"It's okay to walk away" - Serena Williams sends out powerful message on being 'robbed of joy'
Serena Williams is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, and she recently shared a crucial piece of advice for her fans. The American has always been vocal about the importance of mental health and has often used her platform to raise awareness about issues surrounding the topic.
Williams first rose to fame in 1999, when she won the US Open title just four years after turning pro. That was only the beginning of a legendary career that saw the tennis star claim 23 Grand Slam singles titles, and 16 Grand Slam doubles titles. The former World No.1 would also go on to win four Olympic gold medals.
After a long and storied career, Serena Williams retired from the sport in 2022 but has continued to use her platform to raise awareness about subjects like mental health. Most recently, the 43-year-old shared an important piece of advice for fans, writing on X,
“I don’t know who needs to hear this (maybe no one) but if someone, even someone close to you is robbing you of your joy it’s ok to walk away.”
Serena Williams on prioritizing herself
Serena Williams has previously spoken up about the importance of prioritizing yourself, explaining that she had ‘shut down moments’.
In a 2022 conversation with Selena Gomez and Daniella Pierson for Wondermind, Williams explained her relationship with mental health, saying,
“Mental fitness for me is just really learning to shut down. You know, I did this years ago, before mental health was a topic on everyone’s mind. It was just like: Alright, I’m shutting myself down today. Just subconsciously it was something I’ve always done.”
She went on to add that she struggled to do things just for herself, but was working to improve that.
“I know that it is so important to put yourself first—especially mentally—I always have shut down moments. I have serious boundaries, and I don't let anyone cross those boundaries with my time. And it’s so bad ’cause I really don’t do anything for me. I’m terrible at that! I’ve said it time and time again: I’m working on it! But, more or less, at least prioritizing what I need to do, and then when I’m turned off, I’m turned off.”
Since calling time on her tennis career, Serena Williams has gone on to explore various different avenues. She is the owner of venture capital firm Serena Ventures, makeup brand Wyn Beauty, multimedia company Nine Two Six Productions, and more.