1 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:16,919 Speaker 1: Okay. So I consider myself a seeker, someone who's trying 2 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: to improve, get better, learn something, you know, that kind 3 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:23,119 Speaker 1: of thing. So I'm a real I'm always hungry for 4 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: a podcast, ted talk, a commencement address, doesn't matter. I 5 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:32,200 Speaker 1: like them all. So I started this company called Joy 6 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: one oh one, which is a beautiful wellness based company 7 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: that's got all kinds of stuff there. It's got an app, 8 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 1: and it's got retreats and all this stuff. But what 9 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: I learned when I started this new thing, and maybe 10 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 1: you started something new and you get this, it's like 11 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: you've always done one thing your whole life, and suddenly 12 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: now you're switching into another job. So I'm now a CEO. 13 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: I've never been a CEO, but I figured, oh, yeah, 14 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: it's easy. You just live how you owe live and 15 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: do the thing Jo always did. That's not how it works. 16 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 1: When you have a new job that requires new skills, 17 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:10,680 Speaker 1: you have to learn that job too. So I did 18 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 1: something that's super cool and I'm so excited about it. 19 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:18,399 Speaker 1: So I hired a leadership coach and I didn't even 20 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: know what that was. So I had my very first 21 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:24,199 Speaker 1: session and I was thinking, what's this guy gonna show 22 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 1: me or tell me or whatever. So this is just 23 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 1: session one. So for session one, he said to me, 24 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: tell me about your life in ten minutes. So I thought, okay, 25 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 1: so that's from the beginning to where we are right now. Now, 26 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 1: think about if someone asked you tell your life in 27 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 1: ten minutes, what would you highlight? What would be the 28 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:46,039 Speaker 1: big moments. That's an easy way to distill down what 29 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: matters to you, what's important. What are your highlights of life? 30 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: So I did the ten minutes, and then he was 31 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 1: he was giving me some pointers and things, and then 32 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 1: he said something interesting. He said, after this hour long 33 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 1: kind of just getting to know you, he said, I'm 34 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: going to give you two homework assignments. So I'm going 35 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 1: to give you the same too that he gave me, 36 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 1: because I think they're interesting. So the first one was 37 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 1: he said, whenever you talk, and I didn't know this 38 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 1: is how I spoke because I don't hear myself. I'm 39 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:16,959 Speaker 1: just talking. He said, don't you don't say I was mad. 40 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: You say I was kind of mad, or I was 41 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:23,959 Speaker 1: a little teed off, or I was kind of kind 42 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: of bug me. He said, every time you qualify with 43 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:33,079 Speaker 1: kinda a little sort of what you are is upset 44 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 1: or whatever you're feeling, he said, throughout the next week, 45 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: every time you say one of those qualifying words, just 46 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: pause for a second. Don't correct it, just pause and 47 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 1: say to yourself, oh, there it is there. It is like, 48 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: let's say you're someone who apologizes all the time. Just 49 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 1: you know that. So as you go through the next week, 50 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 1: think about it. Every time you say, huh, oh, I 51 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 1: just said I'm sorry for bumping into a table or 52 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: you know how we do We're like, So this made 53 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 1: me conscious of ah, I don't need to clarify, be definitive, 54 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:07,639 Speaker 1: like that's important. The other thing he said to do 55 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 1: and try this too, because this is interesting no matter 56 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: what you do in life. He said, make two lists, okay, 57 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: your strengths and weaknesses. Twenty five strengths and twenty five weaknesses. Okay. 58 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 1: So I was like, oh cool, be simple strengths weaknesses. 59 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 1: Wait till you get to number twelve or fifteen and 60 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 1: you're like, hamanahamanahamana, what's the next thing. It's very helpful 61 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 1: in revealing who you are now. I just I asked Annarel, 62 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 1: who's my executive assistant, to do this, and she totally 63 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 1: crushed it in five minutes, because some people are really 64 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: good at it, but I think most people are, like, 65 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 1: I'm not sure, is that so listom And it doesn't. 66 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: I don't mean in life strengths and weaknesses. It just 67 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 1: gives you a like thirty five thousand foot kind of 68 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: look at your life, and they're cool and interesting exercises 69 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: to deal with, so you know who you are and 70 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: what you're about. Okay, So the person I'm about to 71 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 1: interview knows all about this stuff. She's somebody who you 72 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: might remember from the two thousand and eight Olympics in Beijing. 73 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 1: She won four medals, one gold. She is a powerhouse. Okay, 74 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: we all remember her. She was tiny, adorable and crushing 75 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 1: it in. Her name's Sean Johnson. She's an incredible athlete 76 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: and she hit this pinnacle at age sixteen. So I 77 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: was always wondering, and I'm always so fascinated with people 78 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: like this, what happens when you get the goal at 79 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 1: that age? What happens to the rest of your life? 80 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:45,840 Speaker 1: What happens from that point on? Well, she's now Sean 81 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 1: Johnson East, she's married, she's got children, and she's got 82 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:53,679 Speaker 1: this incredible life but she learned so much about joy 83 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: and achievement and discipline and all of these things all 84 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:02,839 Speaker 1: rolled into one. So this conversation here on Joy one 85 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 1: oh one with Sean Johnson East is going to be 86 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:10,720 Speaker 1: fascinating because she's been to the top, she's had terrible potholes, 87 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: and she's come right back, and she knows the definition 88 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:20,919 Speaker 1: of joy. So I hope you enjoyed this conversation. Hey, 89 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 1: how are you great? 90 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 2: How are you? 91 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 1: Oh my god, you're so bright and shiny. I'm so happy. 92 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 1: How are you? 93 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 2: I'm wonderful. It's been I think the last time I 94 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:32,360 Speaker 2: saw you was in Paris. 95 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: Lay Molly the Olympic eggs. Yeah. Okay, first of all, 96 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 1: yay for Sean, Yay for Andrew. I'm so happy for you. 97 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:48,039 Speaker 1: Speaking of the Olympics, let's just begin where we begin, Okay, Okay. 98 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:52,840 Speaker 1: I remember Beijing because I was there in the audience 99 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 1: with a big bull of popcorn, and I remember Sean Johnson. 100 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: I remember four medals. I remember the goal on the beam. 101 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:04,919 Speaker 1: I remembered thinking to myself, my god, the mountaintop is 102 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: right here, and this sixteen year old kid gets to 103 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: feel what it feels like. So I know what it 104 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 1: felt like on the outside looking in, What did it 105 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 1: feel like on the inside. 106 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 3: Like exactly what you just said, like the mountaintop. I 107 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:22,920 Speaker 3: had dreamt of that moment. I had been working for 108 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 3: that moment. It it was a dream come true. It's 109 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 3: also such a roller coaster of emotions because to me, 110 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:31,600 Speaker 3: that was such a finish line. 111 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:33,039 Speaker 2: And I was only sixteen. 112 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:37,040 Speaker 3: I was a junior in high school and to cross 113 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 3: a finish ligne that big at such a young age 114 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 3: was such an accomplishment. 