December 29, 2025 • 31 mins
AJ continues to unwrap her favorite affirmations and lessons from past guests, including Sam Fischer, Michaela Edenfield, Natasha Watley, Odicci Alexander-Bennett, and Megan Faraimo, in this two-part series.
Looking for more diamonds?
Watch the show on YouTube and follow on Instagram.
For more on the latest with AJ, catch her on Instagram and X. Share the diamonds you received from this episode by leaving a rating and a review!
Dropping Diamonds with AJ Andrews is in partnership with the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL).
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Dropping Diamonds with AJ Andrews is an iHeart women's sports
production in partnership with Athletes Unlimited Softball League.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
And Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Welcome to Dropping Diamonds with Mee AJ Andrews R. Dive
headfirst into the world of softball. Today, we are continuing
our holiday series with another gift that keeps on giving,
but a new one because you know, New Year knew us.
But before we're doing that, it's only right that we
set an affirmation for the new year, the affirmation that
(00:37):
I really think that it would be great going in
New Year's remember to release the past with gratitude, embrace
present opportunities with courage, and confidently step into a year
of abundant joy, growth, and limitless potential. But for me,
you guys know I love to rhyme, So if we
really want to have an affirmation, you can wake up
every single day starting January first and going.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
All the way through the New Year with it is.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
I am healthy, I am wealthy, I am rich, I
am that bee be. I'm gonna go get that bag
and I am not gonna take no sh I am protected,
well respected.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
I'm a queen. I'm a dream. I do what I
want to do. I am who I want to be.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
All twenty twenty six, be who you want to be.
And moving into twenty twenty six, here are some of
my favorite affirmations that will help us get the new
year started off right. When energy meets adversity, resilience is
(01:41):
born and life just like the game. Sam Fisher asked
us to keep swinging no matter the count. Well, Sam,
to start off every podcast, I typically like to start
with a quote or affirmation, and so one of the
(02:03):
ones that I thought of with you, because if there's
one thing when we talk about someone that just will
never give up on their favorite pitch, it is Sam Fisher. Okay,
she has never seen a rise ball she doesn't like,
and so there the quote that I thought of today
(02:24):
would be some days will be as low as the
sicke as drop ball, and some will be as high
as the most amazing rise ball. But every day is
a chance to keep swinging, and that's really the only
way to put the ball in play.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
I love that, I love that, I agree with it completely,
and we're gonna.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Grab an affirmation from that. What do you think like
Our affirmation for the day.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Would be swing hard, baby.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Swing hard, but just look at the mirror. Yeah, swing
a It may be high today and it may be low.
Either way, we go swing hard, baby, Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
You get you know what, If you can believe you
can hit it, then you go for it like you're
gonna hit it.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Ooh, I like it, sweet, I like it too, baby.
If you believe I'm a.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Post it note on my bathroom mirror, spoom.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Swinging hard means accepting what comes with it, the highs,
the lows, and everything in between. And Mikayla and Field
reminds us that while we can't control every moment, we
can always control how we respond. As athletes, it can
(03:50):
get hard and we have to continue to motivate ourselves.
And so for this one, talking to you and just
knowing how hard you work, I thought a great quote
would be the hardest challenge is to be yourself in
a world where everyone is trying to make you something else.
And so affirmation I came from this. I put a
little bit from Doctor Seuss. But look into the mirror
and we'll say I love myself and all that I
(04:12):
am and can be, for there's no one on earth
more mirror than me.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
Yeah, that's good.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Nobody is more you than you and that is our
super bad.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Do you have a quote or affirmation that you really
feel like you live by.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
There's been a couple of things, like, of course, as
an athlete at Florida State, we took our mental health
like and talks very seriously and we always had like
this cheat sheet of random quotes and whatnot of things
that stuck out to many people that we've worked through
the mental performance area. And one that I put on
my glove the past couple of years was E plus
(04:48):
our equals O and its event plus response equals your
supposed outcome. And the only thing you can control is
the response. And so within like wanting to be myself
and make sure that, like I'm giving myself the best
value of life is understanding that like the event is
what it is, right, and it's on me to control
(05:09):
my response. And I think that's the big thing. As
a catcher, I'm always feeding off of my picture. It's
what can I do for my picture? What can I
do for my defense? What can I do this? Blah
blah blah blah blah, Right, And with that, I'm just
making sure I can kind of do a balancing act.
So I go in if my pictures like a super
like hot head, like I want to be cool and
(05:30):
calm collected, like that's my response to her and her attitude,
but also like bad call, like whatever it is, like
me getting angry, it's not going to do anything about it.
And I think as athletes we can get wound up
on the negatives of the game and kind of controlling
that response will make it a little bit more of
a positive outcome hopefully, And then on top of that,
(05:51):
like you're gonna be a little less angry at the
end of the day. And I think we go through
so many different emotions.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
So knowing that the only control from event E plus
R equals oh is your response, I think that's really
important because oftentimes we try to control the outcome. To
your point, especially as pictures and you're someone for being
a catcher, you have to go and help people control
their responses.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
How do you do that when you step.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Onto the mound and you're trying to console a picture
or trying to help them through a situation. Do you
have a method of attack or does it change depending.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
On it sit changes, Like according to the picture, you
know like I think I always joke around and say
it's like speed dating like seven to eight people, especially
in college when you got to like a whole full staff,
you got to get to know them like pretty good,
Like what is their favorite food, what can get them
out of a really weird spot? Are they going through
an emotional time right now personally like outside of softball,
(06:47):
and how is that going to weigh into their performance?
And for me, it's making sure I know all of
those things off the field so on the field, I
can apply it and make sure I'm you know, directing
the conversation how it needs to be. But at the
end of the day, like you have to have a
realness whenever you talk to a teammate, regardless of picture,
(07:08):
catcher and field outfield, you got to be real with
the situation like did she just throw one right over
the middle of the plate. Yeah, yeah, and that's gonna happen.
And I think now with understanding the personalities of the picture,
it's like how you go about saying that like that
was a bit plated there, and next time, let's work
a little bit more off here. Hey, you were ahead
(07:29):
O two in that count, Like I'll set up a
little bit more outside. Let's just make sure we start
to expand better, you know, so it's not oh, like
you messed up, it's how can we go on from this?
And so that's the big thing there, and having to
kind of direct the conversation and we can laugh. It happens.
You know, you got people that are like big time sluggers,
and you make it a little missed up, a little
(07:51):
mistake and you leave one over the middle of the plate,
and when they smack it, you're like, well, yeah, that's
what I get. Yeah, it humbles you a little bit.
