WHOA That's Good Podcast - How to Find Your Passion & Let Go of Fear | Sadie Rob Huff & Bethany Hamilton

Episode Date: May 3, 2023

Bethany Hamilton is DONE with letting fear hold her back. Sadie and Bethany talk about many moments of fear in their lives and how claiming God's promises, replacing mental patterns with Scripture and... things that are TRUE is one of the best ways they've found to fight it. Bethany's had to overcome a lot of fear in her life — from a terrifying shark attack that cost her an arm, to choosing to get back in the water, to being catapulted into the spotlight and suddenly becoming a public person where the world could see her life, and even when she first found she was expecting her first child — but she overcame and didn't let the fear win! Bethany encourages us all to find practical ways of being an unstoppable force in our own lives: Find a passion that gets you off social media and gets you pumped for life! Plus, Bethany and Sadie talk about the importance of family and how intentional parenting and loving your family is its own gift and reward and why prioritizing your family is the best way to navigate all the uncertainties, stresses, and unknowns we'll face in our lives.  https://www.auraframes.com — Get up to $30 off on Aura’s best-selling frames when you use code WHOA at checkout! https://bethanyhamilton.com/adapt — Get Bethany's free video "How to Thrive In Every Season"  - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:25 Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, We have so many people say Bethany Hamilton Bethany Hamilton. Well, here's say what Bethany Hamilton. She's awesome She's so cool. But I'm like, how do I get Bethany Hamilton on the podcast? Well, we got her on the podcast. Let me just tell you I mean, I know she's no stranger to any of you guys But listen to some of these things that this girl has done. She's so cool She's recently introduced to this into the surfers Hall of Fame and deemed by sports premieres as one of the most surfers Hall of Fame and deemed by sports premieres as one of the most marketable athletes. Bethany Hamilton is a wife, mother, a professional surfer from Hawaii. She also had the movie about her soul surfer, which I'm sure so many of you I saw. She's known for surviving a traumatic shark accident, whenever she was only 13 years old. She lost her arm, but this girl did not let that stop her. She got back up. She continued to
Starting point is 00:01:03 surf and she's still serving professionally And she's about to have her fourth baby. Y'all this girl is just so cool. She has so many different things going on She has a new Ohana experience mentorship Where she helps just so many girls. She helps moms and daughters This girl is just like doing so many great things. I'm sure I could sit here for a lot longer and explain to you How awesome she is. Mom is gonna let her do the talking. I am so excited today to have Bethany Hamilton on the podcast Bethany, thank you for finally being on the way to the podcast. We are so excited that you're here Thank you, Sadie. So glad to be here. Yes, this is awesome and I already complimented your epic background
Starting point is 00:01:45 It's just so Hawaii of you and I love it Awesome, I mean this is hardly doing it justice because it's absolutely beautiful out here It is I had the pleasure of going on vacation Last year to where you live and we just miss each other by like a day of travel, but it really is gorgeous. Your backyard is beautiful. Oh, so pretty. Well, look, I can't wait to get into the conversation, but I got to ask you the same question that
Starting point is 00:02:17 I ask everybody who comes on the way that's going to podcast to start. And that is a big question. What is the best piece of advice that you've ever been given Bethany? Okay, so I got a little bird here on this question and I honestly I don't really have a single piece of advice but I wanted to just share what's been going through my mind lately. It's good. And I'm very much a cherry picker. So I cherry pick off people. There's so many people that have such amazing qualities out there, but maybe other aspects of their life. I'm like, I don't know.
Starting point is 00:02:53 Yeah. So I'm kind of like, how I approach the world is like, there's people that have certain traits that are amazing and I learn from that. And then I kind of try to really look at them from a whole picture and be like, well, some aspects of their life I might not as relate to as much so to say, but I really love the quote from Mother Teresa if you want to change the world, go and love your family.
Starting point is 00:03:19 Yes. Lately, I just feel like you can scroll your social media feed, you can look at your news feed and just be completely overwhelmed and just kind of like, what is going on. We live in this time where you're just bombarded with so much chaos and information every time you pick up your device. And so instead of worrying about all the things in the world, like, first of all looking to God, but then second of all, loving what you can and doing what you can. And for me, in my season, I'm a mom, of three boys, and I'm one on the way. So yeah, and I have
Starting point is 00:04:00 an amazing husband. And I'm like, first of all, I love my husband because I want to have an amazing marriage and that's what's going to love my children even more. Just being able to have that beautiful bond and then to living my children and just being present with them. And respecting and honoring my mother and my father and everyone I share a life with. So maybe you're not a mom or dad, but you can still love your people well
Starting point is 00:04:29 and just put your focus on them and like put this scrolling down and go and just like be a good friend, daughter, brother, sister, whatever it may be. Great, gosh, that is such good advice. Honestly, my mom actually has that quote in her bathroom. And I always have, I love seeing that in our house and knowing that that's something that my mom looks at
Starting point is 00:04:52 every day because I see her do that. And she really is like changing the world, but that really does start in her own home. And the way that she loves us and the way that she's cared for us and in the same way it makes you, as a daughter, want to love her more and want to be more intentional with that. And so it's so true, like loving your family
Starting point is 00:05:10 just goes such a long way. And I think we can get so distracted by everyone out there in the world that we miss the people right in front of us that we miss the people in our home, you know, in our car, out of our workspace. And so gosh, it's just such good advice. Speaking of your family growing, congratulations by the way.
