Personal qualities such as diligence, a sense of duty, proactivity and perseverance are signs of quality. For Men’s Health Month, we spoke to Timo Simonlatser, CEO of Borealis and former top skier, who draws on his personal experience to encourage people not to underestimate their own qualities, but to develop the ability to listen to their bodies and respond to change.

Article published inJooksja(November 2022). Text. Photos.

We meet Timo in the office, which has a wonderful view of the Borealis in Ülemiste, where you can try out the massage chairs, which, thanks to the latest technology, mimic the movements of a massage therapist’s hands in a realistic way, and allow you to relax from the stresses of everyday life and recover from your workouts. Before starting his own business, Timo was involved in top-level sports for many years, especially skiing, and even represented Estonia at the World Championships and the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

You retired from sport in 2015. How much are you still playing sport?

I still exercise for my health, but it can be chaotic. The feeling of well-being makes me notice the physical and mental effects if I miss a week or even a few, so it still invites me to get back on track. In winter, I like to ski, sometimes rollerblade or play hockey. In the summer, among other activities, I make sure I cycle and kayak or backpack.

How did you get into the sport and the men’s team?

I was active at school and PE was one of my favourite classes because I could be out of the box, run, jump and do whatever I wanted. Not far from my home in Tamsalu, the legendary ski coach Arvo Orupöld started training children. In that group we played a lot of physically active games, we had friends and we felt addicted, and that’s what drove me to take up sport. When winter came, we started skiing. At one point I realised that I was good at it. Winter camps in northern Finland and Austria gave me the opportunity to break away from the school routine.

My coach, Arvo Orupöld, had a stroke and could no longer coach me. He died some time later, in 2006. It was a difficult year for me and my results suffered. Mati Alaver, who saw my potential, encouraged me to choose between devoting myself more to sport and living a normal life. He offered me the opportunity to train with the men’s A team and I accepted. So I devoted myself to top-level sport more than before, and my studies in economics at the University of Tartu stopped.

What did you like about sports camps and trips as a teenager, and what was difficult?

Top-level sport was time-consuming, but it was also very adventurous. I really enjoyed geography, maps and exploring different parts of the world. Skiing broadened my horizons and gave me the opportunity to travel. However, it was psychologically difficult to keep up with my school work. My grades were good, but there was always a nagging feeling in the back of my mind as to whether I had done everything that was necessary. Sometimes I was afraid that I would be late for something. There was always a big rush, which unfortunately seems to be everywhere these days.

What made you give up elite sport?

It was quite an interesting journey. In 2011, I joined the Defence Forces and worked in the sports team in the HQ and Communications Battalion. This had a positive impact and that year was very stable for me. However, after my service in the Defence Forces, my desire to improve was so strong that I pushed myself too hard and eventually suffered a severe back injury that prevented me from training.

At one point I felt frustrated with the system because, despite years of training, I had to seek help for an injury myself. The support network was incomplete. Fortunately, Mati Alaver did help me to find an anaesthetist who relieved the inflammation and pain with epidurals. However, due to the injury, 2014 was a difficult year for me. I was not included in the national team and did not qualify for the Sochi Winter Olympics.

The desire to continue training was strong because I was in my best years as a ski athlete. In 2015, I continued training with Aivars Rehemaa under the guidance of Anatoly Shmigun. I trained hard, but in the autumn I felt that something was wrong. I was completely exhausted and empty. My sense of duty prevented me from cancelling the camps. After all, I was out of the national team, so I had to find sponsors myself. I didn’t dare to rest, because I was in the camp with the sponsors’ money.

Then I developed a serious otitis media and, although I tried antibiotics, my blood tests showed poor results and my liver showed over-stressed. A week’s holiday did not help. More serious problems arose as I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease – hypothyroidism. I became weak, walking up the stairs was tiring, it was hard to wake up in the mornings and my legs were constantly full of lactic acid. I felt short of breath, and psychological problems such as chest pains and difficulty breathing began.

