1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're screaming 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: congrats to our girl, Kate Scott, who is just named 3 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:09,719 Speaker 1: the lead play by play voice for USA Network's WNBA 4 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: coverage next summer, The Most Deserving. It's Thursday, October ninth, 5 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:16,799 Speaker 1: and on today's show, we'll be skipping the need to 6 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 1: know and getting right to my conversation with retired swimmer 7 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:23,600 Speaker 1: and ten time Olympic medallist Alison Schmidt. Tomorrow is World 8 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:25,639 Speaker 1: Mental Health Day, so I caught up with Alison to 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: talk about her experience seeking help for mental health, how 10 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,559 Speaker 1: her advocacy work has reshaped her own identity, why it's 11 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,839 Speaker 1: important to include vulnerability as a sign of strength, and 12 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:40,479 Speaker 1: redefining what self care actually means. I so appreciated Allison's 13 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 1: willingness to speak so openly about her own struggles and challenges, 14 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: and it's really clear that her advocacy on this topic 15 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: has already had a huge impact on making sure conversations 16 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 1: like these are no longer held only in private. So 17 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 1: this is a good one. Stay tuned slices. Also, I 18 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: was in New York City hosting a WNBA final celebration 19 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: for iHeart on Wednesday night and watching Game three of 20 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: the finals with a big old crew of hoopeads. So 21 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 1: no Game three reaction today, but don't worry. You'll get 22 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 1: that analysis plus a look ahead. 23 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 2: To Game four in tomorrow's show. All Right, My interview 24 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 2: with Alison's coming up right after this. 25 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: Joining US now, she's the former captain of the US 26 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:27,960 Speaker 1: Olympic swim team, a four time Olympian, ten time Olympic medalist, 27 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 1: and twenty five time medallist in major international competitions. A 28 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 1: four time NCAA national champion, she helped her Georgia Bulldogs 29 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 1: win the NCAA team title in twenty thirteen. She was 30 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:40,320 Speaker 1: born in Pittsburgh but raised in Canton, Michigan, and she 31 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: was inducted into the Michigan. 32 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:43,759 Speaker 2: Hall of Fame in twenty nineteen. 33 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 1: A leading voice and mental health advocacy, she graduated with 34 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: her master's degree in social work from Arizona State University 35 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty three. A former longtime training partner of 36 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 1: Michael Phelps under famed coach Bob Bowman, her fiance proposed 37 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 1: to her using phelps four kids as assistants wearing T 38 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: shirts at Red Wind. 39 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 2: Will you marry? 40 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 3: Me. 41 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 2: It's Alison Schmidt. 42 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 3: Hi, Alison, Hi, nice to talk with you. 43 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, when's the wedding. Has it happened yet? 44 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:11,360 Speaker 3: It has not happened yet, but by the end of 45 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 3: the year. So I'm a little bit different though, because 46 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 3: I feel like I'm the girl that never really thought 47 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 3: about weddings or marriage and so I'm very nonchalant about it, 48 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 3: and so is he. But I've always dreamed about kids 49 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 3: and having twins, so I'm manifesting that right now. 50 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: Okay, so we're skipping the wedding straight to the pro creating. 51 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 2: Will Will Phelps. 52 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: And company and family and kiddos be a part of 53 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 1: the wedding as well. 54 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 3: Of course. Yes, there's such a big part of my. 55 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 2: Life, ring bears and flower girls and such. 56 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 3: Like I said, we have been so nonchalant. We don't 57 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 3: have the details yeah yet, And I mean all the 58 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 3: type eight people might be like, wait, this is not okay, 59 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 3: but I'm being this. I'm type being this, so you're. 60 00:02:57,680 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 2: Fine with it. 61 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 1: There are some good qualities about laid back, nonchalant people. 62 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: I don't have any of those qualities, but I respect 63 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 1: them and others. So in your intro, I listed off 64 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 1: all your incredible accomplishments in the pool. 65 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 2: What kind of competitor were you? 66 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: Were you the sort of slow and steady worker, We'll 67 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: see what happens. Were you pushed by compliments? Where you 68 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 1: pushed by criticism, responsive to yelling, more responsive to support? 69 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:24,359 Speaker 3: What was it like all the above? I ultimately got 70 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 3: into sport because of the fun, like having the teammates, 71 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 3: the camaraderie. And I definitely was pushed by the encouragement 72 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 3: in A that is the affirmations, but B that's a 73 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 3: little bit of the yelling as well. And so that's 74 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 3: why I say all of the above. 