Starting point is 00:05:31 That is just so, so, so exciting. And I loved your little posts of y'all all on the little surf board. It was so cute. And I love this part of your capsule. And we said we pursue so many things in life. But what if we pursue what is right in front of us, the beautiful blessing a family
Starting point is 00:05:45 Which is so much of what you just talked about and wanted to ask you about that I was looking at my first question So it's cool that you led into that just with you've done so many things you continue to do so many things You are running a lot of things right now at the current moment But at the same time you do such a good job at putting family first. And so, you know, we kind of live in this culture where I think that this underlying tone for young people, it's like don't pursue a family, you know, don't pursue mirrors, don't pursue a family because that can come later, like right now, like pursue your dreams, your things, and not that
Starting point is 00:06:21 there's anything wrong with pursuing your dreams, or there's nothing wrong with working hard towards things but at the same time I do think that in some of that messaging we've lost the value of how important family really is and so for you what have you seen just from the fruit of pursuing family alongside of the pursuing your dreams at the same time? Yeah I know I'm doing a lot of different things at the same time. Yeah, I know. I'm doing a lot of different things at the moment and sometimes I'm like, oh my gosh, I'm doing too much. But at the same time, I definitely put my family first and I will say if you're listening
Starting point is 00:06:59 and you hope to have a family one day, it's easier when you're younger. Like I swear, I can't imagine doing this when I'm like I hope to have a family one day. It's easier when you're younger. I swear, I can't imagine doing this when I'm like 35, 37. Because most people are starting their family so late in life now. So, don't be afraid, because I was afraid when I first got pregnant at 25. And I was hoping to wait till I was like 27 or 8. But I got pregnant and I was like,
Starting point is 00:07:25 okay, God, this is your plan, I'm running with it. And I took me a little while to warm up to it though. And then, once I held my baby in my arms, I was like, this is the most beautiful thing I've ever experienced on the whole of the earth. And I have done a lot of amazing rad things. I've traveled the world. I've like rocked it and professional surfing,
Starting point is 00:07:47 I've gotten awards and Hollywood and I made movies on my life. So I'm coming from a place where I've done a lot of really rad things. But I can't say that welcoming my own child into the world and becoming a mom is the most beautiful fun and interesting you can do. And yeah, of course it's hard because I think most relationships tend to be pretty hard because we're human or not perfect and you have to learn to like work with the different differences and whatnot. But yeah, for me, balance,, I think life is a continual balance
Starting point is 00:08:27 and we're always going to be trying to find our flow and our balance and sometimes I'll go month without hanging out with my mom, for example. I'm like, oh my gosh, I need to stop and get a thing with my mom. Yeah, that feel is in my backyard, so I at least see her all the time. We have a little family compound But yeah, I think I just kind of like you listen to your gut like you know if you're Loving your people well and you know you have that feeling or at least I do I have this feeling of like Oh my gosh my four-year-old seems a little like this
Starting point is 00:09:05 Regulated and a little off like I think you just need some quality mom-a-time. And sometimes now like I have three children so it's like this little of balancing act with each of them. But yeah I just, to me, my family is the most important thing and I do a lot of bad things but if they're not content and happy and in a like healthy place, then I'm like letting letting down like the most important gift and job that God has given me. So I just try to always remember that and like recheck and re-evaluate and you know, some days I'll work more than others, and then I'll plan a few days where it's like just mama and the boys, we're running hard, we're surfing,
Starting point is 00:09:51 playing, going to the park, piano, whatever, whatever it is that we got going on in the day. But it's like my eyes are on them, and also just try to make sure I like look them in the eye, give them hugs and just like, yeah, know that they let them meet you. That's so good. So if you follow me on Instagram, you probably seen that we love a good dress-up party. We had a karaoke party last year for Christianize Birthday.
Starting point is 00:10:20 We have all kinds of fun things where we all dress up. Even my sister's birthday, we all dress up like my sister. So pretty funny and we have tons kinds of fun things where we all dress up. Even my sister's birthday we all dress up like my sister so pretty funny and we have tons of pictures to prove all of our hilarious dress up days. My family loves to dress up in crazy costumes. We have so many pictures and that is why we love aura frame so much. So this year you can turn your family's past into the perfect Mother's Day present with a connected frame from Aura. This is so cool y'all. You can preload the frame with personalized messages and memories that will appear as soon as your mom plugs in her frame and it's so easy to set up.
Starting point is 00:10:52 Name the best digital photo frame by Wirecutter and select it as one of Oprah's favorite things, which I love all of Oprah's favorite things, Aura frames are guaranteed to make mom or grandma smile. If you're not familiar, an or a frame basically brings all your photos and videos together in one beautiful high resolution display where your mom can really enjoy them. They won't get buried in a bunch of group tags or on social media, and what I really love is that you can upload unlimited pics and videos for free from literally anywhere in the world you are just with Wi-Fi connection is all you need in the or app and even better there are no fees at all ever so you can be you know on a trip and upload it
Starting point is 00:11:30 and your mom can see it. I love giving mom's great gifts it honestly is like the most important person to give a great gift to an or frames are always a great gift and very special every frame comes in a premium gift box and it only takes two minutes to set up. So even if you're giving it to someone who's not super tech savvy, they'll be just fine. Plus you can invite the whole family to add to the frame from wherever. I think probably my favorite part about this is that you can continue to upload photos from anywhere you are and so we travel a lot. So it's really nice to just be in the road and have you know the app and Wi-Fi uploads and pictures and know that our family is getting to see those. I think it's pretty cool.
