Interview: Shawn Johnson’s Winning Balance

It has finally arrived, friends.

I’m guest posting over at SITS Girls today about my Shawn Johnson interview & P&G’s Team USA Youth Sports Fund, which you should definitely check out.

However, the full Shawn Johnson interview in all it’s glory is appearing right here, right now. So get ready.

Up first? A picture of the lovely Shawn & I. She’s adorable in person, and I felt like I was absolutely towering over here {I’m 5’4″}. Which is probably why she looks fab & I look kinda awkward….but hey, it’s a picture with Shawn Johnson! I’ll totally take it, ridiculous pose and all.

Moving on…

Let’s get to the interview, shall we?

In the spirit of the Thank You Mom campaign: how are you most alike your mom?

In some ways, I feel like I’m opposite my mom. When I was growing up, my mom was very cautious, reserved & quiet. Because she was that way, she kind of raised me to not be like that. She put me in gymnastics, wanted me to be adventurous & ambitious. My mom didn’t want me to be afraid of things or be timid, she wanted me to speak up. Every once in a while I can catch myself to going back to being timid & shy like her, but she really tried to help me to not be like that.

So when you go out and perform, can you flip a switch?

Definitely! When I’m on a gymnastics stage, I have no fears. Put me on any other stage and I totally lock up. It’s a different story!

Tell me a little bit about what being a part of P&G’s Thank You, Mom campaign means to you. 

Thank You, Mom means the world to me. My mom has been one of the biggest reasons I’ve made it so far & been so successful in my career. She has been under the radar the entire time. For any athlete, getting the opportunity to turn around, thank our moms and put them in the limelight~ it’s amazing.

My mom has encouraged me along the way &  let me pursue my dreams. It ties into the whole USA Gymnastics grant that P&G is doing right now. It’s giving other kids the opportunity to pursue their dreams. It’s amazing to be a part of it and to be able to come full circle.

What experience in your family life has meant the most to you?

{pauses, smiling} I’d say the Beijing Olympics. I really feel like it made my parents & I closer and stronger as a family, more than any other experience.

Tell me about being a correspondent for the P&G Family Home during the 2012 London Olympic Games. 

The P&G Family Home is a place where moms, family members and athletes can go to meet up & spend time together in a relaxing, comfortable environment. It’s going to have a great family time atmosphere~ it will be a place the athletes can call home. I’ll be there as much as I possibly can, I’m going to be pretty busy!

On both my personal blog & on the SITS Girls site, we strive to stay positive, even though sometimes it’s easier to be negative. In the spirit of positive affirmation, what do you like most about yourself?

Growing up, I was always on the outside, always different. I never fit in, I was always not doing the normal activities in school. Growing up, I accepted that I was different. And now I’m not afraid to be different anymore. I was definitely hesitant when I was younger, because you always want to fit in.

But that’s what I like about myself~ I’m not afraid to be different. If everyone is doing one thing, I’m the one who is doing something different. And I like that. I like to push the boundaries a little bit.

You are such a positive role model, especially for young girls. How can you encourage kids to be comfortable & confident with themselves like you are?

In today’s society, you aren’t accepted if you’re not a cookie cutter image. It’s more and more difficult to fit in. Encouraging kids & showing them that it’s okay to be different comes by example. If your parents aren’t adhering to the normal standards, then your kids are going to see that and learn from it. Find role models for your kids that aren’t like everybody else.

Also, it’s important to surround your kids with a support system, and to constantly reinforce it. It’s so scary though~ I’m going to worry all the time as a mom!

You talk a lot about finding your balance in your new book {Winning Balance}. I loved the part when you wrote about how your parents always encouraged but never pushed you with gymnastics. They always said when it stops being fun, you’re done. What advice do you have to parents who are looking for that balance between encouraging and pushing their children in sports?

I would encourage that philosophy for any parent. I feel like you see kids go wrong when they’re pushed or forced to do something that they don’t want to do. There is definitely a very fine line, especially in sports. If there is a kid that’s five years old in gymnastics and the parent is pushing him to do it so he’ll be the next Olympian, it’s not going to work. That kid has to find a passion, find a heart for something and it has to build naturally. The best thing my parents did for me was to care less about the sport but to care the most about me as a person.

I remember the days I’d come home and be like, “I don’t want to do it anymore!” My parents would say okay. Don’t make any irrational decisions, but if you want to try something new, let’s try something new. It’s so important to show your kids that it’s for them and not for anyone else.

It’s a sense of balance to instill in your kids: don’t give up when it’s hard~ but you have to judge what the difference is.

The P&G Team USA Youth Sports Fund~ why is it close to your heart?

It’s really close to my heart, just because of the opportunity it’s giving kids. The grant to USA Gymnastics has the potential to reach a million kids~ that’s incredible! The idea that a million kids can be given the chance to be a part of physical activity, get inspired to take part in their nutrition, and be a member of a sports team~ it’s what we need right now. It means the world to be involved in this.

How can you get kids involved in physical activity at home?

Play! Get them away from the TV. Get them away from video games. Get them outside!

I think giving a child the opportunity to try every sport will give them the chance to find what they love. When I was younger, I loved playing soccer in the yard. I wanted to sign up for every sport to try it. I kind of weeded my way through everything until I found gymnastics.

How are you feeling about your retirement? I’m sure you’ve been asked this 10 million times already, but any insights into what’s next?

I’m kind of taking it one day at a time. I’ve figured things out through London; after London, I’ll take it from there and see what comes. I’m feeling pretty good, accepting things & just taking things as they come.

How does it feel to be here at the US Gymnastics Trials and be on the other side of things? 

It’s really strange. I’d like to be down there practicing, but I also don’t mind being up here, not having to do all of that. P&G has definitely made that transition easier for me~ I’m not just sitting in the stands. I have an actual purpose & an active role in everything. It makes it easier, but it’s still not going to be easy to sit this one out. It’s still bittersweet.

Have you ever considered doing another type of competitive sport, such as diving?

I don’t know if I’d ever pursue another competitive career! I’d love to try and play around with it, but furthering the business side of things is what I want to do to potentially set up my future. I’ve been a competitive athlete for 20 years, I’m ready to take a break.

A well-deserved break for sure. Last question: inquiring minds want to know where your mirror ball trophy is currently residing? 

{laughs} The mirror ball trophy {from Dancing with the Stars} is actually at my parent’s house. They’ve displayed it pretty nicely!

 

And so there you have it, my friends. All 15 minutes of the one-on-one interview with the lovely Shawn Johnson. This interview was one for the memory books!

Counting My Kisses: As I mention in my SITS Girls article, interviewing Shawn Johnson one-on-one was at the top of my Awesome Life Moments list {after becoming a wife & mother times two, of course!}. Many, many thanks to P&G and the SITS Girls for giving me this incredible opportunity!

 

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