I was building my own business while also dealing with significant loss and grief in my personal life. The work wasn’t new to me, but building the business around it while everything else was happening was extremely stressful. At the same time, headhunters kept calling with job opportunities. There were moments when I thought, ‘This is too much. I’ll just go back.’

But I caught myself. I was able to stay with it, make it through the moments of dread or doubt or fear and do the next thing that needed to be done. Yes, I launched the business! I didn’t abandon something I wanted to bring into the world just because life became difficult while I was building it.

I was dealing with a complex, high-charge HR matter and was meeting with legal counsel when, in the intensity of the moment, my vision started to blur and go dark. There was nothing wrong with my eyesight. I had everything they were asking for ready to go, but in that moment, I literally could not see it. Still, I stayed in the meeting and finished as intended.

Once the call was over and the intensity passed, my vision returned. Then, I thought to use my breathing techniques and tools from therapy. They helped calm me down afterward, but in that moment, I wasn’t thinking about breathing. Instead of just shutting down, I felt myself halt that urge. I was able to stay steady, stay present, and get through it.

I was responsible for a multimillion-dollar department, working in an environment many people would describe as “toxic.” There were countless times when I wanted to resign on the spot, send the email, say exactly what I thought, or walk away without a safety net. I had reacted that way before, and it had cost me opportunities.

This time was different. I still got angry. I still wanted to react, but I caught myself before acting on impulse while I was seething. One of the most important things I took from SteadyState was the idea of treating the environment as terrain. I didn’t have to label my boss or my workplace to decide what I was going to do. So I navigated it just like the terrain on the trails. Eventually, I made my next move on my own terms from a place of choice, not overreaction.