Starting point is 00:12:07 It's like social media, but like just for your family and just crafted for your mom. So it's really, really awesome. And right now, Aura has a great deal for Mother's Day. Listeners can visit orframes.com, get up to $30 off on their best selling frames. That's Aura-A-U- their best selling frames. That's aura. You are a frames.com plus listeners can get free shipping with the code woe at checkout. This deal is going to end on Mother's Day May 14th. So don't wait. Terms and conditions apply. We had Dr. Aiman on the podcast a couple months ago and he's just an incredible. He's studied the brain and just a really incredible doctor
Starting point is 00:12:48 And we were talking about mom guilt and it was so good because he was talking about Being an intentional mom and he was talking about not raising kids from a place of guilt Because then you will raise entitled and confused children, but really raising kids out of confidence And so if you're a working mom, like don't go home and feel guilty, and then just give them everything that they want, but go home and be intentional. And he talked about how like 20 minutes
Starting point is 00:13:12 of quality time every day is like really go such a long way. It makes him know how valuable they are, how love they are. And it was just, it was really just a great advice and just over the past a month seeing that with honey. Obviously it's been more time than just 20 minutes with her. But like 20 minutes of like, what do you want to do, hun? Doing it, guys. Do the horses, doing it, going to walk, doing it, go pick some flowers. Do you want to go? She loves to just sit in my car and listen to her favorite music, which happens to be the frozen soundtrack.
Starting point is 00:13:43 So let's just go sit in my car and listen to Frozen. I mean we jam out to some Frozen and it's just like that. Ty has been so special to me. It's something that I look forward to every day. It's something that you know she's only almost two so I don't know that she knows to look forward to it but it makes her excited. It brings her so much joy and so it's so true and you're so right about that. You can be doing all the rad things in the world the cool things are crushing it but if your family at home is not if that's shaky like you're shaky you know I know it's to be true and so it's kind of true what Mother Teresa said but also I think it's actually really vital and she said that
Starting point is 00:14:21 that that has to be done first because if you it's not really worth it to go and change a whole world If your family has to like suffer or take the back burner, you know I think changing the life of your family and then going out and changing the world is really when the fruit comes and Forness, you know, so whenever you really feel that fulfillment and that makes me think too is like some of the most like We really feel that fulfillment. And that makes me think too, is like some of the most like successful business people or like movers and shakers in the world actually like have let their family life just completely fall apart. And to me I'm like, okay, that's cool.
Starting point is 00:14:56 They made all that money or they did those rad things. But I'm like, everything behind the scenes was like falling apart and their priorities were kind of off. So it's like I feel like you can have different versions of success, but like, you know, when I think of my highlight of the day, it usually has to do with someone else. Like not usually just me, but myself, like, you know,
Starting point is 00:15:19 rocking it. It usually has to do with someone else. Like, you know, some a moment shared or like just a funny thing or just whatever, I don't know. Dancing with my husband or something. Yeah. Whatever you need. I'm like, all my highlights you usually have to do
Starting point is 00:15:35 with someone else. And so I'm like, okay, then truly like that's the thing that brings me the most joy, consistency. And, you know, there's other things that are really awesome. And I'm a very ambitious like go-getter, like motivated human. But I just try not to allow that motivation for other things overpower my motivation,
Starting point is 00:16:01 or like my just my greatest calling. Just do it. Gosh, I love that. That your hottest day had to do with someone else. And that is so true. We were just talking about this a minute ago because I'm pregnant as well. And we're both kind of getting towards the end,
Starting point is 00:16:15 but my first trimester was just gnarly. I mean, I was throwing up so much, so sick, the whole thing. And really half of my second was too. And my pie cast team, when I came in, they're like, man, we're just so glad you're not peaking in between all your podcasts and having to come back anymore. And I was just like, you know what, I'm so glad too. And because that was so hard. But I said, you know what's cool though? I said, I see like a lot of people on Instagram
Starting point is 00:16:41 when they're pregnant. They're like, oh, like I've been throwing up. I've been laying on the bed for the past two months because I've been so sick. And I'm not saying that that's not sometimes called for. There are days that I laid in the bed too. But I think that what I am glad I didn't do is that for two months I didn't quit because I will say that even though I threw up four times a day every day for three months and that was brutal, at the same time, like those three months in my life are not just defined by sickness. Like when I look back at that, I think about the podcast that I got to do and the people
Starting point is 00:17:13 that I got to hang out with and the trips that we went on and yeah, so I spent a majority of the time running to the bathroom throwing up, but I also had like highlights in the midst of all that. I had like really sweet memories and you know, got to be like, oh, I did all that while I was pregnant. That's actually really cool. And so, you know, I think that sometimes we think that like our me time is like, you know, the top priority and not to say that there isn't time to rest and there isn't time for that.
Starting point is 00:17:41 But at the same time, I just think time with other people, experiences that we get to have with our family, they really are so much more fulfilling than just this me self-care time. You know, and I just think that's really cool. You said that was such good advice. I want to talk to you about you posted, so when you posted about being pregnant, you also posted like Joshua 1-9 about do not be afraid. And I just think that that was so good because last night a friend and I were talking, she's pregnant and just how many fears come up with pregnancy, how many fears come up with having kids and it is a scary thing. And again, not everyone listening or moms and I think this conversation
Starting point is 00:18:20 goes so much broader than just to moms in the world. You've obviously had to overcome a lot of fear. You've gotten back in the water after hard things. You've overcome fear, but public speed. You've overcome fear about letting the public see your whole entire life and you overcome fear in motherhood. Oh, throughout all of this overcoming fear and continuing to walk into scary things, what do you think has really helped you the most when it comes to just the emotion of fear and the power of it? For sure there's so many fears.
