Final Takeaways: Staying in the Green Zone
Over the past three weeks, we explored the crucial concept of the Window of Tolerance with mindset educator Ashley Mowrey. The core insight remains: “Performance isn’t just physical—your mindset and regulation are the key to staying in your optimal zone.”
This recap brings together the biggest takeaways from the series, giving athletes, coaches, and parents the core lessons needed to improve focus, resilience, and performance.
1. Defining the Optimal Zone (Part 1 Recap)
The biggest insight is that we can put a name to our best state—and our worst.
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The Green Zone (The Window): This is the optimal zone—the "happy land" where performance thrives. Here, you are focused, coachable, and resilient.
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Outside the Window is Not "Bad," It's Automatic: When overloaded, the nervous system automatically shifts:
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Red Zone (Hyperarousal): Fight-or-Flight (Anxiety, anger, frantic energy).
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Blue Zone (Hypoarousal): Freeze (Shutdown, checking out, numbness).
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The Goal is Awareness: You will automatically hit Red or Blue, but the goal is to regulate back to Green as quickly as possible and to work toward widening your window over time.
2. The Stressors and Long-Term Impact (Part 2 Recap)
The key personal takeaway here is that an athlete's poor behavior or lack of focus is often a stress response, not a choice.
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What Shrinks the Window? Focus is lost when stressors—like perfectionism, comparison, sensory overload (e.g., loud competitions), and neglecting basic needs (sleep, nutrition)—overwhelm the system.
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Why It Matters Long-Term: Constantly operating in the Red or Blue Zone leads to burnout, slow recovery, and increased injury risk. Listening to early signs (racing heart, irritability) is crucial to prevent these long-term effects.
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The Coaching Lesson: Don't ignore disrespectful Red Zone behavior, but adjust your approach. Prioritize regulating the athlete first with empathy, then address the behavior once they are back in their Green Zone.
3. Practical Tools and Resilience (Part 3 Recap)
The most actionable insight is that our response must be zone-specific—what calms one state will worsen the other.
| Zone | Goal | Key Strategy Examples |
| Red Zone | Calming | Lavender scents, soothing music, deep breathing, cozy blanket, hot tea. |
| Blue Zone | Activation | Peppermint/spicy food, cold water, shaking exercises, balancing on one foot. |
Key Actionable Tools to Carry Forward:
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The 5 S's: Use Ashley Mowrey's toolkit in the moment: Shake, Soothe, Sigh, Spot the Feeling, Safe Space.
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Co-Regulation is Your Superpower: Coaches and parents must remain the regulated adult. Modeling your own regulation ("I need to step away for a minute") helps the athlete find their calm.
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Preparation is Key: Success isn't just about the day of competition; it's about being regulated the entire week prior by prioritizing sleep, nutrition, and consistent practice of regulation skills.
This three-part series provides the roadmap. The next step is simply to start applying it—whether that means shaking off stress or using a simple physiological sigh.
Read more on the Window of Tolerance Series with Ashley Mowrey:
Stop the Choke: Understanding the Athlete's Window of Tolerance | StEPS
Why Athletes Lose Focus Under Pressure | StEPS
How to Stay Calm & Perform Under Pressure | StEPS
