Michelle Waterson: Fighter Mindset, Reinvention & Never Giving Up

I sat down with Michelle Waterson-Gomez — UFC fighter, mom, and someone who knows how to take a hit — to talk about what it actually means to be strong.

Not the highlight reel version....We get into the real version.

We talk about reinvention, identity shifts, motherhood, and how to keep going when life doesn’t slow down.

Because the fight isn’t always in the cage. And that’s usually the harder part.

Subscribe for more raw, unfiltered conversations on life, relationships, growth, and becoming a pretty messy human.

Follow Michelle: https://www.instagram.com/karatehottiemma/

Follow Whitney on IG: @whitnlove

TikTok: @whitnlove

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Michelle Waterson is in my house, y'all. What's up, girl? I'm so excited to be here. I am too. We were just out on the uh porch a minute ago talking about how long we've known each other, and it's really crazy to think about, actually. A long time. Yeah. Long time.

SPEAKER_02 0:16

Uh well, I mean, it it has been a long time. Area was probably a toddler, you know, now she's 14, but I think we've just gone through so many different like phases of life, and maybe that's why it feels like such a long time, you know?

SPEAKER_01 0:32

Yeah, I think that's true. It's like we've both done so many things in our life, you know, and like I we were talking about like we weave into each other's lives at like certain times throughout. And now here we are. I think like we've met each other what, 10 years ago, 12 years ago now?

SPEAKER_02 0:48

It feels like um, yeah, I would maybe 12, maybe even longer. Because I knew you before when before I got signed to the UFC. Um probably before I was the champ at Invicta. I don't know. Did I know you before that or after that? I feel like you, yeah, I'm not really sure. Cause I because I know that I um was with on it before I became the champ at Invicta. Yeah. And so um, and that's kind of around the time when I met you when you were getting into your jujitsu journey, and I was I came down there to to work some privates with you and all of that. Um, but it's cool. It's cool to see the growth, and I think that's why I've just like loved keeping in touch with you because you know, you've grown and I've grown, and we've kind of grown together and just been supportive along the way.

SPEAKER_01 1:37

Yeah, it's really, it's really cool to see like where you've been and where you've come from and where you are now. And I would definitely want to talk about that, but I want to go back a little bit and talk about like you're such a badass. I mean, we were just talking about that out there. What badass for hire? Okay, this one.

unknown 1:56

That's me.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

Yeah, that's Michelle. And so take me to like, how did you get into fighting? Was it something that you always loved? Were your parents into it? Like, how does a girl, which I also want to talk about, female and and a male dominated sport and the idea of that, but like how did you step into it?

SPEAKER_02 2:15

Well, you know, it's not I I'm not a I'm not a fighter, like at heart. I'm a lover, you know. And if you talk to any of my my family when I was growing up, I was always I was the peacemaker of the family. My sisters kind of like that. Uh my sister was the troublemaker. She was the one that got into fights. She's she's a more aggressive one between the two of us, you know. Um, and my brother's kind of like the quiet, um, silent type. Uh, but he kind of is the one that got me into martial arts. Like he's my older brother. And if you have an older brother, you know, you kind of you want to impress them, you want to be like them. And so, you know, I grew up in the era of Ninja Turtles, Mortal Kombat, Power Rangers, uh like Van Damme movies, all of that. And so um, you know, uh when there was a little martial arts studio that opened up uh uh in the basement of the church that was just on the street, and it was something that all three of us kids could do. My parents could afford it and we could walk there. So, like in between my parents, you know, working and stuff like that, it was just something that was very um easy for us all to do. And so we did it and we ended up falling in love with it, and it became kind of became like um a family affair.

SPEAKER_01 3:28

So when was your from the time that you left Thailand to go to tranjactions, when was your first fight?

SPEAKER_02 3:35

Well, I had so it was like I I came back from Thailand and then I started, I mean, it all kind of like happened like how it was supposed to, right? So I like came back and um, you know, at that time I was working at Hooters to pay for college. And like they they always come to the Hooters to talk to the Hooters girls to like do like little like local jobs here and there. And so I had gotten like a local job to be a ring girl for an MMA fight for MMA promotion.

