1 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: Take Personally, Morgan Juelsman. 2 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 2: What's up, y'all. 3 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 3: It's the fifth episode of Take This Personally. 4 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 2: I'm Morgan. 5 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:25,239 Speaker 3: As you've heard the first few episodes. My hope with 6 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 3: this podcast is to help us all navigate life a 7 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 3: little bit easier by connecting. Maybe this podcast can help 8 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 3: you feel less alone, Maybe it can help you feel 9 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:38,160 Speaker 3: related to Maybe it helps you get through something, whatever 10 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 3: it may be. That's what I'm here to do, and 11 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 3: this episode is a very inspiring one in many ways. 12 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,919 Speaker 3: I'm bringing on Missy Franklin, who is an Olympian with 13 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 3: several medals, titles, and years of experience as an athlete 14 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 3: in her chosen sport of swimming. And then I'm bringing 15 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:56,880 Speaker 3: on Amy Bream, who is a Nike adaptive athlete. She 16 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 3: was born with one leg and recently been taking the 17 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 3: crossboit world by storm. Right now, I'm joined by Olympian 18 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 3: Missy Franklin. Many would know her for her incredible swimming talent. 19 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 3: She has a five Olympic gold medals, two NCAA National 20 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 3: championship titles, eleven world swimming titles. The list goes on 21 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 3: of what Missy has accomplished in her life and career, 22 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 3: and I'm just so excited to welcome her to the podcast. 23 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for coming on. How are you 24 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 2: some so good? Thank you so much for having me. 25 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 2: I'm so excited. 26 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 3: I'm excited to now tell me a little bit about 27 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:40,319 Speaker 3: your story, just for anyone who maybe hasn't heard some 28 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 3: of it. 29 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 2: What you started in swimming absolutely well, I expect many 30 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 2: people have not heard. But long story long, I started 31 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 2: swimming from I mean as early an age as you 32 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 2: can imagine. My mom never learned how to swim, and 33 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 2: so this fear of the water, it's actually proven to 34 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 2: be generationally based. So if the parents don't know how 35 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 2: to swim, there's only an eighteen percent chance that the 36 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 2: children in that household they're going to know how to 37 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 2: swim as well. So it's really something that's passed down. 38 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 2: And I was very grateful for my mom who was 39 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 2: willing to face her own fears to not pass them 40 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 2: down to me. So we got in a Mommy and 41 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 2: Me YMCA class when I was six months old, and 42 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 2: I was that baby that was being dunked under and 43 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 2: coming back up just cackling, like just loving every second 44 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 2: of it. And pretty much since then, you have not 45 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 2: been able to get me out of the water. I 46 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 2: was snorkeling by the time I was too The earliest 47 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 2: you can really start summer club is when you're five. 48 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 2: I petitioned to do it when I was four, but 49 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 2: they wouldn't let me, and then it just kind of 50 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 2: took off from there. I did every sport growing up 51 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 2: as well, but swimming was just my passion, you know. 52 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 2: It was the thing that I really felt called to, 53 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 2: and it turns out I had a bit of a 54 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 2: knack for it, which happened very early, which is a 55 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 2: little different. But I started doing pretty well and finding 56 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 2: some success, and I qualified for my first Olympic Trials 57 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,399 Speaker 2: when I was twelve, and I competed there the first 58 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 2: time when I was thirteen, and that was the Olympic 59 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 2: Trials for Beijing in two thousand and eight, and I 60 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 2: was the second youngest person there. And it was just 61 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 2: such a surreal experience. I was on the same pool 62 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 2: deck and swimming in the same pools as Michael Phelps 63 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 2: and Natalie Coughlin and people who's posters I literally had 64 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 2: on my wall back home in my bedroom and now 65 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 2: I'm next to them, like it was just so surreal, 66 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 2: and so I kind of left that experience going. I 67 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 2: made it here and I've seen it now in person, 68 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:30,119 Speaker 2: and this is something that I want more than anything. 69 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:33,519 Speaker 2: And so I trained as hard as I possibly could 70 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 2: for the next four years, and I came back for 71 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 2: the twenty twelve Olympic Trials and qualified for my first 72 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 2: Olympic Games in seven events, and went to compete in 73 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 2: the London Olympics, and I won four gold medals there 74 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 2: in a bronze, And then four years later qualified for 75 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 2: the twenty sixteen Olympic Games in Rio and won another 76 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 2: gold medal there. And then I recently retired in twenty 77 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 2: eighteen due to an injury and have just been living 78 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 2: a beautiful ever since. That honestly makes my swimming career 79 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 2: feel literally another lifetime ago. 80 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:08,080 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh, it's so cool to hear from the 81 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 3: beginning about your mom and how that all started. To 82 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 3: see where you are now. I know that has to 83 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 3: be really cool for you too. Did you always see 84 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,359 Speaker 3: Olympics in your future? Was that always the dream or 85 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 3: did that not come true until a little bit later 86 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 3: on in your life? 87 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 2: It honestly was always the dream. I mean, we have 88 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 2: pictures that I drew when I was five of me 89 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:30,039 Speaker 2: standing on top of an Olympic podium with a gold medal, 90 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 2: and I think there's just something really special about the Olympics. 91 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 2: For some sports, it's the peak. I mean, that's it. 92 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 2: And so growing up and being a swimmer and having 93 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:42,479 Speaker 2: swimming really be an Olympic sport, that to me was 94 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:45,039 Speaker 2: the end all be all. This is one of the 95 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 2: most incredible things. And to be named the best athlete 96 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 2: in the world, it's just while representing your own country, 97 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:55,040 Speaker 2: I mean, just seemed to me like such an unbelievable 98 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 2: thing to strive for an almost to a degree impossible. 99 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 2: But I think it was because of that that it 100 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,279 Speaker 2: made it so much more fun. You know, when you 101 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 2: set goals that scare you, it makes working towards them 102 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 2: and getting closer to them such a fulfilling journey. And 103 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 2: that was such a big lesson that I learned, I mean, 104 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 2: the entire process, but now especially being able to look 105 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:19,040 Speaker 2: back on it was. Yes, standing up on those podiums 106 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:23,279 Speaker 2: and getting those medals were absolutely unbelievable moments in my life. 107 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 2: But when I look back on my swimming career, those 108 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 2: aren't necessarily the first moments I think of. It's actually 109 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 2: some of the smallest, maybe seemingly insignificant moments of dancing 110 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 2: with all my teammates after Saturday morning practice and Friday 111 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:42,919 Speaker 2: night carbl loading dinners before the swim meets, Like those 112 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 2: small moments, and you really do realize that it's great 113 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 2: to have a destination, to have a goal, but at 114 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 2: the end of the day, I really is about the 115 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 2: journey getting there. Yeah, and that. 116 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:54,359 Speaker 3: Journey has to be tough to you. I know, you 117 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 3: look at it and you can see all the successes 118 00:05:56,440 --> 00:06:00,280 Speaker 3: you've had and there's been gosh, you have so many titles, 119 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 3: one of the best athletes in the world, you have 120 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 3: so much success in this sport. 