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Ysaora Thibus, 2022 foil world champion, takes great care of her mental health. Here are her best anti-stress tips, which she applies during every competition.
Being overworked at work, disappointed in a friendship, stressed by a departure… There are many reasons for being anxious on a daily basis. To learn how to better manage these sources of stress, recognizing them and putting effective strategies in place can be a lifesaver. Ysaora Thibus, 2022 foil world champion, knows this better than anyone, as she cultivates her mental “well-being” on a daily basis. On the podcast microphone “The Secrets of the Mind”the young woman also revealed 5 good practices in terms of mental health. Analysis.
Embracing Disappointment
After the Rio Olympics in 2016, where she finished fifth, Ysaora Thibus learned to deconstruct her failures.
She actually confides that she does not have “worked on this trauma, on this failure in any case. (…) Often in sport you experience your failures, and then you have to go back to work straight away, start again. We are not taught to take the time to deconstruct all that, to understand why it affected us.”
Since then, the athlete has taken the time to reflect on her performances, whether successful or unsuccessful. This habit allows her to better understand her negative emotions and bounce back more effectively afterwards.
Getting Rid of Imposter Syndrome
Ysaora Thibus admits to having long suffered from imposter syndrome – a feeling of incompetence and permanent doubt.
“Before, I didn’t really feel capable of winning: I was looking for excuses, I kept saying that I wasn’t a champion (…). I didn’t allow myself to be able to win and be the best” the champion continues.
By allowing herself to be ambitious and successful in her field, the young woman is strengthening her mental health.
Identify the sources of discomfort in your environment
A healthy work environment helps minimize sources of stress and anxiety. Ysaora Thibus is fully aware of this since she insists, on the podcast microphone, on “small details” that make the difference…
“You need a healthy and balanced working environment to be in the best conditions for each training session. (…) This applies to everything that is systemic: your relationship with your colleagues, your federation, comfort on the field…”
Learn to say no
Can’t say no? This very common syndrome can lead to overwork, warns the world foil champion.
“Before, I couldn’t say no, say I was tired or ask for a break when I couldn’t take it anymore. I felt guilty when I was exhausting myself, which ultimately prevented me from performing well.” explains Ysaora.
She therefore reminds us of the importance of “no” in everyday life, a seemingly simple little word which nevertheless allows us to improve our mental well-being and our performance.
Breaking the negative dynamic
When Ysaora Thibus loses the thread during her match, she imposes a micro break on herself (redoing her laces, breathing) to ““break the negative dynamic”.
A very effective technique to interrupt your flow of negative thoughts, while reorienting your state of mind. It thus allows you to manage stress and reverse the trend.
Slideshow: 8 original techniques to combat stress