This winter, Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong, Femke Kok, and Jutta Leerdam stood on the highest podium in sports. But perhaps even more important than their victories was how openly they spoke about the mental struggles they sometimes face. In interviews, they talked honestly about bullying, performance pressure, and being judged based on appearance.
Antoinette: rock what makes you different
Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong was bullied when she was younger, something that still affects the way she sees herself today. Because of those experiences, she founded the Antoinette Foundation, an organization that aims to strengthen the self-confidence of bullied children through sports. Sport can help you realize your worth and show you that you’re stronger than you think. To children going through the same thing, she says:
Talk about it if you are being bullied. Rock what makes you different.
In short: what makes you different is not your weakness. It is your strength.
Femke: focus on what you can influence
The pressure to perform is something that not only top athletes recognize. Femke Kok says about this:
I was driving myself completely crazy in my head. I focused on the result and on my opponents, something I had absolutely no control over.
Many young people will recognize this: the pressure of grades or comparing while scrolling. With a sports psychologist, Femke learned to focus on what you *can* influence:
“How I need to skate, my technique, my race plan. That gave me peace of mind.”
That means you shouldn’t look so much at the end result, but at the next step. Not at the other person, but at yourself.
Stop comparing yourself to others and focus on yourself. That not only makes you better at what you do, but also happier.
Jutta: never let anyone dim your light
After her Olympic race, Jutta Leerdam shared a photo on Instagram showing her makeup running down her face. She wrote that the picture captured everything her Olympic Games had meant to her. For years, she had received comments about her winged eyeliner, as if that had anything to do with her athletic performance.
She shared her message on Instagram:
“The pressure I’ve felt, the judgment I’ve had to deal with, and the years of hard work I’ve put in all came together in this moment. A reminder that you can be soft and strong, disciplined and feminine, all at the same time. Never let anyone dim your light.”
It was precisely that striking makeup look for which she received criticism for years that now symbolizes her victory.
Your appearance does not define you as a person or as an athlete.
What these three stories have in common
These three top athletes show that success doesn’t mean you’ve never doubted yourself. That strength doesn’t mean you never feel insecure, and that staying true to yourself can sometimes be the biggest challenge when everyone seems to have an opinion.
And what perhaps connects them most is this: they talk about it. They make their insecurity open for discussion. And in doing so, they show that no one is alone.
So remember this:
- Your past does not define who you are
- Pressure doesn’t mean you are failing.
- And what makes you different is not a weakness.
But above all: talking helps, and it can inspire someone else to share their story as well.
Do you recognize this and want to talk to someone? Open a chat or drop by; here is how to reach @ease.