Conversations with Cody Rigsby

Olivia is joined by inspirational fitness instructor, Cody Rigsby!
Cody shares the story of his personal and professional rise and how he went from a gay man trying to find himself to Peloton’s favorite instructor.
He explains how feeling lost caused him to replace chasing the dollar with loving himself. 
This conversation is a great ride!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is Conversations with Olivia Jade and I Heart Radio podcast. Oh,
we're really jumping right into this. Hi, how are you well? First, Hi,
miss you. I know it's been on. I mean it's
almost been a year since we started this. The Dancing
with the Stars process hasn't been almost a year, Yeah,

(00:23):
it has, because I remember I remember Labor Day, like
right before Labor Day was like my last for I
was like, this is the last party, this is the
last moment, like it's time to hit it. Yeah, you're
actually so right, because I remember coming back from like
summer vacation basically and starting right away. That's insane. Well,
I didn't even do an intro. We got thrown into

(00:43):
this right away. I have Cody Riggsby on my podcast today.
He is one of my favorite people. We were on
Dancing with the Stars together, and if you guys don't
know who he is, I'm gonna let him give his
own introduction so you can really make it perfect. Take
it away. Oh wow, Like you know, when you're like
doing an intro of yourself, it's like it's like shouting

(01:04):
your resume and it is a little narcissistic. But listen,
I worked hard So, my friends, I'm I'm Cody Riggsby,
former Dancing with the Stars contestant and uh Peloton instructor
for over eight years now. And maybe you've seen some
of my videos clipped on TikTok for a nice uh
laugh a little l O L here and there, um,

(01:25):
and I'm excited to be here and reunited with the
beautiful Olivia Jan. I'm so happy you're here. What have
you been up to recently? Like, what's the last year
that you that I haven't really seen you? What's it
had in store? Um? A lot, you know, Like I
left Dancing with the Stars and I took a little

(01:46):
time for myself on the holidays, but then it was
just like a lot of work being brand deals or
stuff at Peloton, um pr stuff like that. I'm working
on some stuff this summer that I can't necessarily talk
about right now. But like when people do that, a
bitch can't like hurt a contract or like gout a

(02:08):
contract that's coming up. I know. I hating like that.
I also hate when people are like just wait, I
have this coming on, or like you guys can't handle
what I'm about to do. I'm just like okay, but
you know what, Honestly, um, this summer, I've been really
just kind of focusing on myself. I think I came
to a moment where I was like, all right, work

(02:30):
is great, and I love working and I love building
whatever I'm building here. But for a very long time,
probably like two or three years, I've been so focused
on work that I've taken I've kind of lost a
little bit of myself. So I think for the past
like three months, I've really been focused on healing and
like find doing things that nourish me, even if that

(02:52):
means like not chasing a dollar. If that makes right, Okay,
I wanna I want to come back to that because
I think that's an important conversation, but just to kind
of kick off the episode, I kind of want to
hear about like where you're from, how you got started.
I know that you were a background answer before Peloton,
and can you just explain a little bit about like

(03:14):
how you even got into this space, how you started
with Peloton, and like kind of if somebody was listening
and they want to have a similar trajectory or like
a similar career path, how somebody that's not in that
position to do so, could I mean, that's a that's
a great, a great question, and I'll kind of get
into my story of it. And I think I think
the more before I even tell the story. I think

(03:35):
the moral of the story is a lot of success.
Sometimes it's just being at the right place at the
right time. But you've got to make sure that you're
the right person that's going to be at the right
place at the right time. So if you're not like
prepared for an opportunity that's going to hit you in
the face, uh, you might not get that opportunity. So

(03:57):
I think it's always good to be doing the work,
even if you don't know what's next. So that's kind
of a moral story or where where I hit it.
But you know, I was born in Los Angeles. I
lived there until I was about eight. Me and my
mom and like three cats and two dogs packed into
a Chrysler and like moved across the country in the
nineties and we settled into Greensboro, North Carolina, where I
grew up from eight to twenty two. Um, in like

