EP #85- On Identity, Individuality, and Other Mental Health Challenges as a Professional Athlete with Tyra Gittens, Olympic Long Jump Finalist

[MUSIC] I think that's probably one of my biggest regrets is not actually Karen Ha and growing up with the other Tyra because I suffer from it tremendously, even right now. And that was like a big part of my depression after the Olympics. Welcome back to another episode of Everyday in Dorfens. This week I am thrilled to get to speak with Tyra Gittens who is an Olympic athlete representing Trinidad and Tobago. In this episode, Tyra speaks about how she got interested in athletics and specifically in track and field and all of the mental health challenges that she's experienced while becoming a competitive athlete and then eventually competing at the Olympics back in 2020. A lot of the themes that Tyra touches on in this interview are focused around losing your sense of identity when being in such a competitive sport and training as an elite and professional athlete and also finding ways to come back to what initially draws you into a specific sport when you make that your profession and the challenges that come with that. I'm thrilled for you all to hear this episode. Tyra has so many valuable insights and wisdom to share. Before I get into the interview, I have a brief message from my sponsor, Inker. Hi Tyra, thank you so much for coming on to the podcast. It's so great to have the opportunity to chat with you this afternoon. Thank you for having me. I'm so excited. I'm so excited. I love opportunities like this. So yeah, we were just talking about how important it is to have conversations especially in athletics around mental health and yesterday was actually World Mental Health Day. So it's kind of timely that we're getting to have this conversation today just given that October 10th is like this big day to celebrate and bring awareness to mental health at large. So couldn't be more perfect timing to get to chat today. I know and every day is always a perfect day to talk about it because it needs to be talked about. I would love to start off by you sharing a little bit more just how you got into track and field generally, like how you got into this area of athletics. Walk my listeners through just the journey into getting into this area of sports. So there's two sides to it. There's a side of me being from a large family. I'm from a family of nine. I'm the seventh child. And my siblings, my dad's a musician also was a national athlete for Trinidad where I'm from. And so like sports music was always in my blood. I'm like my older siblings. They all did sports as well and my older sister, one of my older sister, she did track and I remember watching her and I'm like, "Oh my god, that's so cool." So there's that side of just like my environment. And then there's the side of like my actual passion for the sport, you know, like where I actually got in my crazy head that I wanted to be the Olympian at seven years old. It happened naturally, like I said, because of the environment that I was, but it wasn't until one day I was, we were just watching the Olympics and we were watching Trinidad come out and like we were all just like and I was just like watching those athletes because I might not have been doing those events, but I was all even sport, but I was just like they're like representing and like, like I love that. I love the fact that they were there representing our nation. It was small little island, you know, and I was like, "I don't want to do that yet." Like, and so my dad saw that I had some talent from a young age. I was also hyper as hell, so like they were like, I mean anything to get those out the halls, but like literally they know, I mean, because I did gymnast experienced and that got expensive and I got too tall, whatever that means. And so they put me in track. My mom was like, "Oh, Tara will be really good at it. Tara should do the jumps." And so my dad was like, "No, I think she's a sprinter." And to end up, I was like all of the above. And so, and so as I like started, it's like just doing it in school at a young age, I was like, "Oh wait, I actually am pretty good at it." And it's not just like my parents just thinking, you know, parents think all their kids are just good at everything. I thought it was like, they're like, "My son's the smartest." Like, he's not, but it's okay. And so I actually saw it pretty first time and I was like, I think I can, I think I can do this. I think I can make something out of this. And it was also at a very weird time of my life when all my siblings, because where my oldest sibling is 42, you know, and so it's like, there's a big age gap and they're all have their careers and they're all like, I come from a talented family. And so it was always just trying to like find my individuality and find what made me special. And so that kind of pushed me into, I guess, like, pushed me and what really drove me into actually, like, snatching on to track because I wanted that. I found something because I was like, I can't do singing. My dad is literally very successful. I can't do, I can't do volleyball. My sister's play volleyball. I can't do music either. My brothers are also into music. I'm like, then what's left? What is it? Nothing. But, and I have a terrible attitude. Like, I cannot draw for my life. And so like, that wasn't going to work. And so I