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If it’s up to Natalia Bryant, the legacy of her late father, Kobe Bryant, and his famously coined mindset, “Mamba Mentality,” will be preserved for many years to come.


In a recent interview with Elle, the oldest daughter of the NBA legend opened up about her commitment to keeping her father’s mantra alive.

“Mamba mentality is about constantly trying to be the best version of yourself,” she told the publication. “It’s putting your best foot forward at all times regardless of all the noise. I want to make sure that mentality stays intact, because it can be so easy to give up on yourself when things get tough. You have to remind yourself that with positivity and resilience, you can do anything.”

The USC student and new face of UGG’s "Feels Like UGG" campaign went on to discuss how she rises above difficult times in her life and the importance of having a solid support system around her.

“I bring myself out of tough times by focusing my energy on the things that bring me happiness. I spend time with the people I love, like my family,” she said. “I hang out with my friends, or listen to my favorite music. I do things that bring me peace and that put me in a much better headspace. I think it’s important to focus on the positive aspects life has to offer.”

Bryant added that she practices “a lot” of self-care and does so by maintaining hobbies that bring her joy. “I like to work out, read, and watch my favorite comfort movies. Really anything that lets me relax and wind down is self-care to me.”

For the 20-year-old model, self-reflection is all about appreciating one's personal growth and the life lessons that come along the way. Finding moments to appreciate her progress and healing has allowed Bryant to love and embrace her “best self.”

“To me, self-reflection really means taking a step back and looking at how far you’ve come. It’s about appreciating the growth and lessons that have gotten you to where you are and embracing your best self,” she said.

In January 2020, the world mourned after the news of Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna’s untimely passing in a helicopter crash, along with seven others.

Bryant once shared the meaning of “Mamba Mentality” — coined after his nickname, Black Mamba — stating it as “a way of life.”

“[I]t’s not an attitude, per se, it’s a way to live,” the Los Angeles Lakers star said. “It’s just trying to get better every single day. It’s not something where you live with a bravado or anything like that. It’s just the simplest form of just trying to get better at what it is that you’re doing.”

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Featured image by Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images

 

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