WHOA That's Good Podcast - How to Find Your Passion & Let Go of Fear | Sadie Rob Huff & Bethany Hamilton
Episode Date: May 3, 2023Bethany 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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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
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
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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,
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,
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
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
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,
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.
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
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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
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
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.
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
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.
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,
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
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,
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,
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
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
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.
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
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.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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,
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.
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
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,
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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,
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
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
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,
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
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,
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
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
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
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,
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
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.
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
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
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,
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
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.
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,
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
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
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,
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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,
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.
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,
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.
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,
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.
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,
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
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.
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
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.
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!