But at the same time, like you can tip your
hat off to some people because I've seen people like
hit balls so inside and so close to their shin
and I'm like, I don't even know how. Yeah, yeah,
I'm my girlfriend like, don't look at me, but like, hey,
(08:12):
I don't even know how that happened. So it's like,
how can we be about the next pitch.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Let's take a quick break to hear a word from
our sponsor. Strength doesn't stop us, it echoes, And sometimes
the greatest gift you give is simply showing up so
someone else can see what's possible. I foresaw that was
(08:39):
possible through my idol Natasha Wally Well Nasashaw. We know
what it's like to lead it off, and I want
to lead this Dropping Diamonds podcast episode off with Dropping Diamonds,
were dropping shot and start with affirmation. So I just
(09:00):
felt like this quote, which is a good quote, it's
just very fitting for today and is work until your
idols become your rivals. And then I added this part
and then your idols again because you continue in every
phase of life, whether it's softbar or beyond, you're still
someone that I look up to. An affirmation I like
to bring out of that is there's no limit to
(09:21):
what I can do or who I can be. I
will use my idols as guides to become the best me.
Speaker 5 (09:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (09:28):
I love that he Dropping Diamonds.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Dropping Diamonds.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Do you have a favorite quote that you live by
or that's really stuck with you throughout time?
Speaker 7 (09:37):
Gosh, I have a ton. What I was playing not
a really good one, but what doesn't kill you makes
you strong. Hey, that was at like six am, waking
up like, oh my gosh, this is not gonna kill me,
It's gonna make me stronger. Oh my gosh, I have
a ton I love my Angelo and I'm gonna butcher it,
(09:59):
but there's one is talking about how you make people feel.
How they don't necessarily remember what you say, but how
you make them feel.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
And that's exactly it.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
People don't always remember the words you say, but they
always remember the way you made them feel.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
Make it, make them feel.
Speaker 7 (10:12):
Yeah, I'm like I was gonna butcher it, but something
to that effect, and that always that's always stuck with me.
Just yeah, Like I always want to make sure when
I'm around people that we're embracing them, we're uplifting them,
we're empowering them.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
So yeah, what do you feel like?
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Is an affirmation we can take from that?
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Like the intention for a day.
Speaker 7 (10:31):
Yeah, I think that's a good one is just making
sure you make people feel seen. And I don't know,
I'm just I mean, even strangers just hi, how are
you good morning? Just making people feel present, you know,
because we can get really lost in our days and
with all the things that we personally have to do.
So just making people feel seen at all times, that's
been something that I try to do.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Oh yeah, all right to today's affirmation, Well, what doesn't
kill you make you strong? I remember that you're going
out to your lift, your job, or your practice.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
I will get stronger today because I'm not going to die. Yes, yes,
it is.
Speaker 7 (11:08):
Not going to hurt you, so at the end you
will be very happy. So it's always the before that sucks.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
And make people feel seed while you're going out and
getting stronger.
Speaker 8 (11:19):
Yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
When I think about how much the importance of representation,
and obviously from my own story, it's a testament of
being able to watch you and how that was transformative
in my life, I can think of the exact moment
when I realized that I was also that person for
(11:41):
many other people the way you were for me. And
I was coming off of a game. I had a
terrible game. I don't remember what I did. I know
I was like, oh for something, oh for three, oh
for four? Awful And this young woman came up to
a black woman with her daughter said, oh, please can
you Oh my daughter would love me get to I
got this our first softball game or my daughter's favorite player.
(12:01):
I was like, huh, it's your first game. I went
over four, how about your favorite player? And she spoke
about how, oh, well, she's the first time she saw
a black girl playing on a big field, and she said, wow, mom,
she looks like me. Yeah, and I don't know what
like jolted me in that moment when I realized none
of this matters, aj Like your stats don't matter, the
(12:25):
performance does the matter? What matters that you showed up.
It matters that you're there and you are realizing dreams
for people, the same way which Natasha, you were just
playing trying to win a world series. You had no
idea who was watching you totally, and you had no
idea that in years time it would be someone that
ultimately went to LSU and played pro all because she
(12:46):
sat down and was inspired by you watching you on TV.
And I had that realization of oh my god, I'm
really that person for other people as well, And it
doesn't matter what my performance is. I couldn't tell you
what you did when I watched you. I have no
idea what happened that game. I just bir seeing you.
It hit me in that moment that oh wow, yeah,
just about as that I show up. Was there a
moment for you when you realize just how important representation was?
Speaker 6 (13:10):
Yeah, after our games, our USA games, my whole line
would be the maybe the four black girls that were
in the park watching the game would be in my line,
like the first in line, and everywhere we went, my
line was full of young black girls, And like, I
think for me, that was a realization like Okay, yeah,
you can go zero for ten and how powerful it
(13:33):
is for them to see you on that field and
to see you wearing a USA uniform and all of
these things, like it completely changes your perspective, right, And
I feel like when we were on those tours, they
were such a grind, and I felt like we were
rock stars.
Speaker 7 (13:47):
Like you would get on a bus and we would
bust to the next city, which would be like an
hour or two hours, and then it was just a
grind and we would have to wake up and play
another game. And I think that that was the motivation
of like, there's some young girl that's going to be
in this crowd today that's going to see me for
the first time, and it doesn't matter if I'm zero
for ten, it doesn't matter if I'm ten for ten.
(14:08):
She's going to be the first of my line, and
I want to be there for her, and I want
to be that visual for her. I want to be
I want to hold this spot for her. I want
to have her her eyes are going to be on
me the whole entire day, and so like that was
my motivation, is like I'm going to kill it today
no matter what.
Speaker 6 (14:24):
I want to be that for her.
Speaker 7 (14:25):
So yeah, I think those moments when it kind of
clicks of oh my gosh, this is really important this
platform that we have because we remember being that little
girl and yeah, like I didn't have that visual on
a daily basis, and you know, I'm now I get
emotional because I've got a little girl. I've got a
little girl that I'm raising. I think about the visuals
(14:46):
and I think about you, Aj, and that she gets
to see you, and that we get to turn on
our TV and she gets to see powerful black women
on the TV playing sports on a daily It is
her norm for us to turn on the TV, and
you know, not even just to see black women, but
just to see women's sports in general and to see
someone like you. It's a whole different meeting in mommyhood.
(15:08):
But I know what it meant for us to be
young girls just to have someone to look up to.