121 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 2: But there had to be hardships on the way. 122 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 3: What were some of those moments where you were like, Oh, 123 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 3: my gosh, is this gonna happen? 124 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:13,680 Speaker 2: Can I do this? What did that all look like? Absolutely? 125 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 2: I would say those hardships really came for me in 126 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 2: between the twenty twelve and twenty sixteen Olympic Games. I 127 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 2: think leading up to twenty twelve in London, I was 128 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:26,279 Speaker 2: so naive and that really worked to my advantage. Like 129 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:29,239 Speaker 2: I was so young, I was sixteen, seventeen years old, 130 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 2: and I didn't really have a care in the world, right, Like, 131 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:34,480 Speaker 2: I was just swimming. It was so fun and I 132 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 2: was doing well. So I trained harder and I swam faster, 133 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:41,159 Speaker 2: and like it was all just this very seemingly simple. 134 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 2: Of course, it was a ton of hard work, but 135 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:45,839 Speaker 2: it kind of made sense, you know, like I worked 136 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 2: harder and harder and harder every single day, and I 137 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 2: got faster and I kept achieving my goals and I 138 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 2: had a blast while doing it, and no one knew 139 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 2: who I was. I was the young one. I was 140 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 2: the rookie on the scene. So my first Olympics was 141 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 2: just so like no pressure, like let's just go out, 142 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 2: I have a great time, like we're here for the experience. 143 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 2: And that's how I performed, you know, you could kind 144 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 2: of see that, like I was just so full of 145 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 2: joy and I wasn't swimming out of fear. I was 146 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 2: just swimming because I was just happy to be there. 147 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 2: You just love this saying exactly exactly. And then things 148 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 2: really changed over the next four years. I decided to 149 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 2: remain amateur. So after London, I didn't accept any money, sponsorships, 150 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 2: anything like that because I really wanted to go to 151 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 2: college and swim for my college team, because that was 152 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 2: another dream of mine that I really wanted to see 153 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 2: come true. So I went through that process and had 154 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 2: two years at Cal Berkeley, and then I came home 155 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 2: to train for the twenty sixteen games, and that's when 156 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 2: things kind of shifted for me. I think that year 157 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 2: was probably the hardest of my life because I went 158 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 2: from an amazing team environment and having been a part 159 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 2: of a team and having a lot of balance in 160 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 2: my life with school and friends and swimming, so kind 161 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 2: of really for the first time ever, just honing in 162 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 2: on training alone. And I think I really made that 163 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 2: decision because I was scared. I really wanted twenty sixteen 164 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:09,679 Speaker 2: to be better than twenty twelve, and I had set 165 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 2: the bar quite high in twenty twelve, and it wasn't 166 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 2: just me that wanted that, but I started to feel 167 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 2: those outside expectations and that outside pressure, which I had 168 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:20,840 Speaker 2: never really let get to me before. But I think 169 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 2: once you compete and achieve at that level, it does 170 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 2: get really hard to tune that out. And so for 171 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 2: the first time in my life, I really stopped swimming 172 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 2: because I loved it and I started swimming because I 173 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 2: felt like I had to achieve these things that were 174 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 2: expected of me, and it became much more fear based 175 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 2: out of not wanting to disappoint other people as opposed 176 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 2: to just going out there and doing my best. So 177 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 2: there was a lot that I struggled with during that time. 178 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 2: Just a few months out from Olympic Trials, I got 179 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 2: diagnosed with depression, insomnia, anxiety, and eating disorder, like just 180 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 2: a whole gamut of things that just came from essentially 181 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 2: lack of balance, just training day in and day out, 182 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 2: and for the first time in my life, feeling like 183 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 2: my self worth was completely wrapped up in my sport 184 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 2: and if I didn't achieve in my sport, then I 185 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:09,560 Speaker 2: had nothing else to really offer as a human being. 186 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 2: And so Olympic Trials in twenty sixteen was really, really tough. 187 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,079 Speaker 2: The first event that I had there was the Hunter backstroke, 188 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 2: and I was the reigning Olympic champion in that event 189 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 2: and you have to finish top two in order to 190 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 2: make the team, and that night my first final, I 191 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:31,040 Speaker 2: got seventh. I mean, in swimming, it's always close, but 192 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 2: in my mind, you know, not even close to making 193 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 2: the team. And I remember going back to my hotel 194 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 2: room that night and just sobbing for like several hours 195 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 2: and really thinking, I'm not going to make this team. 196 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 2: Not only am I not going to have a second 197 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:47,319 Speaker 2: Olympics better than my first, I'm not even going to 198 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 2: have a second Olympics. Like this is just not going 199 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 2: to happen. And I kind of just went pretty much 200 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 2: as far within myself as I could and said, you know, 201 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 2: you've got two options here. You can you can give up, 202 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 2: and you can just say you know, this is it, 203 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 2: or you fight with everything that you have left within you, 204 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 2: and it may not be much, but if you look 205 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 2: back at this and know that you didn't do everything 206 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:13,680 Speaker 2: you possibly could have, you're going to regret it for 207 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 2: the rest of your life, no matter how hard it is. 208 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 2: And so somehow I found that within me, and over 209 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:21,199 Speaker 2: the course of the next several days, I qualified in 210 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:25,319 Speaker 2: three events for my second Olympics. And those games themselves, 211 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 2: for me, were still a massive disappointment, but the fact 212 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 2: that I was able to make an Olympic team in 213 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:33,560 Speaker 2: that state and still walk away from a gold medal, 214 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 2: that medal definitely holds different meaning than the ones from 215 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 2: my London Games. 216 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:41,719 Speaker 3: Wow, and just hearing about that when you were in 217 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:44,559 Speaker 3: that really kind of hard, dark place in a moment 218 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 3: that was very intense for you. 219 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 2: What got you out of that? 220 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 3: You mentioned a little bit of like, Okay, I saw 221 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 3: a turning point, but there had to be something that 222 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 3: got you through that moment in time? 223 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 2: Yeah? Was it family? Like? What did that look like? Well? 224 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 2: My family was amazing, saying first of all, my mom 225 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:03,760 Speaker 2: and dad are my best friends, and so living with them. 226 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 2: I don't mean to make that sound like it wasn't 227 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:08,760 Speaker 2: a great situation. It was wonderful, But I think it 228 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 2: is hard when all of your friends are at college 229 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 2: right and you are at home, and so I don't 230 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 2: really have any friends around where I am. I don't again, 231 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:18,600 Speaker 2: I don't have any of that balance. So I did 232 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 2: have my mom and dad, and unfortunately, I wish I 233 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 2: could say that this isn't what happened, but this really is. 234 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:26,439 Speaker 2: I just kind of hit rock bottom, Like I just 235 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:29,079 Speaker 2: hit a place where I was like I can't go 236 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:32,079 Speaker 2: any lower than this, and it got scary to a 237 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 2: point where I was like I have to ask for help. 238 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:36,199 Speaker 2: And that's why I want to talk about it. While 239 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:38,080 Speaker 2: I do talk about it so much is I don't 240 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 2: want people waiting to that point before they realize that 241 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:43,959 Speaker 2: they need to ask for help. And it was in 242 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 2: that moment and when I did ask for help from 243 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 2: my parents, I remember sitting down with both of my 244 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 2: coaches and just saying, you know, something's not right. There's 245 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 2: something going on, and something's been going on for a 246 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:59,440 Speaker 2: really long time. And it was literally in that moment 247 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 2: of verbalizing it and speaking it out loud, I had 248 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 2: never felt more courageous in my life. And I think 249 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 2: not only as an elite athlete, but as human beings. 