What March Madness Taught Me About Life, Healing & Resilience

In recent years, I've become more aware of when burnout is creeping in, recognizing the signs of exhaustion and overwhelm. When I catch them early, I can choose how to reset—more walks by the ocean, less mindless scrolling; more meditation, less wine. Sometimes, stepping back is where real healing happens. I don’t always get it right, but I’ve learned that caring for my mind is essential to my well-being.

One of my favorite ways to take a break, to shift my focus outward, is through watching sports. I grew up with a mother who loved sports—she was a far better athlete than I ever was, but cultural restrictions kept her from playing formally (organized sports for girls just weren't a thing back when my mom was growing up). So instead, she became a dedicated fan, watching every game she could find under the vast Midwestern sky of Illinois. Together, we spent countless hours watching Cubs games, Illini basketball, Jordan and the Bulls, and anything else that played across our screen. Some of my most cherished memories involve the annual softball tournaments we attended over Memorial Day weekend. My love for my mom came first, of course, but my love for sports was so intertwined with our time together that it sometimes feels like they grew side by side. Either way, it's a legacy I hold close, especially now, being part of a household just as sports-obsessed as she was.

Though sports provide a much-needed escape, I can’t help but find significance in them, too. My mind seems wired for meaning, always searching for something beneath the surface. So, as I dove into March Madness this year—tracking my brackets in our family group chat and getting swept up in the energy—it hit me why I find the drama on the court so compelling. Yes, the break from my own internal struggles is part of it, but there’s something more: watching, in real time, how players respond to adversity. It’s rarely the flashiest player that captures my attention. Instead, I’m drawn to the one who shakes off a bad call, absorbs an elbow to the face, and keeps going. These are the players who thrive. They demonstrate that resilience is a choice we make on the spot, that being present is more powerful than fixating on an ideal outcome, and that the effort put into the journey is never wasted.

Maybe that’s the greatest lesson of all—learning to keep going, even when things don’t go as planned.

Imagine if we just let life unfold and welcomed all the changes and new choices this brings. Wouldn't happiness be easier to come by this way? Wouldn't we find comfort in releasing control so we may find the gold buried right here, right now, in this very moment?

Sure, there are things I’d love to change, but they are what they are. So, the question is: do I waste my energy chirping at the ref, or do I refocus and get ready for the next play?

I’m thinking pull-up logo three.

Game on.

Inward & Onward,