SPEAKER_00 4:02

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 4:03

And I remember like go like being a ring girl for the MMA promotion and being like watching them in the, you know, in the cage and being like, I'd rather do that. Yeah. Talking to the promoter and telling him um that I have a martial arts background and I think that I would enjoy fighting. And he kind of like laughed at me, but like one of the fighters like overheard me. Um, that fighter's Donald Taroni. And so he ended up like look coming into my work and was like, hey, if you're serious about fighting, get your ass in the gym, and like left his number. And I was serious about fighting. So I like called him and like he kind of took me under his wing and took me to all these kind of little corners of Colorado to get some training in. And you know, I did little like uh smokers here and there. And um I think even him too thought it was kind of just like a bucket list thing that I wanted to do. And he's like, All right, so you got your first fight, are you like done with it? And I was like, no, like this is what I'm gonna do. Like, I am a martial artist, like I'm a martial artist, you know, and so like I pursued it and um it was great. Like he and he was actually the one that encouraged me to move to New Mexico. Um, but so uh so before I moved to New Mexico, there was a show that I auditioned for. It was called um Master Toddy's Fight Girls. So Master Toddy's like this. Um he was like a Muay Thai instructor in Vegas, and he, you know, he was he was really famous for pulling girls and be and making them like muay thai fighters. You know, he was uh Gina Carano's Muay Thai coach. And so, you know, she like rose to stardom, and her and uh Julie Kensey actually were the first females to be broadcast on um on live television uh with their fight. And so um, you know, I know Gina and uh so Gina was one of the coaches on the show, and I went and did the show and um learned a lot from it. Uh came back and took my well actually, yeah, came back off of that show. I still consider amateur, and then when I came back off that show, I took my first professional MMA fight, and I was like two weeks um fresh from being 21.

SPEAKER_01 6:13

Wow. Oh my God. That's so wild. It's so wild to think about.

SPEAKER_02 6:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:20

And I feel like though, at the one, I think the promoter screwed up clearly, because obviously your beautiful girl who's a complete badass. Like, how could he not be like, yes, sign her up? Then it all worked out the way it was supposed to be. You said like Donald came in, helped you out. I mean, what a what an amazing person to have in your corner and like show you the ropes of that.

SPEAKER_02 6:41

Yeah. And I guess, I mean, I mean, you know, looks can be deceiving, you know. So he probably just didn't know that I did have martial art background, you know. And even now, people like, um, you know, I'll go do I'm teaching these sheepdog courses and stuff like that. And in, you know, in the sheepdog 2 course, it's a little bit more in-depth. And so we'll go and we'll do like we'll have to like we we take the guys to like walk through them all and to try to pick out the like the peeps that are like uh like following you and stuff like that. And nobody ever picks me out because I don't look like anything, you know, walking around looking like you know what I look like with my tote bag and just you're just going to Zara or something, you know. Yeah, and so um, you know, looks can be deceiving.

SPEAKER_01 7:23

Yeah, that's why you don't try to fight someone on the street because looks can be deceiving. Yeah, right. Unless you know what you look for.

SPEAKER_02 7:29

You're like, oh, that guy got cauliflower. I'm not messing with him.

SPEAKER_01 7:32

Yeah, seriously. By the way, if you see a guy with cauliflower ear or a female with cauliflower ear, do not mess with them. You will get your ass beat. Or like blast double, take it to the ground and then get your ass beat. Yeah. Hopefully it's on camera so we can all laugh about it. But I do want to talk about that too. It's like looks can be deceiving. And you are in a male-dominated sport, or you were in a male-dominated sport, I still could consider you in it.

SPEAKER_02 7:59

Yeah. And and even now, like as a like as an instructor and an owner of a martial arts school, as like a businesswoman, it's still, you know, male-dominant like spaces, you know.

SPEAKER_01 8:09

I felt that too, even working for glory. You know, it's it's I was the only woman that would be on cast, you know, with like any anyone that I would hang out with as a guy or as a male fighter. Um, I'm kind of like you, I always feel comfortable in those worlds because that's what how I grew up. Yeah. Two older brothers, I constantly did whatever they wanted to do. I was just like, oh, you're doing a sport, I want to do this work too. Um, so I definitely feel that. Do you what do you think? How do you say to people like, or what do you say to people that are that say like women shouldn't be fighting or that's not a sport for them?

