By Erica Ariel Fox — 2021
This lesson of The Great Resignation is clear. We are putting life first. We are not machines. We want to regain humanity in our work.
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CLEAR ALL
In the documentary “The Weight of Gold,” Phelps presents a stark picture of the mental wear and tear Olympians endure.
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.
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Through the size of her platform, however, and her decision to choose well-being over pursuit of a Grand Slam title, Osaka offers the promise of bringing mental health awareness—both inside and outside of sports—to an entirely new level.
Michael Phelps, the most decorated athlete in Olympic history with 28 medals, has acknowledged that after the 2012 games, his longtime depression was so overwhelming he thought about killing himself.
More athletes are reporting mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, psychiatric conditions and eating disorders.
Our tendency to work too much is neither arbitrary nor sinister: it’s a side effect of the haphazard nature in which we allow our efforts to unfold.