(04:20):
high school and college, I was very much like into
musical theater. But um, I was like a really good
dancer on my own. So a friend told me to
go um intern at Broadway Dance Center here in New York.
So I did that the summer of my freshman year
of college, and that's where I really fell in love
with New York City. And I honestly this I got

(04:41):
to express myself as a gay man, and I knew
that I wanted to, like really come to this city
and be able to live the life that I wanted to.
So through college, my focus was always to come to
New York. So I moved to New York in two
thousand nine. I've been here thirteen years. I can't believe it.
UM and I started kind of just doing a bunch
of odd end jobs. I worked in fashion, I worked

(05:02):
in I worked at restaurants, I worked retail. I was
just really doing anything to make a buck. And then
I kind of I got into the commercial dance world
for about five years, where I got to do some
really cool stuff. I dance for Katy Perry and Humanna
do SNL like. I love that. I loved that because
it had so much passion. But I think I was
missing was purpose and in all honesty, when you're a

(05:25):
backup dancer, you're kind of doing You're doing things to
elevate another person. You're doing things to make other people
look great, and you're not really creating a foundation for yourself.
So I became kind of unhappy and didn't really have purpose.
And one, you know, one summer, I was like, all right,
I'm gonna like pump the brakes on the dance world.
I'm gonna manifest that something great is gonna come. I

(05:46):
don't know what it's gonna be, but honestly, I'm just
gonna put my head down do a but like too
many odd end jobs as I can to make a
dollar and find financial stability. And honestly, like six months later,
Peloton landed in my lap. Um. How Yeah, I was
working at this club called The Box. I'm sure you do,

(06:08):
and it has a very like risk Abe or Less show,
But I wasn't actually dancing in it. Um. I was
just working in front of the house, helping the bottle
service girls at night. And the chore the choreographer of
that show knew I was a dancer and he had
a connection to Peloton, and so he was like, Hey,
this company, this like startup is looking for, you know,
people that are into fitness, and I kind of gotten

(06:28):
I got into fitness to book dance shops because you
gotta look a certain way. And I was an entertainer
and that's what they were looking for. So I sent
my head shot in resume and I got an email
back and went in for an interview and I got
the job, and I was I was really lucky because
it was a new company. They were they were figuring
themselves out. I kind of had the ability to fake

(06:50):
it till I make it, you know. They were just like,
here's this cute boy, and he's fun and fun and
has a personality, so like, let's give him a shot.
And I was really lucky that I started Pelton at
kind of in the infancy because I got to really
make a lot of mistakes. I got to figure myself out.
I got to um observe and watch some really fierce

(07:11):
people like Robin Urson, like Jess king Um and kind
of just absorb their fierceness and how they discovered themselves.
And for a while, I feel like I was trying
to be robbing and I'm not robbing. I'm not an
ultramarathon r. I'm not a bad asspictch like she is,
Like I'm just I'm not her and so I think

(07:32):
once I started to embrace who I was and let
that shine in my classes, people started to resonate with
that and connect with that. And I'm glad I had
that period of time to like not know what I
was doing, so that, you know, when the pandemic hit
and Peloton blew up, I was ready. I was ready
for prime time and I knew who I was and

(07:52):
I knew what my classes were, and that's kind of
where I was able to connect with people throughout the pandemic.
And so that goes back to the world story, like
kind of two occasions where it's like the right place,
the right time, but be the right person, right. So
was the long winded answer, was that what you were
looking Yeah, That's exactly what I was looking for. I
loved it. It was perfect. Um, So when you would

(08:14):
say that, would you say that because of the pandemic?
That's where you're like, I'm just so curious how somebody
that's a Peloton instructor can just absolutely blow up on
social media then go on Dancing with the stars, Like
how the hell did that happen? Like how did you
get such a following? Like obviously I know you and
your personality is infectious. But how did so many strangers

(08:36):
that get forty five minutes of your time on a
bike or however long it is, Like, how did that translate? Yeah?
I always like pinched myself like I got so lucky,
like I won the lottery. When it comes to a job,
A profession that keeps me rooted in purpose, allows me
to help other people, allowed me to like really discover
myself and my best self. Um, you know, I think