And yeah, I didn't necessarily like really have that in
a softball form, but I just think about the young
girls too.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Response shapes outcome, and strength isn't always loud. Sometimes it's quiet,
steady and deeply rooted. Honestly, Alexander Bennett is a powerful
reminder of that. I like to start a podcast with
an affirmation for the day, and so a quote that
(15:53):
I pull that I felt really resonated with you and
with hopefully our conversation was our greatest weakness lies in
giving up. Strength does not come from physical capacity. It
comes from indominal will. And I feel like that is you,
how you embody what it means to have strength. And
(16:17):
I think everybody that's ever watched you play from the
moment first saw you in screens can second that what
do you feel like? Is an affirmation that we can
derive from that quote.
Speaker 8 (16:30):
Oh, I mean, strength is definitely a part of it.
Speaker 9 (16:35):
Like you said, I mean I feel like in general,
in general with women, just seeing what we go through
on a day to day basis, and it's like God
made this is what women do, you know, Like I know,
I get moments where I'm like terrified of giving birth,
but it's like God's put us here to do that,
(16:55):
you know, So having a thought process of things like that,
and just knowing that women are built so different is
insane because you know, being married to my husband, he's like,
I don't know how you do that.
Speaker 8 (17:08):
I'm like, yeah, I know you could.
Speaker 9 (17:09):
You could never, you could never, you could never, you know.
So just knowing that women are built different and really,
you know, taking that in and seeing that each and
every day, Like when I get up, it's hard.
Speaker 8 (17:22):
It is hard.
Speaker 9 (17:23):
I'm not gonna lie and I can say I've had
a very easy pregnancy.
Speaker 8 (17:27):
I haven't really had any complications or anything like that, thank.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
God this far.
Speaker 8 (17:31):
And it's still hard.
Speaker 9 (17:33):
I'm like, how in the world and to the fact
that I played softball professional softbay is insane.
Speaker 8 (17:41):
So just knowing that women are built different. I keep
that in my heads all the time.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Okay, I'm feeling it. I'm like, bring it together, so
I'm put together, sly.
Speaker 4 (17:51):
I am woman, I.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Am strong, everywhere I am.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
I belong.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
It's hard, worried, it's fate as a woman is innate.
Speaker 8 (18:01):
Oh good, you're good at that.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
That's our affirmation, y'all.
Speaker 8 (18:06):
You might have to start sending me that every day.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Well, it's recorded, so yes.
Speaker 8 (18:11):
I will look at that maybe I'll just watch it
every day.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
There you go. That is truly I feel like I
agree though, the embodiment of when you think about the
things that women can do, there's no limit.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
I mean, if you can create.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Life and birth life, and not only while you're creating life,
go out and be a professional athlete at the same
exact time. It's I mean, it's a testament to the
fact that whatever I thought was hard that I couldn't
get over, well's by ten and I'm gonna tell you
how I got over that one. I mean, when you
(18:48):
talk about being pregnant and being able to play in
the AUSL playing professional softball, when you first realized you
were pregnant, what were your immediate thoughts.
Speaker 8 (18:57):
Honestly, I was a little terrified. I'm like, I don't
know how this is going to go.
Speaker 9 (19:01):
Of course, I had the thoughts of you know, backing
out and you know, things like that. But you know,
it wasn't like I forgot how to play softball or
anything like that.
Speaker 8 (19:10):
And it was the first trimesters.
Speaker 9 (19:13):
Well, I wasn't showing or I wasn't you know, really
feeling too much, you know, being pregnant. So I was like,
you know, I'm just going to go for it, and
if things start to get a little tricky, you know,
I'll stop. But I was scared at the beginning. But
you know, my teammates and coaches for sure made that
easy peasy. They made sure I was fine, high food,
I had everything I needed.
Speaker 8 (19:34):
You know, it was great feed up.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Did you get film massages every now and then?
Speaker 9 (19:38):
I wish, yeah, I wish you go out.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
I read your quote you said to I think it
was m IB and you said being able to get
out on the field and do what you do while
being pregnant. It was a daily reminder that I wasn't
playing for myself. And the strength that we talked about
earlier isn't about your physical ability or your physical power.
(20:06):
It's about resilience, patience, and just trusting your body. And
you said that you believe that you've learned that your
body is capable of so much more than you have
ever imagined.
Speaker 8 (20:16):
I learned that quickly, quickly.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (20:20):
I was like, oh, yeah, I could play softball pregnant.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Wow, you were you know, you posted a video of
seventeen weeks in the bullpen and it looked like you
had I mean, you look like a force the power
of if not the.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Same, stronger. Did you feel any differences?
Speaker 8 (20:37):
I will say I did feel stronger. I don't know why.
Speaker 9 (20:39):
I don't know if it was the prenatal vitamins. I
don't know, like I do not know, but I feel
like I could literally, like just run straight through a
brick wall.
Speaker 8 (20:49):
So I mean, thank God for that. Like, I feel good.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
I love that you just dropped it on us too.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
It's like, by the way, hey, this has been going on,
just say there's an and I'm still just as good.
There's more to cover, but first let's take a quick break.
(21:14):
When representation opens the door, vision carries us through it.
As we close this episode, Megan Femo reminds us that
believing in what's ahead is one of the greatest gifts
we can give ourselves. One thing that I really thought,
(21:36):
after diving deeper into who you are and your story
and affirmation, that really stuck out to me that I
just came up with a spy. I feel like it
would be today. I will stand tall with confidence and pride.
I'll keep my steps powerful, nothing will break my stride. Wow.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
That was a good one. That was Wow, what a
great way to start off my morning. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
Yes, we're gonna keep moving strong with our strides. When
you think about like a great affirmation or maybe a
quote that's really propelled you throughout your career or something
that's really stuck with you lately, do you have one?
Speaker 5 (22:11):
Okay, well, let me just read you my screensaver if
I can.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Oh, perfect, I.
Speaker 5 (22:16):
Wrote this myself in Mexico. I don't want to sound
super far out but low key, like sometimes I just
be forgetting that I'm real.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Wait what do you mean by that?
Speaker 5 (22:28):
Because sometimes my brain just goes in overdrive and then
I'll like go into orbit and then I'm like, dude,
is this a similation period or am I like here
right now? Am I living this life unconsciously? Or is
it like my subconscious autopilot and drive?
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Oh girl, we could go into a whole another I'm
I'm always on that wavelength anytime something weird happens like
this is not a real I had a similation moment
just yesterday. I was like, nope, I'm entering a different
timeline right now. Anyway, I'm speaking the same I got you,
I got you. But let's but what's on your screen saving?