75 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:44,839 Speaker 2: So were you type B in the pool as well? 76 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: It feels like you'd need to have some sort of 77 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 1: aggression and type A personality to be such a winner. 78 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 3: I think that my personality is type B A, so 79 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 3: I still have that a personality, and so in the 80 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:57,839 Speaker 3: pool and in competing, I had that, But in other 81 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 3: parts of my life I'm the B. But I also 82 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 3: know my coach was very, very very type A, so 83 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 3: I think he took over for that aspect of it. 84 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, he projected onto you the necessary qualities to make 85 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: it happen. Make it work, Okay, I want you to 86 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: picture one of your biggest races. 87 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:18,160 Speaker 2: Which one first came to mind. 88 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:24,480 Speaker 3: The two hundred free in London twenty twelve Olympics. Why 89 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:28,479 Speaker 3: I think that it's the biggest race. Obviously because of 90 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 3: media it's the biggest race first individual gold medal, But 91 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 3: for me it was a big race because Stania and 92 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 3: that podium at the end of when we get our medals, 93 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 3: I looked on one side and saw my family cheering, 94 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:47,280 Speaker 3: looked on the other side, saw ten USA cheering, and 95 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 3: in front of me, it's the national anthem in the 96 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 3: flag being raised, and that just represents everyone back home 97 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 3: that has supported and cheered me to the top of 98 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 3: the podium. And in that moment and in that I 99 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 3: realized that yes, I was the one that put in 100 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:06,159 Speaker 3: the work and did the work, but at the end 101 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 3: of the day, it was all the support and all 102 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 3: the help that I had that got me there. 103 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 2: Wow. And it's the one that stands out still was 104 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:13,480 Speaker 2: the first. 105 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 3: Yes, yeah, they all have meaning, they all have different meanings, 106 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 3: but that one when you had me picture, it is 107 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:22,599 Speaker 3: the one that came to mind. 108 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, how often are you swimming these days? 109 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 3: I got in the pool on yesterday or two days ago, 110 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 3: So I really like to do it for fitness and 111 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 3: forget ant Hanne and if my friends are doing it, 112 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 3: So it's definitely that social aspect, but I understand I 113 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 3: am better at that than being on land, so I'm 114 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 3: more If someone calls me up and says, hey, let's 115 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 3: go do a swim, I'm like, okay, let's go. 116 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 2: Yeah. 117 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 1: Is it a calm and meditative space for you now 118 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:55,359 Speaker 1: that you're not competing or when you get back in, 119 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:59,159 Speaker 1: does your body sort of inhabit the feelings that you 120 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 1: had when you used to get in to compete. 121 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 3: The pool is home and it is calming because I'm 122 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 3: not getting yelled at and I don't have a specific workout. 123 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 3: But at the same time, it's just no matter if 124 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 3: I was competing or if I get in. Now is 125 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 3: just a very familiar space, in a comfortable space. 126 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 1: You have become super active in mental health advocacy, and 127 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 1: it's actually a cause that's been important to you dating 128 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:27,160 Speaker 1: back many years. You mentioned London, and it was at 129 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 1: the London Olympics that you came home successful, a winner, 130 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 1: a gold medalist, but found that you were suffering from depression. 131 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 1: You eventually decided to talk to Michael Phelps, to talk 132 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 1: to your coach Bob Bowman in early twenty fifteen. What 133 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 1: was it like that time coming back, getting celebrated, getting 134 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:47,280 Speaker 1: heralded for your success, and maybe not feeling like how 135 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:50,160 Speaker 1: you were feeling matched what everyone else felt about your 136 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:50,840 Speaker 1: time in London? 137 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 3: Terrifying, absolutely terrified and every aspect. I didn't really understand 138 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 3: what I was and there wasn't I mean, this is 139 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 3: twenty twelve. There wasn't really much information about it, and 140 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 3: I kind of dug myself into a deeper hole with comparison. 141 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 3: Like they say now, and as I understand now, comparison 142 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 3: is a theft of joy, and that comparison wasn't really 143 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 3: recognizing that I was not feeling okay. It was more 144 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 3: of comparing I have all of these great aspects of 145 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 3: my life. What do I have to complain about? And 146 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 3: now as I've gotten older and I've experienced more and 147 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 3: talking at other people, I describe it as what you 148 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 3: know in that part of your life is all you know. So, 149 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,920 Speaker 3: for instance, when a five year old drops or ice 150 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 3: cream cone and it is the end of the world, 151 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 3: it's the end of their world. As an adult, you'll 152 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 3: understand and be like, we can just go get another 153 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 3: ice cream, but they are not able to process that 154 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 3: they can go get another ice cream in the joy 155 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 3: that they're holding was just dropped. 