May 21, 2024 • 35 mins
The word “iconic” gets thrown around a lot these days. But with two Olympic medals, five World Championships, and nine US Championships, figure skater Michelle Kwan is nothing if not iconic. And after representing the US on the world stage in the ice rink, she has moved on to an incredibly fitting second act: she’s the US Ambassador to Belize. Ambassador Kwan talks about her Second Act, and the lessons she learned in her storied figure skating career.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello Sunshine.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Hey, Bessie's Today on the bright Side, we are with
US Ambassador Michelle Kwan.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Yep, you heard that right.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Olympic figure skating icon Michelle Kwan is here to talk
about how she is redefining success as a mother, author
and diplomat in her second act. You don't want to
miss this. It's Tuesday, May twenty. First, I'm Simone.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Boyce, I'm Danielle Robe and this is the bright Side
from Hello Sunshine. Michelle Kwan is currently the US Ambassador
to Belize, and I'm so intrigued by this career shift.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Talk about second acts.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I mean, she was one of the most decorated figure
skaters of our time, and then she's like, you know what,
I'm going to take this little taste of diplomacy that
I've had as an international athlete, and I'm going to
go become a US ambassador. I just love her imaginative living,
the way that she truly sees no limits for herself.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
I mean, it actually is not such a shock to
me that this is where she went, because I remember
looking at Michelle Kwan as a very little girl, thinking
to myself that she always stood for more than just
figure skating and being an Olympic figure skating was enough.
But she just always had so much heart and soul
(01:22):
and so much pride for America. And I can't wait
to talk to her about it.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
It really does.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
I mean, you could tell that she was just built
different from such a young age, the way that she
handled the pressure on that global stage, the way that
she just had so much grace and poise and confidence.
I was always blown away by her. You know, she
actually inspired me to pursue a very short lived career
(01:48):
in figure skating.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
What do you mean.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
I decided to enroll in a summer camp when I
was living in Miami, and it was a figure skating camp,
and we learned how to do a couple of tiny
little jumps. And I still have this picture that I
look back at from time to time of me wearing
this extremely tight white leotard out on the ice. I
have this like determination in my eyes that I was
(02:13):
channeling from Michelle Kwan herself. And I have this plastic
gold medal around my neck. But I just think about
the generations of women that she inspired with her sport.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
I mean, you also were a figure skater too.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Bestie's Danielle has been downplaying her figure skating skills and
we're going to get to the bottom of it right now.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Well before we do, I need that photo. I think
you need to post it on Instagram for everybody to
that little simone skating photo. But no, she inspired me too.
I remember Michelle Kwan and Tara Lepinsky were my idols.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
I'll never forget.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
I wore this burgundy bedazzled outfit and I wanted to
look like Michelle Kwan, and I was so competitive. I
really wanted to be the best. I was doing like
shoot the ducks and cartwheels all over the ice, and
that is so impressive.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
You were doing freaking cart wheels on the ice. How
long did you skate for?
Speaker 1 (03:11):
I wanted to do gymnastics on the ice. Basically I
did it for like ten years. I loved it. I
was I never felt freeer. I know that sounds so weird,
but I've never felt freer than when I was skating.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
It's the best. What is the most impressive trick that
you can do on the ice?
Speaker 1 (03:25):
For sure the cartwheel. I can still do it to
this day. Although what every time I'm in like a
city like in Chicago, or I'm visiting New York and
they have these like public rinks. Yeah, I always want
to do it, and I can't because it's so crowded.
I'm scared someone's going to skate over my hands.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Oh my gosh, you can still do the cartwheel, Danielle,
That's wild for sure. I mean, we have the Olympics
coming up this summer, right, It's such an exciting time
and it has me nostalgic for all those iconic nineties
Olympics moments. I mean, I am thinking of Carrie strugg
doing a vault on an injured ankle in the ninety
(04:01):
six Olympics. No one thought she was going to be
able to do it. She does the vault anyways, she
clinches the gold for the US team. I mean chills
just thinking about it right now. I remember screaming at
the top of my lungs, probably crying. It was so emotional.
It was so emotional watching that moment. What comes to
mind for you.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Oh, for sure, the dream team, the nineteen ninety two
men's basketball team. And that's because I grew up as
a Michael Jordan fan, and it was Michael Jordan Charles
Barkley Patrick Ewing, and I just remember Michael Jordan getting
off the bus in his beret, thinking that, like, you
could not tell me he was not God, Michael Jordan
(04:41):
was jumped so high. I was All of my passwords
as a kid were Michael Jordan twenty three. So I
was so excited to see them in the Olympics. You know,
I covered basketball and football for a few years, and
when I started, I didn't know much. And I texted
one of my best girlfriends from high school who was
a huge sports fan, and she.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Was like, I can't believe you're there right now.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
It's so exciting. And I was like, I don't know.
I'd rather be at the Grammys, I think, And she
was like, no, It's the one place where people come
together still, everybody who regardless of color, political affiliation, any
of it, just comes together to root for a team.
It's so special, and I just I hope that the
(05:25):
Olympics are like that in Paris this year. I'm holding
out hope. I think that we can still all galvanize
around something. Okay, do not go anywhere, because after the break,
Michelle Kwan is here.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
We'll be right back, Okay, y'all, We're back with the
most decorated figure skater of all time, a two time
Olympic medalist, a five time World champion, and a nine time.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
UN champion, Ambassador Kwan. We are both so excited to
have you here. On the bright side, we were figure
skaters growing up. Ish yes, Simone says ish.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
There's no ish.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
My cartwheel on ice was my largest claim to fame.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Ambassad Quon, I'm like literally shaking right now because you're
a personal hero of mine, childhood hero. I mean, your grace,
your heart on the ice. You just inspired an entire
generation of women. And it's such an honor to meet you.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
So nice to meet you, and both of you look
so fabulous.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
You do too with your American flag in the background.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
I usually have a lapel pen that has both the
Belize flag and the US flag. Of course.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Well, you're living a fully different life right now than
most people know you from. You were obviously an Olympian
and now you're an ambassador. It's really exciting.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
It is very exciting. It is sort of a one
to eighty from I guess what folks know me as
like competing at the Olympics and the World Championships, and
on the ice. And it's funny because when people see
me off the ice, so like you look different, you're
wearing more clothes.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Like.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
That purple outfit from the Olympics is forever in my mind.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Oh really, that was one of my favorite ones.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
I'm so glad you brought that up because you were
really intentional about the outfits that you chose, what kind
of thought went into what you wore on the ice.