I learnt the lesson of not listening to my body and going beyond my limits. I failed myself and my immune system gave up. I was too demanding of myself and too honest. Thyroid disease affected my brain chemistry, and I began to struggle with mental health issues. I had panic attacks out of nowhere, with my heart beating at 180 beats per minute, and I even called an ambulance a few times. I was prescribed a course of antidepressants, which helped temporarily. Although I acknowledge their usefulness, I did not take any more of them, although the problems recurred several times. I am now trying to find other ways to cope with and overcome these challenges.

Who can you get help or support from?

The best signal receiver to help you understand your needs and find relief is your body. If you can listen to it, you have all the information you need. But to really listen, you need to be in the present moment. Often we find ourselves thinking about the past or preoccupied with the future, which makes it difficult to be fully present. The challenge is to put yourself at the centre, where you can be truly present and attentive.

When I reflect on my day in the evening, I often notice that it has been very busy and full of various activities. My challenge is to slow down and be more present. Sometimes I catch myself reflecting on future ambitions or being haunted by past events, which makes me over-active and overwhelmed.

The liberating breathing helped me a lot. I wonder why I didn’t discover it during my sporting career. We used to tense up, breathe and pant when we played sports, but liberating breathing gives a different experience. It fills the body with energy and gives a sense of bliss, stillness and presence. During competition and in moments of exhaustion, our bodies go into fight or flight mode. It is therefore very important to engage in mindful and calm activities, allowing the body 80% of the time to rest and digest, which is very beneficial for breathing, digestion and recovery.

You have been in the business for many years and you are the CEO of Borealis Estonia. How did you start the business?

My entrepreneurial journey started back in my school days, but the turning point came in 2015, when I suffered a physical breakdown in sports. I felt deep shame that I had let everyone down and crushed myself, so I ended my sporting career. I made the decision to channel all the energy and time I had freed up from sport into business.

My mission is to contribute to the health awareness of the Estonian people, primarily through prevention. Often, people only become interested in health issues after an accident, illness or injury caused by overwork, long periods of constraint or overexertion. Massage chairs can help to prevent such problems, and I am pleased that employers are increasingly recognising the importance of providing their employees with quality rest breaks to support their overall well-being.

How has your sporting career influenced you as a company manager?

Athletes are known for their strong work ethic and dedication, but they need effective management to avoid burnout. Unfortunately, I fell into the trap of devoting all my time and energy to the business without giving myself time to recover from my illness. In 2019, my father passed away and I went through a period of mourning that pushed me to the brink of mental breakdown. It was then that I finally realised that you can’t have it all in life. I started to focus on self-care, incorporating practices such as breathing, meditation and yoga. I also got involved in learning from books and video teachings.

In sport, training is relatively simple, with goals, rest and sleep being essential parts of the training plan. In business, on the other hand, there are always more tasks, unmet targets and pressing deadlines, which can put a strain on the nervous system. Now, when a goal is achieved or a task is completed in the company, I make a conscious effort to stop and enjoy that positive feeling. I have also realised that my haste and enthusiasm can inadvertently put pressure on staff, so I keep an eye on myself and them to avoid unnecessary stress.

What would you like to add at the end?

To sum up, I have personally experienced both physical and psychological collapse and I continue to carry the burden of many things. One significant mistake I made at the beginning was taking on the role of a victim. I was overwhelmed by feelings of shame and guilt, making me believe that my emotions were out of control and unrelated to my actions. Taking on the role of victim marks the beginning of a dangerous downward spiral. To avoid this, it is important to have the courage to acknowledge the situation and seek support from family, friends, psychologists or coaches – people who can engage in deep conversations and help us overcome the challenges.

Feelings of inferiority and shame can trap us in a downward spiral and encourage self-destructive behaviour. Overcoming this starts with the courage to take the first step towards positive change, leading to transformation and liberation.