Speaker 5 (23:01):
Okay, well, so I had to help myself out every
morning or every day, I'll read this to myself or
at this point I have it memorized, but okay, it
says ground yourself. Today is an important day. Today, I'm free,
free to choose, freedom, free to be remarkable, free to
be me. My name is Megan k Elani Fema, and
I believe I am capable of greatness, for I see
(23:22):
my future in visions not dreams, and I know my potential.
The path to fulfillment is hard, but my father in
heaven is formidable, and he is with me today. I
step forward on this path with God's hand in mind.
I will outlive every dark day and I will dare
to shine.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
Girl, Thank you Snaps, Thank you snaps the snaps, and
you wrote that yes, like you came up with it.
Speaker 5 (23:46):
Yeah, one thousand percent like a two am, three am
moment where I was again like dude, is this real life?
Speaker 1 (23:54):
And then.
Speaker 5 (23:57):
How to like ground myself first, like curious.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
Something happened, because I feel like I remember the exact
moments where I'm like, h Nope, this wasn't real or
I entered a different timeline, like I could vividly see
and remember the exact moments where'm like or like deja.
It's like deja, that's.
Speaker 5 (24:15):
A raven moment, you know what I mean, Like you're gonna.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Stop in your track. So that was weird.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
Yes, was there anything that happened to you that made
you say, Okay, I gotta, I gotta I settle myself
in and ground myself.
Speaker 5 (24:25):
I don't think that it was a particular moment. It
was more like an accumulation of a bunch of moments
where I didn't feel I didn't feel like I was
making my choices. I mean, I know we all make
our own choices, but it's like I think of it
as being awake or aware or unaware of what you're doing.
So it's just that autopilot. And I think for my
(24:46):
lifestyle that sort of gets easy to fall into because
it's just like season after season, practice after practice, game
after game, just like the same thing every day, where
some times it's a little hard for me to be
intentional in every single moment. And I noticed that that
was happening a lot in Mexico, and then I was like, well, girl,
(25:09):
you gotta pause, Like we got to find a way
to remember that every day is important and that I
believe every day that I was made free, literally free
to choose to be remarkable. Like that's so crazy that
I can do that, But sometimes I just don't do
you right, poetry?
Speaker 2 (25:24):
I do?
Speaker 5 (25:25):
Actually, Yeah, I really like writing from a super young age. Actually,
that's been one of my favorite ways to express myself
was through writing and then probably on the same level
as softball and pitching, like your love for it, my
love for it. And I feel like playing softball helps
me express one hundred percent who I am authentically, where
(25:48):
I don't feel the need to guard or like filter anything,
Like I could just be one hundred percent raw meg
and I don't feel bad about it. Same with my writing,
like I could just express myself and then like it
is what it is, take it or leave it.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Like it or not.
Speaker 5 (26:06):
It made me happy, it brought me joy, so I'm
cool with it.
Speaker 8 (26:09):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
I've written a couple of things that you've said that
really stood out to me, and two of them were
I see my future in visions not dreams, and the
other one was I am free. I am free to
be remarkable. When you say I see my future in
visions not dreams, it really hits home on the fact
that I see this as something that is happening or
(26:34):
something that is going to happen, rather than something that
I'm making up in my mind and it's just a dream.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
No, this is I just had a.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Vision of what my life is going to entail or
what it is that I can do and succeed. And
then we talk about I am free to be remarkable.
It's like you give yourself the permission to be as
exceptional as possible and not allow the limitations or the
societal still and said, it's possibly placed on you or
(27:03):
on women in general, to keep you at a certain
level when you could reach exponential levels without am I
interpreting it?
Speaker 5 (27:11):
Yes, one thousand percent, both of those parts. You totally
interpreted it how I meant it. With the visions not dreams.
I was actually inspired by my mom. She tells me
this story or told me this story about how if
she would have an event or like some dinner that
she wanted to address nice for she would have like
a specific outfit and mind and then she would just
(27:35):
find it like exactly what she wanted, but it was
like an actual visualization for her, and then she would
just go and find it and for some reason that
story just stuck with me because again I think dreams
are really important and that's like where inspiration lies. But
I think that it's not until you actually visualize it
(27:55):
and can truly see it and one hundred percent believe
that like it's going to have you just have to
play your part in it. That to me is a
vision and you just step into that. It's almost like effortless.
And then with the freedom part that came to me
in a prayer because I was just hold again in Mexico,
I was just holding onto so much like, Okay, once
(28:17):
I write this or have this thought that I'm unaware
of my choices. It feels like the guilt and the
shame as someone who is elite or at least wants
to be elite, you can feel the guilt for not
being elite one hundred percent of the time. And then
I was just praying to God to help me let
that go. And then it was just clear that the
(28:39):
choice is mine, like I want so badly to control
everything and just like every movel of in my day,
hold on and grab to you like this, And then
in that moment I was like, ah, I actually feel
more powerful if I just let it go and release
all of that and exactly like you said, like, just
be free to be remarkable. Wow, I am free to
(29:01):
be remarkable.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
As we wrap up twenty twenty five and step into
a new year, these affirmations don't stay here. They are
the gifts we carry forward, the kind that keep giving
long after the holiday ends and the new year begins.
In twenty twenty six, I am so excited that this
show Dropping Diamonds continues to drop the most amazing diamonds
you've ever heard, as everyone on the salftball field is
(29:29):
able to continue to get better on the diamond This
has been a great year filled with so much insight
and so much power and so much talent and samples
only getting bigger and better, and the diamonds are only
going to continue to be dropped. So so excited to
see what twenty twenty six has in store for us
to learn, for us to grow, and for us to
continue to get bigger and better as women in the game.
(29:53):
Thank you so much for listening to Dropping Diamonds with me,
aj Andrews. I have more exciting guests coming in the
new year that you don't want to miss.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
If there are any.
Speaker 1 (30:01):
Topics you want to hear or questions you might have,
drop a comment on Instagram.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
At Dropping Diamonds Pod.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
Please help the show grow by leaving a rating and review.
Remember to recite the affirmation that most resonates with you
this year and going into the next. And with that,
I wish you a happy New Year and I'll meet
you here next week back at the Diamond Bye for now.
(30:30):
Dropping Diamonds with AJ Andrews is an iHeart women's sports
production in partnership with Athletes Unlimited Softball League and Deep
Blue Sports and Entertainment. I'm your host, AJ Andrews. Our
executive producer is Jesse Katz. Tari Harrison is our supervising producer,
and this episode was mixed and mastered by Mary Do
listen to Dropping Diamonds with AJ Andrews on the iHeartRadio app,
(30:54):
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Nine
Dropping Diamonds with AJ Andrews is an iHeart women's sports
production in partnership with Athletes Unlimited Softball League.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
And Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Welcome to Dropping Diamonds with Mee AJ Andrews R. Dive
headfirst into the world of softball. Today, we are continuing
our holiday series with another gift that keeps on giving,
but a new one because you know, New Year knew us.
