Simone Biles chose to compete in the 2020 Olympic games to represent the USA, be a role model for Black and brown girls in gymnastics, and speak out against abuse.

She ended up becoming a role model for recognizing and publicly prioritizing her mental health in front of the world.

The next time you’re trying to be superhuman, take a page from Simone’s playbook and remember to take care of yourself, regardless of who is watching and what you’re afraid they might think about you.

I can relate to Simone’s story.

There was a time when I reached my breaking point and quit my job without having another job lined up. Rather than accepting my resignation, my employer gave me a 3-month leave of absence and worked with me to reconfigure a more reasonable workload. I’m not saying every employer will be so accommodating, but you might be surprised by how much support you’ll find.

Since that experience, I’ve learned many tools to manage my stress and mindfulness before getting to my breaking point.

I want to share a simple grounding exercise that works well for me when facing “in the moment” stressors at work.

• Find an object to hold in your hand; any object will do.
• Visually focus on that object. Notice how the light hits the object and reflects or creates shadows.  Reflect on the intensity of the colors.  Look for variations of patterns on the object.  Memorize every visual detail of the object as if you had to describe it to someone that needs to draw the object without seeing it.
• Now direct your attention to how the object feels in your hand. Is the temperature warmer or colder than your hands?  How does the shape feel?  Is it round, or does it have angles?  Is it soft and pliable, or hard and rigid? Feel the weight of the object.
• Continue focusing on the object until you notice your anxiety has calmed down.

I use this exercise as a preventative approach to anticipated stress and to calm myself down after being triggered. For example, if I’m feeling nervous before doing a training program for a large group, I reach for a coin in my pocket and do this exercise right before I go on stage.  If I become overwhelmed by juggling multiple projects and clients, I pause to do this grounding exercise and find myself refreshed and ready to take on the challenge.

Give this a try, and let me know how it works for you!

Wishing you the best!

P.S. Check out my Group Coaching Program of Women.  I start every session with a grounding exercise.  Past participants have shared with me how much they enjoyed the guided grounding exercises and have been able to apply them for themselves and for the teams they lead.  The next cohort starts in September.  Let me know if you’re interested!