SPEAKER_02 8:46

Well, I think it's we're kind of past that. And if it's not, then like wake up, you know, number one. And number two is like, um, actually, it's there's a lot of numbers, I guess, but like I think that women are natural warriors. Like, you know, it is instinctual for us to protect our own, to protect our family, to protect our little ones. So like naturally, we are the fighters. Like when you look at, you know, like a group of lions, what which which ones are the ones that go out and hunt? The females. Do you know what I mean? Like when when you look at the protectors, it's the like the guy goes out to hunt the food, but the mom is left behind to take care of the babies. They still have to be badass, you know, warriors as well. And so I just think in nature it is in us, one. Um, and then I also think that it it is an individual thing. Like I always I would always joke, like, you know, growing up, like GSP was like a huge icon for me. You know, he did karate and he's like to he's really good looking, right? Yeah. And so I'd always be like, how come nobody ever asked George George St. Pierre how come he didn't come become a Calvin Klein model and he decided to fight instead? Like, right? But it's just because that's what he loved to do. I love to do martial arts. And so that's what that's where the path took me into fighting. So it wasn't if if a a girl likes to cook or a skateboard, that's just what they like to do. And it and it should just there should be options available for them to do what they enjoy doing. Yeah, it's like it should just be that. Right. Well, you like to skateboard, great. Exactly. And so I think the spaces that I, you know, fell into, like at Jackson Wink, um the reason why I fell in love with that space is because they didn't treat me as a girl, they treated me as their teammate. You know, so if I'm gonna, if I'm gonna choose to take this path of the fighter, then you're gonna train right alongside me. We're all gonna go for runs together, we're all gonna spar together. You know, it's we're we're not there is no separation. You're not a girl, you're you're my teammate. Yeah. You know what I mean? And so that's what I appreciated. I didn't want, like, and and I I still think it, I don't know why they do it in the female boxing space where it's like two-minute rounds for the females versus three minute rounds for the guys. Like in MMA, in the UFC, like the girls fight five minutes, just like the guys do. If we're headlining the show, it's five rounds. If you're fighting for a championship, it's the same thing. Five, five-minute rounds. There's no difference. You know, we're five, you we train right alongside the guys. And so I do really appreciate that that the UFC is like, you know, if you can put button chairs, butts in chairs, and and and you know, you you have you have leverage and you can pull the crowd, you know, we're gonna give you your space, we're gonna give you your platform. And and that's what it is. It's like, you know, what what can you bring to, you know, to the platform? And if you can, if you can bring, you know, eyes to the platform, then then we'll give you the respect.

SPEAKER_01 11:45

Yeah, it's just like we're here to do a thing. And regardless if you're a man or a woman, we're just going to do that thing. Yes. And do it in our own unique way, but the same way. Right. Um, yeah, that's so interesting. I don't know why boxing does that.

SPEAKER_02 12:00

I don't know either. And I don't know why the girls in boxing haven't like petitioned to get that change.

SPEAKER_01 12:05

Right. But isn't it like, wouldn't it piss you off?

SPEAKER_02 12:08

Two minutes goes by so fast, and I understand it changes the style of the way you fight, but I just feel like if you have three minutes, you have more time to work. Yeah. You know what I mean? And so that might, that might be the reason why they don't change it, is because stylistically, you know, they have to kind of sprint those two minutes versus like take your time and pick your shots and kind of like have more of a strategy and kind of like draw it out a little bit more with the three minutes. I don't know. I don't know what it is.

SPEAKER_01 12:38

Yeah, I don't know what it is. I mean, I I love watching female fights. I I mean, I don't know if it's because I just obviously I am one and I I love the whole fight world, but I think also like they get scrappy.

SPEAKER_02 12:51

Yeah, the girls like the girls, you know, we wear emotions on our sleeves and then when we fight, it comes out that way. You know what I mean? So I I I I might be biased as well. But um, you know, I feel like, you know, especially in the the division that that I that I was in, the straw weight division, it's stacked in the UFC. It's just kind of like, you know, you have to keep an eye out for everyone from the top, you know, from from one to 15. Like that can fluctuate. 15 can fight for the belt at any time. Like anybody that you fight between one and 15, it is a potential championship fight.

