Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Welcome to the New Heart for Life podcast for a
greater understanding of the NewHeart for Life community and
its ambassadors, individualsmaking a positive impact by
championing the New Heart forLife mission within their
personal and social networks.
Every installment provides aplatform for ambassadors to
share their journeys, insightsand the meaningful changes
they're creating in theircommunities.
(00:27):
Now let's welcome Dan andtoday's special ambassador guest
.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Annika welcome.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Thank you.
Thank you, dan, it's so nice tobe here.
I'm very excited.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
It's all about you.
So tell us a little bit aboutyourself.
Your major at University ofArizona and initially, way back
when, circa 2023, I guess, whatwas your inspiration for joining
the New Heart for Lifecommunity as an ambassador?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Yeah, ok, so well, my name is Annika Shazitz.
I was born in Denver, colorado,but always came to Arizona to
visit my grandma and it wasalways just a paradise for me.
So when it came time to go tocollege, I decided pretty much
only that I wanted to go to theUniversity of Arizona, and then
(01:21):
I came here.
And then I came here.
(01:49):
I'm now a business managementmajor with a psychology minor,
and I wouldn't trade my collegecareer for the world I've been
through.
I've had many different majors,but this one's really stuck and
I've really excelled in everysingle way and I'm very proud of
myself to be where I am rightnow.
And, yeah, so I wanted to jointhe New Heart for Life community
because I was just skimmingthrough things and I saw your
story and I truly think that notonly being healthy and taking
care of yourself is important,but I think that sometimes other
(02:12):
people maybe need to beinspired by that, and your story
is like remarkable the thingsthat you've been through and the
feats that you've overcome andI just think that it would be,
it would be dumb not to want tobe a part of something like this
, no matter what it is, and so Ijust, and I also find that I
(02:36):
love to spread any like anythingthat I've learned or special
values that I have to peoplethat I care about, people around
me, and I think that this couldbe like a catalyst of something
way bigger than itself, whichit already has been.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Thank you so much for that.
You know, within our community,the 21 principles, which is one
of the basis, is for mission ofhelping others, as you do, live
a fit and quality life.
I always say with others,parenthetically, yourself
included let's just start withyourself.
(03:20):
The 21 Fitness Principles areone-word principles that I put
together in a book format waybefore the New Heart for Life
community, actually during COVID, and you know we talked before
and you've noted a couple ofthose principles that resonated
with you recovery, grit lessons,change journey routine, just to
name a few.
(03:41):
Is there any one or two ofthose principles that stands out
that you'd like to share withour audience that you've applied
in your own life or have seenothers that have adapted based
on you, creating awareness?
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Yeah, so I think one that just will forever stick
with me, that really really justlike shines to me, that I see
myself doing in every single dayand aspiring to be the best at,
I guess, is grit.
(04:15):
I and I think we've we'vespoken about this previously or
during a meeting or somethingbut grit I view it personally as
integrity, and there are twosides of grit.
Like there's integrity and thenthere's grit like getting
through something.
I like the aspect of it whereit's kind of doing the right
(04:42):
thing even when no one else iswatching, like that type of
integrity.
Um, that also has to do withlike journey and lessons and
stuff.
You are the only person thatwill truly allow yourself to
learn and to grow if you makeyourself uncomfortable and if
(05:04):
you, you know um kind of findwhat makes you unique and then
push yourself towards that.
I guess, um, I think it'salways important to um.
I'm trying to think like gritthere you're the only person
(05:30):
that's going to push yourself todo something.
At the end of the day, youcan't ask anybody to help you,
um, for with everything in theentire world, obviously, asking
for help is completely normaland, um warranted and stuff, but
for those really big things,those internal battles.
You need that grit and you needthat self-awareness and to be
(05:55):
able to push yourself.
And that's when you canunderstand and learn the rest of
the principles, because that'swhen you get your routine done,
that's when you see change,that's when you are experiencing
your journey and you learnthese lessons, things like that.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Awesome, and I always say to your point that if it's
to be, it's up to me.
I like that.
We have support, we have family, we have family, we have
friends, but at the end of theday, it's really up to you
(06:31):
individually to not quit and tokeep trudging, as I say, along
the path.
So that's a great perspectiveand it's interesting that I
remember now, you and I talkingabout grit, and it's one that
(06:56):
it's a principle, that At theend of the day, it's easy to
discuss it, to talk about it,and I can just share my own
personal experience.
Right, I can give and share andtalk and teach and coach and
mentor, write books and dospeeches, but actually get off
(07:21):
the couch and go to trackpractice.
It's not easy, and I think whatI try to convey to all is that
you know, using myself as anexample, although it's an
inspirational story, and youknow how it's evolved you know
people look at other people andthink, well, they are doing
(07:43):
something different than theyare capable of doing and at the
end of the day, it all gets downto many principles.
The principle of grit is that,just to find your goal, take
your passion, whatever thatmight be and they're different
for all of us and then it takes,you know.
Then it takes, you know, hardwork or grit to get it done.
(08:06):
So thank you for sharing that.
We in the green room we have agreen room right Before the
actual broadcast in our studiohere in Arizona and northern
Virginia.
In the green room we we talkeda little bit and you shared a
little bit in preparation forthis spotlight interviewed and
(08:30):
it's a transition to a deeperpersonal reflection about Annika
and it was your and is yourrelationship with your twin
brother.
