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The Importance of Rest and Recovery: A Closer Look at Simone Biles

I always stand in awe of Olympic athletes. Their unique stories of overcoming challenges and achieving greatness always leave me expecting just a little more of myself. The Olympics not only showcases incredible physical prowess but also highlights resilience, dedication and the indomitable spirit within us. The Olympics inspires us to go for gold in all areas of our lives. 


Olympic athletes inspire us to achieve our goals and pursue success with unwavering determination. Their journeys are filled with valuable lessons that extend beyond sports, touching upon resilience, teamwork, mental health, and so much more.


Simone Biles is everyone’s favorite and rightfully so. Flashing back to 2021, Simone arrived at the Tokyo Olympics under outrageous pressure to win, unrelenting attention from the media, and still reeling from the trauma of the abuse scandal. Performing her first vault, she knew something was off. You probably remember she had “the twisties,” a phenomenon where gymnast lose their place in the air because their brain and body are not in sync. 


Knowing how dangerous this was, she pulled out of the competition. You can imagine what her inner conversation must of sounded like, “How do I tell people I’m pulling out? This is the worst possible thing I could do. I should be able to fix this.” We’ve all heard these messages at different times in our lives. 


Unfortunately, she not only had to listen to the voices in her head, she also had to listen to people accusing her of abandoning her team, letting people down, quitting on the job, not being tough enough. Some of the same messages you and I have heard before. 


In Simone’s time away she rested, healed, prioritized her mental health, focused on relationships. 


When she decided to come back from her break, she reminded us all that the way to come back stronger isn’t to force it. But to go back to the basic skills; rebuild confidence and self-trust; focus on having fun; surround yourself with a supportive community. 


Simone admitted that because she took more personal time away while training for the 2023 World Championships, she was able to actually be present when she was in the gym. This is an incredible model of rest and recovery for all of us. 


Yes, Simone is the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) with her record breaking number of metals. AND she is showing us how important it is to focus on rest and recovery in order to prioritize our wellbeing for the long haul, even when we know we will be criticized. 


What do you need to quit to priorities rest and recovery? 


What do you need to focus on in order to priorities rest and recovery? 


Where do you need to go back to the basics or rebuild your own confidence and self-trust? 


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