At the October 2025 Business Women’s Forum, attendees walked away with practical tools to stay composed and confident under pressure.
Dr. Megan Call, associate chief wellness officer at University of Utah Health, shared insights on maintaining composure during challenging moments and how to focus on what you can control, even when life feels unpredictable.
“When I think about a challenge or a tense situation, there are two ways to navigate it,” Call explained. “One is to change the event itself or how it’s structured. But more often, the real work comes in changing how we respond to the event.”
Call encouraged participants to begin by identifying their core values, what she described as “one-word descriptors that encompass our deepest desires for who we want to be.” She explained that values shape how we treat ourselves, interact with others and engage with the world around us.
“When we don’t know what the next step is, our values can act as a compass,” she said. “Ask yourself: six months from now, when this situation has passed, what do I want to say I stood for? The answer often points to a core value.”
She also emphasized how our bodies naturally shift into survival mode when we’re caught off guard or under stress. “When we feel our composure slipping, it’s important to ground ourselves, to recognize where we are and reset our bodies so we can focus on what’s in front of us,” Call shared.
Simple practices, such as deep breathing and gentle movement, she explained, can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering the heart rate and bringing us back to the present moment. “Acknowledging what’s happening and turning inward helps us work with the experience instead of against it,” she said.
Attendees left inspired with a renewed understanding of how to navigate difficult situations with grace, composure and self-awareness, and ready to face challenges with a clearer sense of balance and purpose.
To learn more about the upcoming Business Women’s Forum visit their home page here.