really just like dove into track and now hindsight, I know it was definitely an unhealthy beginning because of that. Because I used it to kind of like show my family that I was like special to and it didn't come from really just a pure genuine place of I just love this sport. Even though I was part of it. So and that led into like a whole bunch of insecurities throughout my life. But like, once I got into track that I was able to channel a lot of my chaos. Like, I don't even call it energy. I call it chaos. I was in my sport. And like, I was a hip tathlete. My whole life, do you know what the hip tathlete one is? No, I'm not familiar with that. It's one event, but it has it's made up of seven events. So the first day would be 100 hurdles, high jump shot put the 200. And then the next day would be long jump, javelin and 800. So I started off in the very beginning, just doing open events. And I would just do, you know, high jump long jump shot, do it all open. And then I was like, my parents are like, let's, you should probably just start doing the hip. And so I started doing the hip. And man, that, that, that, that awoke and something in me. I mean, maybe a little narcissistic, not I think about it, but like, I love the attention of it. I love the fact that like, I get two days of just me. I mean, there was obviously other competitors, but the hip is not about who wins, like, each event. It's about points. And so you know when it gets in your way of winning really, it's, you run, it's fat. The faster you run, the higher and longer you jump, the further you throw, the more points you get. So I mean, you just, you just do you and the girls are there to push you. And so like, I loved it because like, you're just there and you're just in your own world, having a blast, competing. And like, people thought I was a little crazy because like, I, I invested a lot into it. And I decided I wanted to go to the Olympics since I was seven. And it, I didn't even like, really invest myself until I got to college. I did my undergrad at Texas A&M. And it was very surprising me being at A&M because the coach that I was recruited by ended up getting fired. And so I did not know who the coach was going to be. And little did I know that was going to be my soulmate of a coach, you know? And that's where I was going to meet my fiance. And it's like, so many things happen when I came to A&M and it honestly showed me that like, oh wait, Tyra, you're not in it for the right reasons because you have all these, like all of these things are here, but you're not even utilizing everything. Like, my fiance was such a support and he was like, Tyra, you're not even tapping into your full potential. My coach was like, Tyra, come on. This is me as a little freshman. And so I had to kind of sit down and talk to myself, what do I really want out of this? Why am I even doing this? And sadly before, I had a successful freshman year because I just, that was just talent and, you know, basic training, but mentally, I was not strong enough to do anything phenomenal. I got a meniscus surgery, my self-mole, and I had to sit out. And during that injury, during that phase, I was like devastated because I came to realize I'm one person on the track and the other person off the track. And I didn't know the other, they didn't know each other. That is a really fascinating point. And before we dive more into that, because I definitely want to focus more of our conversation on like the two different Tyra's, perhaps, if you would even say that, the Tyra on the track, competing versus like the Tyra, not involved in athletics. But earlier, you mentioned that you're one of nine. That's a huge family. I'm an only child. So it's like completely night and day. And I'm always so fascinated to learn more about like sibling relationships and interactions and experiences and how being a part of a big family or just having a sibling like at all kind of like shapes the way you grow up and find your interests. Because for my own experience, I never had, there weren't other siblings in our family where like they fulfilled this specific niche. Like we had. an artist or a musician or an athlete. Like I had kind of the luxury of not having to really compare myself against anyone else and could it try anything and I didn't have to really fit into this mold. But I can see as being a young kid, feeling like, oh, well, you know, my sisters are doing this and my brother's doing that and my parents do that. So I don't really know what's left for me. Did you feel like that was the primary motivation, like trying to find a sense of individuation or individuality? Was that the primary motivation that got you into track and field and like eventually over time did your love for the sport develop once you realized, like, yeah, I'm actually really good at this. And I like it. Or would you say that like there was some sort of feeling being enticed by the sport even at a young age that led you to want to pursue it professionally? It's a mixture of both. It's definitely, and it's a very like, it's a thin line. I personally still can't kind of go back that fine, like make it clear. I have no idea, but I know both of them are a big part of why I even got into track. 