And I know that your mom was really involved in
actually helping you make some of those costumes.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
Absolutely, my mom actually from day one, from the very
first skating competition, she would actually literally sew every bead
and every sequence and you know, glued every crystal on
my on my costume because we couldn't afford a costume,
you know, we couldn't afford a custom made costume like
(07:52):
some of the other skaters could. So she was very
hands on. But my number one, of course, being an athlete,
was like come for the ability, Like I want something
that doesn't give me like scratch marks, because if you
have sequence on the side, you can imagine like rotating,
you get cut up. And I didn't like anything too
(08:13):
high in the neck because I needed to breathe.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
You know.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Of course, luckily later in my career, I worked with
the one and only Verra Wang.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Yes, you know, I was watching old interviews of you
last night and I was struck by something. At a
young age, you were putting yourself out there, taking really
big risks day in and day out, and at the
same time, there's absolutely no room for your What was
your relationship like with perfectionism back then.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
I think it's something I deal with every single day. Actually,
it's sort of ingrained in me to be a perfectionist almost.
And in a sport, you have to work on the
small things. I always look at a overall performance of
a long program. Let's say, you know how many triple
(09:07):
jumps you have, you know how many spins you have,
You know, the footwork and the spiral sequence and everything,
and every little thing counts. And I think in sports
there's always a big difference between great skaters and the
person standing on top of the podium.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Oh, what do you mean.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
There's a lot of good skaters. There's a lot of
people that have the same triple jumps, the same combination jumps,
the same it's how you execute it. It's the whole package.
It's everything, so you can't overlook the details. It's also
your consistency on the ice. How often can you perform
(09:47):
at that level? As my father used to say when
we were little kids, on the ice, the blade is
thin when the ice is slippery, and the risks are extreme,
quadruple jumps and triple triple combinations. It's remarkable because yet
you need that finesse and you need that grace. And
(10:10):
it's that athleticism combined with beauty and grace, which a
reason why I fell in love with figure skating in
the first place.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Well, I learned that your dad used to tell you,
and this is kind of harsh, but like, see that
skater over there, they're better than you.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
See that skater over there, they're better than you.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Did you talk to my dad?
Speaker 3 (10:29):
We did. We called it mister Kwan.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
No, I'm kidding, But his point was, it's not necessarily
all about talent. It's about hard work. It's about the
heart that you put into it. And for me, when
I think about you, Michelle, and like I said, how
you inspired me and Danielle and so many other people,
it was your touch that set you apart. It was
your heart and your flourish out there on the ice.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
Oh well, thank you. And yes, my father did say that.
I remember vividly my dad pointing at certain skaters and
being like, look at that triple LUTs or look at
that triple toe combination, look at that. These skaters are
better and they're stronger than you, and but hard work,
hard work, is going to get you to that finish
(11:16):
line quicker than any of these skaters. You know. I
took that to heart because I realized, yes, everybody could
do a triple LUTs, but can they do the triple
LUTs with that other six triple jumps in the program
plus those spins, plus when the time counts, Let's see,
that's the competitor and me where you know, let's see
(11:36):
if we can perform when it really counts. It's a
lot of pressure for a young person to be under
when all eyes are on you and you train your
whole life to spend a few minutes on the ice
and try to do it. But that's what the challenge
and the fun of it is.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
I I heard you say that you savored all of
these moments and you didn't get distracted, you said, because
there's a lot of distractions when you're competing, is there
a moment that you think about that you would like
to relive.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
I mean, savoring every little thing was so important because
as an athlete, you don't know when it's gone. I
hit sort of the world stage, if you will, at
twelve thirteen years old. My first international competition was at
twelve years old. At thirteen, I was the alternate to
the Olympic Games. It was my first World championship. At fifteen,
(12:31):
I won my first world title. Like I was exposed
from the very beginning, but I also knew that an
injury or something could sideline me any day, because as
we were talking about that risk is there, Like you're
doing triple jumps. It might look easy when you land it,
but when you fall, it does hurt. You know, I
do have even to this day, I have like injuries.
(12:53):
But saving was so important. I think I can't take
it for granted. And I think that's why I probably
had such a long career because I didn't want to
stop for one, but another was because I loved what
I was doing and I could always find joy and
find ways to reinvent myself and to discover new things.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
That reinvention piece is something I'm so curious about because
you were representing the USA and you still are, You're
just doing it in a different way. How did you
decide to get into diplomacy. Well, even though it looks
like I retired from sport and then you know, transition
quickly into diplomacy, I have to say it was losing
(13:39):
myself in order to find myself. It was my identity
since I turned five years old and I started skating.
Speaker 4 (13:46):
Is everything that I wanted to do. So when I
finished at twenty six, it's like, oh my god, Now
what what am I supposed to do? And that period
was of self discovery and I thought what better way
to discover than a very safe space, and that was
going to school, going back to college. And then after
(14:08):
I graduated from the University of Denver, I said, okay, well,
I feel like I still need more learning to to do,
and so therefore I ended up going to grad school.
And then after grad school, I was appointed as a
public Diplomacy envoy by Secretary of Condallize Rice and I
had traveled at that moment as a public diplomacy on
voy to Russia, Ukraine, Singapore, Argentina, and I discovered my
(14:31):
love for diplomacy, and you're absolutely right in terms of
you were representing the United States in your skating capacity,
So there is this similarity in representation. And I have
to say, like being here in Belize, living and working
alongside diplomats who serve our country each and every day
(14:52):
and make so much sacrifices for the country, it's really
truly an honor.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
What do you feel most proud of in terms of
your work as an ambassador.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
Well, I'm very hands on. I'm the type of person
that very much rolls up their sleeves and gets to work.
And the most important thing is to strengthen by that
or relationship between the United States and Belize, and we
partner with Believes on a number of things, and that's
the build the capacity of the government and civil society organizations,
(15:25):
develop shared prosperity of course, strengthen people people ties, protect
you as citizens and their interests, and improve security. I
would say that Belize sits in the Northern Triangle and
because of that, there are a number of issues that
are disconcerning the flow of migration, drugs, and illicted activities,
(15:45):
transnational criminal organizations. I feel very blessed to be living
in Belize and getting to explore the wonders and the
biodiversity of this beautiful country, from the second largest barrier
Brief to the the blue Hole, which is very famous
if you're a diver. I have yet to do it
because I'm I just like snorkeling, I like to say
(16:08):
on the surface, but I've swam with manatees, I've checked
out the mangroves. I reached the top of Shanantini, which
is five thousand year old Mayan sights.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
You're making me want to come visit.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
I seriously want to go to visit. I please.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
We need a vacated Belize Simon.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Well, Michelle, it's Asian, American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
right now, and I'm thinking about your family's immigration story,
and I'm thinking about the sacrifices. Are the choices that
they made so that you could live out your story?
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Mama Kwan staying up all.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Night sewing sequins on the costumes while working two jobs.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
What do you hope your daughter's story looks like?
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Right?