You share beautifully with meabout your close bond with your
twin brother, ryan.
You share beautifully with meabout your close bond with your
twin brother, ryan.
Could you describe that you knowand maybe an early memory from
(08:53):
your childhood that reallycaptures?
Speaker 3 (08:56):
that unique connection with Ryan.
Um, so I, yes, I have a twinbrother.
I don't want to um forget thatI do have an older sister that
I've always looked up to and isincredible and a wonderful human
being, but my brother, ryan,and I share a like extraordinary
(09:16):
bond.
I'd say it's amazing, I don'tknow.
But basically I think somethingthat also relates to um new
heart for life is him and I.
We grew up super athletic.
Like we were like crazycompetitive with one another,
(09:37):
with people around us.
We played all the sports we won, like he always won all of his
classes, field day competitionsand I won mine.
It was always just like wewould triumph together in a way,
um, and always kind of pushingour limits in our own ways, uh,
(10:00):
and being able to support oneanother no matter what.
But one memory, a way it's kindof hard to explain, but a way
that I something I remember veryvividly feeling wise, like in
my body, is in high school oneday I don't specifically recall
(10:20):
what was happening, but I feltlike something was wrong.
Like I felt a drop in my stomachbut nothing was affecting me
that day, like it was just anormal day in algebra or
something like that, but I feltsuper wrong.
Like something scary orsomething wrong happened, kind
(10:42):
of like an intuitive feeling,and so I texted him and it
happened to be because he wentto the same high school as me,
and it happened to be he washaving a really rough day for
some reason, and I just rememberI was like that that can't be a
coincidence, that I've feltwrong because he did too, and
(11:07):
that is not an own, like it'sown, example of something like
that.
I've felt that my entire life.
It feels like we're connectedin like a like, kind of like a
different wavelength, I guess,like he's like a part of me
which is crazy and it sounds soweird to say, but it's something
(11:30):
that I don't understand, but Ifind it like fascinating that
I'm able to share that withsomeone.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Well, twin brother too, I mean that may I don't
know, may have something to dowith it you now are at, but
there's a bond there, there's aspiritual connection that you've
felt.
But that particular day youfelt it at a much deeper level
and indeed, you know, you feltthe fact that he was not in a
(12:02):
good spot.
I'm sure there's other examples, but that illustrates, you know
, more than just a siblingrelationship, a deeper
relationship.
And you and Ryan are now indifferent colleges, right?
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Yes, we are.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Yes, talk to me about that.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Yes, Talk to me about that.
So we always grew up in thesame friend groups because, I
don't know, it wasn't ever likea competitive, like friendship
or social thing.
It was like we have the samevalues and our friends also have
those.
They're like us.
We're all going to be a littlefriend group, whether it's
(12:44):
middle school or high school orwhatever we so in middle school
we graduated middle school, wentto high school together.
Our sister was there for oneyear, so we all got super close
and hung out all the time.
(13:05):
But then my sister left forcollege.
So that's when him and I werekind of confused and like the
dynamic was weird.
Everything was kind of off andalso just life had its things
and its events and stuff.
So it was tough.
But we were able to create asupport system within each other
(13:30):
, just kind of I don't know.
So we found we got way closerin high school and really
navigated this crazy on it's.
Just we navigated it together.
But when it came to college itwas never.
(13:50):
It was never something wewanted to really even like speak
to each other about, because itjust bringing it up was like
that.
That's going to be horrible.
I don't even want to thinkabout it.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
I'm sorry to interrupt.
There's a saying that remindedme of you to share.
Don't ask questions you don'twant to know the answers to
Right Exactly, just leave italone.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Exactly right, exactly, just leave it alone.
Exactly.
It felt like that, um, justkind of if I even feel something
randomly during the day whenhe's a floor above me in a
different class in high school,what's going to happen when
we're 600 miles away, when I goto school in Arizona and he's
still in Colorado.
So it was.
(14:37):
It was a distance that we'venever had before, because we
grew up together, obviously.
So I remember I dropped myfamily and I dropped him off
first at Colorado state, and thewhole feeling was just like
melancholy.
Like my mom and dad were sad tosay goodbye, my sister was sad
(15:01):
to say goodbye, but like I thinkthey all felt that him and I
were going to have like thehardest goodbye, I guess, and so
that was really tough.
It was honestly like a verybeautiful thing though, because
I always think wheneversomething kind of tough like
that happens, it's a Winnie thePooh quote that it's like how
(15:23):
lucky am I to have somethingthat makes saying goodbye so
hard.
Have this relationship withsomeone that is has shaped me
into the person who I am, andlike I'm so lucky for that and
I'm so lucky for even the timethat we were be like that we
(15:45):
were able to spend togethergrowing up and there's so much
more you know.
So then we kind of had I kindof had to learn how to rely on
myself and kind of fix mymindset in a way that I had to
focus only on myself, likecelebrations were not shared
(16:08):
with him, we didn't get to sharethe embarrassment and open
presence at the same time orsomething like that.
So it was kind of hard to kindof discover new ways to become
independent and self-reliant.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
I'm visualizing that scene.
It's always somewhat emotionalfor parents to take their
children to college on the firstday.
I remember that in itself.
Now they've got yourself andRyan, so Ryan goes to Colorado
(16:49):
State.
I can only imagine the hug thatwent on between you and Ryan
and your parents watching.
