Dame Valerie Adams: Why my life is about more than gold medals

2022 has been a huge year for all of us. It’s been a year for reconnecting with our friends and family, and while it’s been exciting, it’s also been a year full of adjustment – especially for me.

In March, I hung up my throwing shoes and retired from professional sport. It was an incredibly emotional decision. It was also the first time I attended my first World Athletics Championships Competition as a council member, rather than a competing athlete.

Looking back after my retirement, I’m very grateful for the opportunities that life has given me – especially my little humans Kimoana and Kepaleli, who continue to challenge and ground me. They’ve given me so much, and I never knew a love like this existed before I became a mum.

Most recently, I was fortunate enough to take my film, More Than Gold, back home to Tonga. It was an amazing experience to reconnect with my family and the people of Tonga – they don’t have a cinema there, so we hosted two full days of public screenings. It was incredible to see it all come to life.

Moving forward, I’m looking forward to handling whatever challenges come my way, and more importantly, the growth that comes with that. I’m particularly excited about two things in 2023: Kimoana starting primary school, and my sister Lisa competing at the World Para Championships.

I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to have my story told in a documentary – kids simply don’t read as much as they used to. With five Olympic Games competitions under my belt and two kids, the timing felt just right to me.

Creating the film was a taxing process. I had to relive experiences both good and bad, and I wanted to dive deep into the details to take the viewers on a personal journey with me. There’s a significant medical event in the film which I previously hadn’t shared publicly – that was tough, but I knew what I signed up for, and I wanted to give it my all.

There are two things in this documentary that I hope resonate with people. Firstly, how every single one of your experiences shapes who you are today. Life is tough and can often be unfair, but we should never let anything stand in the way of our goals and dreams.

Secondly, where you come from and how you’ve been raised shouldn’t define who you are or dictate where you end up in life. As individuals, we always have a choice, and we have the power to take charge of what we want to achieve in our lives.

My main goal for next year is to take some time out for myself. I’ve been so used to training six days a week – twice a day – so adjusting to my new normal is still a work in progress.

I’ll admit, I’m not the best at taking time out for myself. I still have plenty of commitments, so I’m going to try my best to keep this goal a priority.

While I’m cutting down my training time, I’m still going to keep up with my fitness and incorporate some simple exercises into my daily life. You’d be surprised at how good exercise makes you feel; a simple walk around the block can often be enough to feel good about yourself. This goes double for mothers – we often prioritise looking after our family’s health and wellbeing first and don’t leave enough time for ourselves.

You don’t have to carve out a big chunk of your day, either. Here are some easy ways to incorporate some health and wellbeing into your schedule:

• Squats while the kids are in the bath
• Calf raises while stirring the pot making dinner
• Five minutes of mindful breathing as soon as you wake up
• Drink a glass of water every hour

Looking after ourselves doesn’t have to be a chore or through setting lofty goals – it’s all about getting creative, taking small steps and making things work for your situation. If you feel like you’ve let your wellbeing fall by the wayside, let’s turn that around together for 2023.

Here’s to the new year, and to living healthier, longer, better lives, one small step at a time.