Not a setback, a setforward

Did anyone else get to witness GREATNESS this weekend? 

Your social feeds may have been filled with back to school posts, weather alerts, and most likely alarming news from every corner of our country. But in San Jose, California, history was being made by Simone Biles. 

Ten years ago, Simone won her first National Championships all-around title. And last night, ten years later, she did it again – for the 8th time. 

This, in and of itself, is significant for the historical nature. No gymnast has won eight all-around titles in the United States before. It’s significant as she’s also the oldest woman to have earned this title. 

It’s maybe more significant because two years ago, on a global platform, she showed us what it looked like to prioritize mental health. She showed us what it looked like to prioritize well-being. What seemed like a setback was actually setforward. Is that even a word? Probably not. But taking a moment to pause and care for herself set her on a path to come back even stronger. 

In a recent post, WKKF grantee ZERO TO THREE shared that “mental health issues can take root very early in life. Investments that support the mental health of infants and young children prevent the more costly interventions that all too often result when mental health challenges go unaddressed.”

Whether you’re starting a new school year or starting a new season of life, a good lesson for all of us: It’s okay to take a pause. It’s okay to care for yourself. It’s okay to ensure your mental health is in a good place. It won’t take you out of the game. It won’t set you back. It will set you forward.