Welcome to Inside the Lines with A.J. Andrews, a six-part series exploring mental health and wellness through game-changing 1:1 conversations with athletes.
Mental health matters — it’s a topic that’s been taboo for far too long, but is thankfully being discussed more and more. Each installment centers around a 1:1 athlete conversation, creating a candid, open dialogue and an opportunity to dive deeper into important topics.
We’ve tapped softball superstar and broadcaster extraordinaire A.J. Andrews to host this crucial series. From snagging gold gloves as a player to holding down the diamond as an MLB Network host, Andrews brings passion, fun, and authenticity to every chat.
And for the grand finale of our six-part series, today’s episode features Olympic heptathlete Anna Hall discussing body positivity and self acceptance. From overcoming injuries — including a surgery just six months before competing in the Olympic trials — to modeling in the latest Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, Hall’s the perfect person to discuss today’s topic and offer some advice to help on your journey. Thanks for tuning in!
More on The GIST:
🎧 Subscribe: thegistsports.com/subscribepod
✉️ Email: pod@thegistsports.com
📷 Instagram: @thegistca @thegistusa
🐦 X: @thegistpod
Follow A.J. Andrews
Mental health matters — it’s a topic that’s been taboo for far too long, but is thankfully being discussed more and more. Each installment centers around a 1:1 athlete conversation, creating a candid, open dialogue and an opportunity to dive deeper into important topics.
We’ve tapped softball superstar and broadcaster extraordinaire A.J. Andrews to host this crucial series. From snagging gold gloves as a player to holding down the diamond as an MLB Network host, Andrews brings passion, fun, and authenticity to every chat.
And for the grand finale of our six-part series, today’s episode features Olympic heptathlete Anna Hall discussing body positivity and self acceptance. From overcoming injuries — including a surgery just six months before competing in the Olympic trials — to modeling in the latest Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, Hall’s the perfect person to discuss today’s topic and offer some advice to help on your journey. Thanks for tuning in!
More on The GIST:
🎧 Subscribe: thegistsports.com/subscribepod
✉️ Email: pod@thegistsports.com
📷 Instagram: @thegistca @thegistusa
🐦 X: @thegistpod
Follow A.J. Andrews
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
What's up? Y'all?
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Welcome to Inside the Lines with AJ Andrews, a special
six part podcasts and newsletter series where we dive into real,
raw and powerful conversations all about mental health and wellness
in sports. I'm your host, AJ Andrews, pro softball player,
first woman to ever win a rolling Skool Glove, and
now your favorite sports broadcaster holding.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
It down at MLB Network.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Now I know firsthand how tough and how important the
mental side of the game really is, and that's why
we're here. Mental health matters whether you're professional athlete or
hustling in your nine to five. It's something way too
many of us deal with but don't talk about nearly enough.
And let me tell you, when athletes open up, it
shifts the conversation because when we speak up, we give
(00:49):
others permission to do the same. Each episode, I'll be
sitting down one on one with an incredible athlete who's
got a story to share, the highs, the lows, the lessons.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
We'll laugh, maybe cry.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Y'all know, we always got to keep it real, and
we'll share key takeaways and most importantly, we'll grow together.
This is Inside the Lines with AJ Andrews. Thanks for listening.
Today's episode features a guest who truly does it all,
(01:26):
as in seven different events. Today we're sitting down with
Olympic heptathlete and a haul from overcoming injuries including a
surgery just six months before competing in the Olympic Trials,
to modeling in the latest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition, and
as the perfect person to discuss today's topic, body positivity
and self acceptance.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Body image issues are sadly.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Not uncommon, and athletes are no exception, especially female athletes.
In fact, a recent NCAA study found that men's sports
athletes reported twenty to thirty percentage points higher than women's
sports athletes when it came to measures a positive body image.
Anna discusses her own journey with body positivity, along with
other mental health habits that help her perform her best,
(02:11):
like competing at the twenty twenty four Paris Olympics.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Best.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Okay, here we go. Let's step inside the lines with
Anna Hall. Anna, I am so excited for you to
be joining me on inside the Lines where we talk
all things mental health, mental wellness, and.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Today we're gonna dive a little deeper.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Into body positivity and self acceptance because as women in sports,
it is something we are constantly conflicted with.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
It's something we're constantly made aware of.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Even if we feel confident, we have people trying to
dim our light or making us feel less confident many
many times within sports.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
For you, when you think about the word.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Confidence and self acceptance and loving your body, those three
that really fulfill who you are as a person. When
did you really begin to feel confident in your body?
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Oh? I think I really started to gain some body
confidence maybe in the twenty twenty two twenty twenty three seasons,
so like not until my junior year of college, which
I think, wow, might be pretty late. You know, you
never know, but uh, for me, I think I always
really struggled with this like dichotomy as a female athlete.
(03:30):
Of like sometimes people wouldn't say the nicest things about
you know, having muscles, or like you're too bulky and
I don't want to lift, like I don't want to
get big traps, And I'm like, wait a second, I
have traps. What's wrong with traps? So I think I
always kind of struggled with that. And then that was
the year where I really took a hard look with
(03:52):
my coaches that like, Okay, these are the girls that
I'm like chasing down in my event, and like they're
all strong. So she was like you need to get strong,
like we need to do that, and I was like, okay,
you are correct. I don't look like the girls that
I'm trying to compete against. So we kind of had
to do some work there. And then I think the
whole process of like putting on a bunch of muscle,
(04:12):
I still was kind of fighting it in my head.
I just was like trying not to think about it.
I didn't like the number on the scale, all of
those lovely thoughts. And I think after those seasons, like
I competed really well and I felt so strong that
that's when I was like, Okay, maybe the way I
need to think about my body is less about like
(04:34):
do I like the aesthetics of it all the time,
and more like, wow, look what my body just accomplished.
And I think it was like reaching marks that I
didn't know if I would ever reach. That kind of
made me just start to appreciate my body more of like, Okay,
it does some pretty cool things, Like I need to
fuel it for that not necessarily be thinking about the
exact number on the scale every day, so I.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Was pretty similar. I didn't begin to really feel confident
with in my body till my freshman year in college.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
I had the same.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Exact realization because all throughout high school. I remember in
middle school vividly the moment when I became self conscious
and I were.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Just like a tank top.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
I've always been naturally just cut, and so even if
I didn't lift like I just looked muscular. And I
remember someone made a comment about it, and it just,
you know, it's so crazy things that you remember. I
don't remember who said it, but that one thing about
oh man, you look like a man stuck with me
from I mean I was probably twelve years old at
the time.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
It stuck with me for years and years and years.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
And prior to that one person making that one comment,
I thought muscles were cool. I thought I was doing
something being strong, and that didn't change. I didn't want
to lift the way you're saying. I didn't want to
lift heavy. I didn't want to get too strong. I
didn't want to get too bulky. All the way up
until my freshman year in college, when I was writing
down my goals and it was like, Okay, well I
want to be an All American. Well, in order to
(05:57):
be an All American, I'm going to have to hit
the ball really hard playing softball.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
In order to hit the ball really hard, I'm going
to have to get stronger.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
And so I just kind of had this realization of
do I want to stick with and a piece these
people that will never reach the things that I'm trying
to reach a piece of these people have no idea
what I have to go through or don't be an
All American lived heavy, be a full badass and accomplish.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
All my goals.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
And so, yeah, I wasn't until my freshman year that
I really had that revelation when you've had that, because
I remember when I did, it felt like I gained
my power back. What did it feel like for you
when you kind of had this this realization of Wow,
this is what my body can do when it is strong, Like,
this is what I can do when I am focused
(06:42):
on how I can move this beautiful body rather than
what it looks like and what people have to say
about what it looks like.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Yeah, yeah, I definitely felt like I kind of took
my power back and I felt almost actually mad at
myself for taking so long, because yeah, I was like,
oh my gosh, look back this entire last year. I
was like putting on all this most I was getting
super strong and like the whole time every day I
was like going home and looking in the mirror and
like saying mean things to myself, And I was like,
(07:08):
you were so strong and powerful, Like why would you, Like,
I'm like, you're wasting I was wasting time that I
could have been like appreciating myself. So yeah, I felt
like I took my power back. And it's almost like
I felt like I was like a light bulb went
off in my head and I was like, oh, like
when I think about people who have accomplished great things,
like the first thing I think about is not usually
(07:29):
like what their body looks like. It's just like this
person set a world record or they won the gold medal.
And so I was like, why am I like reducing
myself to just what my body looks like being on
an equal playing field with things like that that I
want to accomplish. So yeah, I really just felt like
I had like a renewed perspective of how to talk
(07:50):
and treat to myself.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
I think that that was so profound you kind of
like scathed over it. But the fact that you said,
why would I reduce myself to just what I look like?
Speaker 1 (07:59):
You're all the these.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Amazing things and all these accomplishments that can come from
your body.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Why would you reduce it to just what it looks like?
Speaker 2 (08:06):
And I think that that is like the power and
the message when it comes to being confident within your body,
not just what it looks like, but also what it
can do for you. I feel like we forget sometimes
we're so blessed to be able to wake up and
just walk to go get something out of the fridge
every day, let alone go compete for a medal, or
go compete for a world championship, and you, as someone
(08:28):
who does get to get up and not only walk,
but run really fast and throw things really hard and
really far as a heptathlon, which I think, I mean,
you correct me wrong. Are you the most athletic athletes
on the track.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
I mean, I don't want to get in trouble say anything,
but I think we're the most versatile athletes.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Okay, yeah, that's it. Yeah you can do it all.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Yeah. In softball, we call that utility. Someone that can
just do everything. And so with the Heatha, you compete
in seven different events, and so it's one hundred meter hurdles,
the high jump, long jump, shot put, two hundred, then
maybe take a little rest and then come back and
do long jump, javelin in eight hundred. Yes, preparing to
(09:19):
gear up for seven different events.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
What does that look like for you?
Speaker 3 (09:27):
It's very very busy, and I think it can be
super stressful because it's like I always describe it as
like holding marbles, and it's like you rarely have all
seven like in your hands, Like it's like one or
two of them is like always going to drop. So
there's always an event that you're kind of like, I
don't know if I have that one right now. So
I think for me, it's been really really helpful to
(09:48):
try to just work on my mental health like outside
of track, and I think that translates onto the track
for me as well. So being very mindful about like
when I'm at the track, I'm focused and I'm prepared
for these seven events, but like when I go home,
like my mind needs to be somewhere else and instead
of just stressing twenty four to seven because I have
spent time doing that, and it doesn't work. I can
(10:11):
con firm like.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Worrying does not help, No, not at all.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
So I think just finding like little hobbies. And one
way that I've been able to do that recently is
I have a dog. His name's Cross, and he's like
my pride and joy. I got him immediately after the
Paris Olympics. I'd always been close with my family dog,
but I wanted one of my own, and so for
me getting to hang out with him when I go home,
take him on walks, go run and play fetch, it
(10:38):
kind of just I feel like brings me back down
to earth and one of those things where it's like, okay,
like I might be really stressed about one of these events,
but like life's not so bad. And then I feel
like when I'm coming at it from that headspace, usually
whatever event I'm struggling with starts getting better as opposed
to just stressing about it.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
What is your favorite thing to do with Cross? Right?
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Yes, I do, I do say that. That isn't okay.
I don't know if I should say that right now.