Imagine the hug that went onbetween you and ryan and your
parents watching.
Now did you continue on?
And now they're taking you touniversity of arizona yeah, next
leg.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Yeah, it felt like that was harder than any goodbye
I said to anyone ever.
It was horrible and it was sohard to like help him decorate
his dorm and stuff.
It was so exciting and I wasmore than excited for him.
But when I said goodbye to himwe hugged for probably like five
(17:29):
minutes straight, like I neverwanted it to end.
I can remember exactly where wewere standing, where the car
was parked, like it was such acore memory of mine and it's
kind of beautiful that somethinglike that heavy and in that
moment sad, was like has such aeffect on me now still and I
(17:52):
still can remember like everyaspect and detail of it because
it was so special.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
And I still can remember, like every aspect in
detail of it, because it was sospecial, wow.
And now?
So you're a senior.
I take it Brian's a senior,right?
Yes, hello, let's see.
So now, as you've gone throughyour college years apart, but
I'm certainly together andreconnecting every once in a
(18:17):
while and certainly, I wouldimagine, texts are going back
and forth.
So what's been that experienceof separation?
How is that?
You know, one of our principlesis lessons, right, we have
lessons and blessings.
So what lessons have youlearned through Ryan, who's now
(18:38):
still helping you out, even in aseparation of while you're away
at colleges?
How is that reflected in yourpersonal growth?
Speaker 3 (18:51):
I think at first it really hit me when I came to
Arizona and I was sitting in mydorm and like I said goodbye to
my parents but I knew like Iwould be in contact with them
and stuff and also like anyteenagers, like okay, bye, a
little bit, um, but I couldn'teven listen to his favorite
(19:13):
songs for a long time because itjust would make me so sad and
miss him so much.
But then I realized kind ofit's a test, that or a lesson
that we were meant to learn andthat now, instead of being each
(19:34):
other's kind of anchors andstability in real life, we can
just figure out kind of adifferent channel to do that
through and so and while, whilealso kind of learning how to
navigate life independently.
Because that's the beauty ofgoing to college and learning
more about yourself and beinguncomfortable.
You have to kind of take thosesteps and you have to figure out
(19:57):
where what you really need andwhat's important to you and
stuff.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
And is he graduating, as you are, in May?
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Yes, we actually are.
A funny thing is that ourgraduations were going to be on
the same day, at the same exacttime, so our parents were so
upset about it.
I know, 600 miles away, sametime, same day, and our parents
were like what do we do, tryingto figure all that out.
And then, luckily, his collegechanged the date to the day
(20:31):
before.
So now we're scrambling.
I'm going to go fly to Denveror to Colorado for his
graduation, then the next dayeveryone, including me and him,
are flying back to Tucson for mygraduation that night.
So it'll work out.
It's just going to be verystressful, but that's kind of
the beauty of just a crazyfamily dynamic.
(20:55):
It's just fun, it's exciting.
I'm glad it's going to work out.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
My goodness.
I can't imagine what wouldhappen if indeed, his college
didn't postpone it a day.
Right, that would have been atough one, I know, yeah.
So so you and Ryan, shortly, ishe going to settle into the?
(21:21):
Is it?
Is it the Denver suburbs?
Speaker 3 (21:26):
Yeah, he's actually pursuing higher education in
Oregon.
He's he's a chemistry major anda math minor, so he's got a lot
going for him and he's going todo semiconductor research over
there, which is incredible.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
So he'll be graduating and going on to
graduate school at University ofOregon.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Ducks.
He's going to become a duck andyou're going to, as we talked
about earlier, you're going tobe heading back home and working
as a counselor, helping out andsupporting kids.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Yes, I'm very excited .
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Yeah, so in between those two transitions, are you
two going to have any timetogether?
Speaker 3 (22:15):
We'll definitely make time.
I think also when he comes herefor my graduation we're gonna
kind of just share the gradparties and all that jazz and
try and see if we can have himcelebrate with me and some of my
(22:36):
friends more Um, but definitelywhen I come back in May we're
going to, I'm going to behanging out with him a lot and
my sister, cause they livetogether so I'm left out all the
time.
But it's actually fine becausethen I can just go up and hang
out with them whenever I want Um.
So I'll have a couple of weekshim and then he's going to go
(22:58):
ahead and go off.
But I'm more than excited forhim.
He deserves it.
He worked so hard, so hard.
I can't imagine I can't imagine.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Yeah, I can't either Either one of those two topics
math or chemistry.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
I know, and that's the beauty, is that we're we
pretty much I would always saywe're like polar opposites, like
I don't really have that mathbrain as much as he does and
he's way taller than me.
Brown hair, brown eyes.
I'm average height.
Blonde hair, blue eyes.
Our personalities are verydifferent but we have so much of
(23:38):
the same inside of us and itkind of shows that.
It kind of taught me to likenever really judge a book by its
cover, because everyone you canbe so alike to the person next
to you and never really know ifyou're just going off of just
like basic observations, I guess.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
You know it's interesting to use that phrase
never judge a book by its cover.
I actually, in the principle ofjourney, I started that chapter
which was the last chapter of21 Fitness Principles, and I
started that chapter with younever can judge a book by its
cover, but I did.
When I read the cover of JaySteve Jobs's book which was
(24:25):
entitled the journey is thereward, mm-hmm, I kind of went
oh all right, I get it, I don'tneed to read this book, I'm done
.