Speaker 4 (16:55):
Being a child of immigrants, You know, my parents immigrated
in their early twenties with nothing but a seat of hope.
And when I mean nothing. It is nothing enough to
buy a plane ticket. My dad was a busboy at
a restaurant, and I still to this day, I am
very curious of how they were able to get by
(17:16):
because my dad's English, he would joke, is like Chinglish
because didn't go to high school. He is, my Chinese
is bad. My English is bad, so it's Changlish. I
have an older brother and older sister. My sister skated
with me, and I think this is why at points
of my athletic career, when I was just starting out,
(17:38):
there were times when my parents couldn't afford, you know,
to take us to the next skating competition. My mom
was like literally sewing costumes because there was no other choice,
you know. And there were times where I was about
this close from quitting and my parents refused. My parents like, no,
you might not have a coach going into the national championships,
(18:01):
but if you're okay with that, we're going to still
keep going. We could still pay for ice time, so
you could still skate. You just won't have that mentor
that coach beside you. So it's that American dream, you know,
that if you could believe it and if you could
work hard, you can achieve it.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
There is this really cute video on your Instagram where
your daughter's all bundled up for ice skating and you're
tying her skates. And I just think there was a
collective awe on the internet when we all watched that.
What was that like for you?
Speaker 4 (18:32):
Oh? Well, it was an emotional moment, not me tying
my daughter skates, but when my father stepped in and
helped tie Kelli skates, because I just remember my father
doing that for me, and I just had a kick
out of the joy on her face when she was
running towards the ice. First of all, we were going
(18:55):
to the rink because we were going to see my
nephews skate. They're doing they're enrolled and learned to skate.
And then Callie just started to run on the ice.
I'm like, okay, I'm going to strap on some skates
really quickly. And then of course in her head she
thought she could start jumping and she was like kicking,
and I was like, what are you doing. I'm holding
her hand and she's like kicking.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
See that's your DNA right there.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
Well was like fear. Yeah, I was like what are
you doing? But it was super exciting.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
What does she know about you and your badassery? I mean,
does she have any idea yet? No idea.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
She's a little over two years old, so she I
think she's seen a little bit of a performance or two.
She knows skating's always in the periphery. She even knows
how to do a spiral, right, I go spiral, like, yeah,
so that's the one word she does.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Know she'll be doing shoot the deck so soon.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
I know, I know she's yeah, she'll she'll love it.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
When I think of Olympians and why we're all so
excited about the Olympics, part of it is this hope
we see these people. I know, I've heard you talk
about them as almost super like we look at them
as superhuman. I look at them as people that never
gave up on their dreams. And that's why they inspire
me so much. When you look at the games coming up,
(20:23):
what do you feel inspired by?
Speaker 4 (20:27):
When I look at athletes, doesn't matter fits and figure
scathing or other sports across the board. It's that discipline
that strive for excellence and also the talent and watching
athletes for one, competing at the Olympics of the highest
level is like the pride that they have representing their
(20:50):
country and you know, having been there before, it like
just fills me with all these memories. But the sacrifices
that their families have made in order to give those
opportunities for these athletes, it's such a beautiful thing. It's
I don't know, I have no words for it. It's
it's a gift to be able to watch them, be
(21:13):
able to compete at that level and strive for excellence.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
When I see these athletes, people like you, who were
competing at such an elite level, it becomes about more
than just the talent or the sport. It's a business.
It's all these other things. Did that ever impact your
joy or did you always find that in skating?
Speaker 4 (21:35):
To me, I feel that it was such a gift
to be able to do what I loved. I enjoyed
doing the choreography and picking out costumes, and it was
a production, you know. And it was always predictable because
the off season was always April through August, and then
(21:59):
the first competition September and then the national championships in January,
and Olympics is always in February, and March was always
the month of World championships. I think there are no
doubt times where it becomes hard, where things aren't going
your way, where you're literally and in figure skating, like
(22:21):
hitting a rut, and the best way to find your
way out of it, to me was kind of figuring
out how you fell in love with it in the
first place. I said this to the team the other day,
where said I didn't have to look very far for
inspiration because it was always a young skater getting on
the ice for the very first time, and it was
a quick reminder of how I felt when I started
(22:44):
for the very first time. And I'm sure I'll be
replaying that video I have when Callista, you know, ran
onto the ice, because that vigor, that excitement, it goes away, dissipates,
but it's always within you. And so those were good
reminders for me when things are getting bad and it's
sort of evaluated, Okay, why am I feeling this way?
(23:09):
How can I get to a place where I feel
excitement and happy and thrilled because the heaviness or the
frustration part can be difficult at times because let's be honest,
it's sports is tough, and you're always pushing the envelope
your body's always sore, you fall a lot in the
(23:30):
figures getting you're bruised up, and you know it's tough,
so you need that inspiration to carry you through.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
We're going to take a quick break, but we'll be
right back with Michelle Kwant. And we're back with Michelle Kwant.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Here on the bright side. We love talking to athletes,
and specifically female athletes, because it really illustrates this beautiful
connection between sports and leadership. We see so many women
who are in the C suite now who got their
start as athletes. How do you feel your athletic career
prepared you for leadership?
Speaker 4 (24:10):
That's a very good question, and I think the statistics
is like women in C suite's positions have played sports
like ninety five percent. It's a staggering statistic. There are
so many advantages, you know, of the things that you
learn from sports. That's teamwork, that's focused, that's determination, persistence,
(24:34):
like that grit that people talk about, that vision. It
really helped me prepare for everything in life. I know
that when I retired, you know, I talk about that
sort of lost of identity, but it didn't take long
for me to say, well, the way I in which
I succeed in sports, I have to reapply myself and
(24:57):
work hard. And I know I can work hard. I
have four whole confidence that I am determined and I
am persistent. So the way I'm going to succeed here
is applying that same principles. And in terms of leadership,
I think I think it has helped me because I think,
(25:18):
for one is understanding people and how to work with people.
I had an entire team that I worked with that
we worked day in and day out. A coach, a choreographer,
a trainer, a you know, the figure figure Skating association.
I had sponsorships, I had managers, I had I had
everybody you know, and we all work together as a
team to to get to the same finish line. So
(25:41):
I think I think sports is such an invaluable experience,
whether you're in it to compete at the Olympics in
the highest level or to just playing team sports and
just to have fun.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
There's such a crossover in analogies between sports and life.
I think that's why I love sports films so much.
What lessons have you learned from your athletic career that
also apply to your life?
