08/03/2024
When my three daughters were younger, I was all about highlighting role models who were beasts in their respective fields. I was all about shattering glass ceilings and pushing limits and breaking barriers.
Don't let anything stop you, hear me roar and all that stuff.
Now that I'm a little older and wiser, I am so grateful for role models who show my three teen daughters how to be successful but also how to take care of themselves, to follow their hearts and gut instincts, to speak out, and who are brave enough to know that nothing—not a tennis grand slam, movie role, Instagram following, or even a gold medal—is worth destroying your mental or physical health.
You may remember a few years back when half the country thought Simone Biles should try to push forward despite struggling with some issues during the last Olympics. You might remember when some called her the leader of a generation of "softies" despite the fact that she was part of the foster care system, a victim of sexual assault, and dealing with grief. You may remember when some said she let us down.
And she took it all and continued to work on herself.
This year, she took every Gymnastics Championship by storm with a huge margin of victory, and now she's back stronger than ever.
I don't care if she wins an armful of medals or comes back to the U.S. only carrying that megawatt smile--she is admirable for so much more than Olympic glory.
So, before she steps into the gym to take our breath away, I want to say thank you, Simone Biles. Thank you for showing that taking care of your mental health comes first, that stepping back is not giving up, and that a role model does not require perfection.
Sparked by Biles, athletes at the Paris Olympics will have vast access to mental health resources. Her moment turned into a movement.
But it's been a long time coming. So, thank you, Naomi Osaka. Thank you, Michael Phelps. Thank you, Dak Prescott, Raven Saunders, Chloe Kim, and the litany of athletes who are talking about their challenges with depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. Thank you for bravely sharing your struggles along with your successes, for keeping it real, for being vulnerable.
Thank you to the athletes fighting for changes in antiquated dress codes or for pay equality or for improved safety standards or for protection from sexual predators. Thank you for putting yourself out there to protect those who come after you.
Thank you for showing us common mortals that sometimes being the GOAT means stepping back. Thank you for showing kids that achieving greatness often comes with a cost. Thank you for being brave enough to share your stories so the next generation can talk about mental health and other issues more openly.
But most of all, thank you for demonstrating that putting yourself first isn't weak, isn't selfish, isn't wrong--even if it disappoints others.
Thanks for changing the game in the best way possible.
Thanks for loving hard--your sport, your families, but most importantly, yourself.
Good luck, Simone Biles. You may only stand at four foot eight, but we're all looking up at you.
