Billie Jean King’s Inspiring Approach to Healthy Living

Quick Smiles:

• Billie Jean King is thriving at 81, traveling and pursuing new dreams.
• She credits her longevity to social connections, sleep, exercise, and lifelong learning.
• King continues to advocate for women’s equality in sports and inspires others to stay active and engaged.

Billie Jean King has achieved legendary status in tennis, securing 39 Grand Slam titles and paving the way for gender equality in sports. Instead of slowing down, she remains actively involved in travel, advocacy, and even returned to college to complete her degree.

Through a recent campaign, King champions Lyft Silver, supporting older adults in living actively and independently. She reveals that meeting new people keeps life exciting and urges all generations to engage with one another.

“I meet people everywhere, and I think those connections are really important,” she says.

Prioritizing regular exercise, good sleep, and a balanced diet are key pillars of King’s well-being. Encouraged by her wife, Ilana Kloss, King has resumed playing tennis, believing physical activity benefits everyone, especially as we age.

“We try to play two, ideally three times a week,” King says.

“We really try to get eight hours of sleep no matter where in the world we are,” she shares.

Lifelong learning is another passion—she is back at California State University, Los Angeles, to fulfill her wish of earning a degree. King’s curiosity fuels her advocacy and honors historical figures who inspire her.

“I hate not finishing! I always wanted to go back and get my degree,” she says.

“Learning from history is so important. History repeats itself, and some of these fights are cyclical,” King says.

Even after her athletic success, King remains dedicated to promoting equal opportunities, recently helping to establish the first Professional Women’s Hockey League in the U.S. Her sense of purpose propels her, both on and off the court.

“We have a long way to go,” she says. “I just want freedom for everybody to pursue their dreams.”

“Now, it’s just good business to invest in women’s sports,” King notes. “In the past, it used to be treated like a charity project, but these days it’s a good investment that will make money, so that’s really changed, and it’s only going up.”

King’s story is a joyful reminder that curiosity, connection, and determination can make every chapter of life vibrant and meaningful.

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