Speaker 4 (26:08):
Hmmm? You need to be able to one be organized
as an athlete. Athletes are very very highly prepared. When
someone said to me, God, you look so confident out there, like,
how did you do that at fifteen years old? How
did you do that at such a young age? And
I think confidence is it something that somebody has and
(26:29):
somebody doesn't have. But trust me that if you're prepared,
you show up a lot more confident than if you
didn't write. It's like, it's the same as if you're
in school and you have a presentation and you had
done nothing. You're going to go into the classroom very
nervous and less confident, right, but if you show up
(26:53):
having done your work. And I think that's when athletes
talk about being in the zone. Is that certain competitions
in my career, I could say, Yeah, I could see
in my face that I was going to kill it
because there was nothing going to stop me from doing
or getting in my way. That's what I say.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
I've heard this from athletes before. Boxers tell me this.
Actually they know when they're going to win and when
they're not.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
And someone Biles has talked about when she had a
gut feeling that she wasn't going to perform well that
that actually manifested. That's so interesting. So it's metaphysical, it's
in the mind and the body.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
Did you ever have a trick for that, like when
you're when you're feeling like you're sucking, Because sometimes I'll
come in here and I'm like, I just feel like
I suck today.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
Yeah. I mean my advice to myself would like be
get out of your own way, Like, just let let
yourself do it. Your body knows how to do it.
Just let your mind get in that comfort space to
let it go and just do what you've been training
to do. I think when you're not in the greatest shape,
(28:02):
when when you know you're going to have to dig deep,
you're going to have to dig deep. I would say
just to take my time, to just be in the
moment and take one step in front of another.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
Do you say something to yourself ever.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
To hype myself up or to get out of a rut.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Yeah, either like when you're having a bad moment or
a bad day.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
I do, But it's so corny. I don't want to
admit it.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Come on, you have to tell us mine's corny too.
Speaker 4 (28:29):
I want to know because they might be useful to me.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
It's so corny.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
Okay, So I'll tell you I do a lot of
speaking engagements, right, and I have this affirmation that I
say to myself in the mirror. I say I am
radiant because when you say the word radiant, you can't
help but smile.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
So that's not cheesy at all, Michelle, It's kind of cheesy.
But I like you that I'm gonna use this because
somebody had said to me that once you crack a smile,
it changes your body. Yes, and I I similar. It
wasn't a word, but it was more like a little
right before I skated, especially when I was on the ice,
(29:07):
it was like, do I have my legs under me?
Because you know, when you get nervous, you start to,
like yep, you start to either have shallow breasts or
you start to and I mince words. So, especially when
I have to do a speaking engagement, I'm not a
natural speaker. It's not something that I enjoyed doing, by
the way, and so I have to find myself like
(29:29):
I have to find that composure. Do I have my
legs under me?
Speaker 3 (29:32):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (29:32):
Be calm and don't rush. That's what my my three
Don't rush that's it. I have two and one is similar.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
I say, slowly, slowly, slowly, slowly, you do rush, and
my other one is embarrassing, but I say, uh. In
my mind, I'm like, Danielle, you didn't come this far
to come this far, little pep.
Speaker 4 (29:54):
And I think that's it's funny because you know, being
a athlete, you have these pet talks with yourself all
the time because that's pretty much what you're doing the
entire day of training. When you're trying something or you're falling,
you're like, come on, one more time that you pick
yourself back up, and then it's like, come on, let's
(30:15):
do it. It's like, it's funny.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
That's actually what I got most from our conversation today.
I have to tell you. When you were talking about
falling and getting back up, the imagery of that is
powerful for me. It's like, just get back.
Speaker 4 (30:30):
Up, let's do it. Like perseverance. Yeah, I think that's
something I'm I actually have to do the opposite where
I'm like, okay, I just fell a hundred times. I
have to stop.
Speaker 3 (30:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
No.
Speaker 4 (30:41):
My coach used to say that to me. There's one
particular jump that I just would fall and I fall,
and I literally have broken bone like spurs on my
my shin because I would kick myself, not purposely, but
I would like try to get out, so I would
continue to and being that hard headed, sobborn person, I
(31:05):
was like, I'm gonna go keep going. I had a
good pep talk, let's go, let's go one more time,
one more time, You're so close, let's do no, And
it'd be like fifty falls in a row, and my
coach would be like, come here, Michelle, come here right now. Stop,
let's try this tomorrow, like start now. And he would
recognize that I wasn't going anywhere, like we're not gonna
(31:25):
We're not going to solve it right now.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
Did he classate you too? Because you're I love it,
you're giving us the coach you're wagging And he would
do that.
Speaker 4 (31:35):
He'd be like stop, come here, like he would literally
that's so funny. Yeah, And you catch yourself that time,
like those times where you're like you need to just
walk away and find that balance, because that's the perfectionism
that we talked about earlier. Sometimes that gets the best
of you when the best thing you could do is
(31:56):
walk away a little bit and revisit in a later.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Time, Michelle, I was really moved by your autobiography Heart
of a Champion. I read that when I was growing
up and it really touched me and inspired me as
a young girl. And now that you have some perspective
and distance from that chapter, what does it mean to
have the heart of a champion now as a mother,
(32:21):
as a diplomat, and as an olympian.
Speaker 4 (32:25):
Well, thank thank you first of all for reading that book.
You know, Heart of a Champion? What does that mean?
And it sort of changed the trajectory of my life
really because win or lose is how that attitude is
what carries you through when things didn't go my way
(32:48):
in skating. It's like, how did I learn from that
and how did I apply it to the next competition
and have that heart of a champion? To me, I
think it's that falling and getting back up thing that
we've talked about. You know, we all fall, but it's
how you pick yourself back up to keep going. Champions
(33:10):
aren't the ones that are almighty and great. They're the
ones that can pick themselves up and keep going. And
that's that's something that I admire a lot. I can't
even imagine what's next for you? Are you taking like
a full left turn?
Speaker 1 (33:22):
Are you going to stay in diplomacy, like what's on
your mind?
Speaker 4 (33:28):
Well, I think diplomacy is in my blood for sure.
I think the people that I've worked with in the
last year and a half since being at post has
been so wonderful. And I know that I will stay
in touch with these diplomats wherever they go, because they
go from serving here and Belize to moving to another
(33:53):
country and serving our country and another capacity, and it's
so inspiring. I have to say, But where my path goes,
I have no idea, you know, being a political pointee,
I only serve for a certain duration and then I
find the next challenge and my next adventure.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Ambassador Kwan, this has been a dream come true for
both of us.
Speaker 3 (34:14):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (34:16):
I appreciate both of you. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
Michelle Kwan is the United States Ambassador to Belize and
a former World champion figure skater and Olympic medalist. Learn
more about her and her work as an ambassador on
Palm Side Chat with Ambassador Kwan. That's wherever you get
your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
That's it for today's show. Tomorrow We're joined by Jacqueline Novak,
co host of the podcast Poog and comedian behind the
recent Netflix special Get on your Knees, Listen and follow
the bright Side on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
I'm Simone Boye.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
You can find me at Simone Voice on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
And I'm Danielle Robe on Instagram and TikTok. That's r
O b A.