250 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 2: At some point somewhere, for whatever reason, we're told that 251 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:19,960 Speaker 2: asking for help is a sign of weakness. And I 252 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:22,680 Speaker 2: don't know where it comes from. I'm doing everything in 253 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:25,680 Speaker 2: my power to try to unravel this because that was 254 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 2: that moment for me where I've never felt more brave. 255 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 2: I've never felt more strength and being able to go 256 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:32,560 Speaker 2: to the people that I trust in love and saying 257 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 2: I need help. Something is wrong. And I thought that 258 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:37,200 Speaker 2: I could do this on my own, but I'm now 259 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:40,440 Speaker 2: realizing that it's not about doing it on your own. 260 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:43,800 Speaker 2: You're not weak because you can't get through something on 261 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 2: your own You're so strong because you have the power 262 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,280 Speaker 2: and the trust in yourself to know when you do 263 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 2: need help and reach out for that. And so that 264 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:55,080 Speaker 2: was kind of my moment of Okay, this is this 265 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:57,320 Speaker 2: is real. I need that help, and then once I did, 266 00:12:57,480 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 2: of course, it all started getting better from there. 267 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:04,679 Speaker 3: That's such a powerful message, especially coming from you, for 268 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 3: many reasons, not only because you are an extremely gifted 269 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:12,160 Speaker 3: and talented human and athlete, but also just because I 270 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:15,200 Speaker 3: think it's important to share the side of the story 271 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 3: that isn't so glamorous, especially when it does look very glamorous. 272 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 3: You're an athlete, You've been on TV, and you have 273 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 3: all these titles and all these medals, and people think, well, 274 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 3: that's what they wanted, that's what they know they spent 275 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:27,319 Speaker 3: their whole life doing. 276 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:28,079 Speaker 2: But hearing you. 277 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:32,080 Speaker 3: Talk about that, that's incredibly moving, just to know that 278 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 3: I know, for me personally and a lot of people 279 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 3: that you're going through those same things. And I know 280 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 3: we would like to say that celebrities and athletes are 281 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:42,120 Speaker 3: not like us and it doesn't look the same, but 282 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:45,040 Speaker 3: we all are. We're all going through similar issues in 283 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:47,559 Speaker 3: one way or another. May not look the same way 284 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 3: and the journey may not look the same, but there's 285 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:51,600 Speaker 3: definitely similar issues going on there exactly. 286 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:53,880 Speaker 2: And I think that's one of the most beautiful things 287 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,440 Speaker 2: that comes out of talking about it is just like 288 00:13:56,480 --> 00:14:00,080 Speaker 2: you said, it may not be the same experience, but 289 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:04,200 Speaker 2: the feelings are often very, very similar. And I remember 290 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:06,840 Speaker 2: for a long time after Rio, just as I was 291 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 2: kind of struggling to understand why this had happened. My 292 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:13,559 Speaker 2: faith is very important to me, and so I kind 293 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:15,760 Speaker 2: of came to the understanding that sometimes I don't think 294 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 2: we're meant to know the why of things that we 295 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:21,200 Speaker 2: go through in life. Sometimes we do. Sometimes we find 296 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 2: out the why, you know, whether it stays months years later, 297 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 2: we look back and we're like, Okay, I see what 298 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 2: you did, Like I understand why I went through that. 299 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 1: I get it. 300 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 2: But I think there are scenarios where we're just not 301 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 2: meant to know that. We just have to trust that 302 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 2: we did go through them for our reason. And when 303 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 2: I look back on that, I think, for me, that 304 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 2: reason is we go through the things we go through 305 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 2: to then help other people get through similar situations. And 306 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:47,760 Speaker 2: to me, it's like, if that was what came out 307 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 2: of that experience. As hard and honestly horrible as it was, 308 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 2: it was worth it, and I'd do it one hundred 309 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 2: times over because now I'm able to speak about mental health, 310 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 2: I'm able to bring awareness to the top. I'm able 311 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 2: to talk to young athletes. And I remember beforehand when 312 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 2: I was young, and I would have younger athletes come 313 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:07,520 Speaker 2: up to me and ask, what do you do when 314 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 2: you're feeling really dumb, when you just don't want to 315 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 2: go to practice, when you're having a plateau. And I'd 316 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 2: never experienced that, so I never knew what to say, 317 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 2: and so I felt so bad that I couldn't help them. 318 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 2: And now again, as hard as it was, having gone 319 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:23,840 Speaker 2: through it, I'm able to talk to them from a 320 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 2: place of having been there, which is always a really 321 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:28,600 Speaker 2: special moment and conversation. 322 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 3: Speaking of young athletes and just people going after their dreams, 323 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 3: much like you did from the beginning, if you could 324 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 3: give them some advice as they kind of journey. Maybe 325 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 3: it's a dream that seems impossible, like going to the Olympics, 326 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:44,760 Speaker 3: or maybe it's something very simple. What would you tell 327 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 3: them given all of your experience. 328 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 2: Now, honestly, I would say as much as you can 329 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:55,640 Speaker 2: just stay true to you and your why you know. 330 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 2: I think in the world that we live in, it's 331 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:01,800 Speaker 2: very interesting. And I don't think applies just to athletes either, 332 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 2: but it's almost like being a superb athlete isn't enough. 333 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:09,440 Speaker 2: You also have to have the personality. You have to 334 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 2: have the looks, you have to have the social accounts, 335 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 2: you have to be funny, you have to be personable, 336 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 2: like you have to come off like it's so much pressure. 