115 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 2: But I didn't know what to do next. 116 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:45,279 Speaker 3: I had to start over life. So I remember standing 117 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 3: on the podium thinking like what do I do now? Right? 118 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 1: I did this? I did this amazing thing, and this 119 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 1: is what it feels like. But again, we have to 120 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:56,080 Speaker 1: remind ourselves, and you know that being a kid. You 121 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: were a teenager, Like any person who's listening remembers sick, 122 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,480 Speaker 1: they remember what it was like to be that age. 123 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 1: And when when you hit the goal, did it feel 124 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: like I mean you said like oh no, now what next? 125 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:11,679 Speaker 1: Do You seem like a what next? 126 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 2: Person? 127 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 1: But for that moment to have reached it, because I 128 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: remember there was a whole thing with you and Nastia 129 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 1: Lucan and who's gonna get Who's going to get? It's 130 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: gonna be this one, that one. You know, everyone loves 131 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 1: to pit people against one another, especially at the Olympics. 132 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: How did you recover from having that kind of a 133 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: push pull with a dear friend who you loved and 134 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 1: also were kind of pitted against. 135 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 2: Well, I was with her two days ago. We spent 136 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 2: two days together. 137 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 3: She is my best friend and she is truly my 138 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 3: family and my sister, and that's how we started as well. 139 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 3: So at the Olympics we actually got to choose who 140 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 3: we were going to room with, and Nastia and I 141 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 3: were inseparable. We are very similar in how we operate. 142 00:07:56,360 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 3: We're overthinker as perfectionists, we are very very finn and 143 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 3: we were sisters, and I remember we navigated it so 144 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 3: well all the way up until the Olympics, and I 145 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 3: remember at the Olympics we were still navigating it well. 146 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 3: But then that's kind of when all the outside voices 147 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 3: started coming in. You had agents, and you had sponsors, 148 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 3: and you had newspapers. 149 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 2: Back in the day, not even social media. Thank got 150 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 2: saying it was always her or I and I remember 151 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 2: being sixteen, she was eighteen. 152 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 3: We didn't know how to navigate that after the Olympics, 153 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:38,400 Speaker 3: and we actually didn't see each other or really speak. 154 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 3: And it's it's not because we didn't want to speak, 155 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:43,680 Speaker 3: but we didn't really interact for eight years. 156 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 2: Eight years after the Olympics. Eight years. 157 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 1: It feel like I mean, anyone who's had a falling 158 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 1: out with a frandom. Yeah, probably half more than half 159 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 1: people listening have What did it feel like for you 160 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: to lose someone who. 161 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 3: Understood I could cry about it on the spot. It 162 00:08:58,640 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 3: felt like I lost a part of me. 163 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:00,559 Speaker 2: She is. 164 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:05,600 Speaker 3: We went through such bonding and such I mean trauma 165 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 3: in a happy sense at such a young age. We 166 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:11,079 Speaker 3: went through all of that, and she's the only one 167 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 3: who really understands me on that level, and I'm the 168 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 3: only one who understands her on that level. And I 169 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 3: just remember, in such a creepy way, we used to 170 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 3: follow each other. We knew exactly where each other were. 171 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 3: I knew every event she was at, I knew what 172 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 3: she was wearing. I was checking in on her, but 173 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 3: just from a distance. And I remember eight years later, 174 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 3: we were both in relationships at the time, and I 175 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:34,079 Speaker 3: think our boyfriends got tired of hearing us talk about 176 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:36,960 Speaker 3: each other, and both of our boyfriends at the time 177 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 3: said like, enough of this, you need to reach out. 178 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 3: And I wrote this long letter in an email. I 179 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 3: didn't even know if it was the same email that 180 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 3: she had, and I sent it to her and I 181 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 3: remember getting a response in like sixty seconds. 182 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 1: What did she say? 183 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 3: And it was just like I remember writing to her saying, 184 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 3: I love you, I have always loved you. 185 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 2: I will always be here for you. If you don't respond, 186 00:09:59,200 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 2: it's okay. 187 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 3: I know the world has changed, but just know I'm 188 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 3: here if you ever want. 189 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:06,079 Speaker 2: And she came back and she was the same way. 190 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 3: She's like, I've missed you and we've been in Stepha, 191 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:10,960 Speaker 3: well again ever fent. 192 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: Wow, that's beautiful. That's a beautiful way to come back 193 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 1: full circle. So Beijing, you're there, You're at the top 194 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 1: of the mountain, and I mean you ended up thinking 195 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 1: what's next? And the next Olympics was obviously what was 196 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 1: a next? I mean in addition to other competitions. So 197 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:30,240 Speaker 1: did you immediately say I got to do this again? 198 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,560 Speaker 1: And the answer is yes, then why you already did it? 199 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 1: Like you felt the feelings. 200 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 3: I crossed the finish line in two thousand and eight 201 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:43,040 Speaker 3: thinking knowing I was done. I didn't really have any 202 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:46,079 Speaker 3: aspirations to continue in gymnastics at that point in time. 203 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 3: I felt tired already and I was ready to go 204 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 3: take on the next thing for me. I my dream 205 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:55,559 Speaker 3: after that was to be an orthropedic surgeon. Oh wow, 206 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:58,840 Speaker 3: So I wanted to go to med school. But I 207 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:01,320 Speaker 3: got kind of put on this roller coaster of the 208 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 3: aftermath of the Olympics, where things were just moving so fast. 209 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 3: I was on Dancing with the Stars, I was doing 210 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 3: public speaking, I was doing so much, and it seemed 211 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:14,439 Speaker 3: like the roller coaster wasn't slowing down. And so year 212 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:20,439 Speaker 3: after year I kept like deferring college and finding myself 213 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:22,959 Speaker 3: faced with interviews or people are like, well, are. 214 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 2: You gonna go back? Are you gonna go back? Are 215 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 2: you going to do it again? You should do it again. 216 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 2: You're really good at it. 217 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:29,320 Speaker 3: And I think that just kind of convinced me that 218 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:31,199 Speaker 3: that must be what people want to see. 219 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 2: And because I felt so lost in a sense of 220 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:36,760 Speaker 2: like not knowing what to do. 221 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: Next, I went back, Wow, and I. 222 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:44,240 Speaker 3: Went all the way back into international or world competition. 223 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 2: I made it to the Pan American Games. 224 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 3: I competed, and I remember thinking at Pan American Games, 225 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:51,720 Speaker 3: this is cool, but. 226 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 2: I don't like it anymore. 227 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 1: Well, by the way, that's a profound statement because you've 228 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:58,199 Speaker 1: been doing it since you're three and then to have 229 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 1: a moment where something that part of you suddenly didn't 230 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 1: feel good anymore. What was the feeling? Was it fatigue 231 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 1: or was it. 232 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:09,320 Speaker 3: Just what I just remember the way I tried to 233 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:11,959 Speaker 3: describe it to even my coach is back in two 234 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 3: thousand and eight, I could overcome anything. I could overcome 235 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:19,680 Speaker 3: any fear or even injury or roadblock or challenge because 236 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 3: I was so driven, because the end goal meant more 237 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 3: than anything. 