Starting point is 00:18:52 I'm continually overcoming along the way and I mean definitely just tuning into God's word. I mean he has so many verses in the Bible about like, do not be afraid, do not fear, like trust in me. And obviously it's like a little easier said than done, but you can at least like look to God's word and like have that on your mind or pray it. And so, but yeah, and then even just like simple tools of like recognizing a lot of times our fears are just like things built up in our head. Yeah. And they're not necessarily truth. Like I think of when I first
Starting point is 00:19:29 was entering in the motherhood, I was so scared. I was just like, I don't know what overcame me. Like I finally could relate to my sister-in-law who struggled with the same thing. I went to my best friends. I thought they were so weird. And they were like first facing their first pregnancy. Like why aren't you like aren't you stoked? Yeah, I'm happy. And I was like feeling all the same similar emotions that they were and just like other things along the way like in my doing good or as my marriage going to like continually like thrive or make it like these different like big challenges in life that just bring the fear wall down and they almost can like blind you or stop you in your place
Starting point is 00:20:13 or hold you back from just pursuing the good and beautiful things in life. And so to me it's like first like look to God and see what he says. Second like pray, talk to a friend like just don't hold it all inside because I think when we hold it inside we end up just kind of It just like turns into this like mental block and you're just like stuck there and so finding something to talk to And then to like you can replace your fear. Like I'm getting more and more until like mental, like mental patterns. And so recognizing our fears and maybe replacing them with either like scripture or something
Starting point is 00:20:57 that's more honest or true. And you know, if it's something really big, like getting help, but I'm not saying you have to go to a therapist or anything, but going to someone who's really trustworthy and level-headed who can like look at your scenario and be like, hey, like I see this on your life and I think you're gonna rock it. They might work a completely different perspective, but just kind of equipping that fear with tactics to kind of like overcome it.
Starting point is 00:21:26 I come from a professional athlete background. So I feel like there's always something you can do to better yourself towards whatever it is that you're working at. So whether it's mentally, physically, and just making sure you're supporting yourself across the board with health, so nutrition, sleep, mindset, faith over umbrella, all that. Yeah. And just kind of like, tackling life from a whole, because sometimes one area, maybe it's because you saw someone else really struggling or you yourself didn't have a good family life. So now you're like, oh my gosh, I'm gonna be a mom. Am I even gonna be able to do this? Like, there's so many things that can contribute, but I don't know. I'm kind of rambling. No, that's so good. It's so good.
Starting point is 00:22:16 And it's so true because I think you really do have to have both of those things, all of those things. It's a whole thing. You have to have faith, obviously. You gotta put God's word in the rightful place and know His word, know who He is, and that's certainly what helped you overcome fear, but at the same time, there's a lot of practical things you can do to not be afraid to. Like truly what you eat does matter. The working out, being healthy, staying active,
Starting point is 00:22:43 not watching crime shows if you're terrified of things. Don't listen to podcasts that are scary, like practicality people, you know, I mean, even for me, I've shared this before, that like whenever I get anxiety, like a lot of times if I just will run my hands under warm water, it literally calms my body down, because when I'm cold, I get shaky, which mimics what it used to look like panic attacks for me. And so there's just practical things too of like, hey, this is making me scared. I'm gonna stop watching it. I know that if I stay up super late and don't get a lot of sleep, I will feel more anxious.
Starting point is 00:23:19 I probably shouldn't drink for cold brews today and not eat a single thing because that will make me super anxious too. Like, there are some super practical things that actually do make you have anxiety. And there's also really a huge part of faith that you have to have when it comes into just fear of life because there are scary things that are gonna happen in life. Like I mentioned, parenting is just one aspect
Starting point is 00:23:44 that brings a lot of fear into your life. Pregnancy can bring fear into your life. But so does just waking up and living life in the world that we live in. So it's driving your car to work. So it's surfing and starting new sports and starting new jobs. And you know, there's all kinds of things. And so I just think that it is an important thing to actually get a hold of though. Not just say, oh, everyone's afraid I'm just going to live in it. It's like, no, like, the Bible does say,
Starting point is 00:24:08 do not fear, but it says, do not fear attached to a promise of, for I will be with you, for God will be with you that he's got you. And so that's why you can walk through life and not be drowning in fear and not be a slave to fear. And so I love what you say. I think it's so good. And I don't think that's a ramble. I think fears and messy topic. And I think you can go a lot of different directions with how you begin to overcome fear. I wrote a book called Live Fearless Years ago. And I'm always like, man, I feel like it could just
Starting point is 00:24:36 said so much more in that book, but that's a never ending book. I mean, to live fearless is a never ending story and never ending motto. No one's fearless like to That that expectation completely to be fearless like our human nature is to like sin and do wrong and Have fears and that's why we need God. That's why It's grace on our life to carry us through those moments when we struggle or we doubt or we live without faith.
