We’re not weak

Seeing Simone Biles withdrawal due to mental health didn’t surprise me at all. I was actually waiting for the snapping point, because I’ve been in her shoes. I play sports and my team is almost always counting on ME to pull it all together. Some people can handle it some people can’t. But calling her and our generation “WEAK”? is a bold statement (a man, Charlie Kirk, to be exact). Sports ARE mentally demanding, and sometimes more than anything else, in my opinion, because you HAVE to be “good” to win big. We all want to win, and people want us to win, our team needs us to win but when they fall and you’re “the only” one who can do it “better” and you don’t…death. I’ve been in that situation so many times I can’t stress that enough, on top of YOU being your biggest critic that shit is no joke. I applaud Simone for taking a step back and focusing on what’s best for HER. She has an amazing team and people who love her, they’re FINE. Athletes are not WEAK when it comes to mental health, I think they are more athletes/and people in general who KNOW that feel the same exact way but they do not say anything. Example, Michael Phelps, the man almost committed but we never knew (if i’m not mistaken). SPORT PRESSURE IS HARD. To be the best of the best of the best. I don’t think that this should be a “clutch” but I think this should be a wake up call to simple minded assholes who don’t understand, that we are humans just like you and there’s no absolute way we can be perfect so give us grace that we go out and TRY and win. We fight are demons behind closed doors so you can have someone to look up to. I want people to look up to me, but I also want people to know mental health comes first. Seeing Simone and athletes alike do what she does in-front of millions is amazing but she is human. Thanks for listening to my TEDtalk.