238 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 2: So I could get through rehab. 239 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 3: I could get through the long trainings, the early mornings. 240 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 3: And then fast forward to around the time that I retired, 241 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 3: I remember even the smallest things feeling like the hardest 242 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:39,960 Speaker 3: hurdles to get through, small pains felt really big, and 243 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,200 Speaker 3: I think it was just because that passion was gone. 244 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:46,960 Speaker 3: And I remember knowing just kind of facing this question 245 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 3: over and over of am I meant to still be 246 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:52,719 Speaker 3: in this and knowing in my heart that I kept 247 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 3: answering the question no, but then having so many people 248 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 3: around me saying you're almost there, just sticking with it. 249 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 2: Sure, it's hard. 250 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: It's hard when the world wants you to do something 251 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 1: and you get swept up in the whole thing. So 252 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 1: during that time when you were doing Dancing with the Stars, 253 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:15,440 Speaker 1: you had cheerios, you were giving speeches, you were I 254 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:18,079 Speaker 1: mean everywhere I looked at from Sean Johnson like it 255 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: was really cool. But what was that's outside adoration? That's 256 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: cool winning Dancing with the Stars. You did it twice, 257 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: I think, But you had this love, but what was 258 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: bringing you joy? Like? Did that feel fulfilling to you? 259 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:33,840 Speaker 1: During that time? 260 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 3: That stuff did feel fulfilling, and I enjoyed it. I 261 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:43,080 Speaker 3: remember thinking, I naturally am such a shy, introverted person, 262 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:46,200 Speaker 3: so being on a stage is very hard. But I 263 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 3: remember thinking like I kept being put on stages and 264 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:51,520 Speaker 3: I didn't know why because it was not natural to me, 265 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:55,079 Speaker 3: but thinking that there had to be a purpose behind it, 266 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:56,679 Speaker 3: so trying to at least. 267 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 2: Understand that I should do good with it. I don't 268 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 2: know how to say that. 269 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 3: So I felt the pressure to take it seriously. So 270 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 3: I was feeling fulfilled. It just felt interesting because I'm 271 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:12,719 Speaker 3: a very type a person. Two plus two has to 272 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:14,880 Speaker 3: equal four, and for me, it was like this was 273 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 3: not what I planned. So I was trying to make 274 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:21,280 Speaker 3: sense with where do I go from here? And when 275 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:24,120 Speaker 3: I went back into gymnastics, I think it was then 276 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,800 Speaker 3: that I started to feel very unfulfilled, which was confusing 277 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:29,600 Speaker 3: because it was the one thing that I loved for 278 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 3: so long. And I remember being swept up into that 279 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 3: pressure of everyone saying just stick with it, you're so 280 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 3: close to twenty twelve, and thinking, I know that makes 281 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 3: sense to the world, but I can't under I can't 282 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 3: explain how this is just not bringing me any joy. 283 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 2: And for some reason, I think that needs to be important. 284 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 3: And when the day that I chose to retire for 285 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 3: the twenty twelve go ahead, I remember people thinking I 286 00:14:56,760 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 3: was absolutely crazy, but it was the most freeing decision 287 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 3: I've ever. 288 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 1: I want to dig into that because that's so interesting 289 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: to me, the moment that you decided, because there's one 290 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 1: thing to know inside, which it seems like you knew 291 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 1: for a while, but there's another thing to say it 292 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:14,520 Speaker 1: out loud. So tell me about how that came to be, 293 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 1: what you said and what it felt like it had. 294 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 3: Been building for a while, and again, coming from the 295 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 3: athletic side, I think I was trying to weigh is 296 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 3: this just a hard phase or has something switched inside 297 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 3: of me? And when I kind of came to realize 298 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 3: that I was just I was done with the sport 299 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 3: and I needed to move on, I was ready to 300 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 3: kind of get rid of gymnastics and start over with 301 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 3: something new. 302 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:38,280 Speaker 2: I didn't know what it was, but. 303 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:42,280 Speaker 3: I felt very excited about starting over rather than continuing. 304 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 2: It was absolutely terrifying. 305 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 3: I remember I had many sponsors backing me for twenty twelve. 306 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 3: I had to call them by cell phone numbers as 307 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:57,240 Speaker 3: a nineteen year old kid and say I just. 308 00:15:57,160 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 2: Don't love it anymore. 309 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 3: And the corporate world doesn't quite understand that as well 310 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 3: as mom and dad do. 311 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 2: So I had to face a lot of. 312 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 3: Disappointment and anger and I had to find it find 313 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 3: conviction in myself enough to say I know you're upset 314 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:17,840 Speaker 3: and I'm so sorry. 315 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 1: Can the best option the fact that you yourself called 316 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 1: I bet you any other nineteen year old I would 317 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: have said to somebody, will you call whoever and tell 318 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 1: them I can't do it? You physically called them and 319 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:34,120 Speaker 1: told them I did. 320 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 2: I was in an interesting position where. 321 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 3: My parents were my biggest supporters and so it was 322 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:46,200 Speaker 3: me and my parents, but everybody else thought I was crazy. 323 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 2: So they said, if you're going to do this, you 324 00:16:49,320 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 2: have to do it. So I did it. 325 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:56,400 Speaker 1: What was the hardest call? What was the toughest one 326 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: for you? 327 00:16:59,000 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 2: There? 328 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: I can't. I don't just say they were, but just 329 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 1: what The commis had. 330 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:08,359 Speaker 3: A sponsor that was very angry, and I'm such a 331 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:12,199 Speaker 3: people pleaser, so it was heartbreaking to me because I 332 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 3: really valued their respect and I want to make people 333 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:20,119 Speaker 3: happy and I want to, you know, perform for them 334 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 3: and to hear the anger, which I now understand as 335 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:25,280 Speaker 3: an adult, came with a lot of pressure from their side. 336 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 3: But that was really hard. I didn't like feeling like 337 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 3: I was letting people down, and I didn't know how 338 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:36,439 Speaker 3: to explain or articulate the conviction I have knowing this 339 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 3: was not my time. Someone else is meant to have 340 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 3: this spot. I'm not meant to be in twenty twelve. 341 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 3: It was really hard, and people had invested a lot 342 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:48,880 Speaker 3: of time and money, which I gave it all back. 343 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:51,159 Speaker 2: You did, Oh, I did? 344 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:56,199 Speaker 1: Okay? Another just another another wow, just to pause for 345 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:58,680 Speaker 1: a second, because again I think a lot of nineteen 346 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 1: year olds would have said, hey, I have the cash, 347 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 1: thank you very much, But now, of course she did. 348 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:06,119 Speaker 2: I think I was. 349 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 3: I was really lucky to have a coach who taught 350 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:09,920 Speaker 3: me from a very young age that it was never 351 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:12,240 Speaker 3: about the title or the metal. It was about the 352 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:16,040 Speaker 3: effort and the joy. And he preserved that my whole career. 