Starting point is 00:25:10 He's like, turn the pull this back and be like, hey, I have already overcome all the challenges and the f**k on your behalf by dying on the cross. And so we have this ultimate hope that carries us through those times of like fear and distrust or you know sometimes there are scenarios too that are genuinely scary and really hard. And so I wouldn't want to underestimate that. Like it's probably going to be something you're going to have to work through but again don't do it alone because if you're doing it alone it might just not turn out so good but I love this little quote I had to pull it up on my phone real quick it's like for
Starting point is 00:25:49 me I'm like I think of my life and I'm like if the fear of failure like you know so many of us fear failure if the fear of failure wins we may never surprise ourselves and like I could have been so scared of sharks or it could have been so scared of you know it could have been so scared of you know just being in the ocean and surfing and I did actually have fears that I wouldn't be a little surf. That was probably like one of my biggest fears because I'm like that much of a mermaid. So but I was willing to try and put myself out there and do something that I didn't know of anyone else who had done that. Like this would have known territories.
Starting point is 00:26:28 And so, but I'm so glad I was willing to try and keep going and like getting back on my board. And there was some days that were so hard and so awful. And some days still to this day. But like, there's always those good moments too. And these moments like joy and like overcoming and I even like this other conversation I had with Nick voice to check I've never seen my neck he has like no limbs he's super ad like positive like Godfiring man and he always just he hinted at like think of all the things you've already overcome in your life when you're in that immediate like trial or situation not just feeling really hard.
Starting point is 00:27:15 Not like allowing that immediate moment to build up so much in maybe some of the more recent things and just praying on that and knowing that Lord, you've already provided for me, so help me to move forward and faith. So, God said so good. There's so much in life that can hold us back but there's so much we can do and they still like we went especially when you have like a god who has overcome it all like gosh you have like the biggest head start over most of society. That's so good that's so true. Mom would always say to me you know say to me you can have a million excuses as to why you're not going to do something but fear can never be the reason why you don't do something.
Starting point is 00:28:05 That is never going to be a valid excuse. I think that's so true because I think sometimes people think, oh, if I feel afraid, then I must not be supposed to do it or something. It's like, no, like fear is going to be a natural thing because some things are genuinely scary. But actually, like, it's a beautiful thing to step into things afraid and to overcome them. And that does bring that confidence, it does bring that joy. It shows you what you're capable of doing. it shows you the power of God through your life, it keeps you dependent on Him. And so I love that. And I just think it's so awesome that you said,
Starting point is 00:28:34 like, you know, you were so scared that you might not get to surf again, that might have been your number one fear. But like, you worked your butt off. And then not only did you surf a gig but like you surfed like really dang good like you have like crushed it and continued to just succeed in that and so take me back to just like what made you fall in love with surfing in the first place how do you even get into it and it take us back to that initial passion that started. Yeah so I was born born in Mason Hawaii and my whole family served my mom and dad been from New Jersey and California to surf in Hawaii. Wow. So I was born into a surf family and I just ran with the family passion, but
Starting point is 00:29:18 Dijon only became my own pretty fast and pretty young. And then I got really competitive and then after I lost my arm, it was kind of more just about like getting back on my board and like not wanting to lose this passion of mine. And then I learned to surf with one arm and then I just kept competing and I think that was also like just wanting normal life and not wanting like, you know, this to like just stop me in my tracks. So started even competing like less than six months later and then ended up winning a national title like two years later. And then I kind of went pro after that. I didn't have like an insane like competitive professional
Starting point is 00:30:01 career, but I had some really awesome highlights. I've taken down a few world champs, which was really fun, a really cool, um, I pushed female surfing in a lot of ways. I have a documentary it's called Unstoppable if you guys want to see the whole. It's focused more on like my surf career journey and like when I got married and then when I had my first child so you kind of see some of these fears that we're talking about in that in that film but that was like one of the funnest times in my life like and some of my greatest successes and surfing were after I had my first child with the help of my husband and his support and like just making certain choices along the way. I was still able to run with my career. Now that I'm having my fourth child, I'm still surfing at a professional level,
Starting point is 00:30:53 but I'm probably going to wind down a bit and just focus on the fam and go surf with my children, my seven year old surf sound, he loves it. So I'm like, yes, mom dreams coming true. It's so fun. Oh my gosh, you're so cool. Just to be like, oh yeah, you know, I have a four-child and I'm still serving at a professional level. I'm like, that is such a cool statement that you just said. So props, I mean, I just think it's awesome and you know you can't People I think see people on line sometimes and they just think that things just happen for them and things just don't just happen I mean you work so hard to be able to say I'm having my four-shot and I'm still surfing at a professional level That's years and years and years of hard work and dedication and I do feel like sometimes this generation
