Mýa says celibacy gave her 'mental clarity'
R&B singer Mýa does not regret practicing celibacy for seven years – in fact, she encourages it.
The 44-year-old was a guest on the "Way Up with Angela Yee" show and admitted that during her celibacy period, she had the most "mental clarity."
"Just doing without, it shifted my mindset," Mýa shared of her journey. "It was no longer a focus. The rush to be in a relationship, the rush to be married, the rush to be in something because that's what you're taught to do — to have kids or procreate. And I think there's a lot of pressure on women to be able to do that."
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R&B singer Mýa practiced celibacy for seven years. (Getty Images)
Mýa went on to share that self-love was important to her during this period.
"Love is beautiful, and I think the world always needs more of it, but I think you must start with yourself," she said. "And I have to start with self always, versus expecting from other sources."
"Just doing without, it shifted my mindset."
— Mýa
She concluded with, "So it was just reconditioning. I think it's something that was necessary because it's a very spiritual thing. And you must be very selective if you want better results. That self-accountability started with me by shutting that part of my life off."
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Mýa being deemed a "sex-symbol" early on in her career as one of the reasons she became celibate.
Mýa admitted that her celibacy journey "was necessary." (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Mýa shared that being celibate allowed her to practice self-love. (Photo by Rich Polk/WireImage)
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"There's a lot of things that are said about you and you ingest all of that... at an early age," she said. "And then the aesthetic you may come with is totally opposite of who you actually really are, and it intersects in your life when you're trying to date or maybe taking photos with other celebrities, and so it can get very tricky."
Mýa continued, "But I think a lot of things that are sacred should just remain private, for me until, of course, I'm solid, and I'm ready and the foundation of us is together, and even then it's a risk. So I don't really play with that part of my life publicly."
Janelle Ash is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital.