(08:59):
I think there's the stereotype of a fitness instructor and
they're always like super high energy and always super positive,
and they have everything figured out and they have this
perfect body, and that's sometimes not relatable. And I could
I I would watch other instructors, not a peloton, but
just other instructors in the industry, and I kind of
like cringe or be like, oh, you're being so kind
of fake. And so I just treated every class like

(09:24):
I was in a in a I was on a
zoom call, or in a room full of like my besties,
and like we're shooting and I'm going to talk about,
you know, messy stories in my life. I'm gonna talk
about nostalgic things about songs, I and just going to
like be an open book. And I think people really

(09:46):
connect and relate to just someone who's you know, pushing them,
but also showing their messiness and showing who they are. Um,
I think when we try to be perfect, it's boring
when we show our messiness, our flaws are you know,
I don't want to say stupidity, but like we're all

(10:07):
kind of stupid. So like when I can make fun
of myself when I'm stupid, like people relate to that
and we'll connect to that. And that's also like my purpose.
Like fitness is a scary space if you're starting fitness,
if you're starting something new, you can feel intimidated because
you don't want to look them. And I purposely kind
of get on the bike and active, fool and act
um so people are not scared to try something new.

(10:45):
I actually was having a conversation with a friend recently
just about how like just if you're in any sort
of I think media space, or you're like a public
figure of any kind, how important it is to be
relatable and with these like I think recently on my podcast,
with the guests I've had on I've tried to like
maybe teach the listeners something, not me personally, but the

(11:05):
person I'm interviewing. Would you say that you have like
one thing? Because if someone were to ask me, like,
what would you say, Like you're an expert in I
don't actually mean like expert literally, but I would say, like,
the thing that I probably know most about and can
talk most about confidently would be like makeup and skincare.
What would yours be? That's interesting if you have one? No,

(11:29):
I think it's a little obscure. I think I'm I
think I'm an expert at loving myself and allowing myself
to be who I am, um, and that means accepting
accepting who I am. I think for a long time,
in multiple stages of my life, I tried to change
or omit parts of me and that wasn't fully loving

(11:53):
myself or or honestly so, I think loving myself and
doing it in such a radical public facing way is
what I'm an expert at. And I hope to inspire
people to love themselves radically and to accept themselves and
to express themselves as radically as they can with no apoli.
And that that includes the flaws, That includes the stuff

(12:16):
that we don't like about ourselves. How did you get
to a place of loving your flaws then, because I
think that's something I mean, I struggle with that. I'm
sure so many people listening struggle with that of just
like wholeheartedly. Because I think I can sit here and
be like, yeah, I love myself, I'm proud of myself,
like whatever, But there are so many times and moments
in my day where I'm just sitting there like just
to be really real, like I'm just so hard on myself.

(12:38):
If I'm filming, if I'm filming a YouTube video and
I have if I'm if I'm positioned a certain way,
if I feel like, oh that angle must look bad.
I haven't even seen it yet, just in my head,
just constant like that's probably bad. It ruins my day.
And then I'm like in a constant like I hate
myself this day, Like why did I even try? Like
how did you get to a point where you're just like, Okay,
even if it is a flaw or something that I'm not,

(13:00):
we're proud of because it's me. Yeah, it's It's definitely
been a big process. I think also think about the
world that we live in. Everything is super curated, everything
is position perfectly. We're constantly consuming social media or news
or TV or film or magazines, and it's always this

(13:21):
perfectly curated thing. So of course in our head we're
constantly aware of these things and we're constantly judging ourselves. Um,
for me, I think what really started my journey was
probably six years ago, going through a really hard breakup
and that feeling of having what they call like the
rug pulled underneath you, where you literally fall on your face,

(13:44):
you fall down, and it is it's not worth it
to stand back up and be the same person that
you were when you fell down. Oh I love that.
It's not it's you're not. There's things that happen in life,

