19/12/2022
It’s the toughest fight for many. The struggle to cope with the daily stresses of life. To motivate yourself to get out of bed, to struggle to silence the negative self talk, the fear of being judged and not feeling good enough. At some point, we all pretend things are normal when they are not.
This year at the World Boxing Association Centennial (100th) Medical Seminar, with the initiative of President Mendoza I organized an event that allowed us the opportunity to address the elephant in the room - Mental Health in Boxing.
Following the very informative presentations by Sport Psychologist Dr Adriana Valbuena, Dr Joseph Estwanik and , who addressed the struggles of Mental Health in our sport such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, alcohol and drug use/abuse, I introduced another part of the spectrum- Mental Fitness.
Mental Fitness is the ability to respond with a positive mindset to adverse situations, rather than a negative one.
Using some personal exploration of our “saboteurs”, I shared how these saboteurs while allowing us to achieve success, limited our ability to experience true happiness.
World Champion Bernard Hopkins, addressed the difficulties faced by Fighters who felt they couldn’t show vulnerability. Alongside the deeply moving experiences of Aussie middleweight contender , Author and Promoter Alberto Agámez and World Class referree Roberto Ramirez who is also a mental health counselor, Facilitator, motivational speaker and sports Journalist , expertly guided the Mental Health Forum ending the meeting with a short relaxation exercise and guided meditation led my me.
The takeaway, it’s ok to be vulnerable, it’s ok ok to ask for help. It’s also just as important to show kindness and compassion to one another because we never know what someone else is struggling with or how that smile, hug or attentive ear can make a difference.
Love and blessings to you all xx Shivana -
