Even Super Mom Serena Williams Experiences Mom Guilt
The tennis star and businesswoman gets candid about the impossibility of finding work-life balance.
Serena Williams opened up about the challenges of balancing motherhood and her professional career in an interview with Insider on Wednesday — and it had parents everywhere nodding in agreement. After pumping out a muli-outfit photoshoot with few complaints, the GOAT tennis player changed into sweats and got right down to it: being a mom is hard as hell, even if you have a whole lot of resources.
“I'm really bad at self-care. I was just telling my chief of staff that I need to get a pedicure because it's been two years since I sat in a chair and had one. Maybe I could do that while I'm multitasking and taking calls,” Williams admits.
The best-selling author and mom to 4-year-old Olympia, confessed that while she can handle the woes of a busy schedule and motherhood, it’s not always so black and white. She shares, “Mom guilt is real. I always feel so guilty when I'm doing something on my own.”
Said every mom, ever. Even ones who have a “chief of staff.”
“I don't know if I'm a good mom, and I don't know if my method works, but I'm very hands-on with my daughter, and it was the same with our parents. So I've set really good boundaries, but then after work, I'm going right to my daughter,” she continues.
That’s all well and good, but Serena wasn’t hesitant to share the realization every first-time mom reaches, and that's “Okay, what happens to Serena?”
The 40-year-old athlete has been dominating the tennis court for more than two decades, creating a reputation for herself as the fearless, empowered woman we all came to admire. Her honesty in this new season of life makes her that much more beloved.
Williams is mastering more than just motherhood, however, as she's just launched her own investment firm, Serena Ventures.
While Serena is no stranger to entrepreneurial endeavors as a multiple business owner, she is now using her expertise to support other entrepreneurs. The company was created after Williams noticed that people of color only made up about 1% of all venture capital funding.
“Whether it's venture people saying that I shouldn't be doing it, or it's tennis when people said I'll never be good at it, I do think there's a part of me that always will enjoy proving people wrong,” she shared.
Now that the Grand Slam champion is playing tennis for the love of the sport instead of accolades, she is able to prioritize other areas of her life.
Serena may drop the ball on pedicures for months on end, but one thing is for certain: She isn’t backing down from a challenge anytime soon. And who would make a better mom than a fearless, thoughtful role model like her?
