Ashley Graham Shares How She’s Prioritizing Her Mental Health This Summer

Through social media breaks and taking time with her family, the model is able to put her best foot forward.

Ashley Graham / Stephane Cardinale/Getty Images

With Simone Biles’s impressive feat at the Paris Olympics on Aug. 1—coming back after withdrawing from Tokyo competition, working on her mental health and winning another all-around title—we have mental health practices on the mind. The beauty of her impressive accomplishment, in part, is the emphasis it has placed on staying mentally sharp and strong.

So, when model Ashley Graham took to Instagram the next day to walk through her own summer routine for “put[ting] her best foot forward,” we knew we had to give her reflections the attention they deserved.

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According to the 36-year-old model, she has dedicated her summer to prioritizing her mental health. For the three-time SI Swimsuit model, that means “family time and soaking up time with my boys,” she wrote in the caption of her post. In order to do that, Graham has made a point of regularly stepping away from social media.

“Taking a break helps me come back feeling stronger and better,” she explained. “It’s refreshing to disconnect and be fully present, so when I do check in with all of you, I’m able to offer the best version of myself. Social media is great for staying in the loop, getting news and connecting with a community, but we’re not meant to be glued to our screens for hours at a time—balance is key!”

By taking a step back from screens and social media, the mom of three finds herself better able to “put [her] best foot forward,” she said. “Prioritizing my own mental health and peace is one way of doing that.”