337 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:21,040 Speaker 2: It's almost not enough to just be you. And I 338 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 2: think a lot of us feel like that some days, 339 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 2: that sometimes it just feels like we're not enough. And 340 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 2: I would just tell them to trust and believe in 341 00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 2: your absolute heart of hearts that you are exactly as 342 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 2: you are. You are enough, you are worthy. You are 343 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 2: not just what your sport or your job or your 344 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 2: hobby deems of you. Like you are so multifaceted and 345 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 2: you have so many different aspects of you that are 346 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 2: wonderful and that makeup who you are. So stay true 347 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 2: to all of those things, and remember why you are 348 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 2: doing this, not why other people want you to do 349 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 2: it or what they're expecting to come out of it, 350 00:16:57,280 --> 00:16:59,560 Speaker 2: but what are your goals for yourself, why are you 351 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 2: doing this? And just stay as true to that path 352 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 2: as you can. I love that you said. 353 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 3: That reminds me of a conversation I had with a 354 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 3: friend when he was kind of trying to figure out 355 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 3: all these different paths that he could go on, and 356 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:11,320 Speaker 3: I was like, what is your middle core? 357 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 4: What is the one word that you could use to 358 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:15,680 Speaker 4: describe everything you want to do in your life if 359 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:17,919 Speaker 4: you could stay true to that one thing. And I 360 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 4: think that's similar to what you're speaking about now, and 361 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 4: it helped him at least guide him in the direction 362 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 4: of what he wanted to find and how he could 363 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 4: stay true to exactly what he was trying to do. 364 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 4: I love that, But I think that's what you're saying, 365 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 4: and I think that's so important for a lot of 366 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:33,400 Speaker 4: people to hear, and to your point, not just athletes, 367 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 4: we all need to. 368 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 2: Exactly all of us. 369 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:40,639 Speaker 3: If you had to change anything that happened in your career, 370 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:43,439 Speaker 3: is there anything or is it, like you said, everything 371 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 3: had to happen the way it happened, Just like. 372 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 2: That, I think everything happens for a reason, and I 373 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 2: believe in that so so so strongly. So again, as 374 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,560 Speaker 2: hard as some of those moments were I wouldn't change 375 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:59,360 Speaker 2: a thing. It was really hard retiring on terms that 376 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 2: weren't my own as well, Like that was kind of 377 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:04,920 Speaker 2: another transition that I had to go to as well, 378 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:07,400 Speaker 2: Like I wanted to go to three Olympics. I wanted 379 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:09,199 Speaker 2: to go to four Olympics. And when I had to 380 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:13,120 Speaker 2: retire at twenty three years old, it killed me. I mean, 381 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 2: that was so hard. And I had pushed for almost 382 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 2: two years trying to get past an injury and had 383 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 2: done everything imaginable and the amount of hours I had 384 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 2: spent in physical therapy and with ice on my shoulders 385 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:28,080 Speaker 2: and just I mean it was exhausting. And I think 386 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:30,639 Speaker 2: it was again hard because we often glorify like the 387 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:33,719 Speaker 2: comeback story, like there was disappointment and then you have 388 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:36,639 Speaker 2: the like rocky moment of the training and the intensity 389 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:38,359 Speaker 2: and then you come out on top, and it's like 390 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 2: and I wanted that so desperately, and I was the 391 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:45,959 Speaker 2: story of there's disappointment, there's injury, you do everything you 392 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 2: can to come back, and you just can't. You know, 393 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:51,159 Speaker 2: your body just no matter what you do, it's just 394 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:54,280 Speaker 2: not there for you. And so that was hard. But again, 395 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:57,920 Speaker 2: I know that in my journey, my path, my life, 396 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:00,320 Speaker 2: that was exactly what was meant to happen. I look 397 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:03,959 Speaker 2: at my life now and where I'm sitting and the 398 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:07,119 Speaker 2: things that have happened since I retired, and it's like, 399 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 2: I can't imagine doing anything different because it means that 400 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:13,480 Speaker 2: my life would be different, and I wouldn't change a 401 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:14,880 Speaker 2: thing about my life right now. 402 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:19,160 Speaker 3: And what does your life look like, you know, post retirement, 403 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 3: post all of these Olympic medals and all these titles 404 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:23,359 Speaker 3: that you have. 405 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 2: What does it look like now? Well, I was very 406 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 2: fortunate and that that kind of rough time of injury 407 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:33,399 Speaker 2: and working through it and going through retirement also lined 408 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:36,919 Speaker 2: up with me meeting my soulmate, so that made a 409 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 2: significant difference. But that was around the time where I 410 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:43,119 Speaker 2: started dating my now husband and we got engaged the 411 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:48,760 Speaker 2: year after I retired and then got married. Congratulations, And 412 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:51,560 Speaker 2: we have the best present of all, which is a 413 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:54,640 Speaker 2: baby girl and her name is Sarah Caitlin. So now 414 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:58,920 Speaker 2: being a mom has been a whole other transition, and 415 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:01,639 Speaker 2: it's that has really been my dream job for forever, 416 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 2: is being a mom, and she has made that dream 417 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 2: come true in just so many more ways. Than one, 418 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 2: and I still get to work, which is really fun. 419 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 2: I still do a lot of public speaking. I talk 420 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:13,120 Speaker 2: a lot about mental health, I do a lot of motivational, 421 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:17,119 Speaker 2: inspirational talks things like that, and still work with different companies. 422 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:19,359 Speaker 2: So that's really fun as well, because I kind of 423 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 2: get the best of both worlds of being a mom 424 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:23,440 Speaker 2: and getting to spend a ton of time with my girl, 425 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:26,520 Speaker 2: but also still getting to travel a bit and use 426 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:29,800 Speaker 2: the platform that swimming gave me to still inspire, which 427 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 2: is very very important to me. And you're totally doing that. 428 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:36,360 Speaker 3: I mean you're inspiring me right now sitting here talking. 429 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:39,040 Speaker 3: I need to go like swimsuit last hour or something. 430 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 3: I don't know. 431 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:42,240 Speaker 2: Are you going to teach your daughter how to swim? 432 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 2: Are you gonna havers? Of course she's honestly, she's been 433 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 2: in some lessons since six months old, so same as us. 434 00:20:47,359 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 2: She's a total water bug, absolutely loves it. But nothing 435 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:53,400 Speaker 2: too formal. Right now. We have her a Safe Splash 436 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:55,760 Speaker 2: which is an awesome learn to Swim school, but during 437 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:58,399 Speaker 2: summertime we were honestly just trying to get her a 438 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:00,840 Speaker 2: lot of exposure in the pool. I think for younger 439 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:03,719 Speaker 2: ones that's really the most important thing. You don't have 440 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:05,679 Speaker 2: to do anything like I don't want you feel the 441 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:09,000 Speaker 2: pressure of doing those formalsome lessons right away, but just 442 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:11,720 Speaker 2: that exposure to getting them in the water and around 443 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 2: it really helps take some of that fear component away. 444 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 2: So when it comes time for formalsome lessons, which again 445 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:19,879 Speaker 2: I also believe there's no time too early, So whenever 446 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:22,119 Speaker 2: you're ready, like it's I think it's a great time. 447 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 2: But they're kind of used to it, right it's not 448 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 2: this really big scary thing that they've never seen before. 449 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 2: So we spent a lot of time in the pool 450 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:31,040 Speaker 2: with her this summer, and now that pools are closed, 451 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 2: will start getting her back into weekly some lessons, so 452 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 2: she's still getting that exposure all year long. Oh that's 453 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 2: so much fun. 454 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 3: You're definitely having a great period of your life now, 455 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 3: just a new season of life. 456 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 2: And it's really cool to see the. 457 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 3: Transition for you and showing too that sometimes the redirection 458 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 3: can be a really cool and good thing. 