By Alan Blinder — 2021
In making herself vulnerable, Naomi Osaka joined other noteworthy athletes in pushing a once-taboo subject into the open.
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Osaka’s mental health challenges are nothing new in her isolating sport. What is new is the acceptance she’ll face—and the paths back—if she takes a prolonged break.
In the past few weeks, my journey took an unexpected path but one that has taught me so much and helped me grow. I learned a couple of key lessons.
1
She looked for all the world like a woman who could not be cowed. And then just when her many detractors thought she was out for good, she pulled herself back in.
By withdrawing from competition citing concerns over her mental health, Biles showed that resisting expectations can be more powerful than persisting through them.
Basketball legend lauds 'profound influence' of Black athletes when it comes to social justice.
Plateaus are tough mothers. They happen for a few reasons, but a big one is that the human body really doesn’t like to go outside of its’ safe little shell. The brain also doesn’t like to move outside of its’ cave.