353 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:19,199 Speaker 3: And I just remember in those hard conversations having to 354 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 3: remind myself of this, like, I know this is the 355 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 3: right choice, and if I'm doing it for the money, 356 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:26,200 Speaker 3: for the title, for the fame, then it's the wrong 357 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:29,640 Speaker 3: it's the wrong purpose. And so when I got through 358 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 3: all those conversations, I felt like I was floating in 359 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:35,800 Speaker 3: the clouds. It was very hard, but I felt such 360 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:40,399 Speaker 3: a weight lifted off my shoulders. And it was because 361 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 3: I went to twenty twelve to work and not compete 362 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:44,640 Speaker 3: that I actually met my husband. 363 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 2: So it was all meant to be. 364 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 1: Okay. First of all, that's beautiful, and I also I 365 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:55,119 Speaker 1: think the relief, the warm hand on your heart, the 366 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:58,080 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, I just did it, and I feel free. 367 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:01,440 Speaker 1: I think after every difficult conversation. Probably think of any 368 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 1: difficult that may have been the most that you've ever had, 369 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:05,919 Speaker 1: but over the course of your life, it's like, I 370 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:08,720 Speaker 1: think anyone who's even like, I've got to tell my 371 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:10,200 Speaker 1: I got to tell my husband, I got to tell 372 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 1: my boss. I have to. The minute you say it, 373 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 1: even if it's the hardest conversation, your shoulders drop like 374 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 1: two or three inches and you feel so to get 375 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:21,080 Speaker 1: on the other side of that is huge. Okay. So 376 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 1: you go for the Today Show, Yay Yay, to the 377 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 1: Olympics to work in and I remember that too. So 378 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:32,120 Speaker 1: you're going along and you're doing I think commentating social media, 379 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:34,439 Speaker 1: a whole bunch of stuff, right, Okay, I remember that. 380 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 1: And then so how did this mystery meeting come to be? 381 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 2: Yeah? 382 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 3: One of the events that I was asked to go 383 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:48,439 Speaker 3: cover was a cycling event. And I was at this 384 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 3: cycling event and I didn't know what I was watching, 385 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 3: and they set me up with a USA cycling athlete 386 00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:59,720 Speaker 3: and his name was Guy East and he wasn't competing, 387 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:01,639 Speaker 3: but he there with his teammates, and I remember he 388 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:04,359 Speaker 3: was explaining everything to me and how cycling world worked 389 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 3: and what I was watching it's a very confusing sport, 390 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 3: and I'm doing the social media thing. And I remember 391 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:11,560 Speaker 3: at the end of the event he said, if you 392 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 3: take anything away from our conversation, it said, I think 393 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:16,560 Speaker 3: you should meet my younger brother. And I was like, what, 394 00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:22,480 Speaker 3: Like this took a weird turn. Fast forward I think 395 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:25,959 Speaker 3: probably five months that younger brother, who's now my husband, 396 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 3: flew out to la while I was on Dancing with 397 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 3: the Stars and we went on a blind date. And 398 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 3: I thought he was so adorable, but I didn't know 399 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:36,639 Speaker 3: how it would work. And he lived in Nashville, he 400 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:40,159 Speaker 3: was going to Vanderbilt. Fast forward a little bit longer. 401 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:42,119 Speaker 3: We went on a second date in Nashville, and I 402 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:44,040 Speaker 3: remember telling my mom I was like, I think, I 403 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:45,320 Speaker 3: think this is the guy I'm going to marry. 404 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 1: Really, so it must have been a little intimidating for 405 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:53,239 Speaker 1: the brother Andrew to fly out to Dancing with the 406 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 1: Stars to go on a blind date with you. What 407 00:20:56,880 --> 00:21:01,720 Speaker 1: was was he awkward? Was it was he just? Was 408 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:02,919 Speaker 1: he a cool customer? 409 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:03,119 Speaker 2: Like? 410 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:04,360 Speaker 1: What was he on the first day? 411 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 3: He was the nerdiest, most awkward, most unfinessed human I 412 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 3: had ever seen. And I think there was honestly, something 413 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:18,160 Speaker 3: so endearing about it. Yeah, I feel like coming from 414 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 3: the Olympic world and coming from Dancing with the Stars 415 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:23,640 Speaker 3: in La I had seen. 416 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 2: Such facades that were perfect for so long. 417 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:34,119 Speaker 3: And he was just so unapologetically himself and such a 418 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 3: gentleman and knew nothing of Hollywood. 419 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:38,680 Speaker 2: He hadn't been on a plane before. 420 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:41,639 Speaker 3: Without his family, and I was like, I started traveling 421 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 3: when I was twelve, what. 422 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:43,120 Speaker 2: Do you mean? 423 00:21:44,119 --> 00:21:48,560 Speaker 3: And it was just it was so pure and he 424 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,399 Speaker 3: could have just normal human conversations. He didn't ask a 425 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:56,520 Speaker 3: single thing about Olympics or gymnastics. He asked about like 426 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 3: me as a person, and I hadn't had that in. 427 00:21:58,760 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 2: A long time. 428 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:03,679 Speaker 1: About amazing, I mean, talk about what you needed. I 429 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 1: mean again, like I believe, just like you, like, things 430 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:10,679 Speaker 1: are meant to be the world. I mean, you know, 431 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 1: it worked out the way it was obviously supposed to. 432 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:17,119 Speaker 1: But you were in an interesting time because you had 433 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 1: already stepped away from gymnastics and you're still kind of 434 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:24,679 Speaker 1: looking for your groove thing, like you want something. So 435 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:29,160 Speaker 1: was he being an outsider like that, I would imagine. 436 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:31,639 Speaker 1: I don't know, but was he sort of helpful because 437 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 1: he saw all of you. He didn't see you as 438 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:37,640 Speaker 1: Shawn the gymnast or Shawn the one the dancer or whatever. 439 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:41,920 Speaker 2: Absolutely, I think he healed me, honestly. 440 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:43,920 Speaker 1: He let me. 441 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:47,400 Speaker 2: Be just me and not do anything. 442 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:52,919 Speaker 3: And I remember after so we met in La on 443 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 3: dan Z with the Stars. There was a nine month 444 00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:58,680 Speaker 3: period before our second date and after our second date, 445 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:00,879 Speaker 3: I think it took two months to dating before I 446 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 3: moved to Nashville and I ended up transferring to Vanderbilt 447 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:07,920 Speaker 3: with him, and I just I did nothing. He let 448 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:11,120 Speaker 3: me be just a student and just a person and 449 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 3: not chase all these titles anymore. And he rebuilt my 450 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:18,639 Speaker 3: confidence from the ground up at just being able to 451 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:23,919 Speaker 3: fail beautifully at everything and be completely average and that 452 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:28,560 Speaker 3: be celebrated. And he truly saw all these insecurities and 453 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:30,760 Speaker 3: one by one would address them and help me kind 454 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 3: of heal from them, not be a perfectionist and elly 455 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:34,920 Speaker 3: athlete anymore. 456 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 1: By the way, that's a huge step, because there are 457 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:41,159 Speaker 1: probably a ton of people listening who are perfectionists in 458 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:43,920 Speaker 1: one part of their life. To go from I need 459 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 1: to do it exactly right to average is cool. I 460 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:49,359 Speaker 1: like being a student who gets I don't know what 461 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 1: you got. I got b's and c's in college. Who cares? 