Reinventing Yourself

Sometimes professional athletes disappear from public life after they leave their sport. But you, have actually kept right on going. You were a network TV sports commentator, you appeared on Dancing With the Stars, and won. Of course, we expect no less. And you've written multiple children's books, Dream Big, Little Pig, I read that to my own daughter, she loved it.

Nice.

These things all involved doing something new, perhaps even something risky. So, what is the single biggest piece of advice you would have for someone who is looking to perhaps pivot, or reinvent themselves?

You know I think it's a good thing to always kind of make yourself a little nervous. I've always felt like I'm a little bit conservative, because I don't tend to do things where I don't feel like, that's just way over the top, or I don't think it's something I could accomplish, but on the other hand, pushing for something new. I think always having a challenge ahead is what gets me up in the morning, and having two daughters, my husband, sometimes like, I don't want to have to keep traveling, he's like, you're working, and it's a great example for our daughters to see, that here's their mom, is still out there working, or making a difference.

Were there any moments during any of those other, reinventions if you will, where you had self doubts? Did you go on Dancing With the Stars thinking, "I don't know if I can do this, in front of millions of people on network TV"?

Oh definitely. Dancing With the Stars was a scary thing, because I had been mom for the last three years or four years. Our daughters were two and four at the time. So really in those five years, I hadn't been skating, I was basically focused on family at that point, and when this opportunity came up, it was just like, do I wanna throw myself out there again, to one, be judged, 'cause, you know, there are those judges, making their comments.

So you took a risk.

Definitely! And at first my husband's like, well you gotta just have fun. Because if you're not having fun, then no one's going to have fun watching you, and no one's gonna vote, 'cause it's just, who wants to see that? So it was like, okay, that's my only goal, so like, have fun, and enjoy the experience.

Where's your big mirrored ball trophy now? Is it in the house?

It's upstairs. And like Brett likes to say, it's underneath the Stanley Cup.

Brett being your husband.

Being my husband.

A professional hockey player.

Yes.