He's right sitting right below. Yeah, he comes with me
most of my days. I think my favorite thing to
do with him is take him to the track for
my Saturday like eight hundred workouts. It's like my hardest
work out of the week. He comes with me and
(11:22):
he'll like do my warm up and get so tired,
and then he'll just like sit in the shade while
I run. And actually sometimes I'm like laid out on
the track after like completely dead, and he will start
like whining, like thinking that something is wrong, and so
I I just like joke with my coach, I'm like,
you killed me, like my dog is worried about me. Like,
(11:44):
so I think that's my favorite thing to do with him.
And then after it's always really nice to like I'll
go and get myself like a pastry at a place
by my house, my little like sweet treat after practice
and come home and give him his sweet treat.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
And yeah, in softball, thinking about utility, they always talk
about how it's like it's the saying being an expert
at one but a master of none. It's like a
weird way in which they describe it. But did you
say it's the same thought process within being in a
(12:19):
heptathlon I have? Do you think so like it's or
do you are you able because you said you have
like seven marbles and one doesn't always follow. Is it
just kind of one that maybe don't feel good at
or is there one you just try to master and
everything else just kind of pulls its weight.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
Yeah, you definitely have your strong points, and I think
to be a world class hetathlete you have to have
one or two events that are just world class on
their own. So I think it's almost like, I guess
that saying is like a master of none, but I
think you still have to be a master at two.
Like if you look at I think with the top
(12:53):
five girls ranked in the world, like all of us
will have two events where it's like we have the
Olympic standard to just do that. So it's like you've
almost got to master one or two and you have
your heavy hitters, and then it's trying not to be
bad at any which is really really hard to do
because some of the events like don't go together at all,
Like you know, you don't see open shot putters entering
(13:15):
in the high jump competitions and things like that, so
it's pretty challenging to kind of get the floor of
all of them up and then maintain your heavy, heavy hitters.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
I mean, I feel like one workout with you would
probably I mean you talk about cross beingk not to
think majority of people would be crashed out with one
workout with you trying to train for all seven different events,
and you discuss what you're able to do kind of
off the track and be able to get a sweet treat,
hang out with your dog. What do you do mentally
(13:45):
wise to help you What strategies used to ensure that
your performance is what you want it and you don't
get too much into your head when you are trying
to not be bad at none?
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Yeah, I use a sports journal. That's something I'm like
super passionate about. So I like to write things down
and write down kind of these are my two intentions
for each event, where it's like this is how I
measure success, like did I run through the board or
did I like hit this technical queue? And I think
it just helps like center me. It's like another one
(14:18):
of those tools, like besides getting away from the track
with my dog is like just to like ground me
and focusing on that journal I think prevents me from
feeling the pressure too much because it's like I have
like a checklist to do so it's almost just like
narrowing my head on like okay, like it's time to
high jump, Like these are the two things I need
to do, and like I need to make sure I
(14:39):
check those off instead of thinking about the result or
a certain number that I need to hit.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
When did you start doing that when you start journaling.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
I started journaling after I had a foot injury in
twenty twenty one. I actually fell at the Olympic Trials,
and when I was coming back from that surgery, I
was a really really low place, so I was struggling.
When I was returning to track to take off and
to like my first hygent practice, I actually didn't jump
(15:09):
at all, Like I just ran through over and over
and over and over again because I actually couldn't get
my brain to do it because I was so afraid.
And so a sports psychologist kind of recommended to me,
like why don't you just start writing down like what
it used to feel like, what you wanted to feel like.
And I started doing that and like immediately started performing
(15:31):
better and being more brave. So I kind of just
rolled with it. And now that's something that's like always
on me.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
When we were talking about journaling and how because I
came back from a hip surgery injury and that's like
six months, and I just know like the headspace you're
in when you were trying to come back from an injury,
because that's athletes were like, Okay, well if we just work.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Harder, or if I just do this a little bit longer.
I changed my diet.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
I was trying to find all the tricks and things
to try to get myself in a space where I
can get back and feel comfortable again journaling for you,
was there something particular you wrote down in those moments
where you were feeling really low trying to come back
from that injury, trying to get your head out that
maybe you still sprite down today that's really been important
(16:20):
for you.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Yeah. I think a lot of them are like self
affirmations almost, and I think that's what I found to
be the most powerful and both I've had another surgery
since then, one during the Olympic year, which was like
the most stressful year of my entire life, trying to
rehand that on a crunch timeline in like your one
(16:43):
chance at the Olympics for the next four years. And
I think something I always wrote down was like I'm
still here, like I'm still me, and so I think
it's really easy for injuries to kind of like steal
your confidence, and even coming off last year, like this
is advice I need to take right now, because like
going to the Olympics and like not exactly finishing how
(17:04):
I wanted to finish, and then coming back like I
think I went back to training this fall and I
was just like I felt like I lost like a
part of my confidence there, Like I left a part
of my confidence in Paris because it was like I
wanted to do something and I didn't accomplish it, so
I felt like I was a different athlete or like
a less than athlete. And so something I've written down
(17:25):
a lot is like like I am still annahol, Like
just because I had a bad year, I had an
injury or whatever happened, like anything that I'd done before
doesn't just like go away, Like that is like still
in me. So that's something I'm really intentional about writing about.
And I'll also write down a lot like I've earned
the right to be confident, and so that's something I'm
(17:46):
very careful to make sure that I do every day
because you do have to earn it in practice, and
then just reminding myself of that that like, no, like,
I'm confident because I earned that, not just because I say,
like I believe in myself, like I have evidence to
back it up.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
So I love that I've earned the right to be confident.
What is it that you feel you've done that you've
put in that word to say that every day.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
I think the biggest thing is practicing hard and intentionally
every day. So I never want to be able to
look back at the end of a season or at
the end of my career and say, like, I wish
I worked harder, I wish I ate cleaner, I wish
I was more disciplined, or anything like that. And so
keeping that in mind every day. So I'm going to
(18:31):
do every single drill the best that I can. I'm
going to do focus as hard as I can during
every single session. And then when you come out of that,
I'm like, Okay, I've actually done everything I can, mentally, physically,
spiritually like to be the best that I can be.
So at that point it's like I can live with
whatever the result is, and I know that I've kind
of put in those little check marks into the bank
(18:53):
every single day of like, Okay, I decided today I
was going to do this drill well, and I did,
like up in the confidence there, the rep was consistent here,
up in the confidence there. And so just making sure
that I'm like tallying those up in my brain instead
of just in one ear and out the other every day.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Yeah, because confidence has its attribute to being like a muscle.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
We have to work it every day. If we don't, Yeah,
we will.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Literally lose it if we are not actively working on
it every single day and discussing how no matter how
hard you've worked and when you talk about you've earned
the confidence still.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
I mean, going to be.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
An Olympian is something many people would love and have
not achieved. And going out and you becoming that, especially
after injuries. I know you had surgery. It was just
like six months prior to trials.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
Yeah, and then in January and trials.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
So girl, I'm like thinking about I mean, that's like
how long my hip sorted. Was so thinking if I'm
going to go and compete for like the biggest thing
of my life. Right after that tough surgey and that
recovery for you though, I remember you crossed the line.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
I watched the video and.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
You laid out and you're redid you were so excited
and the relief and after the interview asked you how
you felt, and you talked about coming from being here.
You didn't think you might be in this position because
you would leave practice often and feel defeated and having
to overcome those things.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
When you think about being.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
Able to overcome those things, feeling defeated and getting that
what really enabled you to do so to do it anyway,
you know what I mean to every day you see
a step on.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Them anyway, Yeah, I honestly think it's the group of
people that I have around me. Like my support system,
I would say is second to none. Because there were
a lot of days where like I was just like
I don't think this is possible, and so I needed,
you know, my coaches to be like no, it is
like just keep showing up, keep believing. I needed to
(20:57):
be able to call my sisters and say, you know,
I don't think I can do this, and they're like, Nope,
don't say that, Like you've got this. I needed to,
you know, come home and take my mind off it
and have a good cuddle with cross. And I think
I really leaned on them hard and I think they
almost like believed for me, like they believed it into me.
And it's like after so many times of like getting
(21:18):
that support and hearing that, I'm like, Okay, I am.
I felt stupid for being like the one person that
didn't believe. Like I was like, we're all trying to
accomplish this goal, and like why am I the person
in the group project that's like finding every reason why
we can't get it, you know, like and I'm the
one who's dream It is like who should be the
most like let's go. So I think they really I
(21:42):
like credit that entire year to them because I don't
think I would have made it otherwise, and then just
like to keep showing up because I think that it
would have been really easy, I think to be like, Nope,
we're gonna like take my time coming back and like
just miss the Olympics, and it would have been very
easy not to like I compete it. I think like
for eighteen weeks after my knee surgery for the first time,
because I knew we we knew we needed meets before trials,
(22:06):
and so that was like it was very embarrassing because
I was like I knew I'm not going to do
well and like that's not fun, but it's like I know,
if this is going to help me make the team later,
I'm going to do it. So I think I'm definitely
proud of myself for like the way that I fought
and just was like, okay, everything that we need to
do to accomplish this goal, Like I'm going to show
up and do that. Way I can live with the result.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
When you say you felt embarrassed, why did you feel embarrassed?
Speaker 3 (22:32):
I think any athlete like you have are not even athletes.
I think anybody you have like a certain standard that
you do something at and then you know you're going
to publicly do it less than that, it just doesn't
feel good. And so I was honestly embarrassed to like
myself as well, because you know, when I'm in practice,
(22:53):
like my coaches will know the time, sometimes will tell me,
sometimes they don't, but like it's not so measurable versus
I knew when I said down on that first meet,
I was like, I am going to really get to
see how far behind I am from where I need
to be, And like in my head, I was like
that's a mark I should never put out even though
you know, I just had knee surgery and all of that,
(23:13):
Like in your head as an athlete, you just want
to think that on your worst day, you could do
it up to your standards. And so I think coming
out and starting so far back from where I knew
I needed to be to make that team, it was
a little bit embarrassing and it was stressful, and I
had to just kind of like keep my head up
and be like, Okay, I'm not going to let myself
feel like shame for being on my way, which I
(23:37):
think was something that I learned from that injury that
is going to help me the rest of my career
because even now I'm like, I don't I'm not embarrassed
to be on my way to something. Like if I'm
working towards something, I'm not going to be embarrassed about that.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
So, yeah, don't feel shame about being on your way.
I think that's that's a really cool, cool thing to
take away from that, especially I just talking to somebody
just the other day, because oftentimes in softball, you'd be
just get to be slumps where you could be hitting,
you could have had like ten hits in a row,
(24:09):
and then you just don't hit for the next twenty
and you like trying to figure out what it is
and you almost try to like overwork yourself. In reality,
you have to get back to your crawling stage before
you can get back to your running stage. And it's
hard to sometimes think that because we always think we can.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Power through as athletes. No, no, I can do it.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
I can do it.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
I can do it, versus taking that step back, and
when you took that step back of being like, Okay,
what the surgeries are pulling me back, but I'm gonna
get my way. But now I'm going forward with more
experience and knowing that I can do it. Especially after
your second surgery. You know you came back one time.
You know you can do it again. You have a
lot of self talk. I see when you're preparing for
(24:49):
a race or for an event. What are the things
that you're telling yourself, not just on the track, but
also off Yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
I think self talk is huge for me, even if
like you walk to me compete, Like I'm always talking
to myself right before I get blaying myself. I can
do this, And I think the biggest things that I
will tell myself is like I almost like frame a
story in my head, and I think that's very important
part of like the athlete psyche and really any psyche.