(14:04):
like breakups, like grief, like disappointment, like failure that can
really bring us down, and we have to be aware
that those moments are teachable lessons and those are moments
to be grateful for because that is the opportunity, that's
the door opening to you becoming an evolved, a more

(14:29):
evolved version of yourself, a new version of yourself. And
so that moment for me was like laying the foundation
for the next evolution of who Cody was, and I
really leaned into like a meditation and mindfulness practice. So
that allowed me to really observe my thoughts and just
see them as thoughts instead of letting those thoughts run wild,

(14:53):
instead letting them pass and not getting so attached to
them and that I know that's like a little obscure
and a little bit like but that's the whole practice
of meditation, right, yeah, yeah, And that was really powerful
for me, um, And that kind of really started my
journey of like self love. And so then you develop
you kind of developed that school of allowing the thoughts

(15:15):
to pass. But then you start to be aware of
who you are and the things that you do, and
then you can't help but laugh at yourself. You can't
help but laugh at the same repetitive thought or the
or the same action that you're doing, and you're like, wait,
why are you doing that? Like you you said you
want to stop that. So, like you can get frustrated
with it, you can get mad at it, or you

(15:35):
can kind of laugh at it and treat yourself a
little bit a little bit of kindness and love. Um.
And so I think it's just like building that that.
I think it's building that relationship with yourself and making
time within your day that you are developing a relationship
with yourself, which is really hard, really hard in the practice,

(15:57):
but also like you know, it's it's yeah, no, but
that's great advice. I also feel like I just resonate
a lot with what you say about, like how we're
in a world where we see such a curated perspective
and that can make it a little bit more challenging

(16:17):
to be easy on yourself and forgive yourself for certain
things because you see everybody else what seems to be
a perfect life and I'm sure some people see us
online and think like wow, that like success and that's
great and whatever. And it's like, also, we can probably
both just sit here in a test that we've gone
through in our heads as well. Yeah, you gotta have
a little bit of grace. Like grace is a thing

(16:39):
that I'm I'm really focused on right now. Is you
kind of you only know what you know at the moment,
and so you've got yourself the grace and forgiveness of
the mistakes that you made that you make and try
to do better. But yeah, let's just laugh at like
Instagram is not real, TikTok is not real. News is

(16:59):
not real um, and then laugh at ourselves when we're
trying to fit in that in that box, we're not
meant to fit in that box. So make a relationship
with yourself. Let's laugh at the world, and like also
laugh at ourselves so we're not taking it so seriously.
I kind of love that too, because it's like, if
you are in a moment of sadness, if you can
think to that and be like, Okay, I still feel

(17:21):
like I'm gonna laugh at it right now. I think
you can genuinely convince your mind to think that, like
like at a certain point, it's literally fake it till
you make it where it's like at a certain point
you will start to find the things that you maybe
we're hard on yourself, like a little funny. So I'm
going to try that, Thank you so much. And also
it's also like giving yourself, giving yourself space to be

(17:41):
sad though like don't fight it, Like go be sad
for a little bit. If you're going through a break up,
if you've lost your job, if you are having fights
with your friends, like okay, to be sad, like have
those moments, but after a while, you're gonna heal from it.
You're going to grow from it. And then once those
kind of let's start to pop up more so Okay,
like I'm gonna laugh at myself for like dwelling on

(18:02):
this a little bit too much, right, I love that. Okay,
let's transition into Dancing with the Stars because obviously we
were both on the same season, season thirty. I honestly
feel like we had a great cast. Like it was
a great cast, yes, yeah, And I loved it because
even though it was a competition, like I think we
genuinely like we never wanted any anybody to go home.