462 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 1: It doesn't really matter at the end. But to be someone, 463 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:59,560 Speaker 1: how did that sit with you? Someone who's used to 464 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:03,880 Speaker 1: being discipline got to get it, you know, I. 465 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:06,480 Speaker 2: Mean it was very messy. Yeah, I had a lot 466 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 2: of good days and bad days. 467 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:11,560 Speaker 3: But I remember he would always talk to me and say, 468 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:16,680 Speaker 3: there's this person me that I see when we're at 469 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:19,680 Speaker 3: home and when we're on a date, and then all 470 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:21,399 Speaker 3: of a sudden, you get in from in front of 471 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:22,160 Speaker 3: a camera and. 472 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:25,200 Speaker 2: It's like you are a completely different person. 473 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:27,560 Speaker 3: And he said, if only the world got to see 474 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:30,760 Speaker 3: who you actually were, and that would just unlock all 475 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 3: these things of. 476 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:33,720 Speaker 2: I was taught to perform. 477 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:36,919 Speaker 3: I was taught to be perfect because it was I 478 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:40,639 Speaker 3: was trying to gain a subjective judge's opinion of me 479 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 3: and try to make that the best. And it was 480 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:48,480 Speaker 3: uncomfortable and it was scary, and there are a lot 481 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:55,280 Speaker 3: of transitions and the workspace, but it was slow and 482 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:57,479 Speaker 3: just beautiful, and he just held my hand through it. 483 00:24:57,640 --> 00:24:59,800 Speaker 1: You know what I think you're I mean, I always 484 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 1: thought you're brave, But one of the bravest things you've 485 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:05,680 Speaker 1: just said is after two months, you moved to Nashville. 486 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:09,680 Speaker 1: I mean you just did it, Like that's a leap 487 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:13,119 Speaker 1: of faith. That's scary. Some people would need some more 488 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 1: assurances that this was going to be something. I don't 489 00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 1: want to uproot my life and go there. Tell me 490 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 1: about that process. 491 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:24,199 Speaker 3: I always explained it as like I started. I had 492 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:26,440 Speaker 3: to grow up at a very young age. So at twelve, 493 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:29,120 Speaker 3: I remember flying to Belgium for the first time by 494 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:32,280 Speaker 3: myself to compete for the United States, which is crazy 495 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:35,000 Speaker 3: now that I'm a mom, I'm like, twelve, that's too young. 496 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 3: But I had lived a lot of life and I 497 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:41,240 Speaker 3: was ready to find someone to share life with. And 498 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:43,679 Speaker 3: I remember when I met him and we had this 499 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:47,119 Speaker 3: like spark. I remember thinking, if I continue to travel 500 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 3: the world and if I continue to live on the 501 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,200 Speaker 3: opposite side of the world from him or the country, 502 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:54,160 Speaker 3: I'm not giving it the best chance to see if 503 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 3: it can become anything. And I remember thinking, I honestly 504 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:02,600 Speaker 3: have nothing to lose if I moved to Nashville and 505 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:06,040 Speaker 3: we go on two more dates and say this is 506 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:10,200 Speaker 3: not it. Okay, I'll move somewhere else, like it's fine, 507 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 3: And I just remember thinking he's worth it to me 508 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:16,600 Speaker 3: to see if this can last. 509 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:18,680 Speaker 2: And I think I scared the crap out of him. 510 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:22,959 Speaker 2: You were like, Hi, I'm moving here, I'm going to 511 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 2: your college. I'm moving down the street from you. 512 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 3: I am really like putting myself in your world. But 513 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 3: if it weren't for that, I don't think it would 514 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:34,679 Speaker 3: have worked. I paused my life because that meant so 515 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:38,679 Speaker 3: much to me. And when we secured that, and it 516 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 3: took a couple of years, you know, to find really 517 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:44,640 Speaker 3: strong foundations, but it meant enough to me to take 518 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:47,240 Speaker 3: the leave of faith and it worked out because of it. 519 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:50,400 Speaker 1: Well, no kidding. I love that you said he changed 520 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:52,600 Speaker 1: so much of you and rebuilt your confidence. I mean 521 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:55,399 Speaker 1: that is epic. Why is he so wise? He was 522 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 1: just a kid, Like, how is he that wise? 523 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 2: I think? I mean, I think he's the greatest. So 524 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:04,880 Speaker 2: I think he's just amazing. And I don't even know. 525 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 3: If it came out as wisdom. I just think it was. 526 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 3: It was just a kindness to be, you know, invested 527 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 3: into the depth of someone. We always my husband, I 528 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 3: talk a lot about I think the world really preaches 529 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:22,720 Speaker 3: and tries to encourage people to live an we say 530 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:25,360 Speaker 3: an inch deep and a mile wide anymore, that people 531 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 3: aren't actually getting to know. 532 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:30,240 Speaker 2: Or people to their true depth, or to feel seen. 533 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:34,439 Speaker 3: And he made me feel seen, And especially coming from 534 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:37,479 Speaker 3: professional athletics, where you don't need to be seen, you 535 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,280 Speaker 3: just need to perform, that was a new concept for me. 536 00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:43,679 Speaker 1: Wow. Beautiful. So you guys have beautiful children. You have 537 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 1: a whole beautiful family and raising kids, and I was 538 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:51,240 Speaker 1: thinking about how you were raised and how you would 539 00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:54,560 Speaker 1: choose to raise and often as moms. I mean, I 540 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:57,679 Speaker 1: take some stuff from my mom that she that she 541 00:27:58,000 --> 00:27:59,200 Speaker 1: you know, how she raised me, and then some of 542 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:01,960 Speaker 1: the stuff I just left the table. But what from 543 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:04,840 Speaker 1: your childhood did you take on and say, you know what, 544 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:06,600 Speaker 1: I want my kids to have these things, And what 545 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:08,960 Speaker 1: did you say, you know what, this isn't going to 546 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:11,440 Speaker 1: work for them. 547 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 3: I would say both my husband and I were raised 548 00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:18,960 Speaker 3: similarly in the athletic world from our parents, and we're 549 00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:23,440 Speaker 3: definitely using that where our parents never valued athletics, they 550 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:29,120 Speaker 3: valued good humans over everything. And my mom, I have 551 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:33,120 Speaker 3: very vivid memories of she would beg me to skip gymnastics, 552 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:35,720 Speaker 3: just quit it. Just don't do it anymore. It takes 553 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 3: up too much time. I missed my daughter. I want 554 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:41,320 Speaker 3: to go shopping with you. I want to just play 555 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:43,680 Speaker 3: hooky one day. You know, it was all these things 556 00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:46,600 Speaker 3: of it just is taking too much of you. And 557 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:51,959 Speaker 3: my parents and Andrew's parents just taught us that athletics 558 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 3: were our choice. 559 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:54,440 Speaker 2: As long as we. 560 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:57,000 Speaker 3: Were good humans and we had good values and kindness 561 00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 3: and respect to people, that's all that mattered. 562 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:02,200 Speaker 2: Loved us for who we were. We didn't have to 563 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:02,640 Speaker 2: earn that. 564 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:05,080 Speaker 3: So I always knew that that was my choice, and 565 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:07,400 Speaker 3: I really want to make sure my children know the 566 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 3: same thing. 567 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 2: I don't care about titles. 568 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 3: I don't care about placements, I don't care about I 569 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 3: just care that you try hard and you're a good human. 