156 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, so you come back, it's twenty twelve. Everyone wants 157 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 1: to celebrate you. Did you feel like it might be 158 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: the standard Olympic letdown? Had you heard about the Olympic 159 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 1: letdown that so many talk about and did you chalk 160 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 1: it up to just that at first and then think 161 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 1: it was something beyond that? 162 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 2: Yeah? 163 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 3: Again, that wasn't really talked about back then. It was 164 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 3: still a taboo subject and I didn't really experience it 165 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 3: too much after two thousand and eight because I went. 166 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 3: I was thrown into a whole new experience. I went 167 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 3: to college and new friends, new living on your own 168 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 3: for the first time, new environment, new state, new place, 169 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 3: all of that. So when I came back from twenty twelve, 170 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 3: I really had no idea what to expect. It was 171 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 3: not prepped in any way what to expect, And as 172 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 3: I was getting celebrated, I was very, very very grateful 173 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:59,440 Speaker 3: for getting celebrated. And I remember one time I excuse 174 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 3: myself to the bathroom because I didn't want to cry 175 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 3: in front of people. And at that moment is when 176 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:08,040 Speaker 3: I really realized that something was wrong. 177 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 1: Right, So you didn't talk to your family at first. 178 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 1: You told Michael and Bob, your coach, and there was 179 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: an incident that happened in your family that made you think, 180 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 1: I really need to speak out more about this and 181 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: talk about it, not only to the people close to me, 182 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 1: but maybe even publicly. 183 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:26,679 Speaker 2: Can you tell us about that? 184 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, So again, that took two and a half years 185 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 3: until I even spoke about it. So it took a 186 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 3: long time to speak about it. In speaking about it, it 187 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 3: was scary, but it was also it was my explosion. 188 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 3: So if you think about a rice cooker and if 189 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 3: you don't take the top off and you explode, that 190 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:50,559 Speaker 3: was me at that moment. And so I just happened 191 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:55,320 Speaker 3: to explode at that moment with Michael and Bob and Keenan, 192 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 3: and they listened and they really supported me in that, 193 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 3: and they understood that I needed help and there's help 194 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:07,319 Speaker 3: out there and they can help me get that help. 195 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 3: So that's what I did when I came back from 196 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 3: that meat is I got help right away. I felt 197 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 3: like there was still just a taboo with asking for help. 198 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:20,679 Speaker 3: Including myself. I judged myself for asking for help in 199 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 3: those moments because again, what my life from the an 200 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 3: outsider looks so perfect? So what could possibly be going 201 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 3: wrong in my life? Why do I need help? And 202 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:36,200 Speaker 3: it took until another five months later when my cousin 203 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 3: committed suicide where I realized this is a much bigger 204 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 3: problem than just myself or just a few other people. 205 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 3: And a lot of other people are out there, and 206 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:52,320 Speaker 3: a lot of other people are chasing perfection, which is 207 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 3: what I was doing at the Olympic stage, and all 208 00:10:56,600 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 3: these people chasing perfection lose track of in everyday reality, 209 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 3: in the support that we have, and even the feeling 210 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 3: of being loved. And if I could speak about my 211 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 3: own experience, I hopefully can save a life out there 212 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:17,680 Speaker 3: so that someone else can continue living their life. That 213 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 3: I mean, life is just so beautiful and everyone deserves 214 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 3: happiness and joy and success, and so for them, for 215 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 3: that person that survivor, as well as the families that 216 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 3: have to grieve a loss of their loved ones. 217 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, you talk about back in twenty twelve, It doesn't 218 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 1: feel like it's that long ago. But even then, there 219 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 1: just weren't the same conversations, and so that information is 220 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 1: so vital for people to recognize whether it is a 221 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: depression or a feeling that comes on due to an event, 222 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 1: an experience, or whether it's just chemical right that's the 223 00:11:57,360 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 1: way their brain operates, and whether or not things are 224 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 1: going great or poorly. There is a potential to slip 225 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 1: into those moments, and if you don't talk about it, 226 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:07,560 Speaker 1: you don't learn about it. It can feel very isolating. 