But before we're doing that, it's only right that we
set an affirmation for the new year, the affirmation that
(00:37):
I really think that it would be great going in
New Year's remember to release the past with gratitude, embrace
present opportunities with courage, and confidently step into a year
of abundant joy, growth, and limitless potential. But for me,
you guys know I love to rhyme, So if we
really want to have an affirmation, you can wake up
every single day starting January first and going.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
All the way through the New Year with it is.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
I am healthy, I am wealthy, I am rich, I
am that bee be. I'm gonna go get that bag
and I am not gonna take no sh I am protected,
well respected.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
I'm a queen. I'm a dream. I do what I
want to do. I am who I want to be.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
All twenty twenty six, be who you want to be.
And moving into twenty twenty six, here are some of
my favorite affirmations that will help us get the new
year started off right. When energy meets adversity, resilience is
(01:41):
born and life just like the game. Sam Fisher asked
us to keep swinging no matter the count. Well, Sam,
to start off every podcast, I typically like to start
with a quote or affirmation, and so one of the
(02:03):
ones that I thought of with you, because if there's
one thing when we talk about someone that just will
never give up on their favorite pitch, it is Sam Fisher. Okay,
she has never seen a rise ball she doesn't like,
and so there the quote that I thought of today
(02:24):
would be some days will be as low as the
sicke as drop ball, and some will be as high
as the most amazing rise ball. But every day is
a chance to keep swinging, and that's really the only
way to put the ball in play.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
I love that, I love that, I agree with it completely,
and we're gonna.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Grab an affirmation from that. What do you think like
Our affirmation for the day.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Would be swing hard, baby.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Swing hard, but just look at the mirror. Yeah, swing
a It may be high today and it may be low.
Either way, we go swing hard, baby, Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
You get you know what, If you can believe you
can hit it, then you go for it like you're
gonna hit it.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Ooh, I like it, sweet, I like it too, baby.
If you believe I'm a.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Post it note on my bathroom mirror, spoom.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Swinging hard means accepting what comes with it, the highs,
the lows, and everything in between. And Mikayla and Field
reminds us that while we can't control every moment, we
can always control how we respond. As athletes, it can
(03:50):
get hard and we have to continue to motivate ourselves.
And so for this one, talking to you and just
knowing how hard you work, I thought a great quote
would be the hardest challenge is to be yourself in
a world where everyone is trying to make you something else.
And so affirmation I came from this. I put a
little bit from Doctor Seuss. But look into the mirror
and we'll say I love myself and all that I
(04:12):
am and can be, for there's no one on earth
more mirror than me.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
Yeah, that's good.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Nobody is more you than you and that is our
super bad.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Do you have a quote or affirmation that you really
feel like you live by.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
There's been a couple of things, like, of course, as
an athlete at Florida State, we took our mental health
like and talks very seriously and we always had like
this cheat sheet of random quotes and whatnot of things
that stuck out to many people that we've worked through
the mental performance area. And one that I put on
my glove the past couple of years was E plus
(04:48):
our equals O and its event plus response equals your
supposed outcome. And the only thing you can control is
the response. And so within like wanting to be myself
and make sure that, like I'm giving myself the best
value of life is understanding that like the event is
what it is, right, and it's on me to control
(05:09):
my response. And I think that's the big thing. As
a catcher, I'm always feeding off of my picture. It's
what can I do for my picture? What can I
do for my defense? What can I do this? Blah
blah blah blah blah, Right, And with that, I'm just
making sure I can kind of do a balancing act.
So I go in if my pictures like a super
like hot head, like I want to be cool and
(05:30):
calm collected, like that's my response to her and her attitude,
but also like bad call, like whatever it is, like
me getting angry, it's not going to do anything about it.
And I think as athletes we can get wound up
on the negatives of the game and kind of controlling
that response will make it a little bit more of
a positive outcome hopefully, And then on top of that,
(05:51):
like you're gonna be a little less angry at the
end of the day. And I think we go through
so many different emotions.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
So knowing that the only control from event E plus
R equals oh is your response, I think that's really
important because oftentimes we try to control the outcome. To
your point, especially as pictures and you're someone for being
a catcher, you have to go and help people control
their responses.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
How do you do that when you step.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Onto the mound and you're trying to console a picture
or trying to help them through a situation. Do you
have a method of attack or does it change depending.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
On it sit changes, Like according to the picture, you
know like I think I always joke around and say
it's like speed dating like seven to eight people, especially
in college when you got to like a whole full staff,
you got to get to know them like pretty good,
Like what is their favorite food, what can get them
out of a really weird spot? Are they going through
an emotional time right now personally like outside of softball,
(06:47):
and how is that going to weigh into their performance?
And for me, it's making sure I know all of
those things off the field so on the field, I
can apply it and make sure I'm you know, directing
the conversation how it needs to be. But at the
end of the day, like you have to have a
realness whenever you talk to a teammate, regardless of picture,
(07:08):
catcher and field outfield, you got to be real with
the situation like did she just throw one right over
the middle of the plate. Yeah, yeah, and that's gonna happen.
And I think now with understanding the personalities of the picture,
it's like how you go about saying that like that
was a bit plated there, and next time, let's work
a little bit more off here. Hey, you were ahead
(07:29):
O two in that count, Like I'll set up a
little bit more outside. Let's just make sure we start
to expand better, you know, so it's not oh, like
you messed up, it's how can we go on from this?
And so that's the big thing there, and having to
kind of direct the conversation and we can laugh. It happens.
You know, you got people that are like big time sluggers,
and you make it a little missed up, a little
(07:51):
mistake and you leave one over the middle of the plate,
and when they smack it, you're like, well, yeah, that's
what I get. Yeah, it humbles you a little bit.