570 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:17,320 Speaker 2: And then if you want to go do whatever sport 571 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:18,680 Speaker 2: you want to do, I love that. I'll be your 572 00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:19,560 Speaker 2: biggest cheerleader. 573 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:24,480 Speaker 3: If there's anything that I would change, I would just 574 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:29,280 Speaker 3: say I'm an only child, and I'm very type A. 575 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 2: I was very driven. 576 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:32,760 Speaker 3: I was very much just a girl that could sit 577 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 3: still and paint and color and draw. I have two 578 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:42,000 Speaker 3: very very wild boys, very wild boys, and I think 579 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:46,000 Speaker 3: the hands off let me be the driver of everything 580 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:47,960 Speaker 3: that my parents embraced as a kid. 581 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:50,200 Speaker 2: I think we need a little. 582 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:52,440 Speaker 3: Bit more raining in with my boys, So I have 583 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:54,760 Speaker 3: to be a little more stern with them than my 584 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:56,200 Speaker 3: parents probably were with me. 585 00:29:56,720 --> 00:29:58,880 Speaker 1: Can I I'm just gonna go back one more second 586 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:00,600 Speaker 1: of your child because I didn't know this about your 587 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:03,400 Speaker 1: mom that she was like, don't do it. Quit. Yeah, 588 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:06,600 Speaker 1: You're like, I'm not quitting. I'm doing it. So what 589 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 1: was the motivation for a little kid? Because I know 590 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:14,240 Speaker 1: kids like things until it's hard usually and then they 591 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:17,760 Speaker 1: stopped loving it. So what was pushing you all all 592 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:19,240 Speaker 1: that time when you were little? 593 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:23,920 Speaker 3: Myself, which is crazy, and I don't I had just 594 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:27,719 Speaker 3: this drive. My parents opened me up to every opportunity 595 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:30,400 Speaker 3: in life. They did such a beautiful job of that, especially, 596 00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:32,360 Speaker 3: I mean, to be very honest, they didn't have the 597 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:36,320 Speaker 3: resources to do that. They they extended themselves to make 598 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:39,960 Speaker 3: the universe just my playground. And so I tried so 599 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 3: many things and very quickly would quit things like don't 600 00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:43,880 Speaker 3: like it. 601 00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:46,280 Speaker 2: One practice and I'm done. I don't want to be there. 602 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 3: But there was something about gymnastics that was intoxicating to me, 603 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:54,840 Speaker 3: and I think it has taught me, or it's given 604 00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:58,240 Speaker 3: me a belief maybe it's a delusional belief that we 605 00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:00,640 Speaker 3: all have one of those treasures inside of us. 606 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:01,800 Speaker 2: We just have to find it. 607 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:06,080 Speaker 3: Because there was no roadblock, no challenge too hard that 608 00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:09,240 Speaker 3: I couldn't work through. I was so driven by it, 609 00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:11,840 Speaker 3: and my coach was the same way. He's like, if 610 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:13,400 Speaker 3: you don't want to be here, you don't need to 611 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:16,160 Speaker 3: be here. So I just wanted to have fun. 612 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 1: Oh my god, this is good. So wait when you 613 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:23,240 Speaker 1: talked about so you're raising kids and when you were little, 614 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 1: you were your time was all spent, you know, doing 615 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:29,120 Speaker 1: what you were doing. What about childhood? Like you kind 616 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:32,240 Speaker 1: of say, God, I kind of wish I was. I 617 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 1: kind of wish I got to run wild a little bit. 618 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 1: Or is that not on your regret list? 619 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:40,120 Speaker 3: So, I mean, all of this sounds too good to 620 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:42,520 Speaker 3: be true. As I answer this, it's going to be crazy. 621 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:45,360 Speaker 3: But I don't feel like I missed anything in my childhood. 622 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:51,400 Speaker 3: I was very lucky. My coach, Schiz moved from China 623 00:31:51,560 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 3: to the United States. They came from gymnastics in China, 624 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:58,080 Speaker 3: where everything was taken from them as a child. They 625 00:31:58,160 --> 00:32:01,040 Speaker 3: had to be a professional from a very age, and 626 00:32:01,080 --> 00:32:03,560 Speaker 3: they didn't get to have fun or be kids. And 627 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:06,000 Speaker 3: so their dream in moving to the United States was 628 00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:09,800 Speaker 3: to open a gym. And their words would say, raised 629 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:13,120 Speaker 3: children who get to be children, but also get to 630 00:32:13,160 --> 00:32:17,680 Speaker 3: be good gymnasts. And so we did a very, very 631 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:20,520 Speaker 3: condensed training schedule. We had to go to full day 632 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 3: of school. I got to attend every football game, every dance. 633 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 3: My coaches would let us play. They preserved the joy 634 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:35,200 Speaker 3: in the childlike childhood for us. So all of my 635 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:39,400 Speaker 3: memories there, I remember running around playing Capture the Flag 636 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:43,240 Speaker 3: in my neighborhood. I had enough time to have friendships 637 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:45,880 Speaker 3: outside of the gym. I went to Dairy Queen and 638 00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 3: had stacks of pancakes after practice all the time. 639 00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:52,600 Speaker 2: I truly had a childhood. And I think that's because 640 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:53,280 Speaker 2: of my coaches. 641 00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:55,440 Speaker 1: That's really cool. So how do you raise your kids. 642 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:58,120 Speaker 1: Who's the disciplinarian, Who's the one who lets it fly? 643 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:02,520 Speaker 2: I am one hundred percent of the disciplinaria. My husband 644 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:03,560 Speaker 2: lets everything fuck. 645 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:07,720 Speaker 3: He's another child, which is so much fun, but it's crazy, 646 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:12,640 Speaker 3: And how do we raise them? We say, I don't 647 00:33:12,680 --> 00:33:15,960 Speaker 3: know if this is going to sound right, but we 648 00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:18,880 Speaker 3: call it free range. We have very wild children who 649 00:33:18,920 --> 00:33:22,680 Speaker 3: are very curious and very able and just love to 650 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:24,960 Speaker 3: run wild. And I have a four year old that 651 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:26,160 Speaker 3: race his motocross. 652 00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:28,240 Speaker 1: Oh my god, not the. 653 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:32,360 Speaker 3: Sport I would have chosen, but that is truly one 654 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:34,880 Speaker 3: of his treasures. It's like the kid came out riding 655 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:39,800 Speaker 3: a bike and a motorcycle. My dad rode professionally his 656 00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:42,640 Speaker 3: whole life. And then my husband comes from a whole 657 00:33:42,680 --> 00:33:49,720 Speaker 3: family of Olympic cyclists. So it's in there. But we 658 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:53,160 Speaker 3: just we raised them to have fun, to be good humans, 659 00:33:53,640 --> 00:33:54,320 Speaker 3: but to have fun. 660 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:59,680 Speaker 1: Any gymnasts in the group, I don't know. 661 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:00,200 Speaker 2: Oh. 662 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:04,000 Speaker 3: I would have said no about a month ago, but 663 00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:07,520 Speaker 3: out of nowhere, my six year old has now asked 664 00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:11,279 Speaker 3: to go back to the gym so and she's loving it, 665 00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:12,720 Speaker 3: which is scaring me to death. 666 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:14,439 Speaker 1: Why is that scaring you? 667 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:18,120 Speaker 2: This is going to get deep quickly. 668 00:34:18,320 --> 00:34:24,080 Speaker 3: But I I think the world naturally will put an 669 00:34:24,200 --> 00:34:25,719 Speaker 3: unfair expectation on her. 670 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:28,080 Speaker 2: I think because. 671 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:30,439 Speaker 3: Mom was good, people will expect her to be good. 672 00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:33,120 Speaker 3: And I don't think any child should be expected to 673 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:35,399 Speaker 3: be good at something. I think they should be able 674 00:34:35,440 --> 00:34:38,200 Speaker 3: to fail and be terrible and be celebrated for it. 675 00:34:38,880 --> 00:34:40,759 Speaker 3: So I just don't want too much pressure. 676 00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:43,600 Speaker 1: To be put on her, so you'll if she wants 677 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:46,520 Speaker 1: to go that way, you'll say, all right, do it. 678 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:49,279 Speaker 1: But you're just otherwise you just kind of hands off 679 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:50,279 Speaker 1: to see what she's going to do. 680 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:54,560 Speaker 3: Biggest cheerleader. I'm the mom in the stands watching never 681 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:55,160 Speaker 3: anything more. 682 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:56,280 Speaker 1: Do people forget? 