Picking an entire series to write about proved to be a difficult task for me. There are so many things I have to say, but the wide range of topics I had in mind just didn’t seem to compile into a single category. However, when the idea hit me to talk about the mental health aspects involved within the sports world, I just knew that that was something I could write about, and write a lot about.

For the last few years, I have been very passionate about mental health; specifically, the hidden parts of it that athletes have to face on a day-to-day basis. I don’t think I can necessarily say I enjoy talking about this topic; however, I can confidently say that I have a lot on my mind that needs to be said about this. Maybe it is because I have struggled over the years with mental health; maybe it is because I take the inner therapist in me to the next level when I see people struggling with this, or maybe it is just because I know how much some people need to hear that they are not alone. 

Athletes are a different breed. This sounds cliche but you grow up being told that you can’t show your weaknesses. This turns us into very strong individuals on the outside, but for some, they are not as strong as they show on the inside. It is like wearing a mask in a way. I want to make it my job to reveal what is under and the things that are happening on the inside. Because what a lot of people don’t seem to realize is that even professional athletes and those who are the most elite for their age in the world struggle with battling their own mind at times.

When I say that this series will be based around the aspects of mental health in athletes, that does not mean that others can’t relate to this too. Growing up as an athlete my whole life, I just feel that I have a deeper understanding of what goes on in their minds. It is a whole different lifestyle. Throughout this series, I am going to touch base on all the different types of mental weaknesses that athletes face, bring in some of my own experiences, and even show the professional athletes and talk about their stories and how they made it to where they are now.

This is a topic that cannot be kept quiet. Your mental health is extremely important, and that is something I have to remind myself of every day. However, every day that I wake up and remind myself of that it allows for growth, and growth is the key to getting better both in sports and in everyday life.