Speaker 3 (35:06):
Y See you tomorrow, folks,
Hello Sunshine.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Hey, Bessie's Today on the bright Side, we are with
US Ambassador Michelle Kwan.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Yep, you heard that right.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Olympic figure skating icon Michelle Kwan is here to talk
about how she is redefining success as a mother, author
and diplomat in her second act. You don't want to
miss this. It's Tuesday, May twenty. First, I'm Simone.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Boyce, I'm Danielle Robe and this is the bright Side
from Hello Sunshine. Michelle Kwan is currently the US Ambassador
to Belize, and I'm so intrigued by this career shift.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Talk about second acts.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I mean, she was one of the most decorated figure
skaters of our time, and then she's like, you know what,
I'm going to take this little taste of diplomacy that
I've had as an international athlete, and I'm going to
go become a US ambassador. I just love her imaginative living,
the way that she truly sees no limits for herself.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
I mean, it actually is not such a shock to
me that this is where she went, because I remember
looking at Michelle Kwan as a very little girl, thinking
to myself that she always stood for more than just
figure skating and being an Olympic figure skating was enough.
But she just always had so much heart and soul
(01:22):
and so much pride for America. And I can't wait
to talk to her about it.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
It really does.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
I mean, you could tell that she was just built
different from such a young age, the way that she
handled the pressure on that global stage, the way that
she just had so much grace and poise and confidence.
I was always blown away by her. You know, she
actually inspired me to pursue a very short lived career
(01:48):
in figure skating.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
What do you mean.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
I decided to enroll in a summer camp when I
was living in Miami, and it was a figure skating camp,
and we learned how to do a couple of tiny
little jumps. And I still have this picture that I
look back at from time to time of me wearing
this extremely tight white leotard out on the ice. I
have this like determination in my eyes that I was
(02:13):
channeling from Michelle Kwan herself. And I have this plastic
gold medal around my neck. But I just think about
the generations of women that she inspired with her sport.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
I mean, you also were a figure skater too.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Bestie's Danielle has been downplaying her figure skating skills and
we're going to get to the bottom of it right now.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Well before we do, I need that photo. I think
you need to post it on Instagram for everybody to
that little simone skating photo. But no, she inspired me too.
I remember Michelle Kwan and Tara Lepinsky were my idols.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
I'll never forget.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
I wore this burgundy bedazzled outfit and I wanted to
look like Michelle Kwan, and I was so competitive. I
really wanted to be the best. I was doing like
shoot the ducks and cartwheels all over the ice, and
that is so impressive.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
You were doing freaking cart wheels on the ice. How
long did you skate for?
Speaker 1 (03:11):
I wanted to do gymnastics on the ice. Basically I
did it for like ten years. I loved it. I
was I never felt freeer. I know that sounds so weird,
but I've never felt freer than when I was skating.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
It's the best. What is the most impressive trick that
you can do on the ice?
Speaker 1 (03:25):
For sure the cartwheel. I can still do it to
this day. Although what every time I'm in like a
city like in Chicago, or I'm visiting New York and
they have these like public rinks. Yeah, I always want
to do it, and I can't because it's so crowded.
I'm scared someone's going to skate over my hands.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Oh my gosh, you can still do the cartwheel, Danielle,
That's wild for sure. I mean, we have the Olympics
coming up this summer, right, It's such an exciting time
and it has me nostalgic for all those iconic nineties
Olympics moments. I mean, I am thinking of Carrie strugg
doing a vault on an injured ankle in the ninety
(04:01):
six Olympics. No one thought she was going to be
able to do it. She does the vault anyways, she
clinches the gold for the US team. I mean chills
just thinking about it right now. I remember screaming at
the top of my lungs, probably crying. It was so emotional.
It was so emotional watching that moment. What comes to
mind for you.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Oh, for sure, the dream team, the nineteen ninety two
men's basketball team. And that's because I grew up as
a Michael Jordan fan, and it was Michael Jordan Charles
Barkley Patrick Ewing, and I just remember Michael Jordan getting
off the bus in his beret, thinking that, like, you
could not tell me he was not God, Michael Jordan
(04:41):
was jumped so high. I was All of my passwords
as a kid were Michael Jordan twenty three. So I
was so excited to see them in the Olympics. You know,
I covered basketball and football for a few years, and
when I started, I didn't know much. And I texted
one of my best girlfriends from high school who was
a huge sports fan, and she.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Was like, I can't believe you're there right now.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
It's so exciting. And I was like, I don't know.
I'd rather be at the Grammys, I think, And she
was like, no, It's the one place where people come
together still, everybody who regardless of color, political affiliation, any
of it, just comes together to root for a team.
It's so special, and I just I hope that the
(05:25):
Olympics are like that in Paris this year. I'm holding
out hope. I think that we can still all galvanize
around something. Okay, do not go anywhere, because after the break,
Michelle Kwan is here.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
We'll be right back, Okay, y'all, We're back with the
most decorated figure skater of all time, a two time
Olympic medalist, a five time World champion, and a nine time.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
UN champion, Ambassador Kwan. We are both so excited to
have you here. On the bright side, we were figure
skaters growing up. Ish yes, Simone says ish.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
There's no ish.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
My cartwheel on ice was my largest claim to fame.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Ambassad Quon, I'm like literally shaking right now because you're
a personal hero of mine, childhood hero. I mean, your grace,
your heart on the ice. You just inspired an entire
generation of women. And it's such an honor to meet you.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
So nice to meet you, and both of you look
so fabulous.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
You do too with your American flag in the background.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
I usually have a lapel pen that has both the
Belize flag and the US flag. Of course.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Well, you're living a fully different life right now than
most people know you from. You were obviously an Olympian
and now you're an ambassador. It's really exciting.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
It is very exciting. It is sort of a one
to eighty from I guess what folks know me as
like competing at the Olympics and the World Championships, and
on the ice. And it's funny because when people see
me off the ice, so like you look different, you're
wearing more clothes.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Like.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
That purple outfit from the Olympics is forever in my mind.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Oh really, that was one of my favorite ones.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
I'm so glad you brought that up because you were
really intentional about the outfits that you chose, what kind
of thought went into what you wore on the ice.