683 00:34:56,360 --> 00:34:58,520 Speaker 2: In my mind, it's going crazy. My mind's like, oh 684 00:34:58,600 --> 00:34:59,200 Speaker 2: my god, you're. 685 00:34:59,080 --> 00:35:04,440 Speaker 1: Like, please, God, where U I know? Just a little tip, 686 00:35:04,520 --> 00:35:07,120 Speaker 1: you're sweetie, you'll be ready. Tried that? 687 00:35:07,360 --> 00:35:10,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, I remember she at one point asked my husband 688 00:35:10,560 --> 00:35:12,799 Speaker 3: to teach her to do something in gymnastics, and both 689 00:35:12,840 --> 00:35:13,800 Speaker 3: of us started laughing. 690 00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:14,840 Speaker 2: I was like, this is comic. 691 00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:17,560 Speaker 1: How much do you want him to Do they get you? 692 00:35:17,680 --> 00:35:19,919 Speaker 1: Do they get your whole deal and your husband's deal. 693 00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:22,200 Speaker 1: Do they understand? Do they ever look at videos of you, 694 00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:25,040 Speaker 1: of you at Beijing, Beijing and go, oh that was mom? 695 00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:27,160 Speaker 2: Not really? 696 00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:30,520 Speaker 3: I think we're just I think my daughter, being six, 697 00:35:31,239 --> 00:35:35,800 Speaker 3: is just now getting glimpses and understanding of like maybe 698 00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:36,600 Speaker 3: the magnitude. 699 00:35:36,719 --> 00:35:38,600 Speaker 2: But we also try not to. 700 00:35:38,719 --> 00:35:43,680 Speaker 3: Flaunt anything because it's we don't want them living in 701 00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:44,640 Speaker 3: any type of shadow. 702 00:35:44,719 --> 00:35:46,720 Speaker 2: It's their world now, it's not ours. 703 00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:48,799 Speaker 1: Yeah, So if people come up to you and say, 704 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:51,960 Speaker 1: are you Sean Johnson? Do they go what's happening with 705 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:52,759 Speaker 1: mom over there? 706 00:35:53,560 --> 00:35:53,880 Speaker 2: Yeah? 707 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:57,799 Speaker 3: We get a lot of questions of why don't they 708 00:35:57,800 --> 00:35:59,960 Speaker 3: want a picture of me like themselves? 709 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:04,719 Speaker 2: And I'm like, well, I don't know how to explain that. 710 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:09,800 Speaker 3: I'm like, mommy, someone watched Mommy do gymnastics, and yeah, 711 00:36:09,880 --> 00:36:10,920 Speaker 3: I don't know how to expectin it. 712 00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:13,439 Speaker 1: So cute. By the way, that's the cutest thing ever, 713 00:36:13,600 --> 00:36:20,640 Speaker 1: someone watched Mommy do gymnastics. Yes, I'm sorry, beautiful statement. Well, 714 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:23,600 Speaker 1: which just explains your entire parenting right there. That's just 715 00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:27,240 Speaker 1: how you go through. That is awesome. Can we talk about, 716 00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:30,480 Speaker 1: first of all, your awesome book. I opened it to 717 00:36:30,520 --> 00:36:32,960 Speaker 1: the back cover, which I'm sorry if that's not framed 718 00:36:32,960 --> 00:36:34,719 Speaker 1: in your house somewhere, I'm going to be super mad. 719 00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:39,200 Speaker 1: What a great picture of the two of you. It's 720 00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:42,120 Speaker 1: called The Courage to Commit. And of course I flipped 721 00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:45,080 Speaker 1: immediately to this chapter on Joy, chapter two, which I 722 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:48,360 Speaker 1: was into, and I was so struck by one of 723 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:51,200 Speaker 1: the things in it, and it says that you were 724 00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:54,960 Speaker 1: asked somebody, an audience member, asked you a question, The 725 00:36:55,040 --> 00:36:59,480 Speaker 1: question was you two live such structured lives, how do 726 00:36:59,520 --> 00:37:03,000 Speaker 1: you make base for joy? And you spend that chapter 727 00:37:03,719 --> 00:37:07,760 Speaker 1: talking about how confused we are about what joy actually 728 00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:12,799 Speaker 1: is because people don't think you can be disciplined and 729 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:17,160 Speaker 1: have joy. So explain that thought process. 730 00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:19,279 Speaker 2: Yes, so. 731 00:37:20,719 --> 00:37:23,080 Speaker 3: The whole book is about like the depth of commitment, 732 00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:26,200 Speaker 3: what happens when you actually start saying no to things, 733 00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:28,760 Speaker 3: and like filtering your life to the things that actually matter. 734 00:37:29,320 --> 00:37:32,239 Speaker 3: I think we're in the anxious generation where there is 735 00:37:32,320 --> 00:37:36,239 Speaker 3: so much noise and so many voices in so many 736 00:37:36,280 --> 00:37:39,640 Speaker 3: options that it can be crippling to people. I think 737 00:37:39,640 --> 00:37:43,680 Speaker 3: people are being overwhelmed with decision fatigue, and instead of 738 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:46,840 Speaker 3: choosing one thing or a couple of things, they're just 739 00:37:46,880 --> 00:37:49,560 Speaker 3: not choosing anything at all. They're swiping, you know, swipe 740 00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:54,080 Speaker 3: right culture. And the chapter of Joy, we argue that 741 00:37:54,280 --> 00:37:59,240 Speaker 3: joy is found in depth, and you can't achieve depth 742 00:37:59,520 --> 00:38:04,120 Speaker 3: without our discipline. And I mean that in the sense 743 00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:10,520 Speaker 3: of take parenting. It's not always joyful. It's very difficult. 744 00:38:10,800 --> 00:38:12,920 Speaker 3: There are a lot of hard nights and hard days 745 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:17,440 Speaker 3: and hard phases. But the amount of joy you feel 746 00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:22,200 Speaker 3: looking at this human that you've raised and gone through 747 00:38:22,280 --> 00:38:26,319 Speaker 3: such hardship with and so many sleepless nights. That is 748 00:38:26,360 --> 00:38:28,520 Speaker 3: a joy and a depth that you can't reach if 749 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:30,160 Speaker 3: you are just a parent for a day. 750 00:38:31,200 --> 00:38:33,040 Speaker 2: Or a babysitter for a day. Let's say that. 751 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:37,960 Speaker 3: And in our culture right now, I think the world 752 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:41,359 Speaker 3: is trying to preach that if you keep hopping from 753 00:38:41,440 --> 00:38:44,880 Speaker 3: one honeymoon phase to another and just getting the dopamine 754 00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:49,200 Speaker 3: hit of an instant gratification, that I think that is 755 00:38:49,320 --> 00:38:50,560 Speaker 3: just instant happiness. 756 00:38:50,640 --> 00:38:51,520 Speaker 2: That's not joy. 757 00:38:52,200 --> 00:38:55,600 Speaker 3: So if you start structuring your life to really like 758 00:38:55,800 --> 00:38:58,400 Speaker 3: invest time into something, I think you're going to be 759 00:38:58,520 --> 00:39:03,879 Speaker 3: surprised the immense not happiness but joy. 760 00:39:03,960 --> 00:39:05,920 Speaker 1: You feel all the difference, some of the difference. I 761 00:39:05,960 --> 00:39:08,080 Speaker 1: love the happiness and joy thing. And I know you 762 00:39:08,560 --> 00:39:11,479 Speaker 1: talk about it like butterflies when you meet him and yay, 763 00:39:11,560 --> 00:39:13,759 Speaker 1: and then after three years you know everyone gives the 764 00:39:13,800 --> 00:39:17,359 Speaker 1: side eye. So it is what's the difference there for you. 765 00:39:18,680 --> 00:39:25,080 Speaker 3: I think happiness is a momentary, fleeting, feeling emotion. I 766 00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:30,520 Speaker 3: think joy is felt in your soul and joy comes 767 00:39:30,560 --> 00:39:34,200 Speaker 3: with pain. And I say that in the sense of 768 00:39:34,239 --> 00:39:37,319 Speaker 3: like even in our marriage, at our on our wedding day, 769 00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:39,960 Speaker 3: I had happiness because I was like, oh. 770 00:39:39,800 --> 00:39:42,399 Speaker 2: This is so exciting. I'm so giddy. I love this guy. 771 00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:46,319 Speaker 3: But after ten years of marriage, we've gone through heartbreak 772 00:39:46,600 --> 00:39:51,120 Speaker 3: and hard arguments and times where we've disappointed each other. 773 00:39:51,760 --> 00:39:54,719 Speaker 3: But the amount of joy in my soul and my 774 00:39:54,840 --> 00:39:56,760 Speaker 3: being that I feel when I look at that man 775 00:39:57,200 --> 00:39:58,719 Speaker 3: is greater than anything I felt on. 776 00:39:58,680 --> 00:39:59,359 Speaker 2: Our wedding day. 777 00:39:59,480 --> 00:40:03,160 Speaker 3: But it's because of time and pain and the investment 778 00:40:03,239 --> 00:40:06,680 Speaker 3: of it that compounds over time. 779 00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:09,880 Speaker 1: That's first of all. That's a beautiful statement, and I 780 00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:14,000 Speaker 1: think some people might like sometimes when there are arguments 781 00:40:14,040 --> 00:40:17,279 Speaker 1: and bad moments in relationships where if you're in one, 782 00:40:17,280 --> 00:40:20,920 Speaker 1: you're going to have those. That's life. Sometimes that's all 783 00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:24,920 Speaker 1: people start seeing through that lens and then the next 784 00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:26,560 Speaker 1: thing comes and you go, well, there it goes again, 785 00:40:27,160 --> 00:40:30,000 Speaker 1: and then all of the sudden, before you know it, 786 00:40:30,120 --> 00:40:33,160 Speaker 1: you guys are not you guys, but whoever's listening. It's 787 00:40:33,200 --> 00:40:36,759 Speaker 1: like parallel paths that kind of start peeling off in 788 00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:41,239 Speaker 1: opposite directions. How did you make sure or ensure that 789 00:40:41,320 --> 00:40:45,279 Speaker 1: your marriage stayed the course in the middle even though 790 00:40:45,320 --> 00:40:48,480 Speaker 1: you had all these potholes, like all marriages do. 791 00:40:50,480 --> 00:40:53,120 Speaker 3: It's actually something we took a lot of time to 792 00:40:53,160 --> 00:40:56,080 Speaker 3: write about, and it's how we try to approach life. 793 00:40:56,120 --> 00:40:58,239 Speaker 3: It's a gift I think we were given in athletics, 794 00:40:58,280 --> 00:41:03,120 Speaker 3: which is back in gymnastics. If I was faced with 795 00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:09,239 Speaker 3: a challenge, an injury, something I couldn't overcome, the yips, 796 00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:12,920 Speaker 3: whatever it was, I would take that. I would look 797 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:17,360 Speaker 3: at that challenge and say, let's go find every tool 798 00:41:17,480 --> 00:41:24,440 Speaker 3: we can find to help me overcome it. That's coaches, sports, psychiatrists, dietitians. 