227 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 1: After talking to Michael and Bob and after telling your family, 228 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 1: how did you decide to take control of that in 229 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:18,880 Speaker 1: your career? How did you manage the fact that you 230 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: knew that you now had this to deal with in 231 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:23,320 Speaker 1: addition to your regular training and preparation for meat. 232 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 3: I think the first thing is understanding that you can 233 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:30,439 Speaker 3: take breaks, you can ask for help, and you can 234 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 3: still be strong. All of that in the same sentence. 235 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:37,559 Speaker 3: I was able to get the support I needed from 236 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 3: a professional level by going to talk to a therapist, 237 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:46,439 Speaker 3: and that was a little bit of weight off my shoulders, 238 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:50,280 Speaker 3: and I'm sure off the people I love shoulders. If 239 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:54,719 Speaker 3: I'm so called, I guess dumping something. Yeah, they might 240 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 3: ask me every day, Hey, how are you doing? How 241 00:12:56,440 --> 00:12:59,959 Speaker 3: are you doing, but talking to a therapist, it was Okay, 242 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:02,360 Speaker 3: I go see you every week, and then I don't 243 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:04,080 Speaker 3: see you again for a whole week, and so you 244 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,680 Speaker 3: can't ask me in my everyday life, from every day 245 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 3: schedule how I'm doing, which honestly is kind of an 246 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:16,440 Speaker 3: annoying question that I would get a lot. 247 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean people who want to help and mean 248 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 1: to help. But also there's something about the feeling that 249 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 1: if you're going to reveal all these emotions, that the 250 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 1: person you're talking to is trained and educated to help 251 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 1: you process them in a way that even if your 252 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:33,439 Speaker 1: family is well meaning, they might not be. So what 253 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 1: kind of tools did you acquire, if you're willing to share, 254 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: what have you found most useful personally for managing your 255 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 1: mental health struggles alongside your swimming. 256 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 3: I would say journaling is one, and for me, journaling 257 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 3: isn't necessarily just writing everything down, but I also journal 258 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 3: through pictures, and I love managing that I'm both at 259 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 3: so going back now and like reading journals and even 260 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,440 Speaker 3: going back and looking at photos that I took and 261 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 3: screenshots I took of quotes, et cetera. But self care 262 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 3: is really what a big tool that I took out 263 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 3: of therapy because I always thought self care was, oh, 264 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:24,240 Speaker 3: go get your nails done, go bake cookies. And what 265 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 3: I now understand is self care is so much more 266 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 3: than that, and it's really listening to yourself and listening 267 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:35,920 Speaker 3: to your inner self, understand what you need in that moment. 268 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 3: And if you're able to do that with yourself, then 269 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 3: when someone else asks you what you need, it's a 270 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 3: lot easier to ask that than to bottle it up. 271 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, you mentioned this, but how do we sort of 272 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: change the definition of strength to include being able to 273 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: ask for help? That is an incredible strength, to let 274 00:14:57,160 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 1: people know you're struggling, to ask for help, to be 275 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 1: vulnerable in that way, and yet in a lot of places, 276 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: it's still very stigmatized. 277 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 3: Understanding that life is much bigger than the moment you're in, 278 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 3: or much bigger than this sport you're in. Understanding yes 279 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 3: we are chasing perfection, Yes we are working hard, and 280 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 3: yes we want that perfection, but you don't have to 281 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 3: be perfect in order to belong. You belong in this 282 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 3: world for so many other reasons than being perfect. And 283 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 3: I like to de describe it as you can tell 284 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 3: maybe through this conversation. I like to use analogies a lot, 285 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 3: and one of my favorite analogies is a puzzle and 286 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 3: every puzzle piece is different. But if there's one puzzle 287 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 3: piece missing, the whole puzzle is done. It's never completed. 288 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:50,880 Speaker 3: And so if you're able to really understand that you 289 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 3: don't have to be perfect, and you can be your 290 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 3: own puzzle piece throughout this game of life, then everything 291 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 3: else will be complete and everything else will fall into order. 292 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, you bring up the word perfect a whole lot, 293 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 2: and I understand. 