And the principle 21 was hello,journey In terms of sports and
fitness.
What is his primary passion forfitness?
Speaker 3 (24:50):
So he is just somehow incredible at every sport ever
that he tries, somehowincredible at every sport ever
that he tries, but he more.
He's more of like us, anacademic person also.
Just cuz, especially in highereducation you were so busy.
But yep, he's so fast, he's sostrong.
(25:12):
I don't get it.
It's not really fair.
It's kind of annoying.
Sometimes he can throw afootball, he could be a
quarterback, he could playbaseball, he could literally do
anything, but he doesn't do anyof it.
And we're like wait, ryan, comeon now.
You can't let these genes go towaste.
But he isn't.
(25:32):
It's awesome, though.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Wow, wow, hey, a shout out to the big sister.
What's the big sister's name?
Sarah, sarah, god, sarah, I'dlove to interview Sarah.
You should interview Sarah,sarah.
How are you doing in the midstof this?
Ryan Annika bonding, she musthave a very, very.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
Tell me about Sarah a little bit.
She is an incredible person.
I've always looked up to her inevery single way.
She was the coolest person inthe world to me, and still is.
(26:25):
I think to explain her insummary, it would be someone
that just is so caring and soconsiderate and compassionate
for people and animals andeveryone around her.
It's incredible.
She really has.
She really has the ability tomake everyone feel so cared for
(26:48):
and so special and she just hasthis light that beams outward of
just like genuine care.
And yeah, she's.
She's incredible.
I want to be her when I grow up.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
I want to be Ryan.
You want to be Sarah.
You are Ryan already.
Your parents must just beincredibly, just over the moon.
As a parent myself, and youknow we always tend to.
You know, we always tend to seeour children much differently
than anyone else.
(27:26):
But how do your parents?
What are your parents' names?
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Kristen and Rick.
Kristen and Rick.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
How do they talk about and support the three of
you darlings?
Speaker 3 (27:43):
I think for each of us it's very different.
It's in very different ways,just because we're very
different people.
But none of us really like tobe the center of attention.
(28:03):
I mean, I kind of do sometimes,but my siblings do not like to
do that at all.
So you kind of have toaccommodate to each of our
personalities.
They are so good at that andbeing so malleable with the way
that they can support us andspeak to us and just kind of
(28:27):
help us through the tough times.
I think something that they didthat has made us all who we are
today is they.
Let us figure it out.
They didn't really baby us andmake sure everything was safe,
and obviously we were safe likenormally safe.
(28:47):
Make sure everything was safeand obviously we were safe, like
normally safe.
But with the unknown, withlearning about ourselves, like
that was a journey that we hadfor ourselves and I think,
speaking for all of us, none ofus would want that to be any
different.
I value that so much in myself.
I think all of us are very.
We have incredible ingenuity,which comes from my dad.
(29:10):
We just somehow there'ssomething like random, some like
random intelligence that comesfrom, honestly, both of them,
both of my parents, that we have.
It's really special, it reallyis.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
I might want to interview Rick and Christine
honestly you should.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
I'm gonna say we should just do a family podcast
because really you know soincredible sounds like it.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Oh, my goodness, you know I can see it in you,
obviously, and now I'm, I'm, youknow, vicariously, you know,
getting to know your family, butI can see I wouldn't be.
I'm not surprised.
So, as we wrap up, annika, Ialways like to.
(30:02):
This is going to be the hardestpart of the interview for you.
Okay, this is going to be thehardest part of the interview
for you.
Okay, it typically is for mostpeople.
But I would like to ask you,based on what you shared, all
the experiences, college andcommunity principals.
(30:24):
This really isn't a fairquestion, but I'm going to ask
it anyhow, and obviously Ryanand your beautiful family.
So if you could summarize thisinterview in one word, what
might that be?
Speaker 3 (30:43):
probably Um probably self-discovery, if I can do that
.
Everything and pretty mucheverything I've talked about,
(31:05):
it's been either me discoveringthings about myself, or my
brother, or my parents raisingus, or my sister, I don't know.
I think everything that you gothrough, every experience you
experience in the world, bringsyou to the person that you are
today, whether you regret it ornot, but all of it boils down to
(31:35):
.
You are figuring things outabout yourself, whether they're
good or they're bad or whateverhappens, and I think that being
able to understand new thoughtsand ideas and emotions that you
have can tell you a lot aboutyourself, and it's really
special to have a goodrelationship with yourself
internally, I think.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Beautiful point.
So, with all of the positiveand just special relationships
you have with your family, therelationship, what I'm hearing
from you with yourself, thatyou've developed to learn about
yourself and how you go throughyour ups and downs, yes, you
know, first and foremost, yes,completely.
(32:20):
Well, summarized.
Well, as we close out, I wantto thank you.
It's just been, it's real toget to know you a little bit
more, and certainly your family.
And I can't, I mean I'll, I'llbe visualizing you know,
colorado and University ofArizona and graduations and
(32:41):
parties and celebrations, andthrowing a you know graduation
caps up in the air and lots ofpictures and just so happy for
you and your family to be ableto experience this part of your
lives, this transition.
So, with all four words,actually that is.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
Be fit.
Yeah, yes, yes, be fit, be well.
Yes, yes, I love that you dothat.
That's my favorite thing.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
It's so special I'm dan williams, founder of the new
heart for life community.
Be fit and be well.
