wisewords
Volleying Life Gabrielle Reece on
Her Balancing Act by Christine MacDonald
G
abrielle Reece has been called one of the world’s most influen- tial women in sports and one of its most beautiful athletes. In her 20s, she built a career as both a fiercely competitive pro volleyball player and a fashion model. Since then, she’s writ- ten books and become an expert on women’s peak fitness and overall well- being, all while raising three daughters with her husband, Hawaiian surfer Laird Hamilton. Plus, she volunteers for environmental organizations such as the National Resources Defense Council and RainCatcher, a nonprofit bringing safe drinking water to people in need.
How do you find time for and balance all the roles you play in life—athlete, spouse, parent, businesswoman and volunteer? Juggling life is hard for everyone. Living day-to-day, taking care of kids
and paying bills is a challenge. There are ways to make it all more manage- able, but for me, there is a level of discomfort, challenge and difficulty, as well as moments of joy. I think women are sometimes thrown off-
balance by some difficulty, instead of saying, “OK, how am I going to strategize and make it all work for me and my family?” We don’t give enough credit to
having great girlfriends. I don’t mean people you go to lunch with—I mean real allies. People that give you good advice and are strong for you, that will take your kids and you’ll take theirs. I think that is an underutilized tool. I always encourage women to approach life with a strategy and use each other to help navigate it, be- cause that makes it a little easier.
Which role is most important to you and where does self- care fit in? At this time in my life, being a mother is the most important. When my girls are older and more independent, then their demands on my time will lessen. But I don’t think I’d ever blindly put one role over the other, because they are all connected. I just approach them with different parts of my personality. My work is intellectual, while being a mom is instinctual. Be- ing in a relationship is a whole other ball of wax that I approach with the same diligence. Taking care of myself is at the center because I wouldn’t be able to do anything successfully if I am not well myself.
36 Collier/Lee Counties
swfl.NaturalAwakeningsMag.com
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