Photo Credit: Forbes

The Spring in her Step or Empowering Energy

A record breaking athlete, philanthropist, business woman, daughter, sister and soon-to-be mother, Serena Williams sets the bar high for what it means to be an empowering role model who has mastered the art of living with confidence and class.

Born in 1981, Serena erupted into the sports scene as an American tennis champion. Since Serena’s first ranking by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) in 2002 as number one in singles (which she’s since been awarded eight times), her accolades have made her a household name. Holding the most major titles in singles, doubles, mixed-doubles, 23 Grand Slam titles (14 of which were won playing doubles with her sister Venus Williams), four Olympic gold medals and more, it’s no wonder she was named Sportsperson of the year by Sports Illustrated in December 2015.

What inspires us about Serena? In a world where social media stars get the most attention, where women are receiving constant messaging that

Serena, Philanthropist

the size of our bum is more important than the size of our heart, Serena breaks the current mold. Not into sports? No issue, Serena motivates off-the-court as well and here are our top reasons why:

• Honest about hard-work: Not a believer in luck, Serena credits her achievements to countless hours perfecting her craft since the age of four. With a no-short cut approach to success, Serena is honest about the discipline, sweat and tears involved in smashing goals both on and off the tennis court.
• Discusses depression: With the unexpected death of one of her five sisters and a series of health complications, Serena is open about her battle with depression. Candid in interviews and memoirs about the difficulty she faced at times just leaving her house, Serena sends a message of acceptance and hope. Crediting regular therapy sessions for helping her heal, Serena serves as a force that supports removing the stigma of discussing mental health.
• Shares her success: With career prize-money at 6 million (more than twice the amount of any other female athlete) and an estimated net-worth of $150 million (2016), Serena does her share in supporting others. A UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Serena started her own initiative called Serena Williams Foundation and opened another charity with her sister Venus, the Williams Sisters Fund. Committed to building schools around the world and offering support to victims of violence, Serena is generous philanthropist.
• Fashionably Fierce: Staying true to her authentic self, Serena hasn’t let the world put her in an ‘athlete-only’ box. Taking on the fashion world, Serena has her own line with a goal to create bold and beautiful pieces for women of all shapes and sizes. Not only does
  

  Photo Credit: Serena Williams Instagram

  Serena slay runways but she’s also dipped into the realm of acting appearing in movies and television shows. Even Queen Bee aka Beyonce recognizes Serena’s empowering energy and invited her to make a cameo in her 2016 visual album Lemonade to add to its message of strength and courage.

For the reasons above (and so many more), we give a shout-out to Serena Williams for being a woman who inspires hard-work, creativity and compassion.