(18:25):
We wanted everyone to do their best, and it really
support group. Yeah, and like it was it was sad
when anybody went home. And also like we were the
only people that knew what was going on, and that
was just I look back and I'm like, wow, I
did that, like so crazy. I still think back to

(18:47):
it and I'm like, I was dancing on national TV
with zero dance experience. Who let me you had? Okay,
you had zero dance experience, never danced before, not even
like a ballet. Asked like nothing nothing, you know, maybe
I took ballet when I was like one years old
and I ended out one and a half. But like, no,

(19:08):
not in any time I can remember in my life.
I am so gagged by that because I was like,
I think this girl is lying, like I know more
dance than she is giving away because I love dancing though,
Like I remember growing up like around my family and stuff,
and we'd play like music in the kitchen at night

(19:30):
and I'd be dancing around the kitchen with my dad.
But like that's as far as my dance experience. But
sometimes it is better to like, like, for me, ballroom
was hard because I danced in such different ways that
it felt so foreign. So maybe being so fresh and
no experience it was almost better because you could just
absorb it and like move into it totally. That's kind

(19:51):
of what I was talking to Amanda Clutes about when
I had her on the podcast a while back. I
was like, really, was it tough for you because you
had a lot of dance experience. She was like, it
was harder because like I had to learn, like this
a completely new thing from something that I already kind
of knew before. Yeah. Well she all always looked flawless too,
So Lade absolutely slate everybody slate. Everybody was so good. Um,

(20:15):
How did you get the offer? Who called you? Was
it like, did somebody reach out directly? Was it a
d M? Did it go through your team and did
you say yes right away? Um? It went through my team,
And it was something that we've been talking about kind
of all summer. We're like, hey, I've been kind of pitching.
My agent was kind of like pitching me for it,

(20:36):
but like Jamesmen Stars, wasn't like completely on board, but
like it was kind of always happening, And honestly, I
don't even remember getting that. I think I didn't really
get the final offer, like Okay, this is happening until
like mid August, so maybe three or four weeks before
the show was actually happening. I think. So. I think
that's how it was, because I remember having conversations about

(20:58):
it probably in June of last year and be like, Okay,
that's cool, and then by the time August got around,
I was like, okay, I'm giving I'm kind of just
like I'm assuming that it's not happening. Um, And then
it happened, and there was kind of a few days
where I was like, am I sure I want to
do this? Because the thought of it really really created

(21:19):
a lot of anxiety in me. I was like, that's
gonna be so new and so challenging and so different.
Um so I'm glad. I'm glad. I like took a
breath and told myself I could do it. But there
was a lot of anxiety, And you know, once I
committed to I was like, all right, here we go.
Do you feel like you had? I mean, obviously it's

(21:39):
so different being in a ballroom dance competition than being
on a bike, But do you feel like you had
because you were used to maybe performing? I guess you
could say, like in some degree publicly with Peloton, that
it made the nerves a little less intense or just
so different. No know, I like I was nervous every

(22:03):
nervous every week. You know what I was really nervous
is like camera blocking on Sunday. I was always so nervous. Actually,
I feel like I put more pressure on that than
even the show because if I didn't have a good
camera blocking, it made me really nervous for the show
because I was like, well, if I messed it up here,
I'm not gonna have enough time to get it right
on Monday. So it was I was a nervous wreck

(22:25):
the entire time. There was so much anxiety, but I
worked through it and battled through it, but there was
there was sometimes that it was just like that whole
show is it's something you can't explain. No, It's like, I, no,
I don't I don't think that. I don't think people
understand the amount of pressure that that we're under. Um
it's mental and emotional gymnastics, and yousually gotta really like

(22:48):
fight through it because it's like it's the dance, it's
your partner, it's the judges, it's the media, it's people
online trolling you. Like as much as you don't want
to look at it, like you look at it and
then like you let these thoughts gin in your head.
It is. It's one of the toughest things I've ever done.
And as as grateful as I am for it, I

(23:08):
was so happy when it was done. I was just like, Okay,
I'm ready, I'm so glad it's over. Like I was
just like, thank God. And you also had like a
really crazy start because if you guys watched it, you
would remember this. But Cody had COVID in the really
early stages of the show, and nobody knew what to do,

(23:29):
Like we were like, how does and he had to
perform on fucking Zoom Zoom. Essentially it was zoom And
so we did a jazz number from my house. I
was doing it from my place in New York, Chirl
was doing it from her place in l A. And honestly, though,
like I feel like we slayed it and they did
play it. The hat the hat come on. We did

