The tennis champ spoke to the singer about what mental fitness means to her and the importance of having serious boundaries.
If there is anyone who continuously amazes and inspires me, it’s Serena Williams.
The tennis champion has defied the odds time and time again, beating records, making history on and off the court and overcoming racist and sexist abuse all while maintaining her joy and spirit – something that requires a lot of mental resilience, as Williams has recently discussed.
In an interview with Selena Gomez for the singer’s wellness platform, Wondermind, the 23-time Grand Slam champion, who recently announced her retirement, shared what mental fitness means to her and the importance of maintaining “serious boundaries” for her own wellbeing.
In a clip shared on Gomez’s Instagram account, Williams said: “Mental fitness for me is just really learning to shut down.”
“I did this years ago before mental health was a topic among everyone’s mind. It was more just like, alright, I’m shutting myself down today. Subconsciously it was something I’ve always done,” she said.
“And now that I know that it’s so important to just put yourself first, especially mentally, I always have shut down moments. I have serious boundaries and I don’t let anyone cross those boundaries.”
“For me, it’s so important to make sure, every day, I have a period of, like… it’s so bad because I really don’t do anything for me; I’m terrible at that! And I’ve said it time and time again – I’m working on it. But more or less, at least prioritising what I need to do,” said Williams, before concluding, “And then when I’m turned off, I’m turned off.”
Williams has been open about the importance of painting boundaries for your own wellbeing over the years. In an interview with Access Hollywood in February, the tennis ace said: “There was definitely a time I didn’t have boundaries and I think boundaries are so important to have in particular for a professional athlete that is trying to reach goals and to win because if you don’t have those boundaries, you’re not going to reach what you want to do.”
Dealing with the highs and lows of life isn’t always easy – but Williams’s comments remind us that a key part of processing these experiences is taking a moment to step back from it all and knowing when to engage and when not to for your own mental health.
It’s something all of us should bear in mind at a time when overwhelming information is presented to us day in and day out and we are expected to go along with it all without taking a moment for ourselves.
But what Williams said is a daily reminder that “shutting down” from negativity, outside opinions, other people’s drama and more isn’t a bad thing –in fact, it may do wonders for your own wellbeing.
Image: Getty
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