Welcome to the New Heart for Life podcast for a
greater understanding of the NewHeart for Life community and
its ambassadors, individualsmaking a positive impact by
championing the New Heart forLife mission within their
personal and social networks.
Every installment provides aplatform for ambassadors to
share their journeys, insightsand the meaningful changes
they're creating in theircommunities.
(00:27):
Now let's welcome Dan andtoday's special ambassador guest
.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Annika welcome.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Thank you.
Thank you, dan, it's so nice tobe here.
I'm very excited.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
It's all about you.
So tell us a little bit aboutyourself.
Your major at University ofArizona and initially, way back
when, circa 2023, I guess, whatwas your inspiration for joining
the New Heart for Lifecommunity as an ambassador?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Yeah, ok, so well, my name is Annika Shazitz.
I was born in Denver, colorado,but always came to Arizona to
visit my grandma and it wasalways just a paradise for me.
So when it came time to go tocollege, I decided pretty much
only that I wanted to go to theUniversity of Arizona, and then
(01:21):
I came here.
And then I came here.
(01:49):
I'm now a business managementmajor with a psychology minor,
and I wouldn't trade my collegecareer for the world I've been
through.
I've had many different majors,but this one's really stuck and
I've really excelled in everysingle way and I'm very proud of
myself to be where I am rightnow.
And, yeah, so I wanted to jointhe New Heart for Life community
because I was just skimmingthrough things and I saw your
story and I truly think that notonly being healthy and taking
care of yourself is important,but I think that sometimes other
(02:12):
people maybe need to beinspired by that, and your story
is like remarkable the thingsthat you've been through and the
feats that you've overcome andI just think that it would be,
it would be dumb not to want tobe a part of something like this
, no matter what it is, and so Ijust, and I also find that I
(02:36):
love to spread any like anythingthat I've learned or special
values that I have to peoplethat I care about, people around
me, and I think that this couldbe like a catalyst of something
way bigger than itself, whichit already has been.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Thank you so much for that.
You know, within our community,the 21 principles, which is one
of the basis, is for mission ofhelping others, as you do, live
a fit and quality life.
I always say with others,parenthetically, yourself
included let's just start withyourself.
(03:20):
The 21 Fitness Principles areone-word principles that I put
together in a book format waybefore the New Heart for Life
community, actually during COVID, and you know we talked before
and you've noted a couple ofthose principles that resonated
with you recovery, grit lessons,change journey routine, just to
name a few.
(03:41):
Is there any one or two ofthose principles that stands out
that you'd like to share withour audience that you've applied
in your own life or have seenothers that have adapted based
on you, creating awareness?
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Yeah, so I think one that just will forever stick
with me, that really really justlike shines to me, that I see
myself doing in every single dayand aspiring to be the best at,
I guess, is grit.
(04:15):
I and I think we've we'vespoken about this previously or
during a meeting or somethingbut grit I view it personally as
integrity, and there are twosides of grit.
Like there's integrity and thenthere's grit like getting
through something.
I like the aspect of it whereit's kind of doing the right
(04:42):
thing even when no one else iswatching, like that type of
integrity.
Um, that also has to do withlike journey and lessons and
stuff.
You are the only person thatwill truly allow yourself to
learn and to grow if you makeyourself uncomfortable and if
(05:04):
you, you know um kind of findwhat makes you unique and then
push yourself towards that.
I guess, um, I think it'salways important to um.
I'm trying to think like gritthere you're the only person
(05:30):
that's going to push yourself todo something.
At the end of the day, youcan't ask anybody to help you,
um, for with everything in theentire world, obviously, asking
for help is completely normaland, um warranted and stuff, but
for those really big things,those internal battles.
You need that grit and you needthat self-awareness and to be
(05:55):
able to push yourself.
And that's when you canunderstand and learn the rest of
the principles, because that'swhen you get your routine done,
that's when you see change,that's when you are experiencing
your journey and you learnthese lessons, things like that.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Awesome, and I always say to your point that if it's
to be, it's up to me.
I like that.
We have support, we have family, we have family, we have
friends, but at the end of theday, it's really up to you
(06:31):
individually to not quit and tokeep trudging, as I say, along
the path.
So that's a great perspectiveand it's interesting that I
remember now, you and I talkingabout grit, and it's one that
(06:56):
it's a principle, that At theend of the day, it's easy to
discuss it, to talk about it,and I can just share my own
personal experience.
Right, I can give and share andtalk and teach and coach and
mentor, write books and dospeeches, but actually get off
(07:21):
the couch and go to trackpractice.
It's not easy, and I think whatI try to convey to all is that
you know, using myself as anexample, although it's an
inspirational story, and youknow how it's evolved you know
people look at other people andthink, well, they are doing
(07:43):
something different than theyare capable of doing and at the
end of the day, it all gets downto many principles.
The principle of grit is that,just to find your goal, take
your passion, whatever thatmight be and they're different
for all of us and then it takes,you know.
Then it takes, you know, hardwork or grit to get it done.
(08:06):
So thank you for sharing that.
We in the green room we have agreen room right Before the
actual broadcast in our studiohere in Arizona and northern
Virginia.
In the green room we we talkeda little bit and you shared a
little bit in preparation forthis spotlight interviewed and
(08:30):
it's a transition to a deeperpersonal reflection about Annika
and it was your and is yourrelationship with your twin
brother.