(23:50):
the best with what we had. It was. It was
an initial and you know what, I remember getting that
call and I was just like there was a moment
I was like I might quit. I might just like
I just might bow out because this seems so complicated.
I'm so glad that I didn't. I'm so glad that
you made it to the finals. So I'm really glad

(24:11):
you didn't tap out of it because that was so
fun to watch. And I feel like, also what was
really cool about the whole experience was like kind of
seeing everybody grow into themselves, Like like I just feel
like I remember like between like I can say for myself,
I feel like I grew into myself so much more
than watching like Joe Joe and Sunny and like all
these people that just really like found themselves because of

(24:31):
the show. Was like, I don't know, it's actually really
impactful and cool to see. Absolutely when we had like
our cat like the cast was rooting for each other,
and I think when we saw like great dances or
a moment of growth, like we're like yes, yeah, it
was a really loving environment. So what have you been

(25:05):
up to after the show? Now we can get into it.
I want to hear about what you were saying in
the beginning about your healing journey a little bit and
just kind of focusing on you and alright, right right right, um, yeah,
I think you know. I got back in November, so
it was like the holiday season. After that, I was
spending time with friends and family, and then January. January

(25:26):
hit and it was like really focused on Peloton, working
with different brands, um, a little bit of travel, and UM,
I was just doing so much, like all my days
were packed. My calendar was like I would like look
two months in advance. I was like, oh my god,
every week is so much, so many things going on

(25:49):
and I love to be busy. Um, but I think
I hit a marking probably like February, where I felt
really disconnected for myself, and I remember talking to my
therapist and just being like, I'm not depressed, but I'm not.
I don't feel like myself, and there's moments of sadness.
And I think when I analyzed it a little bit,

(26:11):
you know, coming from Dancing with the Stars, you have,
like all of you have so many like adrenaline, adrenaline,
emotional spikes and these highs that when that's removed, I
don't think your body in your mind know what to
do after after that process. It does that make sense?
And so I just felt like really off, probably in

(26:35):
February and March and recently I kind of hit a
space whereas like I need to press pause or like
pump the brakes on some of my work and and
really tapping into the power of know of being like no,
I don't I don't need to do this right now,
Like this isn't this isn't important to me, or I

(26:56):
there will be another opportunity. I don't need to take
this one right now, um, and instead coming back to
my roots of that self love and taking care of myself,
because even in the past two years, I might I
was going to therapy, but I remember being kind of
like super exhausted at points where I wasn't going into
that space and maybe like really working through or talking

(27:18):
through or figuring things out, and so like I was
showing up, but I was going through the motions, and
my meditation practice had gotten less and less and less
and less, or just wasn't a lot more infrequent, And
so I kind of hit a mark in in May
where I was like, all right, I need to get
back to myself, create a morning routine where I'm where

(27:38):
I'm finding time every day to meditate, to journal, to
take care of myself, do things that I love, like
listen to music. Um. Even like one thing right now,
which I was talking to a friend is like getting
dressed and looking cute and feeling cute, like even if
I'm just going to get coffee or going for a walk,
and it's it's literally for nobody else but me, but

(28:00):
that's something that brings me joy. Is just like looking
cute and having a fierce outfit, and that is like
healing and selfish me. Um. And so for me, that
is what I've been focus is focusing on this summer
and enjoying time with friends. I'm gonna I'm going to Europe.
Next week for two weeks. So that's that's gonna be

(28:22):
really good. And I'm glad to kind of take this
season of taking a break, taking a breath, and then
going into September putting my head down and working on
some some new content at Peloton, working on some other projects.
I know you want me to say what it is like,
I won't ask a girl, Like you know, there's always
a season for everything, and right now that season is

(28:45):
taking care of myself, enjoying life, breathing, laughing, dancing, and
then I think going into the fall back to school season,
it's like, put your head down, do some work and
work on new stuff that's exciting. Yeah, what's it like?
A day in your life? Look like in Cody Race World?
It's so it's so random. But like I wake up
every I've been trying to set my alarm for seven am.