459 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,200 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, I couldn't agree with that more. And again, 460 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:53,640 Speaker 2: just trusting the process. It's really hard when you don't 461 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:56,520 Speaker 2: really know where that redirection is going and you've never 462 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:00,919 Speaker 2: known another direction. But I think trusting yourself is something 463 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 2: that we could all do a little bit more, and 464 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:07,480 Speaker 2: trusting our strength and our integrity and just our sense 465 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:09,679 Speaker 2: of self and knowing that no matter what happens in 466 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 2: this life, we're going to handle it. And you know, 467 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 2: that's something that I'm still working on. That's something that 468 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:16,760 Speaker 2: I think a lot of us are still working on. 469 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 2: But it's really empowering when you kind of feel that 470 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 2: trust coming into play of you know, whatever happens, whatever 471 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:25,280 Speaker 2: transitions I go through, whatever paths I might have to 472 00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 2: go down that I'm not expecting to, I know that 473 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:30,760 Speaker 2: I have what it takes to walk it in a 474 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:31,879 Speaker 2: way that I'm going to be proud of. 475 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:35,359 Speaker 3: Absolutely, And that's the best way we could totally end this, 476 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:37,840 Speaker 3: because if you give any more advice, I'm just I'm 477 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 3: going to go like run through a wall and have 478 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 3: all these things I. 479 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:40,879 Speaker 2: Need to go do. 480 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:43,399 Speaker 3: You inspire me, which is exactly what you want to 481 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 3: be doing. 482 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:45,840 Speaker 2: And I love that for you. I love to see 483 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 2: that your life has gotten to be where you want 484 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 2: it to be too. 485 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:50,640 Speaker 3: So it's a lot just very exciting stuff. And thank 486 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:52,199 Speaker 3: you for coming on and hanging out with me for 487 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:52,680 Speaker 3: a little. 488 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:54,600 Speaker 2: Bit being here. I will do it anytime. 489 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:58,200 Speaker 3: As you heard, Missy is doing a lot of exciting 490 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 3: things in her life post retirement. If you want to 491 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:03,879 Speaker 3: follow along her journey and see the things she's up to, 492 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:15,399 Speaker 3: you can follow her at Missy Franklin eighty eight. Amy 493 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:18,879 Speaker 3: Breem is a Nike adaptive athlete who was born without 494 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 3: her right leg. She competed for the first time at 495 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 3: the twenty twenty one CrossFit Games in the lower Adaptive division. 496 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 3: She took first place in her division at the twenty 497 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 3: twenty two Watapalooza competition and placed third in her division 498 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:35,160 Speaker 3: at the twenty twenty two CrossFit Games. She's never let 499 00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 3: her birth's effect stop her from chasing any of her dreams, 500 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 3: and she's obviously taking the CrossFit world by storm. Amy, 501 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 3: thanks so much for joining me today. 502 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:45,359 Speaker 1: Of course, thanks for having me. 503 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 2: So. 504 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:49,359 Speaker 3: I met you through Title nash which is a kickboxing 505 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:52,760 Speaker 3: gym here in Nashville. But you had moved to Nashville 506 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:54,879 Speaker 3: with the intent of becoming an artist. 507 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:56,879 Speaker 2: Where did the change up happen? 508 00:23:57,280 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 1: Oh, life's a funny thing, you know. 509 00:23:59,320 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 3: Yeah. 510 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:02,480 Speaker 1: I was actually a commercial music major in college. And 511 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 1: I moved here in twenty fourteen every intention of, you know, 512 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:08,880 Speaker 1: pursuing music, but was a little apprehensive, not quite sure, 513 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:10,919 Speaker 1: you know, what it would look like. And you know, 514 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:14,280 Speaker 1: definitely did the whole playing around town thing, all of 515 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:17,359 Speaker 1: that great stuff that everyone does in Nashville. And I 516 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 1: realized in the first few years that I was doing 517 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 1: it more because I felt like it was just what 518 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:25,120 Speaker 1: I'd always identified as, like a musician, and that's kind 519 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:27,120 Speaker 1: of like what I needed to do. But I wasn't 520 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:30,359 Speaker 1: actually enjoying the process. I love music. I still love music, 521 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 1: but the more I did it in that capacity, I 522 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:34,679 Speaker 1: found I was kind of falling out of love with music. 523 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:37,760 Speaker 1: So I decided to lay that down. It was a 524 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 1: rough couple of years, if I'm being honest. In Nashville. 525 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 1: In twenty seventeen, I was just like, let's just start 526 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:45,760 Speaker 1: from scratch, figure out what I like. I was boxing 527 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:48,680 Speaker 1: at title for fun and then was offered a fun 528 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:51,640 Speaker 1: part time job. I had a marketing position at another company. 529 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 1: I just did it on the weekends for fun, and 530 00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:56,320 Speaker 1: it just morphed into this. I didn't start any of 531 00:24:56,359 --> 00:24:58,720 Speaker 1: that with a specific intent other than I liked who 532 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 1: I was becoming in the process, and I just was 533 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:02,719 Speaker 1: having fun and here we are. 534 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 3: Well, also along that journey, you've started to share a 535 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 3: very vulnerable side of your life and of your journey. 536 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 3: What inspired you to start talking about in sharing the 537 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:16,240 Speaker 3: story of growing up with a birth defect. 538 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:20,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, so around the same time, around twenty seventeen, again, like, 539 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:22,720 Speaker 1: I had some things happen that kind of rocked my 540 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:25,639 Speaker 1: world a little bit, and I wasn't sure what direction 541 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:27,800 Speaker 1: to do if I was even going to stay in Nashville. 542 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:30,040 Speaker 1: And I had two really close friends of mine. They 543 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 1: came over for like a girl's wine night, and they 544 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:35,440 Speaker 1: were like, you know, why don't you ever share your story? 545 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:38,600 Speaker 1: And I remember thinking, because I've thought this quite a 546 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:40,640 Speaker 1: bit growing up, like, well, people, you know, I don't 547 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:43,320 Speaker 1: want to say anything because I've never even had an amputation. 548 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:45,600 Speaker 1: It's a birth defect. I've just always had one, like, 549 00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:47,439 Speaker 1: and so for some reason I thought that that like 550 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:49,119 Speaker 1: counted me out. I was like, people don't want to 551 00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:51,840 Speaker 1: hear it's just like me growing up. It's whatever. They're like, well, 552 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 1: you probably have some insight that you don't even realize, 553 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:58,000 Speaker 1: or just like a cool world asking people that are 554 00:25:58,040 --> 00:26:00,480 Speaker 1: amputees or anything can be such a taboo. People are 555 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:02,880 Speaker 1: a little nervous around it. I've had it for so long, 556 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:06,600 Speaker 1: very very little offense or shocks me anymore. So I 557 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:08,760 Speaker 1: was like, well, I want people to know and understand 558 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 1: this world, just understand how cool it is. So if 559 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:13,680 Speaker 1: I'm not going to be offended by the questions, I 560 00:26:13,680 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 1: should be the one to like just start the conversation. 561 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 1: So that's kind of where it started, and it I 562 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:20,800 Speaker 1: had no idea what would lead me where I am now, 563 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:22,160 Speaker 1: but it's been great. 564 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:25,560 Speaker 3: It's funny you say, sharing that side and you wouldn't 565 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 3: be offended in anything, and you blew up on social 566 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:31,959 Speaker 3: media after some videos went viral of you competing at 567 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:34,400 Speaker 3: the CrossFit Games and being an adaptive athlete. 568 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:35,400 Speaker 2: What was that first. 