PARIS — As the 2024 Paris Olympics approach, Simone Biles is preparing to approach the Games with a focused mindset, intentionally avoiding one particular social media platform. Having navigated significant criticism and emotional challenges during the postponed Tokyo Olympics, the acclaimed gymnast has developed a plan to manage her digital presence and safeguard her mental well-being.

In a revealing interview with Hoda Kotb on "TODAY," Biles disclosed her strategy for handling social media during the Olympics. “Limiting social media and stuff like that is going to be (important),” Biles affirmed, highlighting her commitment to minimizing potential distractions. Specifically, Biles plans to completely abstain from X (formerly known as Twitter) throughout the Games. Nevertheless, she will continue to engage with Instagram and TikTok, platforms she views as valuable for connection and personal expression.

“Insta is good. It’s a good way to connect,” Biles explained. “It’s a way to share what we’re going through.” She also noted her efforts to improve her proficiency with TikTok, admitting, “I’m not the greatest at that. I’m learning.”

Biles is determined to build on her already remarkable legacy by competing for all-around gold and other accolades in Paris. This ambition follows her challenging experience at the Tokyo Olympics, where she withdrew from the team competition finals and all but one individual event due to a condition known as “the twisties,” which caused disorientation midair. The decision to step back from competition led to significant criticism, and Biles openly discussed her struggle with the intense scrutiny she faced.

In an April episode of the podcast “Call Her Daddy” with Alex Cooper, Biles recounted her feelings of dread amidst the backlash. “As soon as I landed [my vault], I was like, ‘Oh, America hates me,’” she revealed. “‘The world is going to hate me. And I can only see what they’re saying on Twitter right now.’ That was my first thought.”

Despite the external pressure, Biles emphasized that her primary focus for Paris is not about silencing her critics or accumulating additional medals. “I would say the only thing I have to prove is to myself that I can get out there and do it again,” she stated. Her broader objective is to ensure that her legacy extends beyond mere medal counts. “As long as I was having fun and doing what I love, then that’s all that you can do,” she said. “I don’t want to look back 50 years from now and be like, ‘Wow, she was good, but she was so miserable.’”

Biles is enthusiastic about embracing her journey and maximizing her experiences. “And I think a couple of times I might have thought that, but now I’m just like, ‘Wow, look at her go. She’s having so much fun. She’s loving what she’s doing, who she’s doing it with.’ So really, just embracing that moment,” she added.

As the most decorated gymnast in history, Biles brings a renewed perspective to her training, drawing on the lessons learned since Tokyo. “I’m a little bit older, more mature, so just being unapologetically me,” she remarked.

Additionally, Biles has incorporated therapy into her routine, which has proven beneficial for her mental health. “Therapy,” she said, acknowledging its positive impact. “I think before I was kind of pushing down my trauma, and now I’ve learned to speak on it and kind of release that. I think we used to think of therapy as a weakness, and now I think of it as a strength.”

Her triumphant return to competitive gymnastics was highlighted by winning her sixth all-around world title in 2023. Biles reflected on the uncertainty she faced following Tokyo, including skepticism from even her coaches regarding her return. “I was like, ‘OK, I want to go to the Olympics again.’ And they were like, ‘No,’” she recounted. “And I was like, ‘That’s strange. That’s so weird.’”

Biles is committed to pushing the boundaries of a sport where many athletes' careers peak in their teenage years. Notably, no gymnast over the age of 20 has won the women’s all-around Olympic gold since Věra Čáslavská of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Biles was 19 when she won gold in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, while American star Suni Lee was 18 in Tokyo.

The oldest woman to ever win the all-around gold was Maria Gorokhovskaya of the former Soviet Union, who achieved the feat at 30 in 1952. Although Biles, now 27, considers herself “old” for a gymnast, she is undeterred by her age. “No, but I think there were speculations like, now you see girls like [Team USA teammate] Hezly [Rivera], she’s 16, and I look at her like, ‘Wow,’” Biles said. “She has such a long career ahead of her.”

In Paris, Biles will be supported by her husband, Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens, and her parents, Nellie and Ronald, who were unable to attend the Tokyo Games due to pandemic-related restrictions. “I think it’s going to be just like Rio, having family there to support whatever we need, but really just having fun, embracing that moment, making those memories,” Biles said. “I’m excited that I get to do it with my family.”

With these strategic adjustments and a revitalized outlook, Biles enters the Paris Olympics poised to excel on the global stage. “I think we’re going to get the job done,” she concluded confidently. “I feel really confident.”