Even those who don’t watch tennis have admiration for Venus Williams, a 75-time championship title winner and one of the world’s greatest athletes of all time. She is the ultimate example of mind-body wellness.
Not only is she still competing at age 40, she has her own activewear / clothing line (EleVen—so named because one shouldn’t stop at “perfect ten,” but go beyond to eleven — yep!!), interior design firm, a little clean beauty project, a plant-based protein company (Happy Viking) and she is one of 50+ top coaches for TopCourt! It all makes you wonder how she has the energy to do it all! It’s even more astonishing considering that she has an autoimmune condition called Sjogrens syndrome. It’s clear that there is some secret to her mind-body wellness — and we need answers!
“I feel like I have something to give, so that drives me,” Williams said in a recent goop podcast. All her varied interests arise out of her need to add value to the world, which resonates with me. And she creates that enviable drive with her mental training. “You have to train your mind,” she notes. “What’s great about the great players is their mind. Who can be stronger mentally for the longest amount of time.” This makes sense: there are a lot of talented people in the world, but what gives you the edge is resilience in face of setbacks and calm focus under pressure.
Williams, who has suffered from injuries and was diagnosed with Sjogrens at age 31, definitely knows a thing or two about the power of the mind.
Waking up with no regrets doesn’t mean you never fail. It just means you gave everything even those times you failed. And that’s something you can be proud of.
Mind-Body Wellness Can Be Achieved
Williams strongly believes in the interconnectedness of mind and body; being healthy in one is not possible without the other. Her chronic symptoms include dry eyes, dry mouth, joint pain, and fatigue, which she manages with some important lifestyle factors. “Gluten-free diet helps for joint pain,” she says. She also maintains a sugar-free, plant-based diet, and focuses on getting enough sleep. She takes iron, glutamine for gut health, adaptogens, magnesium, and vitamin B—all great suggestions for plant-based athletes and non-athletes alike.
Williams has been outspoken about how a plant-based diet helped her get back in competing form, and this passion led her to found Happy Viking, a vegan protein shake brand. The shakes are made with yellow pea and brown rice proteins, algae-based DHA, and high-oleic sunflower oil to boost both your brain and your body. It also comes in a 100% recyclable packaging that was created using 100% renewable energy with just 1/2 the carbon footprint of plastic packaging. TIP: You can get them on Amazon from the Happy Viking shop at the same price, only there is FREE shipping if you have Amazon Prime!
Williams is also a fan of making her own hair and skin products and sharing them with friends and family. With that DIY experience on hand, she collaborated with Credo Beauty to launch a sunscreen (with SPF 30 or 35) and a lip balm (with SPF 15). Both are vegan, reef-safe, and made with zinc oxide.
As if that’s not enough (seriously, how does she do it??), she has teamed up with TopCourt and made over a dozen online instructional videos covering:
- the serve (2 videos, part 1 & 2)
- the forehand
- the backhand
- the return
as well as 8 videos with mental tips, motivation, personal history and great “been there, done that” advice for us recreational players!
If this doesn’t make you feel like you need to get off your bum and start moving mountains, what will? I’m feeling pretty inspired to go beyond 10 and shoot for something bigger, you?
Our Special Invitation For You:
Explore TopCourt FREE for 14-days on us — exclusively for our Tennis Life fans!
As Tennis Life Magazine editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you’ll like too. If you buy a product we have recommended, we may receive affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work 🙂