As many of you have heard, Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open, as a result of the backlash she received for her decision to boycott press duties in order to preserve her mental health.
Even though this is making the news right now, I have seen multiple celebrities in the past make remarks in the middle of press conferences about the fact that they are only participating ‘in order to not get fined,’ and I can see an uneasy look in their faces while they are being asked questions. Therefore, Naomi is not the first celebrity to be, at the least, ‘bothered’ by this experience.
Naomi is also likely not the first to have her mental health compromised by press duties, but her stance to avoid one is rare and courageous. She is drawing attention to the fact there is a problem that needs to be addressed. There is something that needs to change for the well-being of multiple celebrities. What is even more wonderful about celebrities taking a stand for mental health and well-being is that it encourages the public to do so too.
One thing that can be gleamed from observing Naomi’s experience is something that is important to be aware of in your own life when you are making self-care efforts: they will not always be accepted by other people. People and jobs may come and go in your life, but you are with YOU all the time. Your health is worth your efforts of self-care, and your life can be fulfilled by paying attention to this part of yourself.
I was just speaking with my mentor about how I am better prioritizing my self-care. She commended me by saying she she felt this was very naturopathic of me, because many people would just take a pill [and let me add to this: or consume much more caffeine] and keep going.
There are times when you can push yourself, but I think most people overdo the push phase, and this needs to be met with greater balance.
Whenever I have overworked, the joy of what I am doing can dwindle. If I balance my life, the joy persists. Can you relate?
Think about this and other cues that let you know it is time for self-care, and respond with taking the action to do so.
Does Naomi’s choice to back out means she is ‘weaker’ than other celebrities? We all have what bothers us more or less than others. We all have things we will tolerate more or less than others. Remember this when you choose to define yourself or anyone else as ‘weak.’ It is a word that can overshadow the reality of being uniquely human. The words ‘weak’ and ‘strong’ are often times relative, but whichever you are in any capacity (or a mix of both) can bring ‘opportunity’ to guide you and others into better outcomes for everyone.
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