Sharing my story at the SheBelieves Summit 2019

Well-being is necessary in athletics. You need to take care of your physical body of course, but it’s so much more than that. It requires intentional time for recovery, emotional resilience when you lose, and mental focus when you are trying to score. I know this from personal experience - in college I was a soccer midfielder at the University of Miami. Go Canes!

This past weekend, I had the great honor to be among other athletes once again, as college students gathered in New York City for the 2019 SheBelieves Summit to learn how innovative women from sports, entertainment, and business have broken barriers while balancing high-pressure roles. I shared my own journey of overcoming burnout, and what I learned along the way that eventually lead me to becoming Deloitte’s first well-being leader. And truthfully, many of these lessons are rooted in my experience as a college athlete too.

Build confidence by making self-care a priority. Athletes already know that to be your best self, you need to focus on your well-being. The same goes for you career, and quite frankly, in all aspects of life. When you get injured in sports, you take the time to recover, so you can get back in the game. Do you do the same in your personal and professional life too? Making time for recovery and using stress as a positive force to accomplish your goals are just as important on the field as they are in all areas of your life. And you don’t have to make big sweeping changes in your routine to build in recovery, remember that the small behaviors, like micro-breaks, 5-minute stretches, and even going for short walk outside can all add up to make a big impact.

Create a supportive community around you. When I experienced burnout, I couldn’t get out of bed. I shut myself off from the world. But with the help of my friends and family, and a very special mentor, I was able to recover and discover a way to pursue my passion. Surround yourself with people – friends, family, co-workers, mentors- who support you and will be there to help you when you need it. 

Bring your passions to work. As our careers evolve and grow, there may be times when we are very passionate about what we are doing, and at other times, not as much. Regardless of your role, we all can derive meaning from what we do and discover opportunities to bring our passions to work. Seek to understand how your contributions connect into the bigger picture of your organizations mission and goals. Look for projects that play to your strengths and volunteer for assignments that align with your interests and values.

I was proud to help support the SheBelieves mission to inspire girls and young women to accomplish their goals and dreams by sharing my story and what I’ve learned along the way. Whether those goals are athletic or otherwise, I hope they will take these lessons with them and one day, use their own stories to inspire the next generation.