Starting point is 00:31:45 years and years of hard work and dedication. And I do feel like sometimes this generation struggles with the idea of hard work. It's like sometimes people are like, I want the accomplishment, I want the title of it, I want the success of it, but I don't want to work hard to get there. And so I just from from you who has worked tremendously hard in your life and seen a long time career, what have you learned about just hard work? And if you would say something to the generation coming up about just hard work, because I think it's a beautiful thing, and I think sometimes we just lose the art and the respect for what it takes to accomplish something as massive as some of the things that you're sharing. Yeah, there's a few things in my childhood that I feel like taught me hard work. One and two, my mom and dad, they were so hard,
Starting point is 00:32:30 and we were, for sure, not wealthy. Like, we were very simple living, kind of barely getting by. My dad was usually working two to three jobs, and Hawaii is one of the most expensive places to live. So, it was just a lot, and just seeing him dedicate so much to our family and even my mom too. And so they taught me a lot, like I think I just saw that. I saw that even my dad keeps like retired, but he's like working hard
Starting point is 00:32:59 and ever. Like he's such a like hardworking man. But then my passion for surfing, like that really drove my like hard work ethic. So I have a lot of respect for sport because I feel like sport can teach you so much. So maybe you don't have a sport, but I think finding something that you have to push towards, like maybe you get into like a marathon running thing or something like that. Or like getting in the gym and pushing like 10 minutes longer than you want to. Like just mentally, like I think the physical translates to the mental a lot. So now fast forward, like I'm running my own businesses and I'm doing different things
Starting point is 00:33:42 that I'm passionate about beyond my family faith and serve. And I see how that work ethic carries over into these other areas that I'm not as like deeply passionate about. Like I am passionate about them. Otherwise I wouldn't be doing them. But like can't compare it to family and serve. Those passion and drive there comes really natural. But just finding your ability to be like, okay, well one, just be respectable. And two, finding things that get you excited
Starting point is 00:34:20 to wake up each day. It feels like we spend so much time scrolling on our phone or watching TV. I'm at the plant in my life where, you know, I know I'm not your normal human, but like, I don't even watch TV. Like, I maybe watch like an hour or two a month if that. I'm just like busy and I have other things that I'm passionate about and then I also want to serve my family well so I have to go to bed. I have to go to bed on time or that I'm passionate about and then I also want to serve my family whilst I have to go to bed. I have to go to bed on time or some kind of like grumpy and excited. So yeah, or I'm getting work done right after I put my children to sleep,
Starting point is 00:34:55 but just finding things that get you excited to live for and like move and shake and do and go. I feel like our conversation is going in a total different direction because on one hand I'm like slow down, like enjoy life, like love your people well. But I'm also like you want to find things that get you driven and moving forward and doing something and like excited to wake up and like you know things that motivate you to put your phone down or turn the TV off and just create more to wake up and like you know things that motivate you to put your phone down or
Starting point is 00:35:25 turn the TV off and just create more in life. I like the idea of like consuming less creating more. I think it's so cool about what you just said is you said the conversation is going in a bit of a different direction but I actually think that everything you're saying is consistent and true because I think that some people do think that slowing down and being intentional with your family literally means like not doing anything, right? But I don't think that that's true. I think that there are things that need to take a back burner and those are the things that are not as important You know, it's like it's the watching TV time. It's the scrolling time.
Starting point is 00:36:05 It's the things that busyfy us but are not fruitful. It's like the things that are really just kind of numbing us, right? And replacing that with things that might be busier, but they're more fruitful. There's more meaning behind them. There's more purpose behind them. And doing that, I feel like, I had this moment one time where I was skiing down a mountain and I had been in a really busy season in my life
Starting point is 00:36:31 and I just felt like so much chaos was going on. I just felt like everything was going super fast. And I was skiing down the mountain and it was just beautiful like Tahoe and I always felt like God just speaks really clearly to me whenever I'm like in nature like that, especially like skiing because I'm not distracted by anything. I'm just going down and I literally felt like and I've never heard the Lord Audible speak, but it was one of those just like wake you up kind of moments where I feel like the Lord said
Starting point is 00:37:01 Notice how fast you're going, but how much peace you feel. And it was such a cool, like, visual for me that like I was going fast on this mountain but I like had so much peace. And I realized that you can be going hard in a season and still carry a peace and still carry a rest. If you're doing things that matter, if you're doing things that are fulfilling,
Starting point is 00:37:24 if you're doing things that are fruitful. And at the very same time, you can be going just as fast, but doing things that aren't really in your land to do, doing things that are numbing, doing things that are fruitful, and be an anxious wreck, feels so chaotic, feels so stressed. And that's not to say that sometimes you're going to feel stressed, and anxious, even when you're doing the right thing because things just get chaotic sometimes. But I do think that there is a difference in that you can be busy and feel peace because you're busy with things that matter. And so I actually think that this conversation that led into a super cool place because I think people do get confused on what those things look like. And it actually
Starting point is 00:38:00 had this quote that you had written down to talk about and you just said it. Find a passion that gets you off social media, the couch and gets you pumped for a lie. I was like, that's so good. I mean, truly, like sometimes you really just do have to ask yourself, like, what am I passionate about? And you just have to go do it, go start doing it. And those things that make you excited to wake up or make you work hard towards something are the things that make life so fun and so fulfilling. So I love it. I do want to talk to you about unstoppable because I watched the documentary.
