Humbled Humbled Media

We are getting conflicting messages regarding productivity in this time of chaos. Some are telling us to learn new skills, master sourdough making, and take online courses. Others are encouraging us to take it easy, watch a movie, do less. For athletes, who were mentally prepared to be working hard and staying focused before competitive seasons and training plans were derailed, the path forward is uncertain. Dr. Justin Tausig, a former pro fencer turned sports and performance psychologist, is encouraging athletes to stay productive during this crisis. Focus on what you can do, rather than what you can’t, and do at least one productive thing a day.

We are taking a week off to prepare for the next few episodes! Kristin is just checking in, giving you an update on the next few weeks of Humbled, letting you know how she's doing during this nuts time, and would really love to hear from you.

Prematurely ended sports seasons, cancelled races, and a year-long Olympic delay are rocking athletes’ lives. When athlete identity can play such a strong role in how we see ourselves, suddenly losing the ability to play your sport can feel like a major loss. Dr. Julie Amato is a sports psychologist who works with college athletes, professional athletes, and former athletes, and she is here to help. As a former elite athlete herself, she understands the importance of sport in athletes’ lives, and the complex role it plays in our health. Dr. Julie has solid wisdom for athletes weathering any storm, and wants us to start talking, and have some more compassion for ourselves in hard times.

Kaitlin Sandeno was 17 when she competed at the 2000 Olympics. And then she went back to finish her senior year in high school. Eight years and four Olympic medals later, she retired from professional swimming and moved immediately into the next phase of her life: giving back. Kaitlin approaches all of her uphill battles with the mindset that hard work and compassion will get her through. But what is her advice now, when so much is up in the air? In this special episode, we share our originally planned interview with Kaitlin, and added a follow-up interview with her to get an update on how she is weathering the global pandemic, and to get her perspective on how we move forward. Her answer? Control what you can, and stick to your true priorities.

The Olympics are just one of those predictable events that take place every four years. For the past four years, French sabre fencer Sara Balzer has been training for Tokyo 2020, excited to represent her country on the world stage. Four months from Opening Ceremonies, the Olympics were postponed, throwing into question thousands of athletes’ plans, and ending Olympic dreams for many. Sara is taking the news in stride, and is the perfect example of just how important the athlete’s mindset is. She’s riding out this storm by controlling what she can, and is not taking her eye off her goals.

Two weeks ago, Griffin Luce was balancing life as a student athlete, enduring grueling practices, and excited to see how far he and his teammates could go in his final season as a college athlete. He was given a couple of days to pack up his things, leave campus, and finish out the semester at home. Life as he and his teammates knew it was over. With such a sudden and dramatic change to his life, it would be understandable if Griffin were looking hard at the past and what could have been in the future. Instead, he is looking to the future, focusing on the joy in spending time with his family, and finding ways to continue to connect with his teammates.