'Cause my family, family for me, are very influential. Like they have been my everything, you know? And so even though the environment that I grew up in, it wasn't like, purposely competitive. My parents made sure that. And like they never like compared us, they never did anything like that. But like it was, it was challenging, but we all pushed each other. Like we all pushed each other in the best ways. And I owe a lot of my, let's just say my family kept me humble. They made sure that I did not let all this go to my head because I, like, I mean, you know, like I'm not better than anybody else. I just followed my passion. And I just happened to be good at it, you know what I mean? But also my, my love for these sport, I think was always there. 'Cause like I said, my dad was also an athlete. And I mean, he used to watch sports all the time around me. Well, track specifically. And then also I just, I don't know. I just always had a love for it. And I don't really like sports. I don't like other sports. I like to watch slimming and gymnastics, but like I was never really into sports. And so, you know, the fact that I was like really attracted to track, my dad was like, yes. 'Cause he's been trying to find a kid who was just obsessed with it as he was. I do think that also parents can subtly, even if they're not like overtly influencing your interest or passions that develop, it's kind of like what you're surrounded by when you're young, and that have these influences at least on like what you're exposed to and maybe like what you develop your interest in. So I find that to be really interesting, but fast-forwarding a bit more to where we left off on, you know, not really knowing the tire on the field versus off the field. Can you talk a little bit more about like when you got to that point and how that made you feel? Like how did that recognition around like, you know, maybe the persona that you adopted while competing and pushing yourself on the field in athletics versus, you know, the person that you felt like you were outside of sports. Like when did that moment strike and how did that experience kind of shape your perspective on the importance of mental health in athletics? In the moment for me, I was devastated. That was a wake-up call that I had nothing outside of track. I'd never built the tire outside of track. I didn't know what I wanted to do outside of track. My backup plan revolved around track. And it wasn't until my fiance, boyfriend at the time, knew me. He was taking care of me through my surgery and there was a time where I was like, don't make me off to class. I'm not trying to crutch through the winter storm that we're having. It was like 50 degrees. I was not. I wasn't trying to do it. And he was like, "Tar, no, I have things to do. You'll be fine. You need to do this because this is what's going to help build you during this time." And I had a breakdown on the way to class because I was like, if this was a workout, I would have never even second-guess doing it by myself and just pushing through. But the fact that I'm crumbling at the fact that I have to do something and I had to actually be strong, I crumbled. And I didn't know that path with me. And I like, this is the first time I was meeting her. And I hated her. And instead of actually trying to change it, I kind of like soaked in it. I was supposed to build her, but instead I thought it even hotter in track. I said, you know what? I'm making sure this works because so I was at practice. I visualized. I was in my rehab. I was extra committed. And even though I benefited sports, Tyra, TG, was just-- [BEEPING] And I was like, get down there. And honestly, I think that's probably one of my biggest regrets is not actually Karen Ha and growing her with the other Tyra because I suffer from it tremendously, even right now. It was because I struggled to work on it. And I'll give myself credit, COVID, because track was taken away from me again. But this time it was an injury. It was-- everybody was suffering. So I took it from myself to work on the things that I was not strong at. And I thought that I was still growing Tyra. And I was-- it was better than the first time, but it still wasn't enough because I dove into track again. I still take time to take care of Tyra. I thought, by me, accomplishing this goal because that year was supposed to be the Olympic yet. And I wouldn't miss out. And I was like, felt bad for the people that were going to go, but that didn't end up going because they didn't qualify the next year. But I took that as an advantage. And I worked my ass off to the point where I regret-- I honestly-- I can't even say I regret, but it's a bit of sweet feeling for me during that year. And that was probably so far in my career. That was the best year of my career, because of that dedication and slight, very minimum, personal growth. But I still did it wrong. We all kind of came in as student athletes in college, especially at the big schools. And they give you that basic typical, if you want to be great, you must do this. You must sacrifice. And it's always-- sacrifice what? And it's that, well, whatever it takes. And I did. I sacrificed myself to fulfill a dream that I said I once do since I was seven. And when I came back, I hated myself even more after I fulfilled it. And I could not believe that something that was supposed to be so important to me, and that was supposed to grant me so much happiness, literally ripped my heart out. And it's like the only way to do it right. And I say this because this is what I wish I grew