294 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 1: In swimming there are tiny, little minute details that can 295 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:13,160 Speaker 1: make the difference between a winner or loss, can make 296 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: the difference between a pr and you know, swimming slower 297 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:19,800 Speaker 1: than previous races. So it's important to pay attention to 298 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:22,800 Speaker 1: every bit of your body, to every down to the 299 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 1: tip of your toes. And yet also understanding that perfection 300 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:30,360 Speaker 1: as a goal in life is impossible. How did you 301 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 1: find a balance of saying I still want to win 302 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: and I want to do as well as I can, 303 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: but the goal can never truly be perfection. 304 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 2: It just has to be maybe a little bit better. 305 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 2: As often as I can. 306 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 3: Be understanding what goal setting is into me, goal setting 307 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 3: as a kid. I was not this kid, but this 308 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 3: is an example is I'm an eleven year old kid 309 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 3: and I want to make it to Olympics. Okay, so 310 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 3: you go from here to here? What's all the in between? 311 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,439 Speaker 3: So what's all the steps? And so understanding what the 312 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:07,440 Speaker 3: journey is in the steps and the processes to those 313 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:11,520 Speaker 3: big goals and working on those little goals and little 314 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:14,199 Speaker 3: steps every single day is what gets you to that 315 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 3: big step. And once you are to that big goal, 316 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:22,440 Speaker 3: as human beings, as competitors, there's always something next. There's 317 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:25,960 Speaker 3: always that next goal. You're never satisfied, and so really 318 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 3: understanding that it's not necessarily about that destination so called, 319 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:33,280 Speaker 3: but the journey to get that destination. 320 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, we hear that a lot in talking to Olympic 321 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:39,639 Speaker 1: athletes in particular. I mean many athletes who have high 322 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 1: goals and are high achieving, but those that play every 323 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:45,880 Speaker 1: single year and have more opportunities to win, I think 324 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 1: feel it a little less than those that wait four 325 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 1: years for this crowning achievement of what's been their life's work. 326 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,399 Speaker 1: I think some might ask, you, know, it's easy for 327 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:56,919 Speaker 1: you to say this because you already won. You already 328 00:17:56,960 --> 00:17:59,200 Speaker 1: won so much so when you go in and give 329 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:02,399 Speaker 1: people a message life is about more than winning. Do 330 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:04,840 Speaker 1: you think you personally would have been able to accept 331 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:07,880 Speaker 1: that message before the medals. 332 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 3: Yes, because I did. I did in two thousand and eight. 333 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 3: So in two thousand and eight is kind of what 334 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 3: got me to the next Olympics two twenty twelve, to 335 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 3: those medals that I won in twenty twelve. And that's 336 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:23,440 Speaker 3: because in two thousand and eight, I was knight by 337 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:25,440 Speaker 3: Woman hundreds, so I did not get to compete in 338 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 3: finals and then Tunia Freestyle and that's what I used 339 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:31,200 Speaker 3: as my fuel and as my motivation for those next 340 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:37,720 Speaker 3: four years. And so I completely understand that we have egos. 341 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:40,479 Speaker 3: Every single human being, no matter if you're an athlete 342 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 3: or not, has some type of ego, but really understanding 343 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:49,680 Speaker 3: how big this life is, because I'm sure there's people 344 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 3: in the music industry that have never even watched the Olympics, 345 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:59,200 Speaker 3: and then there's me who doesn't completely understand the music industry. 346 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 3: Yet we probably have very parallel LIFs that can understand 347 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:07,200 Speaker 3: each other, and so understanding who you are as a 348 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 3: from the core and finding those connections rather than sitting 349 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 3: back and saying well, I've been at the top of 350 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:17,240 Speaker 3: my sport or I've been at the top of my 351 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 3: career and I know everything. Because even now, even being 352 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 3: at the top of my sport, I still don't know everything. 353 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:29,159 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, when you find that balance between being 354 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:32,680 Speaker 1: ambitious while also being satisfied, you can kind of be 355 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: in that sweet spot of I know what I want 356 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 1: and I know the work that it's going to take 357 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:37,160 Speaker 1: to get there. 358 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 2: But I also, like you said, it's the journey. 359 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:42,440 Speaker 1: It's the respecting the everyday processes that can get you there. 360 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:45,480 Speaker 1: We got to take a quick break more with Alison 361 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:55,679 Speaker 1: Schmidt right after this. I want to talk about today's 362 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:58,920 Speaker 1: landscape of youth swimming. How do you think it compares 363 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 1: to what it was like when you were growing up. 364 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:05,959 Speaker 3: Youth sports in general is a whole nother pressure, and 365 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 3: that pressure comes from a lot, I think from social media. 