Olympian Allyson Felix Talks Life Goals And Why Athletes Should ‘Take A Break’

Mental HealthDecember 8, 2017

Being an athlete has got to be one of the most difficult careers to do. It would take so much time and effort to become one, and not just an ordinary athlete, but someone who would be able to win multiple games and tournaments not just for themselves, but for their family and countrymen. A professional athlete competes nationally or internationally, what people don’t know is that it takes a great amount of discipline, dedication and determination to actually become a great one. They are just so admired for all of that since not everybody could put up with it. Being able to bring honor to your team and country by bringing home a medal or trophy is worth the hard work and that is basically what most athletes go for.

They are known to try and be better than they were, they never stop trying, they always aim for the best since they don’t settle for less. However, athletes are known to be physically strong at all times, then again, after all the training, they actually do need to take a break, not just physically but also mentally. This is what Olympian Allyson Felix believes, as a professional in the field of running, she stands for the rights of athletes for having a mental strength training and the importance of taking a break.

💛🤗 https://t.co/8myJEEXIDi

— Allyson Felix (@allysonfelix) December 7, 2017

ALLYSON FELIX FOR THE 2019 SUMMER OLYMPICS

People know her as one of the most celebrated athletes of all time by bringing home not just 1, not just 2, but 25 Olympic and World Championship medals for her country and 17 of them are gold. The 32-year-old athlete has multiple record-breaking runs over the years. In an interview with USA Today, when asked how she felt about the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics, the multiple Olympic gold medalist just said that she has indeed always have been a fan of sports so she is very excited to watch and support some of her friends who are competing in the upcoming Winter Olympics. She also admitted having mixed feelings about it since there is a voice in the back of her mind thinking that it’s almost that time to compete again.

The Jesse Owens Olympic Spirit Award goes to @Allysonfelix who inspires us every day! Reply with your favorite Allyson Felix moment! pic.twitter.com/mvH1mEc83E

— U.S. Olympic Team (@TeamUSA) November 30, 2017

Felix had a remarkable year in the 2016 Olympics and she also had huge wins this past year, so when she was asked how exactly does she keep her focus while waiting for the next major events that wouldn’t happen soon, all she said is that she had an amazing but of course difficult time this past two years and it is always nice to get some rest, not just from physical training, but also for her mental and emotional state. Intense competitions such as the world championships and the Olympics could definitely tire out athletes like her in a lot of different ways.

FELIX ON TAKING A WELL-DESERVED BREAK

Since she got a few years off, she will spend her free time being very influential and productive. In an interview with USA Today, Felix revealed how excited she is to go on a trip to the Middle East, not to go on a tour and relax but to actually get some work done. She said that she will be working with Right to Play and at the same time work with Special Olympics to look at their programs and help some families in Lebanon and Jordan, these kinds of things are considered to be incredibly rewarding for the Olympian.

THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING A MENTAL BREAK FOR ATHLETES

According to experts, people who work non-stop can be at risk of several physical and mental illnesses. So technically, athletes are even more at risk, because their career is definitely based on their physical performance but also their mental state. It may be little difficult for athletes to take a bit of break because it can be a scary thing, but it is very important for them to think that it is actually a part of their training. Being able to learn how to balance their professional career along with their personal life is difficult but they have to learn how to cope or else their physical and mental state would suffer.

Thank you @TeamUSA for this very special honor! It means so much to me because it’s about contributions away from the field of play. I’m excited to continue to work to create change in the world through the power of sport! pic.twitter.com/1OvovE0OcI

— Allyson Felix (@allysonfelix) November 30, 2017

Athletes like Felix believe that being able to have a break from their chosen athletic career will help them relieve all the stress and at the same time, it would motivate them to do better once they get back to training.