You share beautifully with meabout your close bond with your
twin brother, ryan.
You share beautifully with meabout your close bond with your
twin brother, ryan.
Could you describe that you knowand maybe an early memory from
(08:53):
your childhood that reallycaptures?
Speaker 3 (08:56):
that unique connection with Ryan.
Um, so I, yes, I have a twinbrother.
I don't want to um forget thatI do have an older sister that
I've always looked up to and isincredible and a wonderful human
being, but my brother, ryan,and I share a like extraordinary
(09:16):
bond.
I'd say it's amazing, I don'tknow.
But basically I think somethingthat also relates to um new
heart for life is him and I.
We grew up super athletic.
Like we were like crazycompetitive with one another,
(09:37):
with people around us.
We played all the sports we won, like he always won all of his
classes, field day competitionsand I won mine.
It was always just like wewould triumph together in a way,
um, and always kind of pushingour limits in our own ways, uh,
(10:00):
and being able to support oneanother no matter what.
But one memory, a way it's kindof hard to explain, but a way
that I something I remember veryvividly feeling wise, like in
my body, is in high school oneday I don't specifically recall
(10:20):
what was happening, but I feltlike something was wrong.
Like I felt a drop in my stomachbut nothing was affecting me
that day, like it was just anormal day in algebra or
something like that, but I feltsuper wrong.
Like something scary orsomething wrong happened, kind
(10:42):
of like an intuitive feeling,and so I texted him and it
happened to be because he wentto the same high school as me,
and it happened to be he washaving a really rough day for
some reason, and I just rememberI was like that that can't be a
coincidence, that I've feltwrong because he did too, and
(11:07):
that is not an own, like it'sown, example of something like
that.
I've felt that my entire life.
It feels like we're connectedin like a like, kind of like a
different wavelength, I guess,like he's like a part of me
which is crazy and it sounds soweird to say, but it's something
(11:30):
that I don't understand, but Ifind it like fascinating that
I'm able to share that withsomeone.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Well, twin brother too, I mean that may I don't
know, may have something to dowith it you now are at, but
there's a bond there, there's aspiritual connection that you've
felt.
But that particular day youfelt it at a much deeper level
and indeed, you know, you feltthe fact that he was not in a
(12:02):
good spot.
I'm sure there's other examples, but that illustrates, you know
, more than just a siblingrelationship, a deeper
relationship.
And you and Ryan are now indifferent colleges, right?
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Yes, we are.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Yes, talk to me about that.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Yes, Talk to me about that.
So we always grew up in thesame friend groups because, I
don't know, it wasn't ever likea competitive, like friendship
or social thing.
It was like we have the samevalues and our friends also have
those.
They're like us.
We're all going to be a littlefriend group, whether it's
(12:44):
middle school or high school orwhatever we so in middle school
we graduated middle school, wentto high school together.
Our sister was there for oneyear, so we all got super close
and hung out all the time.
(13:05):
But then my sister left forcollege.
So that's when him and I werekind of confused and like the
dynamic was weird.
Everything was kind of off andalso just life had its things
and its events and stuff.
So it was tough.
But we were able to create asupport system within each other
(13:30):
, just kind of I don't know.
So we found we got way closerin high school and really
navigated this crazy on it's.
Just we navigated it together.
But when it came to college itwas never.
(13:50):
It was never something wewanted to really even like speak
to each other about, because itjust bringing it up was like
that.
That's going to be horrible.
I don't even want to thinkabout it.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
I'm sorry to interrupt.
There's a saying that remindedme of you to share.
Don't ask questions you don'twant to know the answers to
Right Exactly, just leave italone.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
Exactly right, exactly, just leave it alone.
Exactly.
It felt like that, um, justkind of if I even feel something
randomly during the day whenhe's a floor above me in a
different class in high school,what's going to happen when
we're 600 miles away, when I goto school in Arizona and he's
still in Colorado.
So it was.
(14:37):
It was a distance that we'venever had before, because we
grew up together, obviously.
So I remember I dropped myfamily and I dropped him off
first at Colorado state, and thewhole feeling was just like
melancholy.
Like my mom and dad were sad tosay goodbye, my sister was sad
(15:01):
to say goodbye, but like I thinkthey all felt that him and I
were going to have like thehardest goodbye, I guess, and so
that was really tough.
It was honestly like a verybeautiful thing though, because
I always think wheneversomething kind of tough like
that happens, it's a Winnie thePooh quote that it's like how
(15:23):
lucky am I to have somethingthat makes saying goodbye so
hard.
Have this relationship withsomeone that is has shaped me
into the person who I am, andlike I'm so lucky for that and
I'm so lucky for even the timethat we were be like that we
(15:45):
were able to spend togethergrowing up and there's so much
more you know.
So then we kind of had I kindof had to learn how to rely on
myself and kind of fix mymindset in a way that I had to
focus only on myself, likecelebrations were not shared
(16:08):
with him, we didn't get to sharethe embarrassment and open
presence at the same time orsomething like that.
So it was kind of hard to kindof discover new ways to become
independent and self-reliant.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
I'm visualizing that scene.
It's always somewhat emotionalfor parents to take their
children to college on the firstday.
I remember that in itself.
Now they've got yourself andRyan, so Ryan goes to Colorado
(16:49):
State.
I can only imagine the hug thatwent on between you and Ryan
and your parents watching.