366 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:14,119 Speaker 3: We can't ignore the advances we have in technology in 367 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:18,880 Speaker 3: the social media, So how do we educate on that? 368 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 3: And that's where we're not ignoring the fact that there's 369 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:26,159 Speaker 3: social media out there and that there might be body 370 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:33,960 Speaker 3: image issues or muscles don't look cool on TikTok, there 371 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:36,680 Speaker 3: might be some of those messages out there, But how 372 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:42,520 Speaker 3: can we educate that being strong is still sexy, being 373 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:47,919 Speaker 3: vulnerable is sexy, and all of that is still a 374 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 3: great quality to have while encouraging others to find what 375 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:57,240 Speaker 3: they're passionate about and not have to mimic or compare 376 00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:00,600 Speaker 3: to another person. But definitely comes back to the pressures 377 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:05,920 Speaker 3: that are real from social media and other media outlets 378 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 3: as well. 379 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, there's a lot of gift in everything being recorded 380 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:13,160 Speaker 1: these days. You can go back and watch all your 381 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 1: swims and see how you did. Your family can go 382 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 1: watch them later. But it also means that everything is 383 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 1: watched doubly or multiple times, in a way that I 384 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 1: think affects even sometimes what sports kids want to get into, 385 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:30,959 Speaker 1: and that I think is really tough. I've seen stories 386 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 1: about girls picking their sport based on what the uniform 387 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:37,200 Speaker 1: looks like, understanding that they're going to be constantly photographed 388 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 1: and videoed while doing it, which is something we never 389 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: really thought about when I was growing up. 390 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:43,119 Speaker 2: We just played what we loved. 391 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:46,240 Speaker 1: What surprises you when you talk to young people about 392 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:47,280 Speaker 1: mental health these. 393 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 3: Days, how open they are about it, which is great. 394 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 3: They're open to talking in When I speak to parents 395 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:58,080 Speaker 3: or coaches. I say, just listen. That's a piece of 396 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 3: advice that I love to give the older generations, because 397 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 3: the younger generations love to talk and they will say anything, 398 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:12,560 Speaker 3: and they will say the truth. It's just the matter 399 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 3: if someone's gonna listen to them. And so I really 400 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:20,680 Speaker 3: love how the younger generation is so open and honest, 401 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 3: and I would love for them to have that support 402 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 3: from the older generations to be able to feel supported 403 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 3: through these tough times of puberty, of their teenage years, 404 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:35,000 Speaker 3: of middle school years, of the transition of going to 405 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 3: college and out of college in all of that. But 406 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:40,960 Speaker 3: how do we support them by what they need? And 407 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 3: they're telling us what they need. 408 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:47,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, you've actually partnered with Surge by BSN Sports. It's 409 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:49,359 Speaker 1: a new initiative that's trying to help high school and 410 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 1: college athletes in a more holistic way where you're looking 411 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:55,200 Speaker 1: both at performance but also at the community around them, 412 00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: emotional wellness, their mental health, like trying to look at 413 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:01,879 Speaker 1: the athlete as a whole being. How is working with 414 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:03,919 Speaker 1: SARG been for you and how are you kind of 415 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:06,639 Speaker 1: being a part of the conversations that they're trying to have. 416 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:12,240 Speaker 3: I absolutely love our mission to as a holistic approach, 417 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 3: and the tools that we give these coaches in these athletes, 418 00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:21,000 Speaker 3: I think is so beneficial to help them succeed and 419 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 3: not only help them succeed in their sport and get 420 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:27,720 Speaker 3: that metal or get that goal, but help prepare them 421 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:31,600 Speaker 3: for later in life, give them the confidence to be 422 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:35,400 Speaker 3: who they are in not having to conform to others 423 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:40,440 Speaker 3: to fit in. Because again, strength is beauty in confidence 424 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 3: is beauty. 425 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:42,959 Speaker 1: Yeah, And like I think, as you get older, you 426 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:46,440 Speaker 1: understand that being unique and special and different is the 427 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:48,760 Speaker 1: thing that sets you apart from everyone and makes you 428 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:53,040 Speaker 1: actually truly desirable and interesting. But when you're a kid, 429 00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:54,600 Speaker 1: you just want to fit in. You just want to 430 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 1: be like everyone else. Anything that makes you stand out 431 00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:01,160 Speaker 1: is tough. So it's those conversations of ensuring that kids 432 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 1: understand that they can be confident in their differences too. 433 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 2: You know, you went. 434 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 1: From being at the top of the world to now 435 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:11,879 Speaker 1: looking to find satisfaction in other places. 