Tennis legend Venus Williams bares her soul in her new book "Strive," sharing eight principles she lives by to maintain overall wellness—from mindful self-observation to stress-management through practices like gratitude and balance. NPR's Book of the Day podcast delves into Williams' transparency about her journey of overcoming fears, embracing her Sjogren's syndrome diagnosis, and ultimately learning to slow down and put self-care first.
Far from the typical athlete's memoir, this episode explores Williams' guide to finding balance between life's passions and life-sustaining rest. With insights gleaned from her own challenges in managing an autoimmune disease while pursuing a superstar career in tennis and ventures in fashion and business, Williams offers a personal roadmap to nurturing physical and mental health.
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Venus Williams is celebrated both as a legendary tennis champion with numerous Grand Slam titles and Olympic medals, as well as a successful entrepreneur with diverse business ventures in fashion, interior design, and nail art, showcasing her varied passions beyond sports.
In her new book "Strive," Williams outlines eight principles she lives by to maintain her physical, mental, and emotional health:
She shares her journey transparently, hoping to inspire others to find their own "awesome" through these steps covering self-care strategies like gratitude, balance, and overcoming fears.
Williams reveals being diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease, forced her to shift from "powering through" challenges to prioritizing rest and self-care to manage her condition while continuing her athletic career. Initially worried about appearing weak, her mother encouraged her to be open, which has since helped many others with Sjogren's.
Williams acknowledges finding balance as one of her biggest challenges, often taking on too much. She's learned to slow down, prioritize her well-being through self-observation and letting go of setbacks as just moments, not endpoints. Her health condition has further reinforced the necessity of balance, mindfulness, and self-care in Williams' life.
1-Page Summary
Venus Williams is celebrated not just as a tennis legend but also as a successful entrepreneur who has built a diverse portfolio of business ventures showcasing her entrepreneurial spirit and wide range of interests.
Venus Williams has made an indelible mark on the world of tennis. Over her illustrious 30-year career, Williams has accrued seven Grand Slam singles titles, teamed with her sister Serena to win 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, and clinched four Olympic medals, further solidifying her place in the annals of sports history.
Beyond her on-court achievements, Williams has also launched successful businesses, reflecting her passion for creativity and design. Her entrepreneurial endeavors extend into the realms of fashion, where she operates clothing lines; interior design, offering her aesthetic vision through her design company; and even nail art, showcasing her creativity and understanding the importance of personal branding.
Williams' life and career encompass more than just the pursuit of tennis championships. Her off-court engagements reveal an individual whose in ...
Venus Williams' multifaceted career and background
"Strive," the book by Venus Williams, presents eight steps or guiding principles that Williams follows to sustain her physical, mental, and emotional health. Each step encapsulates self-care and personal growth strategies that Williams believes are integral to finding one's "awesome."
In her book, Williams details these eight steps as a framework for living a rewarding life. She emphasizes the importance of observation to gain self-awareness, appreciation for drawing positivity, finding balance between work and play, enriching one's own life and those of others, using soothing practices to manage stress, believing in oneself, inspiring through action, and the ability to let go of things that no longer serve personal growth.
Williams does not shy away from detailing both the highs and lows of her journey. She includes her successes to offer inspiration, and her failures as lessons, hoping readers can learn what to avoid. Through her honesty, she aims to help others embrace these principles to find their own path to well-being and success.
The 8 principles or steps outlined in Williams' book "Strive"
Venus Williams describes how being diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease, necessitated a significant shift in how she manages her health and approach to her tennis career.
Williams discusses the challenges of living with Sjogren's syndrome and the stark realization that her previous approach of "powering through" was not going to suffice in managing her condition. She came to understand that her wellbeing required a more balanced approach with careful attention to lifestyle changes, including prioritizing rest and self-care, in order to maintain her athletic performance and compete at the highest levels of tennis.
In order to return to tennis and continue competing, Williams stresses that moments of rest became crucial. These adjustments in her lifestyle were essential for managing her symptoms and were significant departures from the more relentless routine she had been accustomed to as a professional athlete.
Initially, Williams found it extremely difficult to be transparent about her diagnosis. She was acutely aware of the perceptions of vulnerability such an announcement might bring, especially among her opponents on the tennis court. Williams was concerned that revealing her dia ...
Williams' personal experience with an autoimmune disease and its impact on her approach to health and wellness
Tennis star Venus Williams shares her personal journey towards finding balance and emphasizes the significance of self-care, reflecting on her life's challenges and the lessons she's learned about well-being.
Venus Williams openly admits that achieving balance can be difficult, especially when she tends to take on more than she can handle. She has learned through experience the importance of slowing down and taking time for herself. Williams stresses that it's essential to make decisions that prioritize her well-being.
Williams shares a poignant lesson from when she was 19 and competing at the US Open, a moment that taught her about overcoming fears and the importance of self-observation. This experience falls in line with two of the eight steps in her book: observe and let go. She reveals that treating failure as merely a moment rather than an end point is a crucial portion of self-care and essential for personal growth.
The importance of balance and self-care in Williams' life and the lessons she has learned
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