Keeping a positive attitude when sports require hard work

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Keeping a positive attitude when sports require hard work

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It was very important, to me, to help Gabrielle, and all of my children, find the joy in their sport, especially when it became monotonous. You train 36 hours a week for 10 years you can imagine some days it's not easy to get up and go in. And I just had to remind her that in consistency lies the key. That's where the power is, doing it over and over and over again, and then you get the opportunity to improve each time. And so, I really told her not to focus on the monotony of the getting up, and the going in, and the coming home, but just try to find something new that you can enjoy every day. And that's important, even for me, because as a parent it's easy, you know, you're going to work and you get stuck in that role where everything just feels like it's the same day in and day out, but you really have to just take time and look at those things that give you enjoyment in the job. Find your fulfillment in what you're doing and focus on that and so, that's what I really taught my kids. I told Gabrielle to keep looking at her dream. We would make vision boards and it's funny when you look at a picture of something that you don't have and you want it, it's funny how that will motivate you to go in every single day to reach that goal. And so, that's really what we try to do to find the joy. And again, we laugh at everything, we make fun of ourselves, and I think that that's important because when you start to take things too seriously it's very easy to forget the joy that you once had. And so, I always try to remind my children to take each day, recognize that it was a gift, and move on and see what the next day holds.

See Natalie Hawkins's video on Keeping a positive attitude when sports require hard work...

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Natalie Hawkins

Mom & Manager

Natalie Hawkins is the mother of Gabrielle Douglas, 2012 Olympic All-Around Gold Medalist.  Virginia Beach native and single mother of 4, Hawkins faced many struggles putting Gabrielle through Olympic training, giving up everything she had to see her daughter succeed.  Hawkins allowed her daughter to leave their Virginia Beach home and close family bonds to pursue her dreams, train with Chow's Gymnastics in Iowa, and become the Olympian she is today.  Hawkins has since been honored in the P&G “Thank You Moms” campaign. 

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