(25:19):
If you're like trying to accomplish a big goal, is
like how am I like framing this? And so it's
like the entire warm up or the entire months leading
up to event, like I'm going to be faced with
like thousands and thousands of choices to be like, Okay,
I don't know if I can do it, or like
I know I can do it in spite of this,
or you know, like you get to decide if you're
going to lean into like I don't feel that good today,
(25:41):
or it's like I can do it on any day.
So it's like your face with all of those different choices.
So I think for me, it's just making sure that
I pick the right ones and speaking only positive things
into myself and not letting, you know, doubt creep in.
And so sometimes I try to like tell myself the
story of like I didn't think people thought I could
make that team. And I think some people in track
(26:02):
world when I opened up initially like so poorly, we're like, oh,
I don't know if she's gonna be okay, And so
that really, Like in my head, I was like I
have a chip on my shoulder, like I'm still here,
Like this is gonna be my title, this is my
team to make. And so I think those kind of
framings and storylines really help you to pump yourself up
and you know, off the track too. I like to
(26:26):
think positive thoughts about myself as much as I can,
especially in the sense of like I might feel overwhelmed
and it's like, Okay, well I'm accomplishing a lot, Like
I figured out everything in my life up until this point,
so like I can do this too, even if I'm
really stressed, even if I'm overwhelmed, like I can still
handle this well, or like I can still be a
better sister, I can be a better friend, I can
(26:48):
be a better daughter, all of those things. And so
really just taking that mindset and applying it to like
every area of life, and then the outcome of that,
I think actually makes you more confident in every area
because it's like how you do one thing is often
how you do everything. So applying it off the track,
I think helps on as well.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
So when I don't feel like going to sprouts, I
should also create a storyline of girl, Do you are
you going to eat out and clog your stuff?
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Or I got to create the storyline.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
I feel like that's something that you can utilize, not
Justin's character. It's okay and everything like Okay, these people
want to see.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
Yeah, what type of girl do I want to be?
And like imagine her. I'm like, what would she do
right now? Like would she go to the store, would
she go to chick flair? I'm like, would she you know,
the best dog mom she could be? Or would she like, oh,
we're not going on a walk today. It's like I'll
get up and go on the walk.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
Do you always when you create those storylines for sport?
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Do you do you always make it the framework to
where you have a chip on your shoulder or do you.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Frame it differently? Do you feel like you compete better
in that way?
Speaker 3 (27:59):
I do think I can peep better with the chip
on my shoulder a little bit. But I've also definitely
had times where maybe if I'm in like the best
times when I've been in the best form shape of
my life, where I'm just like riding that high and
I'm just going to say like I am better like
and whether or not that's actually true, Like you have
(28:20):
to tell yourselves that if you wanted to ge through.
And so there will be times where I like tell
myself that, and it's almost like I'm putting the target
on my own back of like they're chasing you down,
like and I need to show that. Like no, but
I do think a lot of them do come with
the chip on your shoulder, which is I guess is
my personal brand of motivation, which might not be everybody's,
(28:41):
but it works for me.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Like, yeah, I feel like back on the when we
talk about body positivity and pushing yourself to those limits,
especially coming through injury, that's essentially what we're doing. We're
pushing ourselves past limits that maybe we didn't think we
could overcome over and over again.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Until it becomes easy.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
And with that body positivity and moving your body, were
there moments where you kind of had to tell yourself
or your maybe you your mind was giving up but
your body was still going and it was you were
just like, Wow, I'm impressed.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
By you girl.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Okay, body, you do what you need to do.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
Did do you ever have any of those moments?
Speaker 3 (29:16):
I definitely do. I think there's a lot of moments
in sport where you surprise yourself, which I think is
why it's one of the best ways to learn about yourself,
like doing anything hard, because you'll like it's almost like
you're starting at the bottom of this mountain and you're
like looking at this big, daunting task and it's like,
I don't know if I'm gonna make it up that,
(29:37):
but you're just like, I guess I'll try. And then
there were yeah, definitely times where I'd look back and
be like, Okay, like I didn't think I would be
doing that. And even like my first few meets back
like jumping, which it was just always after injuries, like
the scariest thing for me. It's how I hurt myself
in the first place, so I'm like a little bit
afraid of it. It's also my jump knee foot that
(29:58):
I had surgery on boats, so actual like valid fear
there as well. And I think like the first meet
I was high jumping, I know, I was like, I
guess I have to do this, but I really didn't
think I could. And so I think landing in the
pit after the first time, I was like, Okay, I
just did something I didn't think I could do, and
that like helps you build your confidence as you go.
(30:20):
I was like, Okay, as long as you just keep trying,
like you will surprise yourself. Sometimes you won't, but sometimes
you will.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
Just do it, just do it because you there's yeah
to that point where there's times when you do like,
oh okay, maybe I can't do a little higher than
I thought, or maybe I can't run a little further
than I thought. For me, it's those conditions. I'm definitely
not someone that enjoys running a lot. So whenever we
had our do our conditioning test and I would actually
(30:46):
pass it, I'm like, oh, all right, girl, like.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Maybe we can't. Yeah, like maybe my LUNs are working today.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Love that for me, I can keep you can't do
hard things, Yeah, I can do hard things.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
I think too.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
Though.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
You talk about your support system and being able to
do hard things, and that was encouraging you to do so.
Jackie joined Curtsey with someone that also really was by
in your corner encouraging you. And I watched you talk
about how she said that she's gonna call you every
couple of days to make sure that you were on
track and doing what you need to do.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
What would she tell you those every couple days.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
Yeah, she was strictly calling me about my mental It
was like we're making sure you're practice. It was like
are you thinking positively? Like do you think this can happen?
And some of the days I was like, yeah I am,
and like in my head I was not, And it
meant like the world that she cared enough to do that.
(31:41):
And also just like the words that she's spoken to me,
being like somebody I've looked up to since before I
can remember. It was incredible. But yeah, I think she's
definitely I consider her part of my support system. Yeah,
definitely in the like Anna's corner of people, which has
been such a blessing. But yeah, the way that she
(32:02):
like spoken to me, she was like, I've competed injured,
Like she competed on an almost fully torn hamstring and
medaled at a World championship. So hearing those words from her,
I was like, Okay, she did this, Like it's showing
me that it's possible, and she's telling me I need
to be in this headspace. So like I'm going to
get in this head space. And it helped a lot.
Speaker 2 (32:22):
To have a legend like Jackie and someone who is
your idol be the person that is personally calling you
to make sure that you are in the proper headspace.
Is there one thing particular maybe that stuck out to
you that she said.
Speaker 3 (32:38):
I think the biggest piece of advice I've ever got
from her was to She would always tell me she
was like, just keep your joy, like keep your joy.
And I think when she first started telling me that,
I was like, well, before I got hurt, like it
was kind of my first year on the scene, and
I was like, well, duh, like I love track, like
so I was like, okay, like I will thank you.
(32:58):
And then as I've kind of aggressed in my career,
I realize I'm like, no, that is like an actual,
very real battle. Like I feel like, through the injuries
and through almost like letting myself down a little bit
last year, I've had to like actually fight to like
hold on to like my love and joy for track
and field, and that's like a conscious thing that I've
had to do. So yeah, I don't really know. I
(33:20):
think if anyone else could have given me that advice
other than her, because like she's actually probably had to
do the same thing throughout the ups and downs of
her career. So yeah, I think that's definitely the most
impactful advice I've got.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
Keep your joy, Keep your joy.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Do you feel like that's the best sports mindset advice
you've received throughout your whole career.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
I do, because I think everyone like says like, oh,
it should be fun. People do the best when they're
having fun, and it's true, but it's kind of like, oh,
like everyone knows that, but like I really feel like,
having had the lows in my career, I've really felt that,
like when I'm happier, I am doing better, like you can.
(34:02):
How I'm practicing is literally like almost a direct reflection
of my mental health sometimes, and the conversation how you
speak to yourself is a direct reflection of your mental health.
So making sure that you're staying joyful, like finding the
fun in it even when things are bad. Like it's
almost like you've got to reframe it and be like, Okay,
I'm starting from here. I'm not going to compare myself
to my best I'm just going to celebrate every single
(34:25):
little victory along the way and have fun that way. Yeah,
it's the most important thing.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
I think, keep your joy and know you can do
hard things and your body can get you to places
that maybe you didn't even expect yourself to be able
to get to. Was it sports Illustrated swimsuit model, something
that you didn't know that that amazing body was going
to get you into as well?
Speaker 3 (34:49):
Oh my gosh, that was a dream come true. I
never would have imagined that I would have been a
part of something like that, And I think that issue
specifically being alongside so many other athletes, it was so
amazing because you know, I think growing up talking about
how sometimes I struggled to like want to put on
muscle and want to be strong, that I think as
(35:13):
visible as we can make muscles and like strong women
like the better because I was fortunate to have like
good female role models growing up. You know, I was
looking to Allison Field, like Jacka, Johann Kursy, like Alex Morgan,
like I got to see those, but I don't think
they were as like on the forefront as like women's
sports is now, And so I'm super excited to hopefully
(35:34):
be a part of that rise, just to bring more
representation for muscles and to celebrate strong bodies, because yeah,
I think that's what like we should have been doing
all along and right but now we're getting there, So yeah,
that was a dream come true. I was so out
of my comfort zone, but it was really really empowering,
So I'm glad I did it.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
Were you nervous?
Speaker 3 (35:57):
I was so nervous. Not only like I feel like
I've learned slowly starting to learn to get more comfortable
in front of a camera in general, but let alone
like in a bikini, right, And yeah, I mean growing up,
like I definitely had those like family vacations or like
(36:17):
trips of the pool with friends where like I just
like didn't like myself in a swimsuit. So then I
was like, this is so ironic that now like grown
Anna is in a swimsuit and like consciously posing for
pictures in front of a camera that I know it's
going to be like out there for everyone in the
world to see. So it kind of, yeah, I almost
I was happy about that because I was like, I
feel like I was like little Anna would be proud
(36:38):
because we've come a long way from being at the
pool and like sitting on the side with my towel
so ollow.
Speaker 2 (36:45):
Yes, And it's like the moment when you're finally can
instead of being ashamed or trying to hide the muscles.
You're able to show it to the world and be
proud and allow so many other young women.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
That look up to you to also do the same.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
Unconcent You're giving so many other people the permission to
love yourself.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
And love your body, those whose bodies might look similar
to yours.
Speaker 3 (37:06):
Yeah, I hope, So, I really hope.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
So when you talk about that experience, So what was
your favorite part? Ooh, I think it was like an
all day shoot too.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
It was all day. Yeah, we woke up back. I
think my call time was five am and we wrapped
at like six pm, so it was long, but it
was really flew by. It was super fun. I I
think my favorite part was that as the day, like
I could feel my confidence building, Like I think the
first tea I came out in they were like have
you done this before? And I was like nope. But
(37:42):
I was like that I can listen, like I can
take directions, so I was like, coach me up. And
then as the day went on, I feel like I
started to just like come out of my shell and
the whole team was like so supportive. They made it
so fun and like you have like MJ the editor
in chief over in the corner and she was like, Okay,
now this like we really want to see your muscles
like and I feel like there's not been many times
(38:05):
in like the beauty world, so to speak, that like
people were cheering so loudly for like flex your arm
or like yeah, see it all in. So that part
was really really cool.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
How did that make you feel?