569 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:37,960 Speaker 3: Feeling like when you're like, holy crap, my account was 570 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:38,479 Speaker 3: blowing up. 571 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was a lot. I wasn't expecting any of that. 572 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:44,480 Speaker 1: And it's funny because if you know me, I don't 573 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:46,719 Speaker 1: like to cry in public at all, and in that 574 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:49,479 Speaker 1: video I was crying. And of course it's like what 575 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 1: I went viral for. My friends give me such a 576 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 1: hard time about it, but yeah, all of that happens 577 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:56,160 Speaker 1: within like a week, so it was like a very 578 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:58,159 Speaker 1: much a blur. I was not expecting any of it, 579 00:26:58,240 --> 00:26:59,920 Speaker 1: and it definitely took a while. It's been quite a 580 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:03,080 Speaker 1: year just to adjust to. But I remember again I 581 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 1: was second guessing kind of like how I's posting because 582 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:07,040 Speaker 1: I like to be a dork, you know, just like 583 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:10,720 Speaker 1: be myself whatever, I don't care on Instagram. And I 584 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:13,359 Speaker 1: had Jared and Tyler at the gym and at one 585 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:15,239 Speaker 1: point they kind of called me out and they're like, 586 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 1: you're trying too hard. You're trying to act like you 587 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:20,280 Speaker 1: have X amount of followers, but like you're a dork 588 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:22,800 Speaker 1: and like, for whatever reason, that's worked for you. So 589 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:24,879 Speaker 1: just like keep doing what you've always been doing and 590 00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:26,960 Speaker 1: just be you, and it doesn't matter how many people 591 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:29,399 Speaker 1: are following, just keep doing it. And that kind of 592 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:31,800 Speaker 1: reset my mind. It just kind of took the tension 593 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 1: out of it, and I was just, yeah, let's just 594 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:34,440 Speaker 1: see where this goes. 595 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 3: I love that you have the people in your life 596 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:39,720 Speaker 3: that can always make sure to set you straight. 597 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:42,680 Speaker 1: That's a good thing to have always. I don't tend 598 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:44,959 Speaker 1: to like it in the moment, but afterwards, I'm grateful 599 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:45,320 Speaker 1: for it. 600 00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:48,119 Speaker 3: We never like being told some of the truth until 601 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:51,920 Speaker 3: it actually happens. What's one thing you hope people take 602 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:55,560 Speaker 3: away when they hear you talk about your journey across 603 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:55,960 Speaker 3: the board? 604 00:27:56,080 --> 00:28:00,280 Speaker 1: That's a great question. Definitely the idea that not the idea, 605 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:03,920 Speaker 1: the fact that there's really nothing separating me and anyone else. 606 00:28:04,119 --> 00:28:06,760 Speaker 1: I specifically remember telling my coach Scooter on the way 607 00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: back from the games. I posted that video and I 608 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:11,920 Speaker 1: randomly checked my Instagram and it was like nothing I'd 609 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 1: ever posted, just like blowing up. And I was like, 610 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:16,159 Speaker 1: I think this is a thing I think, And I 611 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 1: told him one of my greatest fears, as much as 612 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:22,399 Speaker 1: this is amazing, is that someone like a middle school 613 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:24,840 Speaker 1: girl who maybe has lost your leg or deals with confidence, 614 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:27,719 Speaker 1: you know, like struggling with that and herself, is going 615 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 1: to look at my profile and think that we're unrelatable 616 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:32,399 Speaker 1: and there's like a separation between what I've been able 617 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:35,240 Speaker 1: to accomplish in what she can do, and there's really 618 00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:37,120 Speaker 1: not I did not grow up an athlete. I didn't 619 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:40,480 Speaker 1: touch sports. I didn't wear shorts. I wore mostly pants 620 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:42,840 Speaker 1: until I was twenty one twenty two because I was 621 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 1: so self conscious and I just did a little bit 622 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:48,840 Speaker 1: every day that made me feel uncomfortable, and I put 623 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 1: people in my life that I trusted, very few people 624 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 1: that I allowed to speak into my life and keep 625 00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:56,240 Speaker 1: me accountable, and just a little bit more each day 626 00:28:56,320 --> 00:28:58,640 Speaker 1: to like bring me a tiny bit further. Like one 627 00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:00,560 Speaker 1: of my favorite quotes is the more that you do, 628 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:02,600 Speaker 1: it's not that you become less afraid, it's that you 629 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:05,760 Speaker 1: become more brave. And that has been one hundred percent 630 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:08,440 Speaker 1: of my journey. And I truly truly believe that no 631 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:10,600 Speaker 1: matter your circumstances, even if you're not going to be 632 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:12,600 Speaker 1: a cross of an athlete, you can go so so 633 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 1: far if you just do a little bit at a time. 634 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:19,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, and you mention how you wanted to share this 635 00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:22,640 Speaker 3: part of your journey because it's important for people to 636 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:25,840 Speaker 3: see all these kind of different things you've went through, 637 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:26,560 Speaker 3: even if it was. 638 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 2: Hard for you. 639 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:30,040 Speaker 3: I think looking at your story, what I've been able 640 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:32,280 Speaker 3: to see is that you should never give up on yourself. 641 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:35,720 Speaker 3: Watching you, you show all the sides of it, everything 642 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:37,880 Speaker 3: that's hard, and you want to give up, but you 643 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:40,640 Speaker 3: don't and you keep pushing through. And that's something I've 644 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:43,560 Speaker 3: learned just following you and being around you, which. 645 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:45,000 Speaker 2: I think is a cool lesson in itself. 646 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:48,040 Speaker 3: But what has kept you going through all of those 647 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 3: really hard moments in your life where you're like, there's 648 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:52,400 Speaker 3: no way I can't do this, this is not going 649 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:52,880 Speaker 3: to happen. 650 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:57,560 Speaker 1: I think couple of things. Definitely, once you cross one 651 00:29:57,640 --> 00:29:59,880 Speaker 1: hurdle and see the other side of it, even if 652 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 1: you don't, like I think, you start to recognize, like 653 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:04,720 Speaker 1: maybe before the next hurdle comes, you're like, oh no, 654 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 1: these feelings are coming back. I don't prefer feeling this way. 655 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 1: But you also are like, well I got over that, 656 00:30:10,480 --> 00:30:13,280 Speaker 1: so I can do this too again, like not less afraid, 657 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:16,720 Speaker 1: more brave. So experiencing that also on a really real level, 658 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:19,200 Speaker 1: I realized the power of the words that I speak 659 00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:21,800 Speaker 1: to myself. For a really long time. It wasn't things 660 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:24,200 Speaker 1: that I was saying out loud necessarily, but I realized 661 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:26,760 Speaker 1: how negative my self talk was, and so I was 662 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:29,680 Speaker 1: just really intentional about like such a tiny thing I 663 00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 1: started my day with. I wrote down three insecurities and 664 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 1: wrote the opposite of them, and ninety five percent of 665 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:37,160 Speaker 1: the days I was annoyed and I didn't believe them. 666 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 1: But I still made myself say it out loud, and 667 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:42,520 Speaker 1: I'm a huge believer that eventually, like even if you 668 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:44,760 Speaker 1: don't believe it, you eventually will believe it. So there's 669 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 1: power in that. When I'm insecure and feeling all of 670 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:49,240 Speaker 1: those things, I say the opposite of what I feel. 671 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 1: And also just placing people in your life that can 672 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:53,560 Speaker 1: keep you accountable. There's plenty of times I've been the 673 00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:56,560 Speaker 1: absolute worst, like such a brat, and then those people 674 00:30:56,680 --> 00:30:58,720 Speaker 1: know who they are in my life who can speak 675 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 1: to me, and they have been pretty direct, and even 676 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 1: if I don't like it in the moment, I trust 677 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:05,400 Speaker 1: them enough that I know when I need to be 678 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:07,840 Speaker 1: humbled a little bit. It's really made a huge difference. 679 00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:13,600 Speaker 3: People always mention the thing about blowing up or going viral, 680 00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:15,840 Speaker 3: that the most important thing is to stay true to 681 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:17,320 Speaker 3: who you are, and. 682 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:19,200 Speaker 2: The way to do that is be surrounded by the 683 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:21,600 Speaker 2: right people. Yeah, it sounds like you found that, which 684 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:22,320 Speaker 2: I think is cool. 685 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:22,600 Speaker 3: Yeah. 686 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:23,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's been great. 