And I know that your mom was really involved in
actually helping you make some of those costumes.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
Absolutely, my mom actually from day one, from the very
first skating competition, she would actually literally sew every bead
and every sequence and you know, glued every crystal on
my on my costume because we couldn't afford a costume,
you know, we couldn't afford a custom made costume like
(07:52):
some of the other skaters could. So she was very
hands on. But my number one, of course, being an athlete,
was like come for the ability, Like I want something
that doesn't give me like scratch marks, because if you
have sequence on the side, you can imagine like rotating,
you get cut up. And I didn't like anything too
(08:13):
high in the neck because I needed to breathe.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
You know.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Of course, luckily later in my career, I worked with
the one and only Verra Wang.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Yes, you know, I was watching old interviews of you
last night and I was struck by something. At a
young age, you were putting yourself out there, taking really
big risks day in and day out, and at the
same time, there's absolutely no room for your What was
your relationship like with perfectionism back then.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
I think it's something I deal with every single day. Actually,
it's sort of ingrained in me to be a perfectionist almost.
And in a sport, you have to work on the
small things. I always look at a overall performance of
a long program. Let's say, you know how many triple
(09:07):
jumps you have, you know how many spins you have,
You know, the footwork and the spiral sequence and everything,
and every little thing counts. And I think in sports
there's always a big difference between great skaters and the
person standing on top of the podium.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Oh, what do you mean.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
There's a lot of good skaters. There's a lot of
people that have the same triple jumps, the same combination jumps,
the same it's how you execute it. It's the whole package.
It's everything, so you can't overlook the details. It's also
your consistency on the ice. How often can you perform
(09:47):
at that level? As my father used to say when
we were little kids, on the ice, the blade is
thin when the ice is slippery, and the risks are extreme,
quadruple jumps and triple triple combinations. It's remarkable because yet
you need that finesse and you need that grace. And
(10:10):
it's that athleticism combined with beauty and grace, which a
reason why I fell in love with figure skating in
the first place.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Well, I learned that your dad used to tell you,
and this is kind of harsh, but like, see that
skater over there, they're better than you.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
See that skater over there, they're better than you.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Did you talk to my dad?
Speaker 3 (10:29):
We did. We called it mister Kwan.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
No, I'm kidding, But his point was, it's not necessarily
all about talent. It's about hard work. It's about the
heart that you put into it. And for me, when
I think about you, Michelle, and like I said, how
you inspired me and Danielle and so many other people,
it was your touch that set you apart. It was
your heart and your flourish out there on the ice.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
Oh well, thank you. And yes, my father did say that.
I remember vividly my dad pointing at certain skaters and
being like, look at that triple LUTs or look at
that triple toe combination, look at that. These skaters are
better and they're stronger than you, and but hard work,
hard work, is going to get you to that finish
(11:16):
line quicker than any of these skaters. You know. I
took that to heart because I realized, yes, everybody could
do a triple LUTs, but can they do the triple
LUTs with that other six triple jumps in the program
plus those spins, plus when the time counts, Let's see,
that's the competitor and me where you know, let's see
(11:36):
if we can perform when it really counts. It's a
lot of pressure for a young person to be under
when all eyes are on you and you train your
whole life to spend a few minutes on the ice
and try to do it. But that's what the challenge
and the fun of it is.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
I I heard you say that you savored all of
these moments and you didn't get distracted, you said, because
there's a lot of distractions when you're competing, is there
a moment that you think about that you would like
to relive.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
I mean, savoring every little thing was so important because
as an athlete, you don't know when it's gone. I
hit sort of the world stage, if you will, at
twelve thirteen years old. My first international competition was at
twelve years old. At thirteen, I was the alternate to
the Olympic Games. It was my first World championship. At fifteen,
(12:31):
I won my first world title. Like I was exposed
from the very beginning, but I also knew that an
injury or something could sideline me any day, because as
we were talking about that risk is there, Like you're
doing triple jumps. It might look easy when you land it,
but when you fall, it does hurt. You know, I
do have even to this day, I have like injuries.
(12:53):
But saving was so important. I think I can't take
it for granted. And I think that's why I probably
had such a long career because I didn't want to
stop for one, but another was because I loved what
I was doing and I could always find joy and
find ways to reinvent myself and to discover new things.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
That reinvention piece is something I'm so curious about because
you were representing the USA and you still are, You're
just doing it in a different way. How did you
decide to get into diplomacy. Well, even though it looks
like I retired from sport and then you know, transition
quickly into diplomacy, I have to say it was losing
(13:39):
myself in order to find myself. It was my identity
since I turned five years old and I started skating.
Speaker 4 (13:46):
Is everything that I wanted to do. So when I
finished at twenty six, it's like, oh my god, Now
what what am I supposed to do? And that period
was of self discovery and I thought what better way
to discover than a very safe space, and that was
going to school, going back to college. And then after
(14:08):
I graduated from the University of Denver, I said, okay, well,
I feel like I still need more learning to to do,
and so therefore I ended up going to grad school.
And then after grad school, I was appointed as a
public Diplomacy envoy by Secretary of Condallize Rice and I
had traveled at that moment as a public diplomacy on
voy to Russia, Ukraine, Singapore, Argentina, and I discovered my
(14:31):
love for diplomacy, and you're absolutely right in terms of
you were representing the United States in your skating capacity,
So there is this similarity in representation. And I have
to say, like being here in Belize, living and working
alongside diplomats who serve our country each and every day
(14:52):
and make so much sacrifices for the country, it's really
truly an honor.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
What do you feel most proud of in terms of
your work as an ambassador.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
Well, I'm very hands on. I'm the type of person
that very much rolls up their sleeves and gets to work.
And the most important thing is to strengthen by that
or relationship between the United States and Belize, and we
partner with Believes on a number of things, and that's
the build the capacity of the government and civil society organizations,
(15:25):
develop shared prosperity of course, strengthen people people ties, protect
you as citizens and their interests, and improve security. I
would say that Belize sits in the Northern Triangle and
because of that, there are a number of issues that
are disconcerning the flow of migration, drugs, and illicted activities,
(15:45):
transnational criminal organizations. I feel very blessed to be living
in Belize and getting to explore the wonders and the
biodiversity of this beautiful country, from the second largest barrier
Brief to the the blue Hole, which is very famous
if you're a diver. I have yet to do it
because I'm I just like snorkeling, I like to say
(16:08):
on the surface, but I've swam with manatees, I've checked
out the mangroves. I reached the top of Shanantini, which
is five thousand year old Mayan sights.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
You're making me want to come visit.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
I seriously want to go to visit. I please.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
We need a vacated Belize Simon.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Well, Michelle, it's Asian, American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
right now, and I'm thinking about your family's immigration story,
and I'm thinking about the sacrifices. Are the choices that
they made so that you could live out your story?
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Mama Kwan staying up all.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Night sewing sequins on the costumes while working two jobs.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
What do you hope your daughter's story looks like?
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Right?
Speaker 4 (16:55):
Being a child of immigrants, You know, my parents immigrated
in their early twenties with nothing but a seat of hope.