SPEAKER_01 13:26

Yeah. Well, take me back to Invicta, because you were Invicta champ. Yes. Were you a mom yet? Yes. You were. Okay. So talk to me about like one becoming champion and what that was like. And then also how you flipped the switch from being a total savage to being this loving, caring, kind mother.

SPEAKER_02 13:50

Well, I think that when I was pregnant with Area, um, there was a lot of shift in the MMA world. You know, Invicta wasn't even around. And then Invicta, you know, came up and it was like, I'm I'm watching all these girls that I did Master Toddy show with, get signed to Invicta, and then um get pulled over from Invicta, and then get pulled into the UFC with the new tough show and them introducing a straw weight division in the UFC. And so there's just like all this opportunity that is like blossoming, and here I am just growing sideways, like, you know. So I'm like, honestly, I tell people this all the time. I think I had a harder time, like you they talk about postpartum depression, but I think I had a harder time being pregnant because my body wasn't my own at that time. I was, you know.

SPEAKER_01 14:40

You're creating another human.

SPEAKER_02 14:41

Yeah, it was bacon.

unknown 14:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:43

I was cooking.

SPEAKER_00 14:44

Yeah, you are.

SPEAKER_02 14:46

Um, so you know, I'm watching all these girls get signed to Invict and to UFC, and here I am. And so uh I think it was just like a lot of unknown for me. And I think that's when we all have the most anxiety and doubt is when you don't know what's, you know, what's next and what is what you know, what you can and can't do. So after I had Horea, I think it was just like, okay, like I have my body back.

SPEAKER_01 15:10

And uh you had clarity on like what you could do. Yeah. Well, can we talk a little bit about like your mentality as you're pregnant? You see everyone doing the thing that you want to be doing so desperately that you've done your entire life. How did you get through that time? Like, what were you doing? Just kind of support yourself or like just move through it mentally? Like when I was pregnant? When you were pregnant and you're just witnessing everyone doing exactly what you want to be doing, but you're pregnant, you're growing like this beautiful baby and this human.

SPEAKER_02 15:40

Um, well, so when I was pregnant, um, you know, Coach Jackson and Coach Wink uh, you know, they gave me uh a job as like a receptionist so that I could kind of supplement my income. It's funny, like I didn't know that I was pregnant while I in the first trim, I didn't figure out I was pregnant until around 12 weeks. Oh wow. So in the first trimester, I'm still like training, actually booked a fight, getting ready for the fight.

SPEAKER_01 16:03

Um So you're still sparring, grappling, like everything. Did you feel normal?

SPEAKER_02 16:08

I did. The only I think and the reason why I felt like I had to take a test was like my boobs were like getting huge, and like I was like having to go pee every 10 minutes. And I was like, I remember going on this run with uh my teammates and it just like taking me forever. And I was like, man, something's up. My body's changing, like something's up. So that's kind of what triggered me to want to take the the the test. Um but yeah, so I I think honestly, uh uh the what kept me uh what kept me sane, I think, was my husband and my teammates, you know, and my family just super supportive and super reassuring. Like you're young, you know, you're gonna have this beautiful baby. And after you have the baby, you come back to the gym and it's gonna, you know, you're gonna start off right where you left off. Yeah. And there's, you know, there we're we're here to support you and we believe in you and we know that you can do it. And so just like having that support and like their their belief in me kind of was just like the driving factor to know, like, okay, like right now it might feel like an eternity, but um, in the long scheme of things, like this, and then and then also like after I had a Ray, I think my mentality for fighting shifted as well. It was no longer just like a passion project, it wasn't something that I wanted to do because it was like invigorating and a challenge. It was something that I had to do, like I had to be good at it because now I have a family. I can't just just take a fight because it's fun and a challenge. Like I had to make something out of myself because it had to be a career and I had to make money and I had to support my family. Like now I had a family and it wasn't fighting's dangerous, you know. Like at any time you can, you know, injure yourself in a way that it would change your life forever. So if I'm gonna decide to do it, like it it has to be for a reason.

SPEAKER_01 17:57

All in too.

SPEAKER_02 17:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:58

Um, so I think that that changed my mentality too, like having a RAIA moving forward into like preparing myself to get back in. You know, I had a reason now.

SPEAKER_01 18:10

So it it was easier after the fact, after you already had a Raya to get back into fighting.

