(AP Photo/Gregory Bull) (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

It’s a privilege to exist in a circle that understands the importance of mental health, and when stories like Simone Biles’ break, I am reminded that putting mental health first is still so stigmatized. But watching her story left me struck with a deep sense of gratitude that we continue to see people in the public eye advocate for their own well-being. 

I didn’t always have the mental health-conscious community I do now. When I was younger, I remember feeling really judged whenever I was having a panic attack at work or school, or felt shame if I needed to call in for a mental health day, which I know is a feeling not unique to just me. In middle school, I was a school-nurse regular. My stomach was always hurting; I was experiencing fatigue during class and could never stay focused. I had a hard time advocating for what I needed then, and I now know that I was experiencing a generalized anxiety disorder and was feeling the impact of my then-undiagnosed PTSD. 

Simon Biles teaches us about how important it is to acknowledge how the body and mind are inextricably linked. I know very little about gymnastics, but I watch in awe at the skills that are required to balance, flip, and land with such grace and impact for the entire world to see. These kinds of moves require focus and clarity because, without that, gymnasts risk severe injury. In 1996, Kerri Strug risked injury for the sake of winning gold. It was thought of as admirable to continue pushing her body to the limit. But, was it admirable? I mean no shade towards Kerri because it was the ‘90s after all—and mental health wasn’t spoken about as much—but what I know about mental health is that, to put yourself first is to say, I value my body and its safety more than the expectation people have of me to perform.

We expect incredible resilience from athletes. Within that resilience, we have to acknowledge their humanity. Within that humanity is a deep well of systemic oppression, abuse, and trauma that each and every person—but especially women of color—have to navigate each day. We not only expect athletes to be resilient, strong role models, but we also expect them to be celebrities. Biles wrote on Instagram, “I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders.” That emotional weight takes a physical toll, and is a toll that a gymnast should not have to risk.

I can’t help but take notice of how the narrative is shifting and who is pushing that narrative forward. Over the last year, we have seen women, and specifically Black women, pave the way to have very public and candid conversations about mental health. We saw it with Megan Markle and her interview with Oprah speaking about her suicidal ideation, Naomi Oaska coming forward about her experience with depression at the French Open, and now with Simone – they are all teaching us to reframe what it means to take care of ourselves and be those role models.

Productivity culture and capitalism encourage us to place our worth on what we can accomplish. What if we pivoted to placing that same emphasis on our mental wellness? What if strength meant knowing what our physical boundaries are and standing firm in those boundaries, despite the expectations that the world has for us? Simone is teaching us that it is okay to listen to our bodies and that, within them, a deep wisdom is held about what it is we need to be well. We are seeing time and time again that we do not have to earn our rest, but rather, that we can rewrite the narrative that says we have to work ourselves to the point of burnout and exhaustion. Rest is inherent to being human.

It is strange to me that the take that so many people choose to stand with is this: “She should know what it takes to be a gymnast.” That message feels like the epitome of:  “If you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.” But, what if the message was: “It’s okay if you can’t take the heat because we shouldn’t be expected to burn in front of others and call that strength?”

Our bodies are the one thing that carries us through everything we do and can tell us so much about what is happening in our brains. We also have to think about how our brains tell us about our bodies, too. Stop and think for a moment about what it feels like to touch a hot stove. Our brains send sensations to our bodies that something is unwell, painful, or dangerous. Our brain is what tells our body to snap our arm away from what may cause us harm. The two are interwoven. To honor our bodies, we have to listen to when our gut tells us that we need to take a break or step away. 

I wish I could go back in time and tell my school nurse now about how my body was trying to tell me something. I wasn’t sick or tired, but I needed support for my mental wellness. I wonder what would have shifted if I had had the language to advocate for myself in that way. Simone is showing us how to be that advocate and, even in the midst of global pressure, no one has to live in our bodies but us. We deserve to protect ourselves no matter what “expectations” may be put on us and she pushes us all to reconsider those expectations in a way that leads with empathy, compassion, and admiration. 

For more information about rest and imagining a world that dismantles productivity culture and how it relates to systemic oppression and trauma, follow The Nap Ministry.