Tessa Virtue opens up about 'embracing' failures for World Mental Health Day
Tessa Virtue is opening up about her mental health.
On Monday, the former Olympian shared an Instagram video about finding a way to prioritize her mental health. This is in spite of receiving "negative" criticism on a regular basis due to her prolific figure skating career.
The clip showed Virtue exercising in a pair of black and white leggings paired with a sleeveless white top and black sneakers. The video also showed segments of the 33-year-old speaking to the camera in a beige sweatshirt.
"#WorldMentalHealthDay highlights the importance of prioritizing mental health, taking a step back from the hustle, and opening up the conversation," she captioned the video for her 430,000 followers.
The London, Ont.-native added an important reminder for fans struggling with mental health.
"There are always people who see you, accept you and value you. Don’t ever forget that," she penned.
"Growing up in a very competitive sport, it didn't take me long to realize I needed to prioritize my mental health," virtue explained in the video, adding that as an athlete, she is constantly subject to criticism.
"And not always just constructive, but sometimes simply negative," she continued. "I had an amazing inner circle of people that I could be vulnerable with, people I could share with, people I could open up to...it was in working with those experts that I found my agency."
Virtue discovered that by changing the "narrative" in her mind, she was reclaiming her "power."
"The moment I gave it to someone else, I lost myself, I lost my values," she said. "When I started to not only practice failure but embracing it as part of my preparation or competitive advantage, and when I started using my voice to find agency within my own training, that's when the real sustainable success came in."
No one should ever have to suffer in silence. Let’s continue the meaningful and necessary conversations about mental health and come together to make a difference 💙 #BellLetsTalk
— Tessa Virtue (@tessavirtue) January 29, 2020
Fans met Virtue's post with warm and supportive messages, thanking her for her transparency.
"Mental health is so important and most of the time we take it for granted. Thankful for you for using your impact and reach to remind us how important it is to prioritize mental health," an Instagram user commented.
Another fan wrote: "You are such an inspiration. Love your words, authenticity, and forever swooning over your inner and outer beauty."
"What a fantastic message! Thank you for always being an advocate for mental health! You set such a great example! You and your positive messages are valued and appreciated!" someone else added.
"Yes! we tend to listen to everyone's opinion and care about others' feelings but keep ignoring the most important, ours," a fan penned. "And sometimes it's really good to let it all go. Conversations can be really healing. Thank you for such an important message!"
"Thank you for opening up and being so transparent about your own struggles. It reminds us all that we're not alone. Love this!" another commented.
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