Imagine the hug that went onbetween you and ryan and your
parents watching.
Now did you continue on?
And now they're taking you touniversity of arizona yeah, next
leg.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Yeah, it felt like that was harder than any goodbye
I said to anyone ever.
It was horrible and it was sohard to like help him decorate
his dorm and stuff.
It was so exciting and I wasmore than excited for him.
But when I said goodbye to himwe hugged for probably like five
(17:29):
minutes straight, like I neverwanted it to end.
I can remember exactly where wewere standing, where the car
was parked, like it was such acore memory of mine and it's
kind of beautiful that somethinglike that heavy and in that
moment sad, was like has such aeffect on me now still and I
(17:52):
still can remember like everyaspect and detail of it because
it was so special.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
And I still can remember, like every aspect in
detail of it, because it was sospecial, wow.
And now?
So you're a senior.
I take it Brian's a senior,right?
Yes, hello, let's see.
So now, as you've gone throughyour college years apart, but
I'm certainly together andreconnecting every once in a
(18:17):
while and certainly, I wouldimagine, texts are going back
and forth.
So what's been that experienceof separation?
How is that?
You know, one of our principlesis lessons, right, we have
lessons and blessings.
So what lessons have youlearned through Ryan, who's now
(18:38):
still helping you out, even in aseparation of while you're away
at colleges?
How is that reflected in yourpersonal growth?
Speaker 3 (18:51):
I think at first it really hit me when I came to
Arizona and I was sitting in mydorm and like I said goodbye to
my parents but I knew like Iwould be in contact with them
and stuff and also like anyteenagers, like okay, bye, a
little bit, um, but I couldn'teven listen to his favorite
(19:13):
songs for a long time because itjust would make me so sad and
miss him so much.
But then I realized kind ofit's a test, that or a lesson
that we were meant to learn andthat now, instead of being each
(19:34):
other's kind of anchors andstability in real life, we can
just figure out kind of adifferent channel to do that
through and so and while, whilealso kind of learning how to
navigate life independently.
Because that's the beauty ofgoing to college and learning
more about yourself and beinguncomfortable.
You have to kind of take thosesteps and you have to figure out
(19:57):
where what you really need andwhat's important to you and
stuff.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
And is he graduating, as you are, in May?
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Yes, we actually are.
A funny thing is that ourgraduations were going to be on
the same day, at the same exacttime, so our parents were so
upset about it.
I know, 600 miles away, sametime, same day, and our parents
were like what do we do, tryingto figure all that out.
And then, luckily, his collegechanged the date to the day
(20:31):
before.
So now we're scrambling.
I'm going to go fly to Denveror to Colorado for his
graduation, then the next dayeveryone, including me and him,
are flying back to Tucson for mygraduation that night.
So it'll work out.
It's just going to be verystressful, but that's kind of
the beauty of just a crazyfamily dynamic.
(20:55):
It's just fun, it's exciting.
I'm glad it's going to work out.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
My goodness.
I can't imagine what wouldhappen if indeed, his college
didn't postpone it a day.
Right, that would have been atough one, I know, yeah.
So so you and Ryan, shortly, ishe going to settle into the?
(21:21):
Is it?
Is it the Denver suburbs?
Speaker 3 (21:26):
Yeah, he's actually pursuing higher education in
Oregon.
He's he's a chemistry major anda math minor, so he's got a lot
going for him and he's going todo semiconductor research over
there, which is incredible.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
So he'll be graduating and going on to
graduate school at University ofOregon.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Ducks.
He's going to become a duck andyou're going to, as we talked
about earlier, you're going tobe heading back home and working
as a counselor, helping out andsupporting kids.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Yes, I'm very excited .
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Yeah, so in between those two transitions, are you
two going to have any timetogether?
Speaker 3 (22:15):
We'll definitely make time.
I think also when he comes herefor my graduation we're gonna
kind of just share the gradparties and all that jazz and
try and see if we can have himcelebrate with me and some of my
(22:36):
friends more Um, but definitelywhen I come back in May we're
going to, I'm going to behanging out with him a lot and
my sister, cause they livetogether so I'm left out all the
time.
But it's actually fine becausethen I can just go up and hang
out with them whenever I want Um.
So I'll have a couple of weekshim and then he's going to go
(22:58):
ahead and go off.
But I'm more than excited forhim.
He deserves it.
He worked so hard, so hard.
I can't imagine I can't imagine.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Yeah, I can't either Either one of those two topics
math or chemistry.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
I know, and that's the beauty, is that we're we
pretty much I would always saywe're like polar opposites, like
I don't really have that mathbrain as much as he does and
he's way taller than me.
Brown hair, brown eyes.
I'm average height.
Blonde hair, blue eyes.
Our personalities are verydifferent but we have so much of
(23:38):
the same inside of us and itkind of shows that.
It kind of taught me to likenever really judge a book by its
cover, because everyone you canbe so alike to the person next
to you and never really know ifyou're just going off of just
like basic observations, I guess.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
You know it's interesting to use that phrase
never judge a book by its cover.
I actually, in the principle ofjourney, I started that chapter
which was the last chapter of21 Fitness Principles, and I
started that chapter with younever can judge a book by its
cover, but I did.
When I read the cover of JaySteve Jobs's book which was
(24:25):
entitled the journey is thereward, mm-hmm, I kind of went
oh all right, I get it, I don'tneed to read this book, I'm done
.