799 00:41:25,000 --> 00:41:26,239 Speaker 2: Do I need to take time off? 800 00:41:27,239 --> 00:41:30,879 Speaker 3: And I would approach that challenge from every angle and say, 801 00:41:30,920 --> 00:41:34,520 Speaker 3: how can I fix it? I think when it comes 802 00:41:34,560 --> 00:41:39,680 Speaker 3: to relationships and marriage and parenting and things that are 803 00:41:39,719 --> 00:41:43,719 Speaker 3: just happening in our daily life, we're operating as a 804 00:41:43,760 --> 00:41:47,520 Speaker 3: culture in a way that says, if it's hard, it 805 00:41:47,600 --> 00:41:51,759 Speaker 3: must not be right, instead of going back to athletics 806 00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:54,440 Speaker 3: and saying, oh, here's a challenge, how can I fix it? 807 00:41:55,440 --> 00:41:57,920 Speaker 3: And so my husband and I, I think, because we're 808 00:41:57,960 --> 00:42:01,000 Speaker 3: both athletes, have a very shared perspective on this of 809 00:42:01,680 --> 00:42:04,000 Speaker 3: if we hit a road bump, which we do all 810 00:42:04,040 --> 00:42:07,719 Speaker 3: the time, it's like, what can we do to fix it? 811 00:42:08,120 --> 00:42:10,360 Speaker 3: Who do we need to go find in the counseling world, 812 00:42:11,400 --> 00:42:14,480 Speaker 3: What mentors should we bring in what should we change 813 00:42:14,480 --> 00:42:17,799 Speaker 3: in our routine? What should we change about ourselves? But 814 00:42:17,880 --> 00:42:21,719 Speaker 3: it's always this active idea of how can we better it? 815 00:42:21,880 --> 00:42:23,600 Speaker 3: And so in each chapter we write about all the 816 00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:27,000 Speaker 3: different factors and angles to attack a problem, whether it's 817 00:42:27,000 --> 00:42:32,080 Speaker 3: your environment or your belief, for your faith or your mentorships. 818 00:42:32,160 --> 00:42:33,799 Speaker 2: How can you attack a problem? 819 00:42:34,280 --> 00:42:38,440 Speaker 3: And I think it's just it's just going against the 820 00:42:38,520 --> 00:42:41,480 Speaker 3: cultural norm, but it works for us. 821 00:42:41,840 --> 00:42:43,560 Speaker 2: Why we have such a fruitful marriage? 822 00:42:43,600 --> 00:42:48,719 Speaker 1: Now, how do you you know you've changed since obviously Beijing. 823 00:42:48,800 --> 00:42:51,960 Speaker 1: You've probably evolved a hundred times over. Your husband's probably 824 00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:55,200 Speaker 1: evolved one hundred times over. I'm sure you guys have 825 00:42:55,239 --> 00:42:59,960 Speaker 1: to reintroduce yourselves. Hi, I'm Sean. I don't like Applebee's anymore. 826 00:43:00,320 --> 00:43:03,280 Speaker 1: I used to love it or whatever it is. You know, however, 827 00:43:03,400 --> 00:43:05,160 Speaker 1: you know, but you always like that, but you always 828 00:43:06,120 --> 00:43:08,880 Speaker 1: How do you keep evolving? Because you can have a 829 00:43:08,960 --> 00:43:13,480 Speaker 1: relationship where you're understanding, but you're different, he's different. How 830 00:43:13,520 --> 00:43:17,239 Speaker 1: do you keep you know, keep reintroducing yourself if that's 831 00:43:17,400 --> 00:43:17,959 Speaker 1: the right word. 832 00:43:19,400 --> 00:43:23,000 Speaker 3: We learned a little trick from He's a counselor. His 833 00:43:23,080 --> 00:43:25,840 Speaker 3: name's John Deloney, and he's a friend of ours. But 834 00:43:25,960 --> 00:43:29,200 Speaker 3: he taught us this trick years ago of in a 835 00:43:29,360 --> 00:43:32,200 Speaker 3: very basic way. He said, never stop dating your spouse, 836 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:35,680 Speaker 3: and he means it in the sense of never stop 837 00:43:35,719 --> 00:43:40,760 Speaker 3: asking questions because things always change, and he asks his spouse, 838 00:43:40,800 --> 00:43:43,200 Speaker 3: and his spouse asks him all the time for an 839 00:43:43,280 --> 00:43:49,160 Speaker 3: updated resume, basically like what's your current favorite color. 840 00:43:48,960 --> 00:43:52,040 Speaker 2: Because that can change? Yeah, what's your favorite food? 841 00:43:52,120 --> 00:43:54,799 Speaker 3: Right now? Who's your best friend? And I think if 842 00:43:54,800 --> 00:43:59,000 Speaker 3: we constantly approach our marriage like dating like we did 843 00:43:59,000 --> 00:44:03,640 Speaker 3: when we were dating, it's with so much curiosity as 844 00:44:03,680 --> 00:44:06,120 Speaker 3: to where are you right now? And I've seen it 845 00:44:06,160 --> 00:44:08,920 Speaker 3: as my husband we go through phases of life where 846 00:44:09,960 --> 00:44:15,560 Speaker 3: he's stressed or entranced to something new or like it's 847 00:44:15,600 --> 00:44:18,719 Speaker 3: constantly different and I'm constantly learning about him. And I 848 00:44:18,760 --> 00:44:20,480 Speaker 3: think a lot of times people will get it wrong 849 00:44:20,600 --> 00:44:24,680 Speaker 3: when they think that the marriage, like getting married, is 850 00:44:24,680 --> 00:44:26,880 Speaker 3: a finish line and now you just get to coast, 851 00:44:27,480 --> 00:44:29,359 Speaker 3: when I think it's actually a starting line and it's 852 00:44:29,360 --> 00:44:29,919 Speaker 3: a lot of work. 853 00:44:30,000 --> 00:44:33,840 Speaker 1: Oh beautiful. So you know, there are a lot of 854 00:44:33,840 --> 00:44:35,880 Speaker 1: little kids who I'm sure come up to you, which 855 00:44:35,920 --> 00:44:38,319 Speaker 1: is I'm sure I can just imagine when you walk 856 00:44:38,360 --> 00:44:43,320 Speaker 1: down like, oh, Sean tell me, what what? What's something 857 00:44:43,400 --> 00:44:46,680 Speaker 1: that you would want? These little kids, the young girls 858 00:44:46,719 --> 00:44:49,560 Speaker 1: who are coming up now, many of whom are wrapped 859 00:44:49,640 --> 00:44:51,799 Speaker 1: up in social media, wrapped up in what do they 860 00:44:51,880 --> 00:44:55,360 Speaker 1: think they want? You know there it is performative often 861 00:44:55,440 --> 00:44:58,600 Speaker 1: how they're living now, whether they're you know, an athlete 862 00:44:58,760 --> 00:45:02,600 Speaker 1: or somebody or not. What would you say to those 863 00:45:02,800 --> 00:45:07,560 Speaker 1: kids who are probably needing joy and not really finding it? 864 00:45:10,200 --> 00:45:13,959 Speaker 3: I would probably say what I say to my daughter 865 00:45:14,080 --> 00:45:16,520 Speaker 3: now and my kids, which is and this is like 866 00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:22,000 Speaker 3: my personal belief, but it's that I think I would 867 00:45:22,040 --> 00:45:25,640 Speaker 3: say God has placed hidden treasures in every one of 868 00:45:25,680 --> 00:45:28,640 Speaker 3: our hearts, and all of our treasures are different, like 869 00:45:28,680 --> 00:45:31,160 Speaker 3: my treasures are different than from my daughters, from my son, 870 00:45:31,320 --> 00:45:35,719 Speaker 3: my other son. But it's the adventure of life to 871 00:45:35,800 --> 00:45:39,360 Speaker 3: try to find them, and if you get lucky enough 872 00:45:39,400 --> 00:45:43,040 Speaker 3: to find even one, you need to do everything in 873 00:45:43,040 --> 00:45:46,200 Speaker 3: your power to protect it. And I say that because 874 00:45:46,239 --> 00:45:48,200 Speaker 3: I had a conversation with my daughter once where she 875 00:45:48,400 --> 00:45:48,799 Speaker 3: was like. 876 00:45:49,160 --> 00:45:51,960 Speaker 2: What if I think she was. 877 00:45:51,880 --> 00:45:54,320 Speaker 3: Talking about gymnastics, but she's like, what if I don't 878 00:45:54,360 --> 00:45:57,360 Speaker 3: do gymnastics? And I was like, that's mommy's treasure that 879 00:45:57,400 --> 00:46:00,640 Speaker 3: doesn't have to be yours. You will find a treasure 880 00:46:00,719 --> 00:46:03,799 Speaker 3: and it will light you up and it should be 881 00:46:03,840 --> 00:46:05,439 Speaker 3: different than everyone else's. 882 00:46:06,120 --> 00:46:08,879 Speaker 2: But the hardship of life is the world will try 883 00:46:08,920 --> 00:46:10,400 Speaker 2: to will try to take. 884 00:46:10,200 --> 00:46:12,400 Speaker 3: Your treasure from you, or say it's not worth value, 885 00:46:12,560 --> 00:46:17,360 Speaker 3: or say it's not a good enough title, and it's 886 00:46:17,640 --> 00:46:21,040 Speaker 3: your challenge in life to protect it. So I would 887 00:46:21,080 --> 00:46:24,600 Speaker 3: I would tell kids that just go on your adventure 888 00:46:24,640 --> 00:46:27,840 Speaker 3: and try to find it, and if you can, you 889 00:46:27,920 --> 00:46:29,600 Speaker 3: have to protect it with everything you've got. 890 00:46:29,960 --> 00:46:31,440 Speaker 1: By the way, you didn't just tell kids, you just 891 00:46:31,520 --> 00:46:34,200 Speaker 1: told grown ups, because I think that's I think there 892 00:46:34,200 --> 00:46:37,600 Speaker 1: are plenty of grown ups who are on there, walking 893 00:46:37,600 --> 00:46:41,239 Speaker 1: along this path and it may be filled with potholes 894 00:46:41,280 --> 00:46:43,879 Speaker 1: and kind of dusty and maybe not realizing that there's 895 00:46:43,920 --> 00:46:46,640 Speaker 1: actually a path. It's just over this way. It's lush 896 00:46:46,680 --> 00:46:49,880 Speaker 1: and green and full and has all of the things 897 00:46:49,920 --> 00:46:52,400 Speaker 1: that they're way there that they want. But this one's 898 00:46:52,440 --> 00:46:54,320 Speaker 1: easy because they've been on it and they don't know 899 00:46:54,360 --> 00:46:56,080 Speaker 1: how to get off it. And this is where I've been. 900 00:46:56,800 --> 00:46:59,520 Speaker 1: Sounds like you've done a great job of navigating your life, Sean. 901 00:46:59,680 --> 00:47:02,040 Speaker 1: You were delight by the way. Can I just say, 902 00:47:02,719 --> 00:47:05,080 Speaker 1: I mean, I know I've interviewed you before, but not 903 00:47:05,200 --> 00:47:08,400 Speaker 1: like this, not like this. This is so good. Please 904 00:47:08,440 --> 00:47:12,000 Speaker 1: grab this book. It's called The Courage to Commit, Embracing 905 00:47:12,000 --> 00:47:16,880 Speaker 1: the Radical Power, sticking with something. Sean. Wow. I mean, girl, 906 00:47:17,239 --> 00:47:19,880 Speaker 1: I love the new you. All right, thank you, thank you? 907 00:47:20,080 --> 00:47:21,840 Speaker 1: All right, Sean, have a good one. Thank you. 908 00:47:24,360 --> 00:47:24,640 Speaker 3: Wow. 909 00:47:25,200 --> 00:47:27,799 Speaker 1: I mean, as I just said to Sean, like I've 910 00:47:27,800 --> 00:47:30,399 Speaker 1: spoken to her before but never liked that. I mean, 911 00:47:30,960 --> 00:47:34,239 Speaker 1: I knew that she was a deep thinker, and I 912 00:47:34,320 --> 00:47:37,240 Speaker 1: liked what she said about how a lot of people 913 00:47:37,239 --> 00:47:40,080 Speaker 1: are very shallow, you know, not going wide. Going deep 914 00:47:40,160 --> 00:47:43,240 Speaker 1: is really what she's describing, and she spent her life 915 00:47:43,719 --> 00:47:48,120 Speaker 1: going deep and trying to find ways to make everything 916 00:47:48,120 --> 00:47:50,680 Speaker 1: better in her relationships with her kids. I was, I'm 917 00:47:50,680 --> 00:47:54,000 Speaker 1: so turned on, Like I am, I'm just on fire 918 00:47:54,440 --> 00:47:59,920 Speaker 1: for what Sean Johnson East is serving up. She reminded 919 00:47:59,960 --> 00:48:03,480 Speaker 1: me that like other chapters in life, are possible, and 920 00:48:03,520 --> 00:48:07,000 Speaker 1: they're full of love and joy. I mean, imagine, if 921 00:48:07,360 --> 00:48:11,160 Speaker 1: you hit your peek at sixteen, at least in one profession, 922 00:48:11,960 --> 00:48:15,359 Speaker 1: then what And she just proved and you can see 923 00:48:15,400 --> 00:48:17,840 Speaker 1: it in her eyes if you're watching the podcast, and 924 00:48:17,880 --> 00:48:20,560 Speaker 1: you can hear it in her voice, she's full of joy, 925 00:48:20,719 --> 00:48:25,040 Speaker 1: she's in a beautiful chapter in her life, and she's growing, 926 00:48:25,200 --> 00:48:29,960 Speaker 1: she's deepening her understanding, her spirituality, her life, all those things. 927 00:48:29,960 --> 00:48:34,080 Speaker 1: It was beautiful. My cup's full, man, my cup is full. 928 00:48:34,280 --> 00:48:36,360 Speaker 1: So anyway, let me just close. This is a quote 929 00:48:37,000 --> 00:48:39,480 Speaker 1: I like to close with, like a quote or a poem. 930 00:48:40,160 --> 00:48:42,759 Speaker 1: And there was something about this that struck me. And 931 00:48:42,800 --> 00:48:45,719 Speaker 1: it's a simple quote and it says, she was never 932 00:48:45,840 --> 00:48:49,440 Speaker 1: quite ready, but she was brave, and the universe listens 933 00:48:49,480 --> 00:48:54,000 Speaker 1: to brave. The universe listens to brave. So for all 934 00:48:54,040 --> 00:48:56,799 Speaker 1: of us as we are going through transitions in life, 935 00:48:56,800 --> 00:48:59,520 Speaker 1: we don't always have to be ready. We just have 936 00:48:59,600 --> 00:49:02,799 Speaker 1: to be She was never quite ready, but she was brave, 937 00:49:02,840 --> 00:49:06,120 Speaker 1: and the universe listens to brave. That's by Rebecca Ray. 938 00:49:06,440 --> 00:49:07,440 Speaker 1: Thanks you guys for listening.