And when I mean nothing. It is nothing enough to
buy a plane ticket. My dad was a busboy at
a restaurant, and I still to this day, I am
very curious of how they were able to get by
(17:16):
because my dad's English, he would joke, is like Chinglish
because didn't go to high school. He is, my Chinese
is bad. My English is bad, so it's Changlish. I
have an older brother and older sister. My sister skated
with me, and I think this is why at points
of my athletic career, when I was just starting out,
(17:38):
there were times when my parents couldn't afford, you know,
to take us to the next skating competition. My mom
was like literally sewing costumes because there was no other choice,
you know. And there were times where I was about
this close from quitting and my parents refused. My parents like, no,
you might not have a coach going into the national championships,
(18:01):
but if you're okay with that, we're going to still
keep going. We could still pay for ice time, so
you could still skate. You just won't have that mentor
that coach beside you. So it's that American dream, you know,
that if you could believe it and if you could
work hard, you can achieve it.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
There is this really cute video on your Instagram where
your daughter's all bundled up for ice skating and you're
tying her skates. And I just think there was a
collective awe on the internet when we all watched that.
What was that like for you?
Speaker 4 (18:32):
Oh? Well, it was an emotional moment, not me tying
my daughter skates, but when my father stepped in and
helped tie Kelli skates, because I just remember my father
doing that for me, and I just had a kick
out of the joy on her face when she was
running towards the ice. First of all, we were going
(18:55):
to the rink because we were going to see my
nephews skate. They're doing they're enrolled and learned to skate.
And then Callie just started to run on the ice.
I'm like, okay, I'm going to strap on some skates
really quickly. And then of course in her head she
thought she could start jumping and she was like kicking,
and I was like, what are you doing. I'm holding
her hand and she's like kicking.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
See that's your DNA right there.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
Well was like fear. Yeah, I was like what are
you doing? But it was super exciting.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
What does she know about you and your badassery? I mean,
does she have any idea yet? No idea.
Speaker 4 (19:30):
She's a little over two years old, so she I
think she's seen a little bit of a performance or two.
She knows skating's always in the periphery. She even knows
how to do a spiral, right, I go spiral, like, yeah,
so that's the one word she does.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Know she'll be doing shoot the deck so soon.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
I know, I know she's yeah, she'll she'll love it.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
When I think of Olympians and why we're all so
excited about the Olympics, part of it is this hope
we see these people. I know, I've heard you talk
about them as almost super like we look at them
as superhuman. I look at them as people that never
gave up on their dreams. And that's why they inspire
me so much. When you look at the games coming up,
(20:23):
what do you feel inspired by?
Speaker 4 (20:27):
When I look at athletes, doesn't matter fits and figure
scathing or other sports across the board. It's that discipline
that strive for excellence and also the talent and watching
athletes for one, competing at the Olympics of the highest
level is like the pride that they have representing their
(20:50):
country and you know, having been there before, it like
just fills me with all these memories. But the sacrifices
that their families have made in order to give those
opportunities for these athletes, it's such a beautiful thing. It's
I don't know, I have no words for it. It's
it's a gift to be able to watch them, be
(21:13):
able to compete at that level and strive for excellence.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
When I see these athletes, people like you, who were
competing at such an elite level, it becomes about more
than just the talent or the sport. It's a business.
It's all these other things. Did that ever impact your
joy or did you always find that in skating?
Speaker 4 (21:35):
To me, I feel that it was such a gift
to be able to do what I loved. I enjoyed
doing the choreography and picking out costumes, and it was
a production, you know. And it was always predictable because
the off season was always April through August, and then
(21:59):
the first competition September and then the national championships in January,
and Olympics is always in February, and March was always
the month of World championships. I think there are no
doubt times where it becomes hard, where things aren't going
your way, where you're literally and in figure skating, like
(22:21):
hitting a rut, and the best way to find your
way out of it, to me was kind of figuring
out how you fell in love with it in the
first place. I said this to the team the other day,
where said I didn't have to look very far for
inspiration because it was always a young skater getting on
the ice for the very first time, and it was
a quick reminder of how I felt when I started
(22:44):
for the very first time. And I'm sure I'll be
replaying that video I have when Callista, you know, ran
onto the ice, because that vigor, that excitement, it goes away, dissipates,
but it's always within you. And so those were good
reminders for me when things are getting bad and it's
sort of evaluated, Okay, why am I feeling this way?
(23:09):
How can I get to a place where I feel
excitement and happy and thrilled because the heaviness or the
frustration part can be difficult at times because let's be honest,
it's sports is tough, and you're always pushing the envelope
your body's always sore, you fall a lot in the
(23:30):
figures getting you're bruised up, and you know it's tough,
so you need that inspiration to carry you through.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
We're going to take a quick break, but we'll be
right back with Michelle Kwant. And we're back with Michelle Kwant.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Here on the bright side. We love talking to athletes,
and specifically female athletes, because it really illustrates this beautiful
connection between sports and leadership. We see so many women
who are in the C suite now who got their
start as athletes. How do you feel your athletic career
prepared you for leadership?
Speaker 4 (24:10):
That's a very good question, and I think the statistics
is like women in C suite's positions have played sports
like ninety five percent. It's a staggering statistic. There are
so many advantages, you know, of the things that you
learn from sports. That's teamwork, that's focused, that's determination, persistence,
(24:34):
like that grit that people talk about, that vision. It
really helped me prepare for everything in life. I know
that when I retired, you know, I talk about that
sort of lost of identity, but it didn't take long
for me to say, well, the way I in which
I succeed in sports, I have to reapply myself and
(24:57):
work hard. And I know I can work hard. I
have four whole confidence that I am determined and I
am persistent. So the way I'm going to succeed here
is applying that same principles. And in terms of leadership,
I think I think it has helped me because I think,
(25:18):
for one is understanding people and how to work with people.
I had an entire team that I worked with that
we worked day in and day out. A coach, a choreographer,
a trainer, a you know, the figure figure Skating association.
I had sponsorships, I had managers, I had I had
everybody you know, and we all work together as a
team to to get to the same finish line. So
(25:41):
I think I think sports is such an invaluable experience,
whether you're in it to compete at the Olympics in
the highest level or to just playing team sports and
just to have fun.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
There's such a crossover in analogies between sports and life.
I think that's why I love sports films so much.
What lessons have you learned from your athletic career that
also apply to your life?
Speaker 4 (26:08):
Hmmm? You need to be able to one be organized
as an athlete. Athletes are very very highly prepared. When
someone said to me, God, you look so confident out there, like,
how did you do that at fifteen years old? How
did you do that at such a young age? And
I think confidence is it something that somebody has and
(26:29):
somebody doesn't have. But trust me that if you're prepared,
you show up a lot more confident than if you
didn't write. It's like, it's the same as if you're
in school and you have a presentation and you had
done nothing. You're going to go into the classroom very
nervous and less confident, right, but if you show up
(26:53):
having done your work. And I think that's when athletes
talk about being in the zone. Is that certain competitions
in my career, I could say, Yeah, I could see
in my face that I was going to kill it
because there was nothing going to stop me from doing
or getting in my way. That's what I say.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
I've heard this from athletes before. Boxers tell me this.