But at the same time, like you can tip your
hat off to some people because I've seen people like
hit balls so inside and so close to their shin
and I'm like, I don't even know how. Yeah, yeah,
I'm my girlfriend like, don't look at me, but like, hey,
(08:12):
I don't even know how that happened. So it's like,
how can we be about the next pitch.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Let's take a quick break to hear a word from
our sponsor. Strength doesn't stop us, it echoes, And sometimes
the greatest gift you give is simply showing up so
someone else can see what's possible. I foresaw that was
(08:39):
possible through my idol Natasha Wally Well Nasashaw. We know
what it's like to lead it off, and I want
to lead this Dropping Diamonds podcast episode off with Dropping Diamonds,
were dropping shot and start with affirmation. So I just
(09:00):
felt like this quote, which is a good quote, it's
just very fitting for today and is work until your
idols become your rivals. And then I added this part
and then your idols again because you continue in every
phase of life, whether it's softbar or beyond, you're still
someone that I look up to. An affirmation I like
to bring out of that is there's no limit to
(09:21):
what I can do or who I can be. I
will use my idols as guides to become the best me.
Speaker 5 (09:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (09:28):
I love that he Dropping Diamonds.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Dropping Diamonds.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Do you have a favorite quote that you live by
or that's really stuck with you throughout time?
Speaker 7 (09:37):
Gosh, I have a ton. What I was playing not
a really good one, but what doesn't kill you makes
you strong. Hey, that was at like six am, waking
up like, oh my gosh, this is not gonna kill me,
It's gonna make me stronger. Oh my gosh, I have
a ton I love my Angelo and I'm gonna butcher it,
(09:59):
but there's one is talking about how you make people feel.
How they don't necessarily remember what you say, but how
you make them feel.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
And that's exactly it.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
People don't always remember the words you say, but they
always remember the way you made them feel.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
Make it, make them feel.
Speaker 7 (10:12):
Yeah, I'm like I was gonna butcher it, but something
to that effect, and that always that's always stuck with me.
Just yeah, Like I always want to make sure when
I'm around people that we're embracing them, we're uplifting them,
we're empowering them.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
So yeah, what do you feel like?
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Is an affirmation we can take from that?
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Like the intention for a day.
Speaker 7 (10:31):
Yeah, I think that's a good one is just making
sure you make people feel seen. And I don't know,
I'm just I mean, even strangers just hi, how are
you good morning? Just making people feel present, you know,
because we can get really lost in our days and
with all the things that we personally have to do.
So just making people feel seen at all times, that's
been something that I try to do.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Oh yeah, all right to today's affirmation, Well, what doesn't
kill you make you strong? I remember that you're going
out to your lift, your job, or your practice.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
I will get stronger today because I'm not going to die. Yes, yes,
it is.
Speaker 7 (11:08):
Not going to hurt you, so at the end you
will be very happy. So it's always the before that sucks.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
And make people feel seed while you're going out and
getting stronger.
Speaker 8 (11:19):
Yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
When I think about how much the importance of representation,
and obviously from my own story, it's a testament of
being able to watch you and how that was transformative
in my life, I can think of the exact moment
when I realized that I was also that person for
(11:41):
many other people the way you were for me. And
I was coming off of a game. I had a
terrible game. I don't remember what I did. I know
I was like, oh for something, oh for three, oh
for four? Awful And this young woman came up to
a black woman with her daughter said, oh, please can
you Oh my daughter would love me get to I
got this our first softball game or my daughter's favorite player.
(12:01):
I was like, huh, it's your first game. I went
over four, how about your favorite player? And she spoke
about how, oh, well, she's the first time she saw
a black girl playing on a big field, and she said, wow, mom,
she looks like me. Yeah, and I don't know what
like jolted me in that moment when I realized none
of this matters, aj Like your stats don't matter, the
(12:25):
performance does the matter? What matters that you showed up.
It matters that you're there and you are realizing dreams
for people, the same way which Natasha, you were just
playing trying to win a world series. You had no
idea who was watching you totally, and you had no
idea that in years time it would be someone that
ultimately went to LSU and played pro all because she
(12:46):
sat down and was inspired by you watching you on TV.
And I had that realization of oh my god, I'm
really that person for other people as well, And it
doesn't matter what my performance is. I couldn't tell you
what you did when I watched you. I have no
idea what happened that game. I just bir seeing you.
It hit me in that moment that oh wow, yeah,
just about as that I show up. Was there a
moment for you when you realize just how important representation was?
Speaker 6 (13:10):
Yeah, after our games, our USA games, my whole line
would be the maybe the four black girls that were
in the park watching the game would be in my line,
like the first in line, and everywhere we went, my
line was full of young black girls, And like, I
think for me, that was a realization like Okay, yeah,
you can go zero for ten and how powerful it
(13:33):
is for them to see you on that field and
to see you wearing a USA uniform and all of
these things, like it completely changes your perspective, right, And
I feel like when we were on those tours, they
were such a grind, and I felt like we were
rock stars.
Speaker 7 (13:47):
Like you would get on a bus and we would
bust to the next city, which would be like an
hour or two hours, and then it was just a
grind and we would have to wake up and play
another game. And I think that that was the motivation
of like, there's some young girl that's going to be
in this crowd today that's going to see me for
the first time, and it doesn't matter if I'm zero
for ten, it doesn't matter if I'm ten for ten.
(14:08):
She's going to be the first of my line, and
I want to be there for her, and I want
to be that visual for her. I want to be
I want to hold this spot for her. I want
to have her her eyes are going to be on
me the whole entire day, and so like that was
my motivation, is like I'm going to kill it today
no matter what.
Speaker 6 (14:24):
I want to be that for her.
Speaker 7 (14:25):
So yeah, I think those moments when it kind of
clicks of oh my gosh, this is really important this
platform that we have because we remember being that little
girl and yeah, like I didn't have that visual on
a daily basis, and you know, I'm now I get
emotional because I've got a little girl. I've got a
little girl that I'm raising. I think about the visuals
(14:46):
and I think about you, Aj, and that she gets
to see you, and that we get to turn on
our TV and she gets to see powerful black women
on the TV playing sports on a daily It is
her norm for us to turn on the TV, and
you know, not even just to see black women, but
just to see women's sports in general and to see
someone like you. It's a whole different meeting in mommyhood.
(15:08):
But I know what it meant for us to be
young girls just to have someone to look up to.
And yeah, I didn't necessarily like really have that in
a softball form, but I just think about the young
girls too.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Response shapes outcome, and strength isn't always loud. Sometimes it's quiet,
steady and deeply rooted. Honestly, Alexander Bennett is a powerful
reminder of that. I like to start a podcast with
an affirmation for the day, and so a quote that
(15:53):
I pull that I felt really resonated with you and
with hopefully our conversation was our greatest weakness lies in
giving up. Strength does not come from physical capacity. It
comes from indominal will. And I feel like that is you,
how you embody what it means to have strength. And
(16:17):
I think everybody that's ever watched you play from the
moment first saw you in screens can second that what
do you feel like? Is an affirmation that we can
derive from that quote.