And the principle 21 was hello,journey In terms of sports and
fitness.
What is his primary passion forfitness?
Speaker 3 (24:50):
So he is just somehow incredible at every sport ever
that he tries, somehowincredible at every sport ever
that he tries, but he more.
He's more of like us, anacademic person also.
Just cuz, especially in highereducation you were so busy.
But yep, he's so fast, he's sostrong.
(25:12):
I don't get it.
It's not really fair.
It's kind of annoying.
Sometimes he can throw afootball, he could be a
quarterback, he could playbaseball, he could literally do
anything, but he doesn't do anyof it.
And we're like wait, ryan, comeon now.
You can't let these genes go towaste.
But he isn't.
(25:32):
It's awesome, though.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Wow, wow, hey, a shout out to the big sister.
What's the big sister's name?
Sarah, sarah, god, sarah, I'dlove to interview Sarah.
You should interview Sarah,sarah.
How are you doing in the midstof this?
Ryan Annika bonding, she musthave a very, very.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
Tell me about Sarah a little bit.
She is an incredible person.
I've always looked up to her inevery single way.
She was the coolest person inthe world to me, and still is.
(26:25):
I think to explain her insummary, it would be someone
that just is so caring and soconsiderate and compassionate
for people and animals andeveryone around her.
It's incredible.
She really has.
She really has the ability tomake everyone feel so cared for
(26:48):
and so special and she just hasthis light that beams outward of
just like genuine care.
And yeah, she's.
She's incredible.
I want to be her when I grow up.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
I want to be Ryan.
You want to be Sarah.
You are Ryan already.
Your parents must just beincredibly, just over the moon.
As a parent myself, and youknow we always tend to.
You know, we always tend to seeour children much differently
than anyone else.
(27:26):
But how do your parents?
What are your parents' names?
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Kristen and Rick.
Kristen and Rick.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
How do they talk about and support the three of
you darlings?
Speaker 3 (27:43):
I think for each of us it's very different.
It's in very different ways,just because we're very
different people.
But none of us really like tobe the center of attention.
(28:03):
I mean, I kind of do sometimes,but my siblings do not like to
do that at all.
So you kind of have toaccommodate to each of our
personalities.
They are so good at that andbeing so malleable with the way
that they can support us andspeak to us and just kind of
(28:27):
help us through the tough times.
I think something that they didthat has made us all who we are
today is they.
Let us figure it out.
They didn't really baby us andmake sure everything was safe,
and obviously we were safe likenormally safe.
(28:47):
Make sure everything was safeand obviously we were safe, like
normally safe.
But with the unknown, withlearning about ourselves, like
that was a journey that we hadfor ourselves and I think,
speaking for all of us, none ofus would want that to be any
different.
I value that so much in myself.
I think all of us are very.
We have incredible ingenuity,which comes from my dad.
(29:10):
We just somehow there'ssomething like random, some like
random intelligence that comesfrom, honestly, both of them,
both of my parents, that we have.
It's really special, it reallyis.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
I might want to interview Rick and Christine
honestly you should.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
I'm gonna say we should just do a family podcast
because really you know soincredible sounds like it.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Oh, my goodness, you know I can see it in you,
obviously, and now I'm, I'm, youknow, vicariously, you know,
getting to know your family, butI can see I wouldn't be.
I'm not surprised.
So, as we wrap up, annika, Ialways like to.
(30:02):
This is going to be the hardestpart of the interview for you.
Okay, this is going to be thehardest part of the interview
for you.
Okay, it typically is for mostpeople.
But I would like to ask you,based on what you shared, all
the experiences, college andcommunity principals.
(30:24):
This really isn't a fairquestion, but I'm going to ask
it anyhow, and obviously Ryanand your beautiful family.
So if you could summarize thisinterview in one word, what
might that be?
Speaker 3 (30:43):
probably Um probably self-discovery, if I can do that
.
Everything and pretty mucheverything I've talked about,
(31:05):
it's been either me discoveringthings about myself, or my
brother, or my parents raisingus, or my sister, I don't know.
I think everything that you gothrough, every experience you
experience in the world, bringsyou to the person that you are
today, whether you regret it ornot, but all of it boils down to
(31:35):
.
You are figuring things outabout yourself, whether they're
good or they're bad or whateverhappens, and I think that being
able to understand new thoughtsand ideas and emotions that you
have can tell you a lot aboutyourself, and it's really
special to have a goodrelationship with yourself
internally, I think.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Beautiful point.
So, with all of the positiveand just special relationships
you have with your family, therelationship, what I'm hearing
from you with yourself, thatyou've developed to learn about
yourself and how you go throughyour ups and downs, yes, you
know, first and foremost, yes,completely.
(32:20):
Well, summarized.
Well, as we close out, I wantto thank you.
It's just been, it's real toget to know you a little bit
more, and certainly your family.
And I can't, I mean I'll, I'llbe visualizing you know,
colorado and University ofArizona and graduations and
(32:41):
parties and celebrations, andthrowing a you know graduation
caps up in the air and lots ofpictures and just so happy for
you and your family to be ableto experience this part of your
lives, this transition.
So, with all four words,actually that is.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
Be fit.
Yeah, yes, yes, be fit, be well.
Yes, yes, I love that you dothat.
That's my favorite thing.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
It's so special I'm dan williams, founder of the new
heart for life community.
Be fit and be well.
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