Monday Motivation: Still I Rise

But still, like air, I rise.

Say those words slowly.  Powerful, right?

If you’re like me, some weeks you need a little extra motivation to get out of bed on Monday morning and start your week.  I happened to see this over the weekend and I felt it was very motivational and inspirational – Serena Williams’ reading of Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise”.

Whether you root for Serena on the tennis court or not, you have to be impressed by what she has achieved.  And achieved against many odds.  I recently saw the Epix documentary Serena and was reminded of the racism and bigotry that she and her sister faced as young girls on the tennis court.   It’s also a special look at the pressure she felt to win the 2015 US Open and how she failed miserably.  Now we know she rose up again to win 2016 Wimbledon.

Another reason to love Serena is her strong body confidence.  She didn’t always like her body.  Like many of us, she has had to learn to love her body and what it can do for her.  Here is now what she says to body-shamers:

“I don’t have time to be brought down, I’ve got too many things to do.  I have Grand Slams to win, I have people to inspire, and that’s what I’m here for.”

Now, get ready to be motivated!