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Because I feel like at times, you know, you hear that,
it's like, oh, I don't know, you want you want
to say this right, Okay, okay, let me let me
flex a little harder.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
That's just to your point. It's just so different.
Speaker 3 (38:29):
Yeah, I felt like I felt very proud. I was
like okay, because I feel like usually that's only in
like the sports world, like if I'm competing, people are like,
oh my gosh, muscles are so cool. And then if
I'm like dressed up for an event, and it's kind
of like ooh, and so it's really cool to see
like okay, Like as Almos, I was having the realization
of like, okay, like muscles can be celebrated in any platform,
(38:52):
whether you're in a dress, you're in a swimsuit, or
you're actually on the track.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
Do you think that those type of maybe body consciousness
or body image struggles are prevalent within track.
Speaker 3 (39:06):
I do, I definitely do. I think we're definitely one
of those sports where I think we don't compete in
a ton of clothing first of all, so like you're
constantly like seeing everybody's bodies and people are so so lean,
like it's just kind of what the sport requires, and
so it's really easy, I think to fall into the
trap of like comparing yourself to other people. And I
(39:28):
actually think my very first international meet, it was like
the U twenty World Championships, and that was like the
first time I competed in like a crop top, and
I remember the whole competition. I was like, I'm the
only girl here that doesn't have a six pack, and
like I probably did worse because like I was so
focused on like I should have been focused about running,
jumping and throwing. Yeah, I was like, I need to
(39:48):
work on my apps. So I don't think I'm alone
in that from people that I've talked to, But I
do think that the more empha that you can put
on like supporting fueling your body for like what it
does for you is the best. And I weirdly, like
(40:08):
I actually kind of have thought about it in this
like partnership that I have with Nulo, that I'm fueling
my dog just for like the activity and the fun
things that we're doing during the day. It's like I
want him to have energy to like go run and
go play fetch. And it's like I almost need to
like simplify my thinking about my body like to that,
like I'm not eating look cool. I'm not like I'm
not feeding cross to make him skinnier. I'm not feeding
(40:30):
him to look a certain way, like feeding him to
be his healthiest and best self. And so then I
kind of was like, Okay, like that's probably how I
should be looking at food for myself too, Like what's
going to fuel me the best to accomplish what I
want to do to get through my day for general
health and well being. Like I think it just all
wraps into one.
Speaker 2 (40:51):
I love that that that is such a good perspective
of I'm feeding myself and fueling myself in order to
achieve what I want achieve, rather than to look a
certain way. But I do also have to ask, did
you add more like set ups to your regimen.
Speaker 3 (41:04):
To get that I did. I definitely did. I definitely
was doing countries all the time, and I think that
was also something though, like you have to. I had
to come to terms with her. I was like, everybody
is not built the same, and like I can be
at my very leanest, which is like a relatively low,
(41:24):
like body five percentage for an athlete, like I made
it to the Olympics, Like clearly the muscles were there,
and like maybe my abs still will not look like
how I want them to look because my body just
like puts on muscle and holds things differently, and like
that's okay. And so I think when I was younger
and when I was at that meet, I was like,
oh my gosh, my body should look exactly how theirs does.
(41:45):
But now I've realized, like, no, like my body puts
on muscle how it puts on muscle, and like I'm
accomplishing the same things as these girls. I'm beating some
of these girls, So why am I worried about like
the fact that my body might choose to put muscle
here instead.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Of there, And the reason why I puts it here
instead of their is what makes you an Olympian. So
like I'm gonna roll with you, girl, I'm gonna roll
with your body. Thank you keeping.
Speaker 1 (42:12):
Through the body positivity.
Speaker 2 (42:15):
Would you would say for body positivity being a sports
illustrated model, what's your Can you show us like your
best post?
Speaker 1 (42:25):
Like what was the my gosh, what was the best?
Speaker 3 (42:28):
I needed?
Speaker 1 (42:28):
Like, I feel like I would have practiced for like weeks.
Speaker 3 (42:32):
I like to, and I should probably should have. I
like couldn't take myself seriously in the mirror I was
trying to do it. I was like, this is actually
more embarrassing than just like be just going. They were
super helpful with the post is though, But I think
the biggest thing on with posing in front of cameras
that whatever you think looks stupid probably actually looks good.
(42:54):
So feel like an idiot like throwing your arms out
or like being in this long planked position, and like
those are some of the best shots. So I think
just yeah, being long and big and taking up space
would be like my best advice for posing. I don't
know if I have a specific one.
Speaker 2 (43:12):
Yeah, I learned that off of I mean, it's extremely
problematic now that we look back, but America's next top
model I used to, you know, the more extravagant movement.
You did the better from there, but that, dude, believe
I love that no matter what it is, just go
out there and take up space. And the space that
your body holds within you is what is necessary in
order for you to go out and take space in
(43:34):
the world.
Speaker 1 (43:35):
I think that's a good a.
Speaker 2 (43:36):
Good lesson to leave and to remember by. What would
be the best advice You've received so much advice and
so much good support from those around you. What would
be the advice that you would leave to the young
track athletes that are looking up to Anna trying to
remember and write down for themselves that I am still me,
(43:58):
I am still able to polish things, and I've earned
the confidence today. How would you talk to them and
tell them to maintain that confidence.
Speaker 1 (44:08):
I think the.
Speaker 3 (44:09):
Biggest thing I would say is just to remember that
like no one else is you, and like this is
definitely a quote I've seen somewhere else. It's like no
one else is you, and like that is your power,
and like that is so true that it's like you
can be comparing yourself to all these other people, but
like no one else has your personality, no one else
has your unique quirks and your unique differences, and no
(44:31):
one else can do what you're doing the exact way
that you're doing it, So lean into that, and uh,
don't try to like conform to this is the typical
path or like this is what I should look like
doing it. Like if you want to be the super
serious athlete, be the super serious athlete. If it feels
good to you to be jumping around and dancing around
like out of your comfort zone, like do that just
(44:52):
be you because literally no one else can. So I
think I wish I would have learned that at like
fourteen instead of twenty one.
Speaker 1 (44:59):
So I love that be you because that is your superpower.
I would that.
Speaker 2 (45:05):
I used to say that quote as well as well,
but I added on to it to where because if
we make certain people our goals, then we may potentially
put a cap on the things that we want to
do or can achieve, or the things that we could
excel in. So make people maybe guides, but not goals.
Speaker 3 (45:24):
Yeah, exactly, because even the person you're chasing it is
not you, Like no one is you.
Speaker 1 (45:29):
No one is you.
Speaker 2 (45:32):
And what would you say is we talked about there's
coming back from injury and the things in which you've
been able to the perspective and the mindset you've gained
from so much that that has happened in life. What
would you say is your favorite failure that you've had
to endure that's ultimately probably led to the biggest successes.
Speaker 3 (45:56):
I think my favorite failure was sounds crazy to say,
but when I fell in twenty twenty one at the
Olympic trials, so I did not make the Tokyo Olympic team,
and I like shattered my foot, needed surgery. All of that,
I think, looking back, like I wasn't ready, and I
wasn't ready in like so many ways, I had so
(46:18):
much growing to do as an athlete, but even more
than that, like as a human being, and having the
time away from just like having everything I happened I
want happened right when I wanted it to, like forced
me to grow, and I think I literally grew more
in that one year than I had in like the
rest of my life prior. So I guess I'm thankful
(46:41):
that I fell and didn't make the twenty twenty one
Olympic team, but that definitely helped shape like the person
and the athlete that I am today.
Speaker 1 (46:49):
So how so I.
Speaker 3 (46:51):
Think just the growth that I had to do to
come back, I had to learn a lot about myself
and I had a lot of time to like sit
with really like who I was. I was like transferring
school at the time. It was really just like an
all time rock bottom and like starting over, and so
I got to decide, like who do I want to be?
And I think from people that know me through then
(47:12):
into now or like from that time on, like I
became just like a better human, Like I'm a better friend,
I'm a better sister, and like having to lean on
other people like forced me to really learn where I was, like, oh,
like that's how I need to be there for other
people too, or you know, and everything's not happening exactly
as I want it on the track right now, like
(47:33):
maybe that's not where my identity should be. So all
of those like little moments in the lows, I think
really made the rest of my career possible. Like I
don't think I would have come as far as I
have now if not for that year.
Speaker 1 (47:49):
We've experienced.
Speaker 2 (47:50):
To let that feel like lows, I think of them
as ladders, like the more we we hit we knock,
they kind of add up until we get to the
point where we reach like the highest success, to go
through these certain failures in order to get up to
where we want to actually be. And it reminds me
what you talk about in twenty twenty one when you
felt like you weren't ready, that the saying where God is,
(48:11):
It's rarely a no, it's typically eire a not yet,
or I have something better, And so like waiting for
those moments and allowing yourself to be confident, but still
working to have that confidence, earning it, as you say,
in order to get to where you want to be.
What would be your lasting advice? Because as women in sport,
(48:32):
no matter how confident we are and how much we
work and how much we tell ourselves we look good
and we try to maintain that, there's just those days
where we just can get down and get on ourselves
and we don't feel as beautiful, as strong, or we
allow the comments negative comments from other people to impact us.
What would be your lasting advice in order to overcome
(48:55):
all of those things and remain in a strong body
image and maintain body positivity.
Speaker 3 (49:03):
Yeah, I think my lasting advice would be to give
yourself grace because I think I have come so far
in like my body confidence and just self love, but
that doesn't mean I'm not gonna have days where like
I look in the mirror and I'm like eh, And
(49:24):
it's important like not to freak out almost and be
like oh my gosh, like yay my body d da
da da, and just kind of like almost like keep
yourself grounded, like not too low, not too high, just
like study in the middle and be like, Okay, like
I'm probably gonna have some days I feel like this,
but like that's normal, Like I'm a human being. I'm
not gonna feel perfect every day, and so you're just
kind of like, hm, I'll just take it on the
(49:44):
chin and maybe tomorrow I'll wake up and feel better.
And I think when you don't lean into it and
you just accept that you're a human being and you're
gonna have those thoughts just like everyone else, it doesn't
give them so much power.
Speaker 1 (49:58):
You let them come and let them go to this.
It with it too long.
Speaker 2 (50:03):
Anna, thank you so much for joining me today on
inside the Lines and your perspective and being able to
let so many listeners listeners know that at the end
of the day, no matter what it is, writing down
that you are still Ana Hall, You are still whoever
it is you are, and no matter what has occurred
to you does not change that fact as long as
(50:24):
you go out and you earn the confidence that you
are working towards every single day.
Speaker 4 (50:29):
Thank you so much, Anna, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (50:41):
What a convo. I hope you're feeling as empowered as
I am. Huge shout out to Anna for keeping it
real and being so transparent that vulnerability drives true change
for us all. Here are some key takeaways so you
can apply to your everyday life clear head by writing
it out. Anna discussed her sports journal and how putting
pen to paper helps her siner herself and focus on
(51:04):
the task at hand. Grab some paper, set those goals,
and declutter your mind.
Speaker 1 (51:09):
Keep your joy.
Speaker 2 (51:11):
This was advice shared to Anna from track and field
legend Jackie Joyner Cursey. Finding small pockets of joy and
fun will empower you through even the toughest of moments.
