Anna Russell: The silence of suffering

Everything can take a negative slant and small problems become insurmountable Photo / Scotty T Photography

Recently I took part in a workshop helping people to lead their teams through change, which is a constant in the corporate environment. It was interesting to hear the responses when we talked about some of the negative impacts of transformational projects. Outside of day-to-day work frustration was the deeper impact, in some cases depression and anxiety.

We often link our value system with the work that we do and when that work is put into question, or changed, it can have a big impact on our mental state. In professional sport, where one in four athletes suffers from depression, this is clearly seen when an athlete suffers an injury.

In professional racing the highs are incredibly high and the lows can be very deep - compounding this is the fact it all plays out in the public arena. In 2014 I left my corporate job to pursue being a professional athlete. After heel surgery and then two bone fractures I definitely felt the lows. By distilling my experience into some simple coping strategies I have been able to use this to help build resilience amongst individuals and teams.

Know the warning signs

For me, I call it 'the cloud'. Everything takes a negative slant and small problems become insurmountable. I saw my injuries as a complete failure in being able to do my job, worrying too much what everyone else would think, 'I'll be known as the girl that can't finish races', 'she's always injured' etc. It is vital to be able to identify the warning signs, and have people around you who can help you through when you need it. There is a reason why so many of the corporates I work with are now focusing on mental health. It is the 'silent suffering' that people don't talk about. They try and get through on their own and end up falling deeper and deeper into a hole that they can't get out of.

Be proactive about what is in your control and patient about what is outside of it

In November I was forced to pull out of the Australian Championships due to injury, afterwards I wrote down all the things I could do that would help me mentally and physically move forward into a more positive space. I also noted what I couldn't do anything about, namely the healing time of my injury.

Looking at the situation more positively I could now spend less time being nervous about upcoming races and use that energy to connect with friends and family - something that is hard to do when you spend so many hours of the day training alone.

I still encountered the thoughts of being a failure at my chosen career, but with a different focus and headspace those thoughts were no longer all consuming. Working with people on a one-to-one basis has shown me that a lot of the stresses we face are things we can't control. It helps to talk these through with someone, or note down what you can do something about - it gives the feeling of proactivity and control in an otherwise overwhelming situation.

Reach out to those who have had a similar experience

For an athlete this can be very easy. There are many blogs, articles, and stories out there from other athletes who have come through similar situations.

I spoke at a conference one day after failing to finish the race, it was supposed to be a motivational presentation; however I didn't feel I could give that type of presentation at that time. Instead I talked about overcoming adversity and becoming more resilient as a result of it. What amazed me was that when I was honest it enabled those in the room to open up and share similar stories. People should not feel alone, in sport, in the workplace, or at home.

If the experiences I've shared resonate with you then visiting www.wakeuplookup.co.nz could be the first step on your journey.

Two years ago, while working full-time, Anna left the corporate world to pursue her dream of becoming a professional athlete, competing around the world in Ironman triathlons. Anna now writes about her experience as a professional athlete and how her learnings can be applied to drive high performance in both individuals and teams. For further information visit: www.annarusselltriathlete.co.nz