687 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:27,680 Speaker 3: In talking on those hard moments. What's one challenge that 688 00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 3: comes to mind that you faced that seemed so impossible 689 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 3: for you to accomplish, but then you did. 690 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:37,040 Speaker 1: Honestly, I mean keeping it. It might seem obvious, but 691 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:40,400 Speaker 1: going into the CrossFit Games, I was very new to CrossFit. 692 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:42,520 Speaker 1: I had a very unique journey. Actually don't work out 693 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:45,080 Speaker 1: at a CrossFit gym. I never have. My first step 694 00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 1: into a CrossFit gym was the Saturday before I left 695 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:50,480 Speaker 1: for the Games, which was like very unique. I started 696 00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:53,400 Speaker 1: a CrossFit in January twenty twenty one when an adaptive 697 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:55,640 Speaker 1: athlete told me it was the first year that CrossFit 698 00:31:55,640 --> 00:31:57,960 Speaker 1: had an adapted division. I didn't know. You don't have 699 00:31:58,000 --> 00:31:59,960 Speaker 1: to know anything about CrossFit, but there's something called the OPE, 700 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 1: which is like an online qualifier you go through a 701 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:04,000 Speaker 1: bunch of hoops to be able to get to an 702 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:06,600 Speaker 1: in person competition like the Games. And so I started 703 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:09,720 Speaker 1: it for fun on a whim, started following my coach 704 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:11,960 Speaker 1: around because he was working with us, and eventually it 705 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:13,800 Speaker 1: like turned into this thing and I was able to 706 00:32:13,840 --> 00:32:15,520 Speaker 1: go to the next round, and all of a sudden, 707 00:32:15,520 --> 00:32:17,600 Speaker 1: I was like, oh my gosh, I'm going to this competition. 708 00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:20,120 Speaker 1: But I was six months into the sport, which like 709 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:23,600 Speaker 1: doesn't happen. It was a great opportunity, especially it being 710 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:25,960 Speaker 1: the first year of Adaptive. All the stars kind of 711 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 1: aligned for it. Obviously I worked very hard, but like 712 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:31,400 Speaker 1: there's a lot of opportunity there as well. So I 713 00:32:31,600 --> 00:32:35,120 Speaker 1: had such fear and anxiety going in, like I had 714 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:40,480 Speaker 1: to mute every account associated like a fellow competitor CrossFit everyone, 715 00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:43,440 Speaker 1: because all the posts I ever saw from any athlete 716 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:46,479 Speaker 1: were like, let's go, We're so pumped. I'm like, no 717 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 1: one's scared, no one is acknowledging that this is actually 718 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:51,040 Speaker 1: quite terrifying. We're about to like work out in front 719 00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:53,320 Speaker 1: of thousands of people, like okay, And it was just 720 00:32:53,360 --> 00:32:55,640 Speaker 1: so overwhelming because I was like, I feel like I can't. 721 00:32:55,720 --> 00:32:57,880 Speaker 1: I feel like I'm the only one that's scared, like 722 00:32:58,040 --> 00:33:00,920 Speaker 1: should I? And it was such imposters and it was unreal. 723 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:03,720 Speaker 1: But yeah, I faced that. There was so many things 724 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:06,160 Speaker 1: that helped me through it, and I definitely had many 725 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:08,800 Speaker 1: moments of feeling weak, which I think in that video 726 00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:11,560 Speaker 1: that went viral. The emotion of that was me feeling 727 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:14,280 Speaker 1: all of the months and the days leading up to 728 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 1: it and the workouts leading up to it, which is 729 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:18,720 Speaker 1: why it was such an emotional moment between myself and 730 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:21,120 Speaker 1: even my coach because he also understood it, and so 731 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:23,400 Speaker 1: it was definitely worth it. But it was not an 732 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:24,160 Speaker 1: easy journey. 733 00:33:24,520 --> 00:33:27,720 Speaker 3: Well, I think it's even cooler that that was the 734 00:33:27,760 --> 00:33:31,240 Speaker 3: moment that went viral because it's showing everything coming to 735 00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:34,200 Speaker 3: a head, all of your feelings, everything you went through 736 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:35,120 Speaker 3: open to that moment. 737 00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:38,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, it really was. It sounds so cliche, but it 738 00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:41,400 Speaker 1: really felt like a movie. It was like, true, I 739 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:43,440 Speaker 1: didn't even really know what was happening. It didn't really 740 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:45,600 Speaker 1: click that I was even crying or ed. I didn't 741 00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:48,320 Speaker 1: know a camera was on me until like after everything, 742 00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:50,560 Speaker 1: and people were like, oh my gosh, that's amazing, and 743 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 1: it was so over my head. I was like, oh, 744 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:55,480 Speaker 1: you watched like thank you, Like I had no clue. 745 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:57,520 Speaker 1: And then I was like, oh, someone caught that on film, 746 00:33:57,520 --> 00:33:58,440 Speaker 1: and yeah. 747 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:00,280 Speaker 2: So you were just happy to have gone through it. 748 00:34:00,360 --> 00:34:02,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, that was I was like, I didn't die. 749 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 4: Here we go. 750 00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 3: You had said this a little bit earlier, and they 751 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:11,520 Speaker 3: say hindsight's always twenty twenty. Do you feel like your 752 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:15,879 Speaker 3: life worked out how it's supposed to instead of how 753 00:34:15,920 --> 00:34:17,319 Speaker 3: you intended for it too? 754 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:21,919 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, And like that is one of the most 755 00:34:21,920 --> 00:34:25,080 Speaker 1: annoying things to say to because if you had talked 756 00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:28,760 Speaker 1: to Amy five years ago, six years ago. Even people 757 00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:30,600 Speaker 1: that would see me on social media from high school, 758 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:33,759 Speaker 1: they're probably like what, like, like, I mean, night and day, 759 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:36,279 Speaker 1: I still have my personality. I'm still me in a 760 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:38,520 Speaker 1: lot of ways. But like also it's like a one 761 00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:41,800 Speaker 1: to eighty and so a lot a lot of moments 762 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:45,640 Speaker 1: of honestly pain and struggle of why I didn't understand, 763 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:48,000 Speaker 1: you know, why things weren't working out, why like doors 764 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:50,240 Speaker 1: are being shut, and I just kept coming up against 765 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:54,000 Speaker 1: this imaginary wall and then realizing, okay, well, like do 766 00:34:54,040 --> 00:34:56,040 Speaker 1: I want to spend the rest of my life beating 767 00:34:56,080 --> 00:34:58,359 Speaker 1: my head against the door and actually not enjoying it. 768 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:01,240 Speaker 1: I don't feel like I'm growing because I'm not enjoying 769 00:35:01,239 --> 00:35:03,000 Speaker 1: any part of it. I'm doing it because I feel 770 00:35:03,040 --> 00:35:06,040 Speaker 1: like I am supposed to, which really might have come 771 00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:09,680 Speaker 1: more from outside sources and things. That was it was 772 00:35:09,719 --> 00:35:11,160 Speaker 1: just a lot of self journey. I mean, you know, 773 00:35:11,360 --> 00:35:13,920 Speaker 1: I feel like from when you graduate college, especially to 774 00:35:13,960 --> 00:35:16,719 Speaker 1: like age twenty six, grow so much. 775 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:17,960 Speaker 2: Like all of life happened. 776 00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:20,279 Speaker 1: A lot of life happens. You're like, wow, they did 777 00:35:20,320 --> 00:35:24,040 Speaker 1: not prepare me for this, So yeah, it was it 778 00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:27,120 Speaker 1: was painful again I keep using that word, but now 779 00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:30,000 Speaker 1: looking back. I'm like, oh, like that was actually for 780 00:35:30,040 --> 00:35:31,839 Speaker 1: the good. I just didn't see it at the time. 781 00:35:32,440 --> 00:35:35,640 Speaker 3: Do you still play music at all now? Is it 782 00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:38,080 Speaker 3: just more of a passion than it is yeah the 783 00:35:38,200 --> 00:35:38,920 Speaker 3: job career. 784 00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:42,279 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, it definitely is passion. I mean I love music, 785 00:35:42,320 --> 00:35:45,279 Speaker 1: I always will. It was actually also majored in saxophone. 786 00:35:45,640 --> 00:35:48,200 Speaker 2: Wow, I did to see you play the saxophone. 787 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:51,080 Speaker 1: Just such a little dork, but I love it. I 788 00:35:51,120 --> 00:35:54,840 Speaker 1: love the instrument. So I obviously singer songwriter with piano 789 00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:57,399 Speaker 1: and saxophone. That's what I did, and that's I mean, 790 00:35:57,400 --> 00:35:59,080 Speaker 1: I played like eight hours a day in college. 791 00:35:59,280 --> 00:36:02,400 Speaker 3: You have your own jazz club, That's what I'm picturing 792 00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:02,920 Speaker 3: right now. 793 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:05,560 Speaker 1: A little workout area over here, little jazz session here, 794 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:06,920 Speaker 1: Like let's just put it all together. 795 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:09,719 Speaker 2: People do that now and it somehow works. Yeah, So 796 00:36:09,880 --> 00:36:11,080 Speaker 2: I think you could do that. 797 00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:13,000 Speaker 3: You could just play jazz while people are working out. 798 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:13,759 Speaker 1: I'm here for it. 799 00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:15,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, it could be a vibe. 800 00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:15,759 Speaker 1: I'm here. 801 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:20,800 Speaker 3: There's so many people out there with challenging life circumstances, 802 00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:24,440 Speaker 3: and some that are probably similar to yours in some ways. 803 00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:26,839 Speaker 3: If there's one piece of advice that you could give 804 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 3: through your lens of what you've been through. 