Starting point is 00:38:31 It was awesome, but also just the overall message of unstoppable. What I love about you is you're living all these things, but at the same time you're living them. You are teaching them to other people. You're doing all kinds of things to help people get the message that you're living. And so just tell us a little bit about that unstoppable message and some of the things that you're doing to just help people live an unstoppable life. Yeah, okay. I wanted to quickly touch on to like, I feel like I didn't fully understand the piece of God until like my later adult life or early, like later 20s, early 30s. And it's like the peace of God,
Starting point is 00:39:08 which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and mind. I feel like there's so much in the world that can steal from our peace. But when we have our eyes pointed towards the God of all creation and his word in particular, then when the chaos hits were like, there's still this like underlying piece that's yeah, maybe you're feeling stressed out or maybe you're
Starting point is 00:39:31 just like, it's still a hard time, but there's that like underlying piece and hope that carries you through that. And so, I just want to encourage your listeners like like you can choose how you view the world and you can prepare yourself for those moments of chaos so that when the craziness hits the fan, you can be unstoppable. And to me being unstoppable is not about being perfect and having it together at each and every moment of every day. But it's just like getting back up and continuing to go
Starting point is 00:40:05 when the hardest moments of your life hit, when those like crazy like shark duck moments happen. And you're like, I can't believe this happened to me. Like what in the world that was not my plan. God, what are you doing? And but like God's plan is so much greater than ours and we can look to him to be our peace and our strength through all the hardship and the challenges and even the moments of like, whoa, I realize I blew it. Like maybe sometimes the hardships like looking at yourself in the mirror and you're like,
Starting point is 00:40:41 why did I make such a poor choice? Yeah. Like God's grace is sufficient for us and He wants us to move forward with Him and to keep paddling, keep going. Like it's great. I always use serp analogies because I'm a serp, but like sometimes you go out serping and the ocean just feels like it's against you and you're paddling, paddling, paddling and your muscles are burning, your mind is like, I'm so over this.
Starting point is 00:41:07 But there's another good way to be had. So you just push through and you keep going. And so I just hope that anyone here today is going through that fixed season that just feels really hard or maybe you feel aimless. Just challenge yourself. Except outside of your comfort zone, try new things until you find something that really gets you excited.
Starting point is 00:41:30 Do it with a friend or family member, you can make it that much more meaningful. And I have a little mentorship program with moms and daughters, and I've been encouraging the girls, go with your mom and try something new every month until you find something that's like Just captures your heart or captures like your passion place and so find something that just gets you excited and
Starting point is 00:41:54 Just know that you can overcome like there's so much That we can do to like keep moving forward and I think the enemy till it keep moving forward. And I think the enemy Satan wants to steal from us and hold us back and make us think we're not enough or we don't have what it takes to keep going or those fears, like those fears are usually coming from not God. And so recognizing the lies that are building up inside of us and saying no to them and looking to the truth of God and The beautiful things in life that God has placed before us. So yeah, come on You're so inspirational and I think everything you said is so good But what's so cool about it is it's like you can trust your voice, you know everything that you're saying you personally live through everything
Starting point is 00:42:43 You're saying you personally experience and work through, you know, everything that you're saying you personally live through. Everything you're saying you personally experience and work through and, you know, it's one thing for someone to get up and like say something encouraging and to be like, oh, that's a nice thought, but I don't know if that's true. But to hear you say some of these things and to be like, whoa, like that's so inspiring because a lot of what you're saying is one, so true because it's rooted in a scripture. And then two, it's true because it's your personal experience and what you've literally learned through just years of working through fears, pushing through waves, going through the fatigues of life, but waiting and seeing what's coming next and then starting the things that you started. And so
Starting point is 00:43:19 I just think that's incredibly inspiring to so many people listening and such a good word for everyone listening that like what she's saying is not just like good advice pulled out from just the win. Like this is like true real life things that she's experienced and that has made her life as fruitful as it is and just as I love how you say as a rad as it is because it's true like these things are real these things are good such good advice. I want to ask you about you and your husband because y'all are just so cute and y'all have just a great family and Literally this morning as I was talking to my husband about interviewing you one of the first questions He has like oh how to earn her husband meet and I was like actually I can't remember
Starting point is 00:44:00 I'm gonna ask her that because we love a good meeting story on the will that's good podcast So how did you meet your husband? Yeah, so Adam and I met out here in Kauai and he grew up in Kansas. So super different backgrounds and upbrings his family super-rather. And our friends, we had mutual friends. He had moved out here to help start a young life in history. Oh, cool. It was in the gnarliest part of that island. So just thrown into the thick of Hawaii culture, the side that most people don't see.
Starting point is 00:44:35 But he was just so loved over there, so it was pretty cool. When I met him, he understood Hawaii and he just was already in the thick of the culture out here and so You know, I didn't have to like show them those sort of things or help them understand those things So that was kind of cool, but anyway, we got set up on a blind date But we just met up at the beach, you know super casual We had a few other friends around but there was a cliff jump and I hadn't done it even though like I totally should have done this cliff jump already because everyone in their late teens or early adults has definitely jumped this cliff unless you're just super scared of heights. did it and it was just him and I and that was just like the start of adventuring together and kind of hit it off and that was in May and then we were engaged like the next April and then we got made the next the August after. That's so sweet. Yeah I just like feel like he's
Starting point is 00:45:41 such a gift from God like I had fears of finding a husband. Like, in my- That's another classic fear. Yeah, my late teen, like, young adult life, like, I hadn't really dated anyone. I like barely doubled a date with this one guy. And then, but otherwise, I was just like super fresh. Like, I was pretty like, innocent or like, I didn't know what anything was.
Starting point is 00:46:07 I don't know if anyone knows what I'm even talking about right now. Oh yeah, there's a lot of people out there who are like, that's me. Yeah, like I, yeah and I waited for a marriage to like be intimate with my husband and that was super beautiful and totally worth the wait and just such a blessing for our marriage and just the overall long-term relationship we're in and we're almost up on 10 years. So cool. There's definitely been some rough patches but at the end of the day I feel like God's grace
Starting point is 00:46:44 has definitely worked in our marriage and we're stronger than ever now. I love being a parent with my husband. We're very much like a dynamic duo team. He was there as my husband coaching birthing partner. It's awesome. It's like class like husband coach breathing. It's not like we really brought us together in a super cool way. And so yeah, it's just been so cool to like share life with someone so special and just like how I see how we compliment each other. We're super teaming. And we've grown so much together. And yeah, I just love him. And I'm so thankful for him.