up here in, and instead of I heard, well, this is what it takes. This is what it takes. And you hear all of those athletes and all those successful people giving you what it takes. But that's not it. It what it takes to be the best at what you do, it honestly-- it's not even half is on the track or at practice. It's what you fix here. It's literally here because you're not going to give your best unless you're at your best. And it's like-- even though people like Wiltair, you also still are an Olympian. That doesn't mean anything because my season after I went to the Olympics, I crumbled. I was broken. I couldn't even look at the track for so long because I was like, how could that something I cherished and was kissing up? I bled. I do so much tears, so much vomit, so much time on that track. And that's what you did to me. It was an unhealthy relationship that I had with something that I thought I loved. I do. I still love it. But it's making sure you build yourself as you build in your sport. It's making sure you are going to the therapist, making sure you are going and dealing with your childhood traumas. That's a big one. And it's like all of your insecurities, why do you do what you do is so important? And you have to dive into that because you can't hide it in sports because the world sees it. And then they ridicule you because you just didn't have-- you didn't have a good season. I'm sorry I had a really shitty season. It just blame it on me not caring or me not being ready to be a professional or something of that nature. And it's like, you have no idea what kind of year I had last year. You know what I mean? And you're about to enter an industry where for so long, it's been about-- I mean, it's what you can produce. And that's it. Like, no one cares. If you even show that you might not be ready, probably won't sign you because they want someone who's ready to go. And so you can't talk about it. And it wasn't until this year, especially as you might know, like Simone Biles talking about some things. You know much rude of heels you got for that and it's like out even the athletes are like Get off the stage like even athletes who I know stuff with you the same thing but they're too Called up in it to even admit that juice right and like It's hard to like explain to the adults the the older generation in track and field which are a lot of the coaches but I For me this is what track is turned into it's me explaining what I wish someone would have sat me down and explained It's bigger than your sport. It's what you get out of your sport and what how can you make it better? And that might not be to do it this board itself. I'm not like a therapist or anything But I'm someone who chased my dreams and did whatever it took and got me Probably I had to start over like Social skills I had none because I used track as an excuse that I didn't need friends families all that mattered I didn't have friends. I didn't go to anything people stopped inviting me to things because I was like no I track I have I'm gonna practice. I'm gonna do something I'm gonna None so I'm like so awkward in social settings and now I'm like trying to be an adult and I'm like going out looking cute and I'm like awkward as heck like You know and it's like I don't even Mention to people that I like when people I don't mention anything about track until somebody asked me and then they're like wait You want to go to the limits? I'm like I already have and then it's like Sometimes I'm just like I want to build genuine connections because people just like But it's like I'm trying to do something that I Prevented myself from doing my whole life. Thank you for sharing that. I'm in for being so open about that It's definitely a really hard line to balance I think because When you are so committed to a sport for example or you know You're craft if you're an artist like whatever it may be it can almost kind of be like this double-edged sword where You want to like give it your all and fully excel and succeed and achieve all that you're setting out to do So you put like a thousand percent of your effort and focus towards that one thing And it can be great because you can like actually excel in that area But then I feel like the downside is maybe it's like a distraction from actually doing the work to work on yourself So what advice would you give to athletes or students are really young adults at large for Simultaneously pursuing their passion and giving that their their whole self and all of their energy But also you know not not sacrificing Their ability to also like tap into you know their own intuition and take the time to work on themselves So what strategies do you have to like strike that balance and Off of that point like what advice would you give to people who are struggling with that kind of position and trying to do both? So I'm personally still learning this like Actually applying what I've been preaching like I'm doing that like today in this interview right now and so So it's like the biggest thing for me is just finding other hobbies, you know, you are bound to have more talents than What you're doing and it's kind of finding that and just giving you a brain arrest, you know journaling and from a young age Letting your kids play a whole bunch of sports like get them and everything don't Don't put them in one thing and just because they are like probably really good at