It's all about perspective, take up space. I loved Anna's
story about testing out different modeling positions during her Sports
Illustrated swimsuit shoot.
Speaker 1 (51:31):
Whether you're trying to get that.
Speaker 2 (51:32):
Perfect shot for Instagram or working up the courage to
share in a big meeting. Own it and take up
that space before we go. Don't forget mental wellness isn't
a one time thing. It's a journey and we're all
walking it in our own way. If you love this episode,
go ahead and hit that subscribe button, leave us a review,
(51:53):
and share it with someone who needs to hear it.
And if you haven't already, go listen to the full series.
Trust me, you don't want to miss these stories. This
episode was produced by Lauren Tuscala, edited by Savannah held
Empowered by the gist and parody I'm Aja Andrews. Thanks
for stepping inside the lines with me throughout the series.
Sometimes the hardest place to compete is a space between
(52:16):
our own ears. But know that you are bigger than
you believe, stronger than you seem, and more capable than
you think, and we can all achieve greatness once we
realize that and truly step inside the lines on the field,
court and in our mind. Take care of yourself and
your circle
What's up? Y'all?
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Welcome to Inside the Lines with AJ Andrews, a special
six part podcasts and newsletter series where we dive into real,
raw and powerful conversations all about mental health and wellness
in sports. I'm your host, AJ Andrews, pro softball player,
first woman to ever win a rolling Skool Glove, and
now your favorite sports broadcaster holding.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
It down at MLB Network.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Now I know firsthand how tough and how important the
mental side of the game really is, and that's why
we're here. Mental health matters whether you're professional athlete or
hustling in your nine to five. It's something way too
many of us deal with but don't talk about nearly enough.
And let me tell you, when athletes open up, it
shifts the conversation because when we speak up, we give
(00:49):
others permission to do the same. Each episode, I'll be
sitting down one on one with an incredible athlete who's
got a story to share, the highs, the lows, the lessons.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
We'll laugh, maybe cry.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Y'all know, we always got to keep it real, and
we'll share key takeaways and most importantly, we'll grow together.
This is Inside the Lines with AJ Andrews. Thanks for listening.
Today's episode features a guest who truly does it all,
(01:26):
as in seven different events. Today we're sitting down with
Olympic heptathlete and a haul from overcoming injuries including a
surgery just six months before competing in the Olympic Trials,
to modeling in the latest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition, and
as the perfect person to discuss today's topic, body positivity
and self acceptance.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Body image issues are sadly.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Not uncommon, and athletes are no exception, especially female athletes.
In fact, a recent NCAA study found that men's sports
athletes reported twenty to thirty percentage points higher than women's
sports athletes when it came to measures a positive body image.
Anna discusses her own journey with body positivity, along with
other mental health habits that help her perform her best,
(02:11):
like competing at the twenty twenty four Paris Olympics.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Best.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Okay, here we go. Let's step inside the lines with
Anna Hall. Anna, I am so excited for you to
be joining me on inside the Lines where we talk
all things mental health, mental wellness, and.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Today we're gonna dive a little deeper.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Into body positivity and self acceptance because as women in sports,
it is something we are constantly conflicted with.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
It's something we're constantly made aware of.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Even if we feel confident, we have people trying to
dim our light or making us feel less confident many
many times within sports.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
For you, when you think about the word.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Confidence and self acceptance and loving your body, those three
that really fulfill who you are as a person. When
did you really begin to feel confident in your body?
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Oh? I think I really started to gain some body
confidence maybe in the twenty twenty two twenty twenty three seasons,
so like not until my junior year of college, which
I think, wow, might be pretty late. You know, you
never know, but uh, for me, I think I always
really struggled with this like dichotomy as a female athlete.
(03:30):
Of like sometimes people wouldn't say the nicest things about
you know, having muscles, or like you're too bulky and
I don't want to lift, like I don't want to
get big traps, And I'm like, wait a second, I
have traps. What's wrong with traps? So I think I
always kind of struggled with that. And then that was
the year where I really took a hard look with
(03:52):
my coaches that like, Okay, these are the girls that
I'm like chasing down in my event, and like they're
all strong. So she was like you need to get strong,
like we need to do that, and I was like, okay,
you are correct. I don't look like the girls that
I'm trying to compete against. So we kind of had
to do some work there. And then I think the
whole process of like putting on a bunch of muscle,
(04:12):
I still was kind of fighting it in my head.
I just was like trying not to think about it.
I didn't like the number on the scale, all of
those lovely thoughts. And I think after those seasons, like
I competed really well and I felt so strong that
that's when I was like, Okay, maybe the way I
need to think about my body is less about like
(04:34):
do I like the aesthetics of it all the time,
and more like, wow, look what my body just accomplished.
And I think it was like reaching marks that I
didn't know if I would ever reach. That kind of
made me just start to appreciate my body more of like, Okay,
it does some pretty cool things, Like I need to
fuel it for that not necessarily be thinking about the
exact number on the scale every day, so I.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Was pretty similar. I didn't begin to really feel confident
with in my body till my freshman year in college.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
I had the same.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Exact realization because all throughout high school. I remember in
middle school vividly the moment when I became self conscious
and I were.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Just like a tank top.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
I've always been naturally just cut, and so even if
I didn't lift like I just looked muscular. And I
remember someone made a comment about it, and it just,
you know, it's so crazy things that you remember. I
don't remember who said it, but that one thing about
oh man, you look like a man stuck with me
from I mean I was probably twelve years old at
the time.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
It stuck with me for years and years and years.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
And prior to that one person making that one comment,
I thought muscles were cool. I thought I was doing
something being strong, and that didn't change. I didn't want
to lift the way you're saying. I didn't want to
lift heavy. I didn't want to get too strong. I
didn't want to get too bulky. All the way up
until my freshman year in college, when I was writing
down my goals and it was like, Okay, well I
want to be an All American. Well, in order to
(05:57):
be an All American, I'm going to have to hit
the ball really hard playing softball.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
In order to hit the ball really hard, I'm going
to have to get stronger.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
And so I just kind of had this realization of
do I want to stick with and a piece these
people that will never reach the things that I'm trying
to reach a piece of these people have no idea
what I have to go through or don't be an
All American lived heavy, be a full badass and accomplish.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
All my goals.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
And so, yeah, I wasn't until my freshman year that
I really had that revelation when you've had that, because
I remember when I did, it felt like I gained
my power back. What did it feel like for you
when you kind of had this this realization of Wow,
this is what my body can do when it is strong, Like,
this is what I can do when I am focused
(06:42):
on how I can move this beautiful body rather than
what it looks like and what people have to say
about what it looks like.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Yeah, yeah, I definitely felt like I kind of took
my power back and I felt almost actually mad at
myself for taking so long, because yeah, I was like,
oh my gosh, look back this entire last year. I
was like putting on all this most I was getting
super strong and like the whole time every day I
was like going home and looking in the mirror and
like saying mean things to myself, And I was like,
(07:08):
you were so strong and powerful, Like why would you, Like,
I'm like, you're wasting I was wasting time that I
could have been like appreciating myself. So yeah, I felt
like I took my power back. And it's almost like
I felt like I was like a light bulb went
off in my head and I was like, oh, like
when I think about people who have accomplished great things,
like the first thing I think about is not usually
(07:29):
like what their body looks like. It's just like this
person set a world record or they won the gold medal.
And so I was like, why am I like reducing
myself to just what my body looks like being on
an equal playing field with things like that that I
want to accomplish. So yeah, I really just felt like
I had like a renewed perspective of how to talk
(07:50):
and treat to myself.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
I think that that was so profound you kind of
like scathed over it. But the fact that you said,
why would I reduce myself to just what I look like?
Speaker 1 (07:59):
You're all the these.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Amazing things and all these accomplishments that can come from
your body.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Why would you reduce it to just what it looks like?
Speaker 2 (08:06):
And I think that that is like the power and
the message when it comes to being confident within your body,
not just what it looks like, but also what it
can do for you. I feel like we forget sometimes
we're so blessed to be able to wake up and
just walk to go get something out of the fridge
every day, let alone go compete for a medal, or
go compete for a world championship, and you, as someone
(08:28):
who does get to get up and not only walk,
but run really fast and throw things really hard and
really far as a heptathlon, which I think, I mean,
you correct me wrong. Are you the most athletic athletes
on the track.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
I mean, I don't want to get in trouble say anything,
but I think we're the most versatile athletes.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Okay, yeah, that's it. Yeah you can do it all.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Yeah. In softball, we call that utility. Someone that can
just do everything. And so with the Heatha, you compete
in seven different events, and so it's one hundred meter hurdles,
the high jump, long jump, shot put, two hundred, then
maybe take a little rest and then come back and
do long jump, javelin in eight hundred. Yes, preparing to
(09:19):
gear up for seven different events.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
What does that look like for you?
Speaker 3 (09:27):
It's very very busy, and I think it can be
super stressful because it's like I always describe it as
like holding marbles, and it's like you rarely have all
seven like in your hands, Like it's like one or
two of them is like always going to drop. So
there's always an event that you're kind of like, I
don't know if I have that one right now. So
I think for me, it's been really really helpful to
(09:48):
try to just work on my mental health like outside
of track, and I think that translates onto the track
for me as well. So being very mindful about like
when I'm at the track, I'm focused and I'm prepared
for these seven events, but like when I go home,
like my mind needs to be somewhere else and instead
of just stressing twenty four to seven because I have
spent time doing that, and it doesn't work. I can
(10:11):
con firm like.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Worrying does not help, No, not at all.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
So I think just finding like little hobbies. And one
way that I've been able to do that recently is
I have a dog. His name's Cross, and he's like
my pride and joy. I got him immediately after the
Paris Olympics. I'd always been close with my family dog,
but I wanted one of my own, and so for
me getting to hang out with him when I go home,
take him on walks, go run and play fetch, it
(10:38):
kind of just I feel like brings me back down
to earth and one of those things where it's like, okay,
like I might be really stressed about one of these events,
but like life's not so bad. And then I feel
like when I'm coming at it from that headspace, usually
whatever event I'm struggling with starts getting better as opposed
to just stressing about it.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
What is your favorite thing to do with Cross? Right?
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Yes, I do, I do say that. That isn't okay.
I don't know if I should say that right now.
He's right sitting right below. Yeah, he comes with me
most of my days. I think my favorite thing to
do with him is take him to the track for
my Saturday like eight hundred workouts. It's like my hardest
work out of the week. He comes with me and
(11:22):
he'll like do my warm up and get so tired,
and then he'll just like sit in the shade while
I run. And actually sometimes I'm like laid out on
the track after like completely dead, and he will start
like whining, like thinking that something is wrong, and so
I I just like joke with my coach, I'm like,
you killed me, like my dog is worried about me. Like,
(11:44):
so I think that's my favorite thing to do with him.
And then after it's always really nice to like I'll
go and get myself like a pastry at a place
by my house, my little like sweet treat after practice
and come home and give him his sweet treat.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
And yeah, in softball, thinking about utility, they always talk
about how it's like it's the saying being an expert
at one but a master of none. It's like a
weird way in which they describe it. But did you
say it's the same thought process within being in a
(12:19):
heptathlon I have? Do you think so like it's or
do you are you able because you said you have
like seven marbles and one doesn't always follow. Is it
just kind of one that maybe don't feel good at
or is there one you just try to master and
everything else just kind of pulls its weight.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
Yeah, you definitely have your strong points, and I think
to be a world class hetathlete you have to have
one or two events that are just world class on
their own. So I think it's almost like, I guess
that saying is like a master of none, but I
think you still have to be a master at two.