436 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 2: And a lot of really elite. 437 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:16,439 Speaker 1: Athletes struggle to find a job once they're done with athletics, 438 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 1: to figure out how to be competitive or compelled to 439 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:22,320 Speaker 1: work hard in a space that isn't quite the same. 440 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 1: So how do you go from being the best in 441 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:26,440 Speaker 1: the world and having all of these skills that made 442 00:24:26,440 --> 00:24:29,360 Speaker 1: you a great swimmer to doing something different? 443 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 2: And do you have advice for maybe athletes that are. 444 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 1: Just going to come out of college and that's the 445 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 1: end for them, or ending their pro career, who are 446 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:37,680 Speaker 1: figuring out the next step. 447 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:42,400 Speaker 3: Letting go of that ego, understanding that yes, you may 448 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 3: have been the best in your sport, but that doesn't 449 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 3: mean you're the best in every aspect of life. And 450 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 3: so if you're able to learn something from someone else, 451 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:54,680 Speaker 3: or if you're able to get have a mentor do that, 452 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 3: that is so significant and has been a significant part 453 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:05,160 Speaker 3: of my transition into the real world, I guess everyone 454 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:08,880 Speaker 3: would say. But there's also a huge grieving period. There's 455 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:12,760 Speaker 3: a grieving period of not necessarily when I read online 456 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:15,600 Speaker 3: what grieving period is after this, it's I don't have 457 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:18,600 Speaker 3: an identity. I don't know who I am outside of sport. 458 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 3: I never felt that way. It was more of I 459 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:26,280 Speaker 3: dedicated my life to this for so long, and I 460 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:29,360 Speaker 3: made all these sacrifices, as well as all these other 461 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 3: people who made these sacrifices. So now it's almost like 462 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:36,040 Speaker 3: I have to do more for these other people who 463 00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:40,720 Speaker 3: had these sacrifices. But what I realize now is my 464 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:44,399 Speaker 3: support system made those sacrifices because they loved me and 465 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:47,120 Speaker 3: that they wanted to see me succeed. They're not expecting 466 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:50,400 Speaker 3: anything in return, And so really letting go of that 467 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 3: guilt that I felt. I don't know if anyone else 468 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 3: feels that, but that guilt that I not only put 469 00:25:57,840 --> 00:25:59,879 Speaker 3: my whole life on hold, but everyone around me put 470 00:25:59,920 --> 00:26:04,040 Speaker 3: their life on hold for my success. So that was 471 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:08,520 Speaker 3: a huge grieving process to really get through and understand 472 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:11,200 Speaker 3: that I have come back to my core and who 473 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:15,760 Speaker 3: I am and do self core for myself, and then 474 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 3: I'm able to radiate that love and radiate that hard 475 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:22,920 Speaker 3: work that the skills that I have learned through sport 476 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 3: to be successful in any aspect of my life that 477 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:29,840 Speaker 3: I am now passionate about, which I'm lucky to find 478 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:35,120 Speaker 3: this team with Surge and really help empower these younger 479 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:41,639 Speaker 3: generations to continue in sport and learn resilience and learn 480 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:44,680 Speaker 3: confidence and really be proud of who they are. 481 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:48,600 Speaker 1: When you have a bad day these days, which I'm 482 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:51,400 Speaker 1: sure you still do sometimes no matter how much work 483 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:55,120 Speaker 1: you've done. No matter how robust the toolkit, you're still 484 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:56,800 Speaker 1: going to have one of those days. 485 00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 2: How do you. 486 00:26:57,720 --> 00:26:59,560 Speaker 1: Handle it and how do you keep from being hard 487 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 1: on yourself that that still happens. 488 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:07,639 Speaker 3: I'm still trying to learn, aren't we all. But I 489 00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:10,119 Speaker 3: coming back to my core, and that's coming back to 490 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:14,600 Speaker 3: self care. Sometimes that's journaling. Sometimes that's going for a walk. 491 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,320 Speaker 3: Sometimes it's going for a swim, going into the gym, 492 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:20,760 Speaker 3: talking to someone, picking up the phone and calling my mom. 493 00:27:21,440 --> 00:27:24,680 Speaker 3: It changes every day, but really understanding what I need 494 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,960 Speaker 3: and sitting with those feelings and understanding what I need 495 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:31,400 Speaker 3: in that moment is really what gets me through those 496 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:35,080 Speaker 3: hard times. And that doesn't mean that I don't cry, 497 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 3: because sometimes I need that good cry, and I need 498 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:39,879 Speaker 3: that good cry to then look in the mirror and 499 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:43,720 Speaker 3: say you got this, You are strong, you are capable, 500 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 3: and to get back up on my feet and try again. 