While the world was watching Simone Biles, we all learned one of the greatest life lessons: success versus self-care.

We can all only think about the grinding vital for an American athlete to survive and make it to the Olympics. Simone made it look easy, shattering records and flashing her medals to become one of the most cherished gymnasts of all time. And how can we deny her incredible courage and contributions to battle for the survivors of the most horrid abuse scandal at the hands of Dr. Larry Nasser or that she grew up in foster care after struggling with hunger at home beside a mother who battled addiction?

Simone did hint on her Instagram about what was going on in her personal life – that she felt weighed down. She tried to brush the feelings aside and not let the pressure affect her in any way but she accepts Olympics aren’t a joke.

Then at a press conference on July 27, she revealed how high-stress situations could freak out anyone. She aimed to focus on her mental health and did not want to jeopardize her health and well-being. Her primary focus was her body and her mind.

She claimed life was more important than gymnastics. She wanted to give herself the much-needed space and time to recover from her distress. For the world her courage was incredible.

All of us need to dig inside ourselves and acknowledge that Simone Biles alone is not feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. A sport or any other passion is not more important than the courage to step away from success. While the weight we feel may not be as gigantic, it can feel very much that way. We need to also rethink our recipe for success. It is not success versus self-care rather success is equal to self-care.

The difference between joy and happiness is the way we look at it. Happiness is external and joy is internal. You don’t have control over your circumstances. Getting in trouble with a jacked-up car, a life-threatening illness, or an accident – you can’t control them, right? But your joy is internal, it is your attitude. Your joy is how you choose to react to these unpleasant situations.

How people manage to sound and look sane amidst troubles is not external, it’s inside of them – the way they choose to deal with their situations – looking towards the good even in the worst times. They find a reason to be thankful, they feel gratitude that they have still much more to get them through life. They make a choice – joy is their choice.

At Restore 360, we believe in the importance of exercising self-care. Practicing self-care is not selfish as some would like you to think, it is simply taking care of your health first. For more tips on self-care and your mental health, contact Restore 360, a mental health clinic serving Philadelphia, the Haverford community and other nearby areas online or call (484) 373-2710. If you would like more information on our services and how best we can help you, schedule your free consultation with us today.