805 00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:32,200 Speaker 1: What would it be realize that everyone goes through it. 806 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:35,960 Speaker 1: I think, especially with social media, there's this such an 807 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:38,719 Speaker 1: isolation factor if for not careful that we look at 808 00:36:38,719 --> 00:36:41,360 Speaker 1: these highlight reels. And I don't even necessarily feel that 809 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:44,160 Speaker 1: there's a problem with someone sharing their highlights. If they're 810 00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:47,160 Speaker 1: being untruthful about it, that's where I have an issue. 811 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:49,399 Speaker 1: But like, yeah, you can show your wins, that's great. 812 00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:50,880 Speaker 1: Like if you don't want to show the moments you're 813 00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:53,360 Speaker 1: not winning, that's okay, as long as the people watching 814 00:36:53,520 --> 00:36:56,280 Speaker 1: have the maturity to understand that's not the whole story. 815 00:36:57,040 --> 00:37:00,080 Speaker 1: And I think doesn't make it easier necessarily, But there 816 00:37:00,200 --> 00:37:02,839 Speaker 1: is such a sense of community again, like such fear 817 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:05,600 Speaker 1: going in Toto the CrossFit games. I remember day one 818 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:08,960 Speaker 1: of orientation me talking with my fellow competitors and just 819 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:11,359 Speaker 1: people that I met that are now friends, and hearing them, 820 00:37:11,360 --> 00:37:14,160 Speaker 1: I'm like, Oh, everyone's scared. We're just not saying it. 821 00:37:14,160 --> 00:37:16,360 Speaker 3: It's not a common thing to say, hey I'm scared, 822 00:37:16,440 --> 00:37:19,760 Speaker 3: Hey I'm vulnerable. That's not something we encourage often. 823 00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:22,600 Speaker 1: Yes, Yeah, and even like this past year too, I 824 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:25,120 Speaker 1: was able to talk with some other athletes that I mean, 825 00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:27,080 Speaker 1: I've looked up to. They've been in the sport for 826 00:37:27,120 --> 00:37:30,080 Speaker 1: fifteen years and are like really big names and CrossFit 827 00:37:30,160 --> 00:37:32,319 Speaker 1: and I have the opportunity to have some real conversations 828 00:37:32,320 --> 00:37:34,279 Speaker 1: with them too, and they said the same thing. One 829 00:37:34,320 --> 00:37:36,560 Speaker 1: person was like, we all wake up on day one 830 00:37:36,640 --> 00:37:39,799 Speaker 1: terrified and feeling less than and that we can't do this, 831 00:37:40,120 --> 00:37:42,880 Speaker 1: and it's like he's one of the biggest names in CrossFit, 832 00:37:42,920 --> 00:37:45,239 Speaker 1: and just it was such a relief to be like, 833 00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:48,919 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, we are all in that space. And again, 834 00:37:48,960 --> 00:37:50,560 Speaker 1: not that you have to go spill your guts on 835 00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:52,440 Speaker 1: social media if that's not what you want to do, 836 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:55,120 Speaker 1: but just recognizing I'm not alone in this, and so 837 00:37:55,160 --> 00:37:57,520 Speaker 1: if I feel this, they feel this, and we can 838 00:37:57,640 --> 00:37:59,880 Speaker 1: just figure it out together rather than seeing it as 839 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:01,359 Speaker 1: me versus them kind of thing. 840 00:38:01,560 --> 00:38:03,200 Speaker 2: That's an important lesson for sure. 841 00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:05,800 Speaker 3: There's one more thing I want to ask you, Being 842 00:38:06,239 --> 00:38:08,480 Speaker 3: a somebody that was born with a birth's effect and 843 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:12,120 Speaker 3: I'm not someone who was, if you could tell me 844 00:38:12,200 --> 00:38:15,600 Speaker 3: something or people who haven't been born with one that 845 00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:17,440 Speaker 3: you wish you could have told back in the day 846 00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:19,120 Speaker 3: when you were going through it and you were learning 847 00:38:19,120 --> 00:38:21,680 Speaker 3: so much about yourself that you wish people like me 848 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:22,160 Speaker 3: would know. 849 00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:24,440 Speaker 1: What would it be? That is a great question. No 850 00:38:24,440 --> 00:38:26,000 Speaker 1: one's ever asked me that before. 851 00:38:26,840 --> 00:38:29,719 Speaker 3: Well, I think there's so much beauty in learning, yeah, 852 00:38:29,719 --> 00:38:33,480 Speaker 3: and understanding things that we didn't grow up around or 853 00:38:33,480 --> 00:38:36,480 Speaker 3: have to deal with, because everybody has different challenges. Just 854 00:38:36,520 --> 00:38:38,480 Speaker 3: because I didn't have that didn't mean I didn't have 855 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:41,720 Speaker 3: other things. But I love learning about other peoples because 856 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:43,800 Speaker 3: then it allows me to be more open minded. It 857 00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:47,040 Speaker 3: allows me to be more sensitive and empathetic towards things. 858 00:38:47,120 --> 00:38:48,920 Speaker 3: So I think it's important that we learned that. 859 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:52,279 Speaker 1: Yeah, No, I genuinely love that. I think one thing, 860 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:57,320 Speaker 1: probably just an awareness maybe to create an empathy if possible, 861 00:38:57,440 --> 00:38:59,719 Speaker 1: of like one thing that I'm very grateful about having 862 00:38:59,719 --> 00:39:02,319 Speaker 1: my defect. When I go into the gym, I'm very 863 00:39:02,360 --> 00:39:05,960 Speaker 1: aware of the potential emotions of everyone around me. I mean, 864 00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:08,360 Speaker 1: I've always worked hard in the gym, and I know 865 00:39:08,440 --> 00:39:10,560 Speaker 1: that when I walk into a gym, but the chances 866 00:39:10,560 --> 00:39:12,600 Speaker 1: of a stranger telling me, oh my gosh, that's awesome, 867 00:39:12,680 --> 00:39:15,600 Speaker 1: great job. Even if I'm being really lazy, They're probably 868 00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:17,920 Speaker 1: still going to say it because they see a physical challenge. 869 00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:19,480 Speaker 1: I've always thought, well, if I'm going to get the 870 00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:22,520 Speaker 1: compliments regardless, I want to feel like I've earned them, 871 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:24,759 Speaker 1: like I actually want to work hard. I want to 872 00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:27,520 Speaker 1: get better and also do it for the person that's 873 00:39:27,560 --> 00:39:30,480 Speaker 1: maybe next to me that's actually struggling more because of anxiety, 874 00:39:30,600 --> 00:39:33,000 Speaker 1: but no one knows it, and so they're just struggling 875 00:39:33,040 --> 00:39:35,759 Speaker 1: in silence. That's one thing that I'm very grateful that 876 00:39:36,000 --> 00:39:38,200 Speaker 1: I think growing up with a birth defect, because it 877 00:39:38,200 --> 00:39:41,319 Speaker 1: does affect you, you know, emotionally, physically, mentally, all of 878 00:39:41,320 --> 00:39:44,480 Speaker 1: those good things that it's created, that automatic awareness that 879 00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:47,440 Speaker 1: I wish that I could transfer to other people as 880 00:39:47,480 --> 00:39:50,000 Speaker 1: well of just even I've had it for so long, 881 00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:52,759 Speaker 1: I'm really comfortable with it. It's cool. But maybe the 882 00:39:52,840 --> 00:39:55,840 Speaker 1: way that people approach someone with any kind of disability, 883 00:39:55,920 --> 00:39:58,920 Speaker 1: it's like, hey, they're not broken, they're not fragile, they're okay, 884 00:39:59,080 --> 00:40:02,120 Speaker 1: but like, also, so let's frame these conversations in a 885 00:40:02,120 --> 00:40:05,319 Speaker 1: way that's going to make them feel comfortable and not oh, dear, 886 00:40:05,560 --> 00:40:07,840 Speaker 1: like look how cute you are, but like good job, 887 00:40:07,880 --> 00:40:11,120 Speaker 1: But no, like they're killing it. They're actually able to thrive. 888 00:40:11,239 --> 00:40:13,800 Speaker 1: There are moments when they're just a human being living 889 00:40:13,800 --> 00:40:16,680 Speaker 1: their life and let's have cool conversations and learn about 890 00:40:16,680 --> 00:40:21,399 Speaker 1: prosthetics and their life without making them feel less than I. 891 00:40:21,360 --> 00:40:23,960 Speaker 3: Think that's the perfect thing to end on an import 892 00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:25,960 Speaker 3: and lesson for all of us to take away from 893 00:40:26,040 --> 00:40:28,359 Speaker 3: this if they take away anything. Yeah, So, Amy, thank 894 00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:30,439 Speaker 3: you so much for joining me and just being on. 895 00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:31,240 Speaker 2: Here with me today. 896 00:40:31,320 --> 00:40:32,920 Speaker 1: Awesome of course, thanks so much, Morgan. 897 00:40:33,320 --> 00:40:36,080 Speaker 3: Like I mentioned in the interview, Amy is very inspiring 898 00:40:36,120 --> 00:40:38,440 Speaker 3: to follow on her journey through life. You can check 899 00:40:38,480 --> 00:40:41,120 Speaker 3: out all the things she's up to on her Instagram 900 00:40:41,160 --> 00:40:47,279 Speaker 3: at One Leg to Stand On. I don't know about 901 00:40:47,280 --> 00:40:50,560 Speaker 3: you all, but listening to both Missy Franklin and Amy 902 00:40:50,640 --> 00:40:54,880 Speaker 3: Bram this week seriously has me inspired to chase my dreams. 903 00:40:55,080 --> 00:40:57,600 Speaker 3: I think it's so cool to hear from people and 904 00:40:57,880 --> 00:41:01,000 Speaker 3: what their journey to a goal, destiny nation looked like, 905 00:41:01,120 --> 00:41:04,719 Speaker 3: because oftentimes those journeys aren't pretty, and it's a good 906 00:41:04,719 --> 00:41:08,000 Speaker 3: reminder that life can get very messy, but our dreams 907 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:10,880 Speaker 3: are always possible in the midst of all the mess 908 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:14,040 Speaker 3: and the chaos. Make sure to hit up the podcast 909 00:41:14,120 --> 00:41:17,520 Speaker 3: on Instagram at Take This Personally or email me at 910 00:41:17,560 --> 00:41:20,839 Speaker 3: Take This Personally podcast at gmail dot com for some 911 00:41:20,880 --> 00:41:23,960 Speaker 3: comments about today's episode, or pieces of advice you may 912 00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:27,360 Speaker 3: want from the experts, or lessons you want from my life. 913 00:41:27,480 --> 00:41:30,399 Speaker 3: Next week, I'm bringing on Christina Lai Carry She helps 914 00:41:30,440 --> 00:41:33,920 Speaker 3: people expand their self awareness and align their energy to 915 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:36,920 Speaker 3: create a better world for themselves. And then I'll come 916 00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:40,360 Speaker 3: on and share my journey to my best self. Although 917 00:41:40,440 --> 00:41:43,279 Speaker 3: rocky and still not all the way there, it's one 918 00:41:43,320 --> 00:41:45,480 Speaker 3: that I'm still very proud of. That's all for now. 919 00:41:45,520 --> 00:41:47,040 Speaker 3: I hope to talk to y'all next week. 920 00:41:47,320 --> 00:41:47,920 Speaker 1: Love you,