams to dropping out of college and eventually finding my way back to the work I love, progress required far more time, support, and patience than I ever expected. What felt like setbacks were actually part of the process.

    We explore the first key to patience: getting comfortable being uncomfortable. Building grit means continuing to show up even when things are hard, progress is slow, or results are unclear. Every fall, setback, or disappointment becomes another opportunity to get back up and try again.

    The second focus of the episode is developing a growth mindset. Impatience thrives when we believe that if something has not happened yet, it never will. Adding the word “yet” shifts failure into progress and reminds us that improvement is still possible with effort and persistence.

    Finally, we talk about keeping things in perspective. Long-term dreams rarely come with straight paths or perfect timelines. When athletes focus on the bigger picture instead of immediate outcomes, patience becomes easier and pressure decreases.

    In this episode, you will hear
    • Why discomfort is essential for developing patience
    • How grit helps athletes stay in the process
    • How a growth mindset changes the way setbacks feel
    • Why focusing on the bigger picture reduces pressure

    In this week’s episode of the PerformHappy Podcast, I share three practical ways to develop patience and why trusting the process can help athletes stay motivated, confident, and committed to their long-term goals.

    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

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    10 mins
  • Calm Parenting = Confident Athletes with Kirk Martin
    Feb 3 2026

    Watching your child struggle can be exhausting. You see how hard they are trying, yet small moments turn into big emotions, power struggles, or shutdowns. You may wonder why it feels so hard to stay calm when all you want to do is help.

    In this episode, I talk with calm parenting expert Kirk Martin about how parents’ emotions and reactions shape their children’s behavior and confidence. Kirk works with families raising strong willed and ADHD wired kids, and he explains why calm, confident leadership creates more change than control ever does.

    Kirk shares a pivotal moment from his own parenting journey. After a heated argument, he discovered his son was writing a school paper calling his dad his superhero. That moment revealed how deeply kids want connection and approval, even when behavior looks difficult or defiant.

    We discuss why yelling, nagging, and over managing often backfire. When parents stay regulated, set clear boundaries, and give kids ownership within those limits, power struggles decrease and kids are more likely to step up.

    A key theme in this conversation is how kids experience mistakes and pressure. One hard moment can quickly turn into I am bad or I am not good enough. Instead of fixing emotions, connection grows when parents reflect feelings, get curious, and normalize the experience.

    We also explore nerves and anxiety, especially for young athletes. Feeling nervous usually means a child cares. Confidence is learning to move through discomfort with support, not making it disappear.

    In this episode, you will hear
    • Why calm parenting reduces power struggles
    • What strong willed and ADHD wired kids need most
    • How to respond when kids make mistakes
    • Why normalizing nerves builds confidence

    In this week’s episode of the PerformHappy Podcast, I talk with Kirk Martin about calm parenting, emotional regulation, and how connection helps kids feel safe, confident, and supported.

    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

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    46 mins
  • There Is No “Too Stuck”- How Kids Overcome Even the Toughest Mental Blocks with Dr. Suzanne Pottratz
    Jan 27 2026

    Watching an athlete feel stuck can be painful. You see how hard they are trying. You see the fear and frustration building, and you may wonder why some kids break through while others stay trapped in the same place.

    In this episode, I talk with Dr. Suzanne Pottratz, senior mental performance coach at PerformHappy, about what actually helps athletes move forward. Suzanne works closely with kids who struggle with fear and mental blocks, and she explains why openness is often the key to change.

    Athletes who make big breakthroughs usually arrive willing to try something new. Many feel desperate after trying everything else, and that willingness leads to real progress. Even athletes who start out resistant can change when trust is built and they feel understood within the gym environment.

    We also discuss why some kids stay stuck longer. Often, it is not the athlete. It is the environment. Pressure from parents or inflexible coaching can slow progress, even when intentions are good. Lasting confidence requires alignment between the athlete, parents, and coaches, along with helping kids develop a voice of their own.

    Suzanne shares her personal story of quitting gymnastics because fear became overwhelming. That experience drives her work today. Instead of forcing skills, she helps athletes rebuild trust through emotional safety, patience, and very small steps forward.

    A powerful theme in this episode is mindset. Fear does not have to disappear for progress to happen. Fear and action can exist together. Progress becomes data, not drama, when athletes learn to ask what they can do today instead of judging themselves.

    In this episode, you will hear
    • Why openness leads to faster breakthroughs
    • How trust helps resistant athletes change
    • Why environment matters more than effort
    • How fear and action can coexist
    • The role of awareness, confidence, and self trust

    In this week’s episode of the PerformHappy Podcast, I talk with Dr. Suzanne Pottratz about fear, mental blocks, and how athletes can rebuild confidence and self trust one small step at a time.

    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

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    39 mins
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