Twenty years ago, I was living inside my own anxiety.
Not the kind that comes and goes, but the kind that takes up residence in your body, your chest, your thoughts, your every heartbeat.
My anxiety? It was about my health. (Spoiler alert, I wasn’t even sick) But yes, health anxiety is a real thing. It started after a car accident that left me shaken and hyper-aware of every sensation, every twinge, every breath. Panic attacks became routine, and so did the fear that something was always wrong.
To heal, I had to learn how to listen, to slow down, and actually feel my body instead of fearing it. That was the beginning of my mindfulness journey, long before the apps and data existed to help. I learned to breathe deeply, to move intentionally, to tune in instead of spiraling out.
And then, years later, the tech caught up. Yay!
Now, I track the same things I used to fear, but with gratitude instead of panic.
My Oura ring tells me how I slept, how my heart is recovering, and when to push or rest. My readiness scores range from 66 to 93, which show me how stress, activity, sleep, and other factors may impact my day. My sleep scores range from 50 to 91, and highlight things like resting heart rate, restlessness, and breathing regularity.
My Apollo vibes help me manage stress and recovery, boost energy, and rest more fully, showing me how balance feels in real time.
Peloton keeps me consistent: 232 weeks straight of movement, rhythm, and release.
Flo helps me understand my monthly cycle and how it impacts my energy, focus, and flow.
And Headspace keeps my thoughts grounded: 88,327 minutes of meditation (and counting).
Feelings that once would have scared me are now numbers and data that serve as gentle check-ins. They don’t define me, they inform me. They tell me when I’m thriving and when I need to pause. I’ve actually shared some of my rings, tools, and apps with my doctors, who said they will share with others!
I’ve learned that data, when used with care, is a form of compassion.It’s a mirror, not a measuring stick.
These tools don’t replace my intuition; they refine it.They remind me that I’m not broken, just human. That my nervous system is my body’s way of communicating. That my wellness isn’t a project to fix but a practice to sustain.
Every morning starts with my ritual: a latte from my Nespresso or a cup of Moroccan mint tea, the soft hum of the kitchen as I check my Oura score and take a deep breath before opening emails. Then, closing my day with my skincare, YANY Beauty’s But First Coffee Cleanser, Bitter Sweet Toner, Bloom Eye Serum, and Soothe Moisturizer with Hyaluronic, sitting in a deep breathing wind down meditation, and activating the sleep vibe on my Apollo. These few moments are data in their own way, sensory, grounding, and reliable.
When I think about it, I treat my wellness like a business strategy because, for me, both deserve attention, structure, and care.In business, data helps me scale.In life, it helps me stay.
It’s not about perfection, it’s about peace.
The ROI of self-care isn’t found in numbers; it’s found in the quiet confidence of knowing your own patterns and honoring them.
Because this—this balance of data, mindfulness, and ritual is how I finally learned to trust my body again.
✨ The Dashboard of Me is the first post in The Main Event series, where I share what happens behind the curtain of business and balance. This series explores the systems, habits, and lessons that keep the show running, from mindset and leadership to the quieter work of taking care of yourself while building something that matters.
Each story pulls from both sides of my world, the founder who tracks data and drives results, and the woman who’s learned that success doesn’t mean much without stability and self-care.
Next up, we’ll keep diving into the intersection of business, wellness, and self-mastery. Because The Main Event isn’t just the work we do, it’s who we’re becoming while we do it. 🎪
💌 If you enjoy reflections on business, wellness, and balance, you can subscribe to my Substack, Juggling in Progress, for free to follow the full 4-part series.
My life is a delicate juggling act—thanks for watching me work.
— Yaminah