it. Don't stop that Don't stop it there. Let them continue that you gain so many social skills doing sports. I mean as we all know, you know and Not just sports put them in something like you know have them in clubs have them socialize have them see that oh I'm actually pretty good at a lot of things but I Like this one more and it's not just I'm good at it. This is my only way to pay for college. So I got to do it You know like I think that's gonna be a good help it starts really young and I know it's hard to do with little kids because I don't know that my kids Well like that's something that I think I wish I would have done but like my parents didn't stop me I They just didn't tell me no either, you know like they didn't you know that yeah, but it didn't say no So I just kind of went with what I wanted to do there is so much to be said really on like how to not Make your passion like all consuming and like your entire personality trait like how do you engage with something that you're so passionate about in a healthy way and Really like you're you're calling to like so many important issues. I mean the fact that there's Backlash against what Simone Biles is saying. I think is personally ridiculous It's so important that she's sharing this I'm in her story and and really you know paving the way to open up the conversation And having these more vulnerable conversations about what it means to take care of yourself and You know, I think it's it's hard to Find a way to make something you love something that you're not obsessed with to the extent that it's like a fall in your your overall well-being and health and so like if you could Not necessarily do it over again, but You know looking back. I know you mentioned that this you know There's probably healthier ways to kind of take care of yourself while also wanting to perform at an optimal level Like what are some strategies you think that would be really useful for athletes in particular to Kind of continue to stay true to who they are yet at the same time like devote their their efforts and and hard work to Being the best that they can at whatever sport they're competing in Honestly, the biggest thing is having your kids could have been a young age just like not because they're You know terrible people are their messed up. Just give them like have them be able to it like feel their emotions Feel like being tuned with their emotions in their body because I can tell you that's gonna help a lot in sports Now I can recognize when I'm getting really frustrated that I'm not getting this drill right and instead of like beating myself up I'll be like hey I'm okay the world is not ending. I'm still me They're still them and I'm still at the track at practice. I have time to fix it You know and prior to all of this I would just beat myself up if I didn't get something at practice I'm in my journal like chalking up drills that I can do to get it I got it was like an obsession that I had because I didn't feel something in practice. It's not healthy Yeah, it's like a sense of perfectionism almost which can be really detrimental When we obsess over something and hyper fixate on it and yes to an extent That can be helpful when you like focus your efforts and energy towards like wanting to improve But like to what extent to what extent can you do that in a way that's healthy and will actually help you move forward versus like break you down And I totally agree around that point around like normalizing therapy especially at a young age I think there's still a lot of work to be done in our culture in our society to Like recognize that therapy is not for like those that are I don't know mentally broken or like suffering tons of issues like It's really a vehicle or like a practice that I think just allows for people to Unpack the own their the issues that they've developed either consciously or subconsciously And and it's really a form of self improvement at the end of the day You know matter like what you've struggled with or what you you suffer with or anything of that matter You know, it's it's a tool for self inquiry and self discovery and like who wouldn't benefit from that So I really love your point about that and there was one more point It's more for like college Athlete who are ready stuck in it, you know, you're no longer a child parents have no say it's kind of Recognizing things earlier recognizing that your coach telling you being a A-hole to you 24/17 like Honestly a little borderline Inappropriate things of or like you need to lose some weight or you need to gain some weight or you're just not gonna cut it or like Just kind of letting them control your passion for what you do That's when it comes unhealthy and you can't really control them But you can control how you internalize things and that comes with Knowing who you are, you know, and that's like a big part and like I was able to start that process in college So I was able to be like look at my not my specific coach, but My not my event coach, but like head coaches normally are there culprits But you know, I'll be able to if he said something I'll be like that's cute You know, I would have that confidence and I'm like I'm sorry I Know my worth on this team and I know you know it too and it's like a lot of coaches kind of like break the athlete So like they won't even like believe that they are that that good Well, and they don't even want