Aly Raisman to women: Slow down, go easy

Aly Raisman

Six-time Olympic medal-winning American gymnast Aly Raisman wants women around the world to slow down and take time to discover what makes them happy.

At the Women's Resource Center in USA, Raisman recently delivered a lecture as part of the UW-Milwaukee Distinguished Lecture Series for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Raisman revealed that her life was so victory-focused that if she "didn't do well, it felt like my whole life was over. But I don't feel that way anymore. Winning doesn't make tough times enjoyable."

Raisman, the third most decorated US gymnast, insisted that she has learnt to appreciate alone-time and encourages young women to trust in themselves. "If you're spending time with someone, and you have an odd feeling about it, trust that. Listen to what feels right for you. So many women are going so many miles per hour, and it's really hard to go at that pace. Slow down, go easy," she added.

Weight issues also troubled Raisman: "I've had to unlearn the things I was told in gymnastics There was so much pressure on me to lose weight."