Like if you look at I think with the top
(12:53):
five girls ranked in the world, like all of us
will have two events where it's like we have the
Olympic standard to just do that. So it's like you've
almost got to master one or two and you have
your heavy hitters, and then it's trying not to be
bad at any which is really really hard to do
because some of the events like don't go together at all,
Like you know, you don't see open shot putters entering
(13:15):
in the high jump competitions and things like that, so
it's pretty challenging to kind of get the floor of
all of them up and then maintain your heavy, heavy hitters.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
I mean, I feel like one workout with you would
probably I mean you talk about cross beingk not to
think majority of people would be crashed out with one
workout with you trying to train for all seven different events,
and you discuss what you're able to do kind of
off the track and be able to get a sweet treat,
hang out with your dog. What do you do mentally
(13:45):
wise to help you What strategies used to ensure that
your performance is what you want it and you don't
get too much into your head when you are trying
to not be bad at none?
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Yeah, I use a sports journal. That's something I'm like
super passionate about. So I like to write things down
and write down kind of these are my two intentions
for each event, where it's like this is how I
measure success, like did I run through the board or
did I like hit this technical queue? And I think
it just helps like center me. It's like another one
(14:18):
of those tools, like besides getting away from the track
with my dog is like just to like ground me
and focusing on that journal I think prevents me from
feeling the pressure too much because it's like I have
like a checklist to do so it's almost just like
narrowing my head on like okay, like it's time to
high jump, Like these are the two things I need
to do, and like I need to make sure I
(14:39):
check those off instead of thinking about the result or
a certain number that I need to hit.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
When did you start doing that when you start journaling.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
I started journaling after I had a foot injury in
twenty twenty one. I actually fell at the Olympic Trials,
and when I was coming back from that surgery, I
was a really really low place, so I was struggling.
When I was returning to track to take off and
to like my first hygent practice, I actually didn't jump
(15:09):
at all, Like I just ran through over and over
and over and over again because I actually couldn't get
my brain to do it because I was so afraid.
And so a sports psychologist kind of recommended to me,
like why don't you just start writing down like what
it used to feel like, what you wanted to feel like.
And I started doing that and like immediately started performing
(15:31):
better and being more brave. So I kind of just
rolled with it. And now that's something that's like always
on me.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
When we were talking about journaling and how because I
came back from a hip surgery injury and that's like
six months, and I just know like the headspace you're
in when you were trying to come back from an injury,
because that's athletes were like, Okay, well if we just work.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Harder, or if I just do this a little bit longer.
I changed my diet.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
I was trying to find all the tricks and things
to try to get myself in a space where I
can get back and feel comfortable again journaling for you,
was there something particular you wrote down in those moments
where you were feeling really low trying to come back
from that injury, trying to get your head out that
maybe you still sprite down today that's really been important
(16:20):
for you.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Yeah. I think a lot of them are like self
affirmations almost, and I think that's what I found to
be the most powerful and both I've had another surgery
since then, one during the Olympic year, which was like
the most stressful year of my entire life, trying to
rehand that on a crunch timeline in like your one
(16:43):
chance at the Olympics for the next four years. And
I think something I always wrote down was like I'm
still here, like I'm still me, and so I think
it's really easy for injuries to kind of like steal
your confidence, and even coming off last year, like this
is advice I need to take right now, because like
going to the Olympics and like not exactly finishing how
(17:04):
I wanted to finish, and then coming back like I
think I went back to training this fall and I
was just like I felt like I lost like a
part of my confidence there, Like I left a part
of my confidence in Paris because it was like I
wanted to do something and I didn't accomplish it, so
I felt like I was a different athlete or like
a less than athlete. And so something I've written down
(17:25):
a lot is like like I am still annahol, Like
just because I had a bad year, I had an
injury or whatever happened, like anything that I'd done before
doesn't just like go away, Like that is like still
in me. So that's something I'm really intentional about writing about.
And I'll also write down a lot like I've earned
the right to be confident, and so that's something I'm
(17:46):
very careful to make sure that I do every day
because you do have to earn it in practice, and
then just reminding myself of that that like, no, like,
I'm confident because I earned that, not just because I say,
like I believe in myself, like I have evidence to
back it up.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
So I love that I've earned the right to be confident.
What is it that you feel you've done that you've
put in that word to say that every day.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
I think the biggest thing is practicing hard and intentionally
every day. So I never want to be able to
look back at the end of a season or at
the end of my career and say, like, I wish
I worked harder, I wish I ate cleaner, I wish
I was more disciplined, or anything like that. And so
keeping that in mind every day. So I'm going to
(18:31):
do every single drill the best that I can. I'm
going to do focus as hard as I can during
every single session. And then when you come out of that,
I'm like, Okay, I've actually done everything I can, mentally, physically,
spiritually like to be the best that I can be.
So at that point it's like I can live with
whatever the result is, and I know that I've kind
of put in those little check marks into the bank
(18:53):
every single day of like, Okay, I decided today I
was going to do this drill well, and I did,
like up in the confidence there, the rep was consistent here,
up in the confidence there. And so just making sure
that I'm like tallying those up in my brain instead
of just in one ear and out the other every day.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Yeah, because confidence has its attribute to being like a muscle.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
We have to work it every day. If we don't, Yeah,
we will.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Literally lose it if we are not actively working on
it every single day and discussing how no matter how
hard you've worked and when you talk about you've earned
the confidence still.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
I mean, going to be.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
An Olympian is something many people would love and have
not achieved. And going out and you becoming that, especially
after injuries. I know you had surgery. It was just
like six months prior to trials.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
Yeah, and then in January and trials.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
So girl, I'm like thinking about I mean, that's like
how long my hip sorted. Was so thinking if I'm
going to go and compete for like the biggest thing
of my life. Right after that tough surgey and that
recovery for you though, I remember you crossed the line.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
I watched the video and.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
You laid out and you're redid you were so excited
and the relief and after the interview asked you how
you felt, and you talked about coming from being here.
You didn't think you might be in this position because
you would leave practice often and feel defeated and having
to overcome those things.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
When you think about being.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
Able to overcome those things, feeling defeated and getting that
what really enabled you to do so to do it anyway,
you know what I mean to every day you see
a step on.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Them anyway, Yeah, I honestly think it's the group of
people that I have around me. Like my support system,
I would say is second to none. Because there were
a lot of days where like I was just like
I don't think this is possible, and so I needed,
you know, my coaches to be like no, it is
like just keep showing up, keep believing. I needed to
(20:57):
be able to call my sisters and say, you know,
I don't think I can do this, and they're like, Nope,
don't say that, Like you've got this. I needed to,
you know, come home and take my mind off it
and have a good cuddle with cross. And I think
I really leaned on them hard and I think they
almost like believed for me, like they believed it into me.
And it's like after so many times of like getting
(21:18):
that support and hearing that, I'm like, Okay, I am.
I felt stupid for being like the one person that
didn't believe. Like I was like, we're all trying to
accomplish this goal, and like why am I the person
in the group project that's like finding every reason why
we can't get it, you know, like and I'm the
one who's dream It is like who should be the
most like let's go. So I think they really I
(21:42):
like credit that entire year to them because I don't
think I would have made it otherwise, and then just
like to keep showing up because I think that it
would have been really easy, I think to be like, Nope,
we're gonna like take my time coming back and like
just miss the Olympics, and it would have been very
easy not to like I compete it. I think like
for eighteen weeks after my knee surgery for the first time,
because I knew we we knew we needed meets before trials,
(22:06):
and so that was like it was very embarrassing because
I was like I knew I'm not going to do
well and like that's not fun, but it's like I know,
if this is going to help me make the team later,
I'm going to do it. So I think I'm definitely
proud of myself for like the way that I fought
and just was like, okay, everything that we need to
do to accomplish this goal, Like I'm going to show
up and do that. Way I can live with the result.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
When you say you felt embarrassed, why did you feel embarrassed?
Speaker 3 (22:32):
I think any athlete like you have are not even athletes.
I think anybody you have like a certain standard that
you do something at and then you know you're going
to publicly do it less than that, it just doesn't
feel good. And so I was honestly embarrassed to like
myself as well, because you know, when I'm in practice,
(22:53):
like my coaches will know the time, sometimes will tell me,
sometimes they don't, but like it's not so measurable versus
I knew when I said down on that first meet,
I was like, I am going to really get to
see how far behind I am from where I need
to be, And like in my head, I was like
that's a mark I should never put out even though
you know, I just had knee surgery and all of that,
(23:13):
Like in your head as an athlete, you just want
to think that on your worst day, you could do
it up to your standards. And so I think coming
out and starting so far back from where I knew
I needed to be to make that team, it was
a little bit embarrassing and it was stressful, and I
had to just kind of like keep my head up
and be like, Okay, I'm not going to let myself
feel like shame for being on my way, which I
(23:37):
think was something that I learned from that injury that
is going to help me the rest of my career
because even now I'm like, I don't I'm not embarrassed
to be on my way to something. Like if I'm
working towards something, I'm not going to be embarrassed about that.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
So, yeah, don't feel shame about being on your way.
I think that's that's a really cool, cool thing to
take away from that, especially I just talking to somebody
just the other day, because oftentimes in softball, you'd be
just get to be slumps where you could be hitting,
you could have had like ten hits in a row,
(24:09):
and then you just don't hit for the next twenty
and you like trying to figure out what it is
and you almost try to like overwork yourself. In reality,
you have to get back to your crawling stage before
you can get back to your running stage. And it's
hard to sometimes think that because we always think we can.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Power through as athletes. No, no, I can do it.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
I can do it.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
I can do it, versus taking that step back, and
when you took that step back of being like, Okay,
what the surgeries are pulling me back, but I'm gonna
get my way. But now I'm going forward with more
experience and knowing that I can do it. Especially after
your second surgery. You know you came back one time.
You know you can do it again. You have a
lot of self talk. I see when you're preparing for
(24:49):
a race or for an event. What are the things
that you're telling yourself, not just on the track, but
also off Yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
I think self talk is huge for me, even if
like you walk to me compete, Like I'm always talking
to myself right before I get blaying myself. I can
do this, And I think the biggest things that I
will tell myself is like I almost like frame a
story in my head, and I think that's very important
part of like the athlete psyche and really any psyche.
(25:19):
If you're like trying to accomplish a big goal, is
like how am I like framing this? And so it's
like the entire warm up or the entire months leading
up to event, like I'm going to be faced with
like thousands and thousands of choices to be like, Okay,
I don't know if I can do it, or like
I know I can do it in spite of this,
or you know, like you get to decide if you're
going to lean into like I don't feel that good today,
(25:41):
or it's like I can do it on any day.
So it's like your face with all of those different choices.
So I think for me, it's just making sure that
I pick the right ones and speaking only positive things
into myself and not letting, you know, doubt creep in.