Speaker 8 (16:30):
Oh, I mean, strength is definitely a part of it.
Speaker 9 (16:35):
Like you said, I mean I feel like in general,
in general with women, just seeing what we go through
on a day to day basis, and it's like God
made this is what women do, you know, Like I know,
I get moments where I'm like terrified of giving birth,
but it's like God's put us here to do that,
(16:55):
you know, So having a thought process of things like that,
and just knowing that women are built so different is
insane because you know, being married to my husband, he's like,
I don't know how you do that.
Speaker 8 (17:08):
I'm like, yeah, I know you could.
Speaker 9 (17:09):
You could never, you could never, you could never, you know.
So just knowing that women are built different and really,
you know, taking that in and seeing that each and
every day, Like when I get up, it's hard.
Speaker 8 (17:22):
It is hard.
Speaker 9 (17:23):
I'm not gonna lie and I can say I've had
a very easy pregnancy.
Speaker 8 (17:27):
I haven't really had any complications or anything like that, thank.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
God this far.
Speaker 8 (17:31):
And it's still hard.
Speaker 9 (17:33):
I'm like, how in the world and to the fact
that I played softball professional softbay is insane.
Speaker 8 (17:41):
So just knowing that women are built different. I keep
that in my heads all the time.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Okay, I'm feeling it. I'm like, bring it together, so
I'm put together, sly.
Speaker 4 (17:51):
I am woman, I.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Am strong, everywhere I am.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
I belong.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
It's hard, worried, it's fate as a woman is innate.
Speaker 8 (18:01):
Oh good, you're good at that.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
That's our affirmation, y'all.
Speaker 8 (18:06):
You might have to start sending me that every day.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Well, it's recorded, so yes.
Speaker 8 (18:11):
I will look at that maybe I'll just watch it
every day.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
There you go. That is truly I feel like I
agree though, the embodiment of when you think about the
things that women can do, there's no limit.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
I mean, if you can create.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Life and birth life, and not only while you're creating life,
go out and be a professional athlete at the same
exact time. It's I mean, it's a testament to the
fact that whatever I thought was hard that I couldn't
get over, well's by ten and I'm gonna tell you
how I got over that one. I mean, when you
(18:48):
talk about being pregnant and being able to play in
the AUSL playing professional softball, when you first realized you
were pregnant, what were your immediate thoughts.
Speaker 8 (18:57):
Honestly, I was a little terrified. I'm like, I don't
know how this is going to go.
Speaker 9 (19:01):
Of course, I had the thoughts of you know, backing
out and you know, things like that. But you know,
it wasn't like I forgot how to play softball or
anything like that.
Speaker 8 (19:10):
And it was the first trimesters.
Speaker 9 (19:13):
Well, I wasn't showing or I wasn't you know, really
feeling too much, you know, being pregnant. So I was like,
you know, I'm just going to go for it, and
if things start to get a little tricky, you know,
I'll stop. But I was scared at the beginning. But
you know, my teammates and coaches for sure made that
easy peasy. They made sure I was fine, high food,
I had everything I needed.
Speaker 8 (19:34):
You know, it was great feed up.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Did you get film massages every now and then?
Speaker 9 (19:38):
I wish, yeah, I wish you go out.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
I read your quote you said to I think it
was m IB and you said being able to get
out on the field and do what you do while
being pregnant. It was a daily reminder that I wasn't
playing for myself. And the strength that we talked about
earlier isn't about your physical ability or your physical power.
(20:06):
It's about resilience, patience, and just trusting your body. And
you said that you believe that you've learned that your
body is capable of so much more than you have
ever imagined.
Speaker 8 (20:16):
I learned that quickly, quickly.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (20:20):
I was like, oh, yeah, I could play softball pregnant.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Wow, you were you know, you posted a video of
seventeen weeks in the bullpen and it looked like you
had I mean, you look like a force the power
of if not the.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Same, stronger. Did you feel any differences?
Speaker 8 (20:37):
I will say I did feel stronger. I don't know why.
Speaker 9 (20:39):
I don't know if it was the prenatal vitamins. I
don't know, like I do not know, but I feel
like I could literally, like just run straight through a
brick wall.
Speaker 8 (20:49):
So I mean, thank God for that. Like, I feel good.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
I love that you just dropped it on us too.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
It's like, by the way, hey, this has been going on,
just say there's an and I'm still just as good.
There's more to cover, but first let's take a quick break.
(21:14):
When representation opens the door, vision carries us through it.
As we close this episode, Megan Femo reminds us that
believing in what's ahead is one of the greatest gifts
we can give ourselves. One thing that I really thought,
(21:36):
after diving deeper into who you are and your story
and affirmation, that really stuck out to me that I
just came up with a spy. I feel like it
would be today. I will stand tall with confidence and pride.
I'll keep my steps powerful, nothing will break my stride. Wow.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
That was a good one. That was Wow, what a
great way to start off my morning. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
Yes, we're gonna keep moving strong with our strides. When
you think about like a great affirmation or maybe a
quote that's really propelled you throughout your career or something
that's really stuck with you lately, do you have one?
Speaker 5 (22:11):
Okay, well, let me just read you my screensaver if
I can.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Oh, perfect, I.
Speaker 5 (22:16):
Wrote this myself in Mexico. I don't want to sound
super far out but low key, like sometimes I just
be forgetting that I'm real.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Wait what do you mean by that?
Speaker 5 (22:28):
Because sometimes my brain just goes in overdrive and then
I'll like go into orbit and then I'm like, dude,
is this a similation period or am I like here
right now? Am I living this life unconsciously? Or is
it like my subconscious autopilot and drive?
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Oh girl, we could go into a whole another I'm
I'm always on that wavelength anytime something weird happens like
this is not a real I had a similation moment
just yesterday. I was like, nope, I'm entering a different
timeline right now. Anyway, I'm speaking the same I got you,
I got you. But let's but what's on your screen saving?
Speaker 5 (23:01):
Okay, well, so I had to help myself out every
morning or every day, I'll read this to myself or
at this point I have it memorized, but okay, it
says ground yourself. Today is an important day. Today, I'm free,
free to choose, freedom, free to be remarkable, free to
be me. My name is Megan k Elani Fema, and
I believe I am capable of greatness, for I see
(23:22):
my future in visions not dreams, and I know my potential.
The path to fulfillment is hard, but my father in
heaven is formidable, and he is with me today. I
step forward on this path with God's hand in mind.