501 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:50,040 Speaker 3: I was talking to some kids the other day and 502 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:53,360 Speaker 3: ask them what they're most proud about, and a lot 503 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:55,440 Speaker 3: of them said they didn't really know. So I said, 504 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 3: I'll go first, and I'm proud of myself because I 505 00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:04,640 Speaker 3: am able to stand up after failure and I can 506 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 3: tell myself. You can do hard things and then I'm 507 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:13,119 Speaker 3: able to continue on with my day and figure out 508 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:18,280 Speaker 3: how to get over that hump and to find my successes. 509 00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:19,520 Speaker 2: Yeah. 510 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:21,800 Speaker 1: I mean that's the key to all the work, right, 511 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:23,960 Speaker 1: is so that when the moment hits you say, I've 512 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:26,879 Speaker 1: been here before. Here's my set of tools, here's the 513 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:29,520 Speaker 1: one I need today, and here's how I'm gonna get 514 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 1: myself out of this and get back on the right 515 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:36,240 Speaker 1: side of my day. Well, congratulations on your incredible success 516 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 1: in the pool and now the success outside of it 517 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 1: and all the work you're doing. 518 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:40,320 Speaker 2: Thanks so much for the time. 519 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 3: Yes, thank you so much. It's great talking to you. 520 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 1: Thanks again to Alison for taking the time. We got 521 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:57,720 Speaker 1: to take another break back in a jiff. Welcome back slices. 522 00:28:57,800 --> 00:28:59,360 Speaker 1: We love that you're listening, but we want you to 523 00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 1: get in the game every day too. 524 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:02,360 Speaker 2: So here's our good game play of the day. 525 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 1: Follow Allison on social media and follow a couple of 526 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:07,920 Speaker 1: mental health related orgs we love as well, like to 527 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:10,560 Speaker 1: write Love on her Arms and No Me the National 528 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:11,960 Speaker 1: Alliance on Mental Illness. 529 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:14,160 Speaker 2: We'll link to all three of them in the show notes. 530 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:16,800 Speaker 1: We always love to hear from you, so hit us 531 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:19,760 Speaker 1: up on email, good game at wondermedianetwork dot com or 532 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: leave us a voicemail at eight seven two two oh 533 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: four fifty seventy and don't forget to subscribe, rate and review. 534 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:29,239 Speaker 1: Do it right now, scroll down five stars, tell us 535 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:32,400 Speaker 1: you love us. It really helps, I promise, and it's 536 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:37,000 Speaker 1: super easy. Watch Filling your mental health toolbox with tools, 537 00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:40,760 Speaker 1: rating five out of five ways to get right review. 538 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:43,880 Speaker 1: It's so important to listen to your body and your 539 00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 1: mind and have go to tools for those moments when 540 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 1: things feel particularly overwhelming or those days when you just 541 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 1: can't seem to get out of your funk. I've got 542 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 1: a few go tos when my news watching or news 543 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:58,600 Speaker 1: scrolling suddenly hits too hard, and they include putting down 544 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:01,080 Speaker 1: my phone, going on on a long walk with one 545 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:04,480 Speaker 1: of my dogs, getting out in nature, lying down somewhere quiet, 546 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:08,040 Speaker 1: and listening to Taylor Swift's Folklore that album just seems 547 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:10,920 Speaker 1: to do the trick for me, or doing box breaths 548 00:30:11,360 --> 00:30:13,840 Speaker 1: and doing one or all of those right when I 549 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:17,479 Speaker 1: feel the darkness or overwhelm coming on keeps me from 550 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:20,520 Speaker 1: syncing into it. So start thinking about your own tricks 551 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:23,080 Speaker 1: and tools ahead of time, so you've got a plan, 552 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:26,360 Speaker 1: and remember you can always reach out to friends and family. 553 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:29,480 Speaker 1: Community and connection are the best way to power through 554 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:30,400 Speaker 1: those tough times. 555 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:34,320 Speaker 2: Now it's your turn, rate and review. Thanks for listening, y'all. 556 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:38,080 Speaker 2: See you tomorrow. Good game, Allison, Good game. 557 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:40,720 Speaker 1: To all the progress made in destigmatizing mental health. 558 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:44,520 Speaker 2: Few bad days. You know it's normal to have them, 559 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:46,160 Speaker 2: but doesn't mean they don't suck. 560 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 1: Good Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports 561 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:53,760 Speaker 1: production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You 562 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:56,920 Speaker 1: can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 563 00:30:56,960 --> 00:31:00,560 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network, 564 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:04,240 Speaker 1: our producers are Alex Azzie and Misha Jones. Our executive 565 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:08,720 Speaker 1: producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder. 566 00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 1: Our editors are Emily Rutter, Britney Martinez, Grace Lynch, and 567 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:13,400 Speaker 1: Gianna Palmer. 568 00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:15,560 Speaker 2: Our associate producer is Lucy Jones. 569 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:19,520 Speaker 1: Production assistance from Avery Loftist and I'm Your Host Sarah 570 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:19,840 Speaker 1: Spain