to talk about The professional world so you're thinking colleges it colleges that like what you do in college boom bad a bang and they Once you were trying to go pro They can fully like I don't know not really don't really want to help out or they're like no You can't go pro you're not done yet and it's like becomes like you don't own me, you know I'm not like you can't tell me what's due with my life and then they don't prepare you They don't prepare you for that transition from having everything taken care of and You feeling so special because you're like You're good on your team and then preparing you for the real world where the majority of us There's like only 1% of athletes go onto the next level from college and it's like the majority of a lot of coaches The programs athletes they're gonna go and do have regular jobs But you've forced them into an environment where they can't even like do the major that they wanted because It messes up with training training schedules, you know like so many times athletes have to really suffer because because they come into the school wanting something and the coaches agree when they're being recruited. They're like, "Yeah, you can do this." And then when you finally come, they're like, "Actually, no, this program, it has a lot." It's too demanding and we travel a lot, good reasons, but that should not stop. You should not stop the athlete from actually doing what they need to do at them. - Yeah, and I think that speaks to your point earlier around like the Tyra on the field, maybe versus the Tyra off the field. Like how can we find ways to integrate athletes? You know, they're personal and like school lives into their athletic lives. And have more of maybe like a holistic perspective, which is healthier. I also, you know, I follow you on Instagram and I've seen you post a lot of content around yoga. And something that maybe I don't know if you're aware of, but I'm a yoga instructor. I went and got my yoga certification last summer in Bali, which was one of the most incredible experiences of my life, but something that's been so foundational to me in the sport of rowing, outside of the sport of rowing, just all throughout my life, has been the teachings of yoga and like how it's shaped my mentality on like emotional regulation, for example. You know, the way in which I try to find this or tap into like my intuition for my inner self and really like check in with how my body's feeling, where my mind's at. And you know, as someone who is an Olympic athlete, I would love to hear if yoga's even influenced maybe your perspective on like that mind, body connection or like finding ways to calm your mind. 'Cause I know for me for certain, it's been such an integral part of like my philosophy on healthy living is really just like the yoga practice. I wish I can say that I am a yogi fanatic, but like I personally struggle being consistent with it. But it got started this semester after I came back from the Olympics and I was like I said, completely shattered. Little that I know, like that little old class and the yoga instructor, she was a big part of like me starting to heal. I enjoyed, it was like the first thing that I did in the morning was my first class and at the end of class, at the end of that semester, I cried with my yoga instructor because I told her my mentality when I came in to the class and how just being with myself, like that's something that I've never done from a big family. And so you don't have your pleasant face, you don't have that time and I always had to. 'Cause I never, never was ever by myself and in that moment I was like by myself, I was like, you're on here, who is that? Like who's talking to me, it's me. And I like, I had no idea what that felt like. I was like in and just kind of like flowing, being with, being warm in your body, now as athletes, we strive to be very self-aware, body-aware and be able to feel and recognize things that are going on, just kind of know your body, but like, this is a, it was a different experience. And I got more flexible, but I was able to think more clearly about my situation and that helped start my grieving process. I guess it was grieving because I lost a relationship that I thought I had with the most important thing in my life at the time. And so, the flight didn't lose it, but at the time I thought I wasn't, my yoga instructor really helped me outside of, outside of like the class itself. And at the time also, I had torn my shoulders, so like I couldn't hit a lot of the positions. And she gave me like alternative things and just being in that environment alone, it was so different than be chaos that I go through every day on the track. And I was like, if I didn't have that class, if I didn't have that moment to actually check in with myself, I don't think, I think my road to recovery would have started a lot later, a lot later. And so that's kind of like what started me and like my actual, my meditation. I meditate quite often and I make sure and I focus on breathing before I make a decision. And anytime I feel my hands sweating, I breathe. Even when I'm doing a workout, I do box breathing to make sure that I'm getting enough oxygen in my brain. And so like it's benefited a lot into my sport, it's breathing specifically, but also being able to come back into my head and not, and being the moment and not think about absolutely everything that's around me kind of pull me down. - Yeah, I mean, everything you're saying I completely resonate with. There's so much power in coming back to our breath. It's the one way we can directly change our heartbeat and access our nervous system is when you focus on your breathing. It's incredibly powerful. So it's great to kind of hear your own firsthand experience with that and how you've applied it to the sport but also outside of track and field. 