Actually they know when they're going to win and when
they're not.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
And someone Biles has talked about when she had a
gut feeling that she wasn't going to perform well that
that actually manifested. That's so interesting. So it's metaphysical, it's
in the mind and the body.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
Did you ever have a trick for that, like when
you're when you're feeling like you're sucking, Because sometimes I'll
come in here and I'm like, I just feel like
I suck today.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
Yeah. I mean my advice to myself would like be
get out of your own way, Like, just let let
yourself do it. Your body knows how to do it.
Just let your mind get in that comfort space to
let it go and just do what you've been training
to do. I think when you're not in the greatest shape,
(28:02):
when when you know you're going to have to dig deep,
you're going to have to dig deep. I would say
just to take my time, to just be in the
moment and take one step in front of another.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
Do you say something to yourself ever.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
To hype myself up or to get out of a rut.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Yeah, either like when you're having a bad moment or
a bad day.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
I do, But it's so corny. I don't want to
admit it.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Come on, you have to tell us mine's corny too.
Speaker 4 (28:29):
I want to know because they might be useful to me.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
It's so corny.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
Okay, So I'll tell you I do a lot of
speaking engagements, right, and I have this affirmation that I
say to myself in the mirror. I say I am
radiant because when you say the word radiant, you can't
help but smile.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
So that's not cheesy at all, Michelle, It's kind of cheesy.
But I like you that I'm gonna use this because
somebody had said to me that once you crack a smile,
it changes your body. Yes, and I I similar. It
wasn't a word, but it was more like a little
right before I skated, especially when I was on the ice,
(29:07):
it was like, do I have my legs under me?
Because you know, when you get nervous, you start to,
like yep, you start to either have shallow breasts or
you start to and I mince words. So, especially when
I have to do a speaking engagement, I'm not a
natural speaker. It's not something that I enjoyed doing, by
the way, and so I have to find myself like
(29:29):
I have to find that composure. Do I have my
legs under me?
Speaker 3 (29:32):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (29:32):
Be calm and don't rush. That's what my my three
Don't rush that's it. I have two and one is similar.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
I say, slowly, slowly, slowly, slowly, you do rush, and
my other one is embarrassing, but I say, uh. In
my mind, I'm like, Danielle, you didn't come this far
to come this far, little pep.
Speaker 4 (29:54):
And I think that's it's funny because you know, being
a athlete, you have these pet talks with yourself all
the time because that's pretty much what you're doing the
entire day of training. When you're trying something or you're falling,
you're like, come on, one more time that you pick
yourself back up, and then it's like, come on, let's
(30:15):
do it. It's like, it's funny.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
That's actually what I got most from our conversation today.
I have to tell you. When you were talking about
falling and getting back up, the imagery of that is
powerful for me. It's like, just get back.
Speaker 4 (30:30):
Up, let's do it. Like perseverance. Yeah, I think that's
something I'm I actually have to do the opposite where
I'm like, okay, I just fell a hundred times. I
have to stop.
Speaker 3 (30:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
No.
Speaker 4 (30:41):
My coach used to say that to me. There's one
particular jump that I just would fall and I fall,
and I literally have broken bone like spurs on my
my shin because I would kick myself, not purposely, but
I would like try to get out, so I would
continue to and being that hard headed, sobborn person, I
(31:05):
was like, I'm gonna go keep going. I had a
good pep talk, let's go, let's go one more time,
one more time, You're so close, let's do no, And
it'd be like fifty falls in a row, and my
coach would be like, come here, Michelle, come here right now. Stop,
let's try this tomorrow, like start now. And he would
recognize that I wasn't going anywhere, like we're not gonna
(31:25):
We're not going to solve it right now.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
Did he classate you too? Because you're I love it,
you're giving us the coach you're wagging And he would
do that.
Speaker 4 (31:35):
He'd be like stop, come here, like he would literally
that's so funny. Yeah, And you catch yourself that time,
like those times where you're like you need to just
walk away and find that balance, because that's the perfectionism
that we talked about earlier. Sometimes that gets the best
of you when the best thing you could do is
(31:56):
walk away a little bit and revisit in a later.
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Time, Michelle, I was really moved by your autobiography Heart
of a Champion. I read that when I was growing
up and it really touched me and inspired me as
a young girl. And now that you have some perspective
and distance from that chapter, what does it mean to
have the heart of a champion now as a mother,
(32:21):
as a diplomat, and as an olympian.
Speaker 4 (32:25):
Well, thank thank you first of all for reading that book.
You know, Heart of a Champion? What does that mean?
And it sort of changed the trajectory of my life
really because win or lose is how that attitude is
what carries you through when things didn't go my way
(32:48):
in skating. It's like, how did I learn from that
and how did I apply it to the next competition
and have that heart of a champion? To me, I
think it's that falling and getting back up thing that
we've talked about. You know, we all fall, but it's
how you pick yourself back up to keep going. Champions
(33:10):
aren't the ones that are almighty and great. They're the
ones that can pick themselves up and keep going. And
that's that's something that I admire a lot. I can't
even imagine what's next for you? Are you taking like
a full left turn?
Speaker 1 (33:22):
Are you going to stay in diplomacy, like what's on
your mind?
Speaker 4 (33:28):
Well, I think diplomacy is in my blood for sure.
I think the people that I've worked with in the
last year and a half since being at post has
been so wonderful. And I know that I will stay
in touch with these diplomats wherever they go, because they
go from serving here and Belize to moving to another
(33:53):
country and serving our country and another capacity, and it's
so inspiring. I have to say, But where my path goes,
I have no idea, you know, being a political pointee,
I only serve for a certain duration and then I
find the next challenge and my next adventure.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Ambassador Kwan, this has been a dream come true for
both of us.
Speaker 3 (34:14):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (34:16):
I appreciate both of you. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
Michelle Kwan is the United States Ambassador to Belize and
a former World champion figure skater and Olympic medalist. Learn
more about her and her work as an ambassador on
Palm Side Chat with Ambassador Kwan. That's wherever you get
your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
That's it for today's show. Tomorrow We're joined by Jacqueline Novak,
co host of the podcast Poog and comedian behind the
recent Netflix special Get on your Knees, Listen and follow
the bright Side on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
I'm Simone Boye.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
You can find me at Simone Voice on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
And I'm Danielle Robe on Instagram and TikTok. That's r
O b A.
Speaker 3 (35:06):
Y See you tomorrow, folks,
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