(29:06):
I know it's not super early, but it's early. Wake up. Yeah,
I wake up. I go have a glass of water,
I have a cup of egg whites, I go meditate.
Do you eat really healthy? No? Okay, because I'm like,
do all fitness instructors are they on like some strict,
amazing clean diet? I mean listen if I it's summer

(29:28):
and I want to eat more clean so that I
feel cute and all that sort of stuff. But I
think just balance. Yeah, I guess it's balanced. It's like
I have my routine probably Monday through Friday or Saturday,
and then I give myself a little bit of grace
to like indulge have fun. I also just don't drink
that much. It's not my favorite thing. So I think
drinking is one that really affects people more than they think.

(29:54):
And so over the years, I've kind of just like
lessened my relationship with alcohol. Not that I'm so over
or don't drink at all, but I just I'm really
intentional about when and if I drink um, and then
I usually go to the gym, I slay my workouts,
I have meetings on zoom or in person. I teach
a class um. It's it's crazy. Last week I was

(30:15):
putting in like I'm like twelve hour days, like seven
to seven. It's just NonStop with how many classes do
you do in one day? In one day, usually only one,
maybe two, and usually if it's two, it's two shorter ones.
But I'm I'm teaching for to five classes a week. Wow,
not crazy, not not too much, but you know it
does take its toll on the body. Yeah, because you

(30:38):
also have to be like on when you're doing You
can't just be in the back of the class like
I'm working out, I'm doing it today, Like You've got
to be the one that's hyping everybody else up in
the class. Yeah, And I think that's the most challenging parts,
Like physically my body. I've been doing it for eight
years now, so like my body is so conditioned to it.
But it is really like turning on being like being
a personality, like bringing the energy to a class, especially

(31:01):
on those days when I don't want to do it.
And there's plenty of those days where I'm like, I
love my job, but I am not in the mood
to like be happy Smiley Cody right now. But figure
it out, you know, figure it out. Do you feel
like from Dancing with the Stars or maybe not even
cousin Dancing Stars, but just in general of like social

(31:22):
media being a thing and then you obviously having such
a presence on social media because of Peloton and people
loving you on there, like it's presented so many new
opportunities in just like a different space for work. Oh absolutely,
Like I'm so grateful for the platform that Pelton has
given me. Um, you know, I've I've gotten to doing
with the stars. I do speaking engagements, which I have

(31:45):
a few few this fall and I'm excited about. And
that allows me to kind of share my story and
in a in a different way and like in more
in depth way. Um. You know, I've got to work
with with with amazing brands. And honestly, the time that
I invest outside of Peloton is actually like I try
to invest more outside of the fitness world. Like I'm not.

(32:08):
I don't try to do more fitness things outside of Peloton.
I try to find opportunities and skill sets that I
have and opportunities that will be in alignment with that.
So yeah, I've got to do some some really cool stuff.
And um, I'm like forever grateful for the platform and
what it what it gives me because you know, I
grew I grew up so broke, like so poor. It

(32:30):
was just me and my mom, and I never thought
that I would have this level of level of success
and so it yeah, you look back and I'm just
grateful for it. Yeah, It's really like life changing. Huh. Absolutely. Um, well,
I won't keep you because I know you're busy, But
thank you so much for coming on the podcast today
and honestly just being so real and so open. It's

(32:53):
one of the things I love about you. I think
that people are really going to resonate with this episode
because of your realness, and I really appreciate it. Thank
you so much for having me. I love this little reunion.
I know me too. Hopefully I'll be in New York
soon so I can come see you and say, hey,
let's do dinner or something. I might be I might
be in l A. I think like middle of October,
so I might try to go to Dancing with the Stars.

(33:15):
Oh my god, please tell me. If you go, I
will come with you. Yeah, let's go on a date
to Dancing with the Star. I would love that. Okay,
we'll have the best day. You're the best, and I'll
talk too soon. All right, Hi, everyone,