SPEAKER_02 18:17

Yeah, during my pregnancy was the hardest. After I like after I had like I did, I felt like, you know, so I um I meant this doula in Abercreck in in there's their pockets where it's like super hippie dippy granola. Yeah, there were things that, right? New Mexico. New Mexico, Santa Fe, you know. So I met this doula in this. Exactly. So I met this doula and she was amazing. She's like this older, like hippie lady, and she's like in love with Josh. Every time we went to go like take classes, she's like rubbing on his muscles and stuff like that. But we would do like these, like um, we would do these exercises where we like uh did um transferring pain through art, right? So we would do like charcoal and clay and all these things. Um, and I I remember I don't know where how I got off on this tangent. I have to tell this tangent though, because like Josh is like a bullshitter, you know, and he didn't really believe in all like the hippie-dippy stuff. And I like I I think it's it's important to be in tune with your body, especially when you're like going through I wanted to have a natural birth. So it's just like like understanding my body and understanding how to like prepare for that fight.

SPEAKER_01 19:32

Because you probably exactly, you probably very you're very in tune with your body already, yeah, right. Just from being able to use it as well as you do and and how strong you do. And so I can imagine that like now shifting that mindset into okay, I'm building this baby and having this baby, and it's like getting into the mindset of that, yeah, and being in tune with your body doing that is even more important.

SPEAKER_02 19:56

Exactly. And it was, it was people always like, well, what's your toughest fight? And I'm like, labor.

SPEAKER_01 20:02

Yeah, seriously.

SPEAKER_02 20:06

So, but yeah, so the hippie the she's the sweetest lady. The hippie dmy. She's so sweet. And so we're doing art through pain, like transferring our pain through our, and Josh has this charcoal thing, and he's like like brushing away some of the charcoal because it's like breaking apart. And um the doula's like, that's interesting, Josh. Why did you decide to do that? And I'm thinking, like, I know he's just trying to clean off his like his canvas, you know. So I'm looking at him like, what is this fool gonna say? You know, and he's like put on the spot, and he's like, Well, you know, it symbolizes Michelle's pain and and me taking away her pain, like wiping it away from her. You know, she's like, that is beautiful, Josh. That is so beautiful. Just looking at Josh like, you motherfucker. Oh my God. He looks at me like, I don't know. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 21:04

Like, yeah, you should wipe away some of my pain.

SPEAKER_02 21:07

But he he absolutely did. He was like my anchor, you know, going into labor. And I thought I wanted my sister there and my mom and you know, my best friend. Uh, and it ended up just being him and I. At home or where? Uh we were at a natural, we were at an uh, we were at a hospital, but it was like the like a natural birthing center area. So it was like, if you wanted any type of like, you know, intervention, you have to move to the third floor. And I was not trying to move to no third floor. And I there was a point where I told Josh, like, I want the drugs. I want the drugs.

SPEAKER_01 21:43

I always wonder that because I want to have a natural birth. And I always wonder, like, is there a point where you're like, okay, I want a natural birth? Never mind. Please just give it to me now. Just give it to me. I'll be fine.

unknown 21:52

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 21:53

But there's also a point where you can't.

SPEAKER_02 21:55

Yes. Yeah. Every time I was telling Josh, like, I want the drugs, I need the drugs.

SPEAKER_00 22:00

I don't think I can do this. I don't think I can.

SPEAKER_02 22:02

He's like, okay. He just like buttered me up. He's like, okay, babe, just one more contraction. Just one more contraction. And if you feel the same way, we can go. We can go. So he because he knew how badly I wanted, you know. And so that's like the tattoo that I have on my side. It's a it's a labyrinth. And it's a it's it's in a water lily, because I had I I ended up having her in the water. Um, and so in a labyrinth, you think it's a maze and you think you're lost, but all you have to do is follow the path, you know, and you think you're there and then it takes you all the way out, but you have to continue to follow the path and it takes you to where you need to be. And so in labor, there's a point where you reach where you feel like, okay, I'm almost done. And then it like pulls you all the way out, and you're like, oh shit, no, I can't, I can't. But then it's like you turn the corner again and you're and then you're at the finish line, you know.

SPEAKER_01 22:57

Do you think your fight experience helped you in labor?

SPEAKER_02 23:01

Yes and no. I mean, I think for sure, like the physical parts of it 100%, the mental side of it 100%, