Watching the Olympics this year has been particularly inspiring. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been drawn to Simone Biles and her story of resilience and strength.

Quick primer on Simone – she was born in Columbus, Ohio and both of her parents struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction. Simone and her younger sister, Adria, spent some time in foster care before they were later adopted by her grandparents. When on a daycare field trip to a gym, Simone dazzled the coaches at the small age of six emulating the feats of the older teens. That field trip led Simone on the journey to becoming the Olympic champion she is today.

Without detailing every moment of her timeline to where she is now, there are some big lessons that we can take away from Simone’s story and from this year’s Olympics. These lessons we can use in our workplace, in our lives, and within our communities.

Lesson #1 Prioritize Your Wellbeing

Simone has been very vocal about prioritizing her mental health, even withdrawing from the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 to focus on her wellbeing. This courageous action serves as an example of the power of knowing when to stop, breathe, and rest. She credits much of her success this Olympic season to taking intentional steps like weekly therapy sessions. Whether it’s prioritizing your mental health, getting enough rest, eating nutritious food, practicing gratitude, or another ritual that makes your heart sing, this year– win GOLD by prioritizing your wellbeing.

Lesson #2 Strengthen Others

(Photo from Today )

This moment here brought me to tears. At times, the country can feel so tense, bound so tight by political disagreements that are ever so prevalent, but this moment gave me hope in so many ways. Pictured here is Simone Biles and her teammate, Jordan Chiles, and here they are celebrating gold medalist Rebeca Andrade of Brazil for the individual floor exercise. 

Simone and Jordan embody what it means to strengthen others. When we celebrate the success of someone else, we trigger self-acceptance that positively impacts our own self-worth. We also acknowledge the value and talents of another person and how kind it is that we can make space where everyone can be a gold medalist in their own way.

Lesson #3: Be Resilient

Simone’s decision to prioritize her wellbeing in 2020 did not come without consequences. She was criticized heavily and many questioned her commitment to her craft. Despite the criticism, Simone boldly made choices that propelled her to make history in the 2024 Olympics – with moves named in her praise. Simone Biles “bounced” back to propel forward and has been a shining example of what it means to be resilient. 

This year, win gold by being resilient. We here at the Bounce Coalition believe in YOU.