Starting point is 00:47:28 And so yeah, don't be fearful, girls. But also put yourself out there and don't just sit around. I feel like there's this balancing act of putting your foot out there. Ask people, hey, do you know anyone who might suit me? I'm all for getting getting set up like. Yes. I met my guys.
Starting point is 00:47:49 So, um, yeah. So good. I mean, it's so true. You got to put yourself out there. Uh, one mentor of ours, Bianca Oldtalk. She's hilarious. She's been on this podcast before, but she told my friend, uh, my friend was just kind of like, you know, telling her like, um, just like, wait in a moment, she said, girl, I'm gonna tell you what, my sister
Starting point is 00:48:08 told me, you keep waiting on your husband, you can be waiting on the mail man, because that's the only man showing up at your house. And she was like, yes, wait, but at the same time, I'd be active in your waiting, like, you know, show up, be, I always think like, you know, some people, I mean, we're all about guide pursuing, yes, beautiful. But at the same time, like, I always say, give them confidence to pursue you, like, like respond to their text, you know, like, class it, like, easy things, like, practical,
Starting point is 00:48:36 responding to their text, show them that you care. Be sweet to them, flirt with them, like, let them know, like, hey, you're doing a great job pursuing. Like, I just think that sometimes we're a little bit too, we're waiting, we need to be pursued and all these things that's like, yes, be pursued, yes, wait, but at the same time, show up, you know, put yourself out there. I love that, that's so good. Speaking of adventures with your husband, I hear that you all are maybe in the works, you starting a podcast. Tell us about that. It's super exciting.
Starting point is 00:49:07 Yeah, so Adam and I are going to start a podcast. I just feel like there's so much I want to share and encourage people with. And I've kind of been like a little burnout on social media in that. I feel like you can only go so far there or it's just like a snippet of like a conversation and most people are so fast at scrolling that they don't even like hear what you say. Yep. So yeah, we're hoping to just bring more encouragement out there and I would say it's going to be like focused on overcoming like life's challenges but but from health, faith, mindset,
Starting point is 00:49:47 all the things that I'm just passionate about, kind of a lot of what we talked about today, and doing it together with my husband, him and I, I just so pumped to be together and just put more goodness out there. It's awesome. I love it. I'm so excited for y'all and I'm excited to listen.
Starting point is 00:50:07 And I feel the same way, like I've been just kind of burnt out in social media as well. And honestly, I've been taking this year off, like haven't been on since January. My team's been helping posts. But I've been like loving podcasting and I've been doing it for almost five years now. And it's just been like the biggest blessing because you're so right, that you can go so much deeper than you can on social media. And even if you put like an awesome message out there, people are probably only gonna listen to the first,
Starting point is 00:50:34 you know, 60 seconds or until they have to click, they're probably not gonna click, you know, and it's like, you know, there's beauty to social media. I'm all for the beauty that is behind social media as far as the good things that can happen And how a guy can use the platform to reach a lot of people and connect people But I also think that it is a very limited space and the algorithms whack and you cannot control a lot But with podcasting like you have this freedom to just have conversation and it, I have seen like the impact of this podcast be so huge.
Starting point is 00:51:05 And it's been cool. Like people used to come up to me and be like, oh, I saw you on Doug Dynastur, I saw you on Nitsimah Stars. And it was, oh, I saw you on Instagram. And now it's, listen to your podcast. And that's been like the best change, like the best shift because I'm like,
Starting point is 00:51:19 these are the conversations that matter. Like these are the kind of things that have been like impactful and I've seen just like, blessed people's lives. So I know that y'all's podcast is gonna do the same and I'm so excited for y'all. And then also I hear that you're wanting to gift
Starting point is 00:51:34 someone listening to the podcast with one of your resources. Can you tell us about that? Okay, so I'm gonna give someone one of my unstoppable journals. So it was a simple journal and I think special to it. But with it, I'm also gonna give you one of my unstoppable journals. So it was a simple journal, nothing special to it. But with it, I'm also gonna give you my whole unstoppable life courses. So it's like a 12-part course series that we haven't really been pushing much.
Starting point is 00:51:56 But I just, yeah, it'll help you in so many rad ways. We talk about mindset, help, there's some fitness mixed in there, and fun, like faith, like everything under the sun. But yeah, so, so sweet. Well, y'all, that will be in this show notes for those listening, and Bethany, you're awesome. I mean, this just exceeded my expectations for having you on the podcast, and I'm just so thankful to have a conversation with you. And I think it's so cool because, you know, I've watched from afar so much of your life. I saw the movie, I saw the documentary, I followed you on Instagram, but to get to
Starting point is 00:52:31 talk to you for almost an hour and just hear your heart and see how genuinely you really are, it just makes my heart so happy. And I think that I love the verse where it says, the godly walk with integrity. And you just have so much integrity to your life. And you have stayed so faithful to just the things that you believe. And I know that's because you really believe them. It's because those are your core things.
Starting point is 00:52:52 And that has blood through and everything you've done. And I'm thankful to have someone like you to look up to, to be a friend to, and just to have and the light, you know, right now, because the world can be dark, but you're such a light. And just super thankful for you, and thank you so much for being on the WoW That's Good Podcast. Bingsady! Oh yeah!

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