And so sometimes I try to like tell myself the
story of like I didn't think people thought I could
make that team. And I think some people in track
(26:02):
world when I opened up initially like so poorly, we're like, oh,
I don't know if she's gonna be okay, And so
that really, Like in my head, I was like I
have a chip on my shoulder, like I'm still here,
Like this is gonna be my title, this is my
team to make. And so I think those kind of
framings and storylines really help you to pump yourself up
and you know, off the track too. I like to
(26:26):
think positive thoughts about myself as much as I can,
especially in the sense of like I might feel overwhelmed
and it's like, Okay, well I'm accomplishing a lot, Like
I figured out everything in my life up until this point,
so like I can do this too, even if I'm
really stressed, even if I'm overwhelmed, like I can still
handle this well, or like I can still be a
better sister, I can be a better friend, I can
(26:48):
be a better daughter, all of those things. And so
really just taking that mindset and applying it to like
every area of life, and then the outcome of that,
I think actually makes you more confident in every area
because it's like how you do one thing is often
how you do everything. So applying it off the track,
I think helps on as well.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
So when I don't feel like going to sprouts, I
should also create a storyline of girl, Do you are
you going to eat out and clog your stuff?
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Or I got to create the storyline.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
I feel like that's something that you can utilize, not
Justin's character. It's okay and everything like Okay, these people
want to see.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
Yeah, what type of girl do I want to be?
And like imagine her. I'm like, what would she do
right now? Like would she go to the store, would
she go to chick flair? I'm like, would she you know,
the best dog mom she could be? Or would she like, oh,
we're not going on a walk today. It's like I'll
get up and go on the walk.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
Do you always when you create those storylines for sport?
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Do you do you always make it the framework to
where you have a chip on your shoulder or do you.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Frame it differently? Do you feel like you compete better
in that way?
Speaker 3 (27:59):
I do think I can peep better with the chip
on my shoulder a little bit. But I've also definitely
had times where maybe if I'm in like the best
times when I've been in the best form shape of
my life, where I'm just like riding that high and
I'm just going to say like I am better like
and whether or not that's actually true, Like you have
(28:20):
to tell yourselves that if you wanted to ge through.
And so there will be times where I like tell
myself that, and it's almost like I'm putting the target
on my own back of like they're chasing you down,
like and I need to show that. Like no, but
I do think a lot of them do come with
the chip on your shoulder, which is I guess is
my personal brand of motivation, which might not be everybody's,
(28:41):
but it works for me.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Like, yeah, I feel like back on the when we
talk about body positivity and pushing yourself to those limits,
especially coming through injury, that's essentially what we're doing. We're
pushing ourselves past limits that maybe we didn't think we
could overcome over and over again.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Until it becomes easy.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
And with that body positivity and moving your body, were
there moments where you kind of had to tell yourself
or your maybe you your mind was giving up but
your body was still going and it was you were
just like, Wow, I'm impressed.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
By you girl.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Okay, body, you do what you need to do.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
Did do you ever have any of those moments?
Speaker 3 (29:16):
I definitely do. I think there's a lot of moments
in sport where you surprise yourself, which I think is
why it's one of the best ways to learn about yourself,
like doing anything hard, because you'll like it's almost like
you're starting at the bottom of this mountain and you're
like looking at this big, daunting task and it's like,
I don't know if I'm gonna make it up that,
(29:37):
but you're just like, I guess I'll try. And then
there were yeah, definitely times where I'd look back and
be like, Okay, like I didn't think I would be
doing that. And even like my first few meets back
like jumping, which it was just always after injuries, like
the scariest thing for me. It's how I hurt myself
in the first place, so I'm like a little bit
afraid of it. It's also my jump knee foot that
(29:58):
I had surgery on boats, so actual like valid fear
there as well. And I think like the first meet
I was high jumping, I know, I was like, I
guess I have to do this, but I really didn't
think I could. And so I think landing in the
pit after the first time, I was like, Okay, I
just did something I didn't think I could do, and
that like helps you build your confidence as you go.
(30:20):
I was like, Okay, as long as you just keep trying,
like you will surprise yourself. Sometimes you won't, but sometimes
you will.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
Just do it, just do it because you there's yeah
to that point where there's times when you do like,
oh okay, maybe I can't do a little higher than
I thought, or maybe I can't run a little further
than I thought. For me, it's those conditions. I'm definitely
not someone that enjoys running a lot. So whenever we
had our do our conditioning test and I would actually
(30:46):
pass it, I'm like, oh, all right, girl, like.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Maybe we can't. Yeah, like maybe my LUNs are working today.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Love that for me, I can keep you can't do
hard things, Yeah, I can do hard things.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
I think too.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
Though.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
You talk about your support system and being able to
do hard things, and that was encouraging you to do so.
Jackie joined Curtsey with someone that also really was by
in your corner encouraging you. And I watched you talk
about how she said that she's gonna call you every
couple of days to make sure that you were on
track and doing what you need to do.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
What would she tell you those every couple days.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
Yeah, she was strictly calling me about my mental It
was like we're making sure you're practice. It was like
are you thinking positively? Like do you think this can happen?
And some of the days I was like, yeah I am,
and like in my head I was not, And it
meant like the world that she cared enough to do that.
(31:41):
And also just like the words that she's spoken to me,
being like somebody I've looked up to since before I
can remember. It was incredible. But yeah, I think she's
definitely I consider her part of my support system. Yeah,
definitely in the like Anna's corner of people, which has
been such a blessing. But yeah, the way that she
(32:02):
like spoken to me, she was like, I've competed injured,
Like she competed on an almost fully torn hamstring and
medaled at a World championship. So hearing those words from her,
I was like, Okay, she did this, Like it's showing
me that it's possible, and she's telling me I need
to be in this headspace. So like I'm going to
get in this head space. And it helped a lot.
Speaker 2 (32:22):
To have a legend like Jackie and someone who is
your idol be the person that is personally calling you
to make sure that you are in the proper headspace.
Is there one thing particular maybe that stuck out to
you that she said.
Speaker 3 (32:38):
I think the biggest piece of advice I've ever got
from her was to She would always tell me she
was like, just keep your joy, like keep your joy.
And I think when she first started telling me that,
I was like, well, before I got hurt, like it
was kind of my first year on the scene, and
I was like, well, duh, like I love track, like
so I was like, okay, like I will thank you.
(32:58):
And then as I've kind of aggressed in my career,
I realize I'm like, no, that is like an actual,
very real battle. Like I feel like, through the injuries
and through almost like letting myself down a little bit
last year, I've had to like actually fight to like
hold on to like my love and joy for track
and field, and that's like a conscious thing that I've
had to do. So yeah, I don't really know. I
(33:20):
think if anyone else could have given me that advice
other than her, because like she's actually probably had to
do the same thing throughout the ups and downs of
her career. So yeah, I think that's definitely the most
impactful advice I've got.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
Keep your joy, Keep your joy.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Do you feel like that's the best sports mindset advice
you've received throughout your whole career.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
I do, because I think everyone like says like, oh,
it should be fun. People do the best when they're
having fun, and it's true, but it's kind of like, oh,
like everyone knows that, but like I really feel like,
having had the lows in my career, I've really felt that,
like when I'm happier, I am doing better, like you can.
(34:02):
How I'm practicing is literally like almost a direct reflection
of my mental health sometimes, and the conversation how you
speak to yourself is a direct reflection of your mental health.
So making sure that you're staying joyful, like finding the
fun in it even when things are bad. Like it's
almost like you've got to reframe it and be like, Okay,
I'm starting from here. I'm not going to compare myself
to my best I'm just going to celebrate every single
(34:25):
little victory along the way and have fun that way. Yeah,
it's the most important thing.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
I think, keep your joy and know you can do
hard things and your body can get you to places
that maybe you didn't even expect yourself to be able
to get to. Was it sports Illustrated swimsuit model, something
that you didn't know that that amazing body was going
to get you into as well?
Speaker 3 (34:49):
Oh my gosh, that was a dream come true. I
never would have imagined that I would have been a
part of something like that, And I think that issue
specifically being alongside so many other athletes, it was so
amazing because you know, I think growing up talking about
how sometimes I struggled to like want to put on
muscle and want to be strong, that I think as
(35:13):
visible as we can make muscles and like strong women
like the better because I was fortunate to have like
good female role models growing up. You know, I was
looking to Allison Field, like Jacka, Johann Kursy, like Alex Morgan,
like I got to see those, but I don't think
they were as like on the forefront as like women's
sports is now, And so I'm super excited to hopefully
(35:34):
be a part of that rise, just to bring more
representation for muscles and to celebrate strong bodies, because yeah,
I think that's what like we should have been doing
all along and right but now we're getting there, So yeah,
that was a dream come true. I was so out
of my comfort zone, but it was really really empowering,
So I'm glad I did it.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
Were you nervous?
Speaker 3 (35:57):
I was so nervous. Not only like I feel like
I've learned slowly starting to learn to get more comfortable
in front of a camera in general, but let alone
like in a bikini, right, And yeah, I mean growing up,
like I definitely had those like family vacations or like
(36:17):
trips of the pool with friends where like I just
like didn't like myself in a swimsuit. So then I
was like, this is so ironic that now like grown
Anna is in a swimsuit and like consciously posing for
pictures in front of a camera that I know it's
going to be like out there for everyone in the
world to see. So it kind of, yeah, I almost
I was happy about that because I was like, I
feel like I was like little Anna would be proud
(36:38):
because we've come a long way from being at the
pool and like sitting on the side with my towel
so ollow.
Speaker 2 (36:45):
Yes, And it's like the moment when you're finally can
instead of being ashamed or trying to hide the muscles.
You're able to show it to the world and be
proud and allow so many other young women.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
That look up to you to also do the same.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
Unconcent You're giving so many other people the permission to
love yourself.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
And love your body, those whose bodies might look similar
to yours.
Speaker 3 (37:06):
Yeah, I hope, So, I really hope.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
So when you talk about that experience, So what was
your favorite part? Ooh, I think it was like an
all day shoot too.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
It was all day. Yeah, we woke up back. I
think my call time was five am and we wrapped
at like six pm, so it was long, but it
was really flew by. It was super fun. I I
think my favorite part was that as the day, like
I could feel my confidence building, Like I think the
first tea I came out in they were like have
you done this before? And I was like nope. But
(37:42):
I was like that I can listen, like I can
take directions, so I was like, coach me up. And
then as the day went on, I feel like I
started to just like come out of my shell and
the whole team was like so supportive. They made it
so fun and like you have like MJ the editor
in chief over in the corner and she was like, Okay,
now this like we really want to see your muscles
like and I feel like there's not been many times
(38:05):
in like the beauty world, so to speak, that like
people were cheering so loudly for like flex your arm
or like yeah, see it all in. So that part
was really really cool.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
How did that make you feel?
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Because I feel like at times, you know, you hear that,
it's like, oh, I don't know, you want you want
to say this right, Okay, okay, let me let me
flex a little harder.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
That's just to your point. It's just so different.
Speaker 3 (38:29):
Yeah, I felt like I felt very proud. I was
like okay, because I feel like usually that's only in
like the sports world, like if I'm competing, people are like,
oh my gosh, muscles are so cool. And then if
I'm like dressed up for an event, and it's kind
of like ooh, and so it's really cool to see
like okay, Like as Almos, I was having the realization
of like, okay, like muscles can be celebrated in any platform,
(38:52):
whether you're in a dress, you're in a swimsuit, or
you're actually on the track.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
Do you think that those type of maybe body consciousness
or body image struggles are prevalent within track.
