Breathe Before You Break: A New Era of Leadership Starts with Mental Health

From burnout to mindful resilience, Raúl Petraglia shares his personal journey to transform high performance into leadership with soul.

I know firsthand how conditioned we are to live life with the pedal to the metal.

In today’s globalized world, we are expected to move with agility, bulletproof resilience, and a sharp vision to navigate uncertainty. Living on fast-forward, staring at screens even in the bathroom, missing out on life, and becoming dopamine addicts has become the norm. But mental health should never be a luxury.

Strategy, KPIs, execution, creation, travel, ROI, phew! I was on a high-speed ride for years, believing I was invincible. I led high-impact projects in the Mexican hospitality industry and pushed my limits until I crashed. Furthermore, I don’t want the same to happen to you.

Two spinal surgeries, the loss of my gallbladder, two marriages, and burnout with a heavy dose of depression were my wake-up calls. I came out the other side thanks to my family, my coach, my teacher, and most of all, yoga, the practice that kept me going through the surgeries and the pressure.

The elephant in the room no one wants to address is called stress.

I tried to retire in Bali, where my teacher encouraged me to put my hard-earned lessons in service of executives and entrepreneurs. That’s how we created #BREATH?!, a short, accessible practice based on conscious movement and breathing that you can do anywhere. No need to twist yourself into a pretzel. It’s a gift to your life.

Mental Health America created Mental Health Awareness Month back in 1949 to break the silence and destigmatize mental health challenges, reminding us that our minds and bodies deserve care.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around one billion people live with mental disorders. An estimated 15% of adults have experienced some form of mental disorder.

The Body Bears the Burden Chronic stress significantly raises the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, weakens the immune system, and shortens life expectancy. The WHO and the International Labour Organization estimate that depression and anxiety cost the global economy nearly $1 trillion annually in lost productivity.

The Fight-or-Flight Trap We live in permanent “fight or flight” mode. LinkedIn’s “Workforce Confidence Index” reveals that a large percentage of leaders report feeling exhausted or on the edge of burnout. Gallup’s “State of the Global Workplace” (2023) found that 44% of employees worldwide experience stress the day before going to work. Mexico ranks among the global leaders in work-related stress.

In Mexico, the NOM-035 regulation mandates that companies identify, analyze, and prevent psychosocial risk factors. But it’s more than legal compliance, it’s the path to healthier, safer, and more productive work environments.

Fatigue, indecision, irritability, sleep disturbances, strained relationships, and a higher risk of chronic disease, if you’re an executive or entrepreneur, this may hit home. And if you’re ignoring it, check this out:

• The Body as a System of Systems: Dr. Sandra Martínez Alcaraz, a Mexican neuroscientist, sees the human body as a holistic network. “I explore how metabolism and conscious breathing enhance mind and body.”
• The Busy Life Syndrome: Rushing from task to task. “It’s not the load that breaks you down, but how you carry it.” – Mario Alonso Puig
• The Dopamine Trap: Instant gratification from constant phone use disrupts our reward circuits. “You can learn to regulate your autonomic nervous system.” – Andrew Huberman
• Disconnected from What Matters: Hours of screen time and artificial environments. “The body is the stage where the mind’s play unfolds. How you move, breathe, and inhabit your body sculpts your brain.” – Nazareth Castellanos

Science backs it up. Techniques like deep breathing and conscious movement activate the parasympathetic nervous system, our body’s natural brake. Hundreds of hospitality executives in Mexico are already practicing this.

The key lies in consistency, discipline, building habits, and understanding gradual progress. Don’t tell me you can’t swap 10 minutes of screen time for a day that starts with intention. You’ll be building resilience to face your day with more calm and clarity.

Start small, but start now.

Experts recommend mindful breaks, everyday mindfulness, time in nature (without your phone), laughter, hugs, and reducing stimulants. The benefits ripple outward, to your family, your team, your workplace: less overwhelm, better focus, emotional regulation, sustainable energy, and restful sleep.

Your company benefits too, reduced absenteeism, higher creativity, lower turnover, and more inspiring, human leadership.

Start today. Invest just ten minutes. Breathe with intention. Lead with calm, clarity, and connection.

Because your most important KPI… is your health.