I will outlive every dark day and I will dare
to shine.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
Girl, Thank you Snaps, Thank you snaps the snaps, and
you wrote that yes, like you came up with it.
Speaker 5 (23:46):
Yeah, one thousand percent like a two am, three am
moment where I was again like dude, is this real life?
Speaker 1 (23:54):
And then.
Speaker 5 (23:57):
How to like ground myself first, like curious.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
Something happened, because I feel like I remember the exact
moments where I'm like, h Nope, this wasn't real or
I entered a different timeline, like I could vividly see
and remember the exact moments where'm like or like deja.
It's like deja, that's.
Speaker 5 (24:15):
A raven moment, you know what I mean, Like you're gonna.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Stop in your track. So that was weird.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
Yes, was there anything that happened to you that made
you say, Okay, I gotta, I gotta I settle myself
in and ground myself.
Speaker 5 (24:25):
I don't think that it was a particular moment. It
was more like an accumulation of a bunch of moments
where I didn't feel I didn't feel like I was
making my choices. I mean, I know we all make
our own choices, but it's like I think of it
as being awake or aware or unaware of what you're doing.
So it's just that autopilot. And I think for my
(24:46):
lifestyle that sort of gets easy to fall into because
it's just like season after season, practice after practice, game
after game, just like the same thing every day, where
some times it's a little hard for me to be
intentional in every single moment. And I noticed that that
was happening a lot in Mexico, and then I was like, well, girl,
(25:09):
you gotta pause, Like we got to find a way
to remember that every day is important and that I
believe every day that I was made free, literally free
to choose to be remarkable. Like that's so crazy that
I can do that, But sometimes I just don't do
you right, poetry?
Speaker 2 (25:24):
I do?
Speaker 5 (25:25):
Actually, Yeah, I really like writing from a super young age. Actually,
that's been one of my favorite ways to express myself
was through writing and then probably on the same level
as softball and pitching, like your love for it, my
love for it. And I feel like playing softball helps
me express one hundred percent who I am authentically, where
(25:48):
I don't feel the need to guard or like filter anything,
Like I could just be one hundred percent raw meg
and I don't feel bad about it. Same with my writing,
like I could just express myself and then like it
is what it is, take it or leave it.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Like it or not.
Speaker 5 (26:06):
It made me happy, it brought me joy, so I'm
cool with it.
Speaker 8 (26:09):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
I've written a couple of things that you've said that
really stood out to me, and two of them were
I see my future in visions not dreams, and the
other one was I am free. I am free to
be remarkable. When you say I see my future in
visions not dreams, it really hits home on the fact
that I see this as something that is happening or
(26:34):
something that is going to happen, rather than something that
I'm making up in my mind and it's just a dream.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
No, this is I just had a.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Vision of what my life is going to entail or
what it is that I can do and succeed. And
then we talk about I am free to be remarkable.
It's like you give yourself the permission to be as
exceptional as possible and not allow the limitations or the
societal still and said, it's possibly placed on you or
(27:03):
on women in general, to keep you at a certain
level when you could reach exponential levels without am I
interpreting it?
Speaker 5 (27:11):
Yes, one thousand percent, both of those parts. You totally
interpreted it how I meant it. With the visions not dreams.
I was actually inspired by my mom. She tells me
this story or told me this story about how if
she would have an event or like some dinner that
she wanted to address nice for she would have like
a specific outfit and mind and then she would just
(27:35):
find it like exactly what she wanted, but it was
like an actual visualization for her, and then she would
just go and find it and for some reason that
story just stuck with me because again I think dreams
are really important and that's like where inspiration lies. But
I think that it's not until you actually visualize it
(27:55):
and can truly see it and one hundred percent believe
that like it's going to have you just have to
play your part in it. That to me is a
vision and you just step into that. It's almost like effortless.
And then with the freedom part that came to me
in a prayer because I was just hold again in Mexico,
I was just holding onto so much like, Okay, once
(28:17):
I write this or have this thought that I'm unaware
of my choices. It feels like the guilt and the
shame as someone who is elite or at least wants
to be elite, you can feel the guilt for not
being elite one hundred percent of the time. And then
I was just praying to God to help me let
that go. And then it was just clear that the
(28:39):
choice is mine, like I want so badly to control
everything and just like every movel of in my day,
hold on and grab to you like this, And then
in that moment I was like, ah, I actually feel
more powerful if I just let it go and release
all of that and exactly like you said, like, just
be free to be remarkable. Wow, I am free to
(29:01):
be remarkable.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
As we wrap up twenty twenty five and step into
a new year, these affirmations don't stay here. They are
the gifts we carry forward, the kind that keep giving
long after the holiday ends and the new year begins.
In twenty twenty six, I am so excited that this
show Dropping Diamonds continues to drop the most amazing diamonds
you've ever heard, as everyone on the salftball field is
(29:29):
able to continue to get better on the diamond This
has been a great year filled with so much insight
and so much power and so much talent and samples
only getting bigger and better, and the diamonds are only
going to continue to be dropped. So so excited to
see what twenty twenty six has in store for us
to learn, for us to grow, and for us to
continue to get bigger and better as women in the game.
(29:53):
Thank you so much for listening to Dropping Diamonds with me,
aj Andrews. I have more exciting guests coming in the
new year that you don't want to miss.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
If there are any.
Speaker 1 (30:01):
Topics you want to hear or questions you might have,
drop a comment on Instagram.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
At Dropping Diamonds Pod.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
Please help the show grow by leaving a rating and review.
Remember to recite the affirmation that most resonates with you
this year and going into the next. And with that,
I wish you a happy New Year and I'll meet
you here next week back at the Diamond Bye for now.
(30:30):
Dropping Diamonds with AJ Andrews is an iHeart women's sports
production in partnership with Athletes Unlimited Softball League and Deep
Blue Sports and Entertainment. I'm your host, AJ Andrews. Our
executive producer is Jesse Katz. Tari Harrison is our supervising producer,
and this episode was mixed and mastered by Mary Do
listen to Dropping Diamonds with AJ Andrews on the iHeartRadio app,
(30:54):
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Nine
Popular Podcasts
Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen & The Olympics
Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.
iHeartOlympics: The Latest
Listen to the latest news from the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Milan Cortina Winter Olympics
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina are here and have everyone talking. iHeartPodcasts is buzzing with content in honor of the XXV Winter Olympics We’re bringing you episodes from a variety of iHeartPodcast shows to help you keep up with the action. Follow Milan Cortina Winter Olympics so you don’t miss any coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, and if you like what you hear, be sure to follow each Podcast in the feed for more great content from iHeartPodcasts.