Speaker 3 (39:06):
I do, I definitely do. I think we're definitely one
of those sports where I think we don't compete in
a ton of clothing first of all, so like you're
constantly like seeing everybody's bodies and people are so so lean,
like it's just kind of what the sport requires, and
so it's really easy, I think to fall into the
trap of like comparing yourself to other people. And I
(39:28):
actually think my very first international meet, it was like
the U twenty World Championships, and that was like the
first time I competed in like a crop top, and
I remember the whole competition. I was like, I'm the
only girl here that doesn't have a six pack, and
like I probably did worse because like I was so
focused on like I should have been focused about running,
jumping and throwing. Yeah, I was like, I need to
(39:48):
work on my apps. So I don't think I'm alone
in that from people that I've talked to, But I
do think that the more empha that you can put
on like supporting fueling your body for like what it
does for you is the best. And I weirdly, like
(40:08):
I actually kind of have thought about it in this
like partnership that I have with Nulo, that I'm fueling
my dog just for like the activity and the fun
things that we're doing during the day. It's like I
want him to have energy to like go run and
go play fetch. And it's like I almost need to
like simplify my thinking about my body like to that,
like I'm not eating look cool. I'm not like I'm
not feeding cross to make him skinnier. I'm not feeding
(40:30):
him to look a certain way, like feeding him to
be his healthiest and best self. And so then I
kind of was like, Okay, like that's probably how I
should be looking at food for myself too, Like what's
going to fuel me the best to accomplish what I
want to do to get through my day for general
health and well being. Like I think it just all
wraps into one.
Speaker 2 (40:51):
I love that that that is such a good perspective
of I'm feeding myself and fueling myself in order to
achieve what I want achieve, rather than to look a
certain way. But I do also have to ask, did
you add more like set ups to your regimen.
Speaker 3 (41:04):
To get that I did. I definitely did. I definitely
was doing countries all the time, and I think that
was also something though, like you have to. I had
to come to terms with her. I was like, everybody
is not built the same, and like I can be
at my very leanest, which is like a relatively low,
(41:24):
like body five percentage for an athlete, like I made
it to the Olympics, Like clearly the muscles were there,
and like maybe my abs still will not look like
how I want them to look because my body just
like puts on muscle and holds things differently, and like
that's okay. And so I think when I was younger
and when I was at that meet, I was like,
oh my gosh, my body should look exactly how theirs does.
(41:45):
But now I've realized, like, no, like my body puts
on muscle how it puts on muscle, and like I'm
accomplishing the same things as these girls. I'm beating some
of these girls, So why am I worried about like
the fact that my body might choose to put muscle
here instead.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Of there, And the reason why I puts it here
instead of their is what makes you an Olympian. So
like I'm gonna roll with you, girl, I'm gonna roll
with your body. Thank you keeping.
Speaker 1 (42:12):
Through the body positivity.
Speaker 2 (42:15):
Would you would say for body positivity being a sports
illustrated model, what's your Can you show us like your
best post?
Speaker 1 (42:25):
Like what was the my gosh, what was the best?
Speaker 3 (42:28):
I needed?
Speaker 1 (42:28):
Like, I feel like I would have practiced for like weeks.
Speaker 3 (42:32):
I like to, and I should probably should have. I
like couldn't take myself seriously in the mirror I was
trying to do it. I was like, this is actually
more embarrassing than just like be just going. They were
super helpful with the post is though, But I think
the biggest thing on with posing in front of cameras
that whatever you think looks stupid probably actually looks good.
(42:54):
So feel like an idiot like throwing your arms out
or like being in this long planked position, and like
those are some of the best shots. So I think
just yeah, being long and big and taking up space
would be like my best advice for posing. I don't
know if I have a specific one.
Speaker 2 (43:12):
Yeah, I learned that off of I mean, it's extremely
problematic now that we look back, but America's next top
model I used to, you know, the more extravagant movement.
You did the better from there, but that, dude, believe
I love that no matter what it is, just go
out there and take up space. And the space that
your body holds within you is what is necessary in
order for you to go out and take space in
(43:34):
the world.
Speaker 1 (43:35):
I think that's a good a.
Speaker 2 (43:36):
Good lesson to leave and to remember by. What would
be the best advice You've received so much advice and
so much good support from those around you. What would
be the advice that you would leave to the young
track athletes that are looking up to Anna trying to
remember and write down for themselves that I am still me,
(43:58):
I am still able to polish things, and I've earned
the confidence today. How would you talk to them and
tell them to maintain that confidence.
Speaker 1 (44:08):
I think the.
Speaker 3 (44:09):
Biggest thing I would say is just to remember that
like no one else is you, and like this is
definitely a quote I've seen somewhere else. It's like no
one else is you, and like that is your power,
and like that is so true that it's like you
can be comparing yourself to all these other people, but
like no one else has your personality, no one else
has your unique quirks and your unique differences, and no
(44:31):
one else can do what you're doing the exact way
that you're doing it, So lean into that, and uh,
don't try to like conform to this is the typical
path or like this is what I should look like
doing it. Like if you want to be the super
serious athlete, be the super serious athlete. If it feels
good to you to be jumping around and dancing around
like out of your comfort zone, like do that just
(44:52):
be you because literally no one else can. So I
think I wish I would have learned that at like
fourteen instead of twenty one.
Speaker 1 (44:59):
So I love that be you because that is your superpower.
I would that.
Speaker 2 (45:05):
I used to say that quote as well as well,
but I added on to it to where because if
we make certain people our goals, then we may potentially
put a cap on the things that we want to
do or can achieve, or the things that we could
excel in. So make people maybe guides, but not goals.
Speaker 3 (45:24):
Yeah, exactly, because even the person you're chasing it is
not you, Like no one is you.
Speaker 1 (45:29):
No one is you.
Speaker 2 (45:32):
And what would you say is we talked about there's
coming back from injury and the things in which you've
been able to the perspective and the mindset you've gained
from so much that that has happened in life. What
would you say is your favorite failure that you've had
to endure that's ultimately probably led to the biggest successes.
Speaker 3 (45:56):
I think my favorite failure was sounds crazy to say,
but when I fell in twenty twenty one at the
Olympic trials, so I did not make the Tokyo Olympic team,
and I like shattered my foot, needed surgery. All of that,
I think, looking back, like I wasn't ready, and I
wasn't ready in like so many ways, I had so
(46:18):
much growing to do as an athlete, but even more
than that, like as a human being, and having the
time away from just like having everything I happened I
want happened right when I wanted it to, like forced
me to grow, and I think I literally grew more
in that one year than I had in like the
rest of my life prior. So I guess I'm thankful
(46:41):
that I fell and didn't make the twenty twenty one
Olympic team, but that definitely helped shape like the person
and the athlete that I am today.
Speaker 1 (46:49):
So how so I.
Speaker 3 (46:51):
Think just the growth that I had to do to
come back, I had to learn a lot about myself
and I had a lot of time to like sit
with really like who I was. I was like transferring
school at the time. It was really just like an
all time rock bottom and like starting over, and so
I got to decide, like who do I want to be?
And I think from people that know me through then
(47:12):
into now or like from that time on, like I
became just like a better human, Like I'm a better friend,
I'm a better sister, and like having to lean on
other people like forced me to really learn where I was, like, oh,
like that's how I need to be there for other
people too, or you know, and everything's not happening exactly
as I want it on the track right now, like
(47:33):
maybe that's not where my identity should be. So all
of those like little moments in the lows, I think
really made the rest of my career possible. Like I
don't think I would have come as far as I
have now if not for that year.
Speaker 1 (47:49):
We've experienced.
Speaker 2 (47:50):
To let that feel like lows, I think of them
as ladders, like the more we we hit we knock,
they kind of add up until we get to the
point where we reach like the highest success, to go
through these certain failures in order to get up to
where we want to actually be. And it reminds me
what you talk about in twenty twenty one when you
felt like you weren't ready, that the saying where God is,
(48:11):
It's rarely a no, it's typically eire a not yet,
or I have something better, And so like waiting for
those moments and allowing yourself to be confident, but still
working to have that confidence, earning it, as you say,
in order to get to where you want to be.
What would be your lasting advice? Because as women in sport,
(48:32):
no matter how confident we are and how much we
work and how much we tell ourselves we look good
and we try to maintain that, there's just those days
where we just can get down and get on ourselves
and we don't feel as beautiful, as strong, or we
allow the comments negative comments from other people to impact us.
What would be your lasting advice in order to overcome
(48:55):
all of those things and remain in a strong body
image and maintain body positivity.
Speaker 3 (49:03):
Yeah, I think my lasting advice would be to give
yourself grace because I think I have come so far
in like my body confidence and just self love, but
that doesn't mean I'm not gonna have days where like
I look in the mirror and I'm like eh, And
(49:24):
it's important like not to freak out almost and be
like oh my gosh, like yay my body d da
da da, and just kind of like almost like keep
yourself grounded, like not too low, not too high, just
like study in the middle and be like, Okay, like
I'm probably gonna have some days I feel like this,
but like that's normal, Like I'm a human being. I'm
not gonna feel perfect every day, and so you're just
kind of like, hm, I'll just take it on the
(49:44):
chin and maybe tomorrow I'll wake up and feel better.
And I think when you don't lean into it and
you just accept that you're a human being and you're
gonna have those thoughts just like everyone else, it doesn't
give them so much power.
Speaker 1 (49:58):
You let them come and let them go to this.
It with it too long.
Speaker 2 (50:03):
Anna, thank you so much for joining me today on
inside the Lines and your perspective and being able to
let so many listeners listeners know that at the end
of the day, no matter what it is, writing down
that you are still Ana Hall, You are still whoever
it is you are, and no matter what has occurred
to you does not change that fact as long as
(50:24):
you go out and you earn the confidence that you
are working towards every single day.
Speaker 4 (50:29):
Thank you so much, Anna, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (50:41):
What a convo. I hope you're feeling as empowered as
I am. Huge shout out to Anna for keeping it
real and being so transparent that vulnerability drives true change
for us all. Here are some key takeaways so you
can apply to your everyday life clear head by writing
it out. Anna discussed her sports journal and how putting
pen to paper helps her siner herself and focus on
(51:04):
the task at hand. Grab some paper, set those goals,
and declutter your mind.
Speaker 1 (51:09):
Keep your joy.
Speaker 2 (51:11):
This was advice shared to Anna from track and field
legend Jackie Joyner Cursey. Finding small pockets of joy and
fun will empower you through even the toughest of moments.
It's all about perspective, take up space. I loved Anna's
story about testing out different modeling positions during her Sports
Illustrated swimsuit shoot.
Speaker 1 (51:31):
Whether you're trying to get that.
Speaker 2 (51:32):
Perfect shot for Instagram or working up the courage to
share in a big meeting. Own it and take up
that space before we go. Don't forget mental wellness isn't
a one time thing. It's a journey and we're all
walking it in our own way. If you love this episode,
go ahead and hit that subscribe button, leave us a review,
(51:53):
and share it with someone who needs to hear it.
And if you haven't already, go listen to the full series.
Trust me, you don't want to miss these stories. This
episode was produced by Lauren Tuscala, edited by Savannah held
Empowered by the gist and parody I'm Aja Andrews. Thanks
for stepping inside the lines with me throughout the series.
Sometimes the hardest place to compete is a space between
(52:16):
our own ears. But know that you are bigger than
you believe, stronger than you seem, and more capable than
you think, and we can all achieve greatness once we
realize that and truly step inside the lines on the field,
court and in our mind. Take care of yourself and
your circle
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