'Cause I think it's just like a life skill, honestly, that I wish people were taught at a younger age, just like the power of breathing correctly and bringing awareness to your breath and moving through life mindfully. And kind of like earlier you were mentioning, you have all this chaotic energy and maybe this was able to be translated through track and field in a really effective way 'cause you could let all that energy out through your sport but to a certain extent it was almost even detrimental. So perhaps being in tune with your breath and that body, mind and tuition, you can more effectively channel those emotions in a more productive way. Like when you're able to bring more attention to the breath and do practices like yoga that allow you to slow down and kind of tap back to yourself at your core so that you can be more effective when it comes to practicing and being on the field. So there's so many interconnections there and so fascinating for me. I could talk about this at length but I wanna transition. And as we're wrapping up with this interview, clearly we both know how there's such an intrinsic connection between exercise and endorphins. But outside of sports, what are some things in life that bring you joy and happiness? And you know, rather, this is the question that I end with with every guest that comes onto the show. What is something that brings you a bit of endorphins every day? Outside of my sport, it could be two things. The first thing that came to my mind was singing and not just singing, you know, just like, "Come into the song," I mean, "performing." I mean, having my dog sit on the couch watching me. That's what I'm getting about. I'm like, singing for me brings me a lot. It brings me such a rush. And like, I mean, maybe not as much as my sport does but like that, like just being able to express myself and let go of some of that chaotic energy that I have, it feels so good. And like being able to, like no matter what I'm singing, being able to channel that emotion into something that's absolutely beautiful, I love it. I mean, and it makes it even better that I kind of like how I sound. And so it's not. It's like, it's a good feeling. It's a good feeling every time I sing. And especially if I sing a song that's meaningful to me or meaningful to something that I've been through 'cause I normally always cry when I sing it because it's just a way of letting go kind of calming down and just releasing a lot. So, definitely singing, I think that's my main one. - I love that. I also used to sing. I used to sing opera in New York, which is so funny. If you met me now, I don't think anyone would ever think I was like on the stage at the Metropolitan Opera as a child, but that's what I love to do. Like I loved performing. And so I think there's so many connections between like the feeling of using your voice as an instrument and like feeling happy. And it's, you also have to be fully present and in the moment. Like when you're singing, you have to be super mindful about like the words that you're singing and the pitch that you have and the rhythm. Like there's so many things that you have to focus on that you can't really be distracted when you're doing it. So I think singing, for example, is like a way to really tap into that flow state. And it's such an endorphin high. Like really any type of performance and I see also the relationship with just performing in athletics. Like when you're in Olympia and you're performing for a international global crowd. Like what other performances there, you know, then that. So there's so many relationships, I think. So I love your answer. And it's been such an absolute pleasure getting to chat this afternoon, Tyra. Where can my followers find you on social media? Where can they connect with you and just follow along at your journey? My Instagram, that's definitely my main source of social media is Tyra Gettens, my first and last name. I do have a Twitter. Don't remember it by heart. It's kind of like when I remember to use it. But Instagram is definitely where I show the world my life, my everyday life. Everyone definitely go follow Tyra. It was again such an absolute pleasure. I hope everyone who is listening feels a bit more inspired to take their own health and happiness into their hands. And if you're an athlete listening out there, know that there are so many resources that you can go to. People that you can follow like Tyra, who are really paving the way and pushing out this conversation on destigmatizing mental health and athletics. So I feel inspired. And I'm so thrilled that we had this chance. Thank you again. It was such a pleasure getting to talk to you. Thank you so much, though, for having me. [Music] Thank you for listening and remember to like, rate, and review this podcast on whichever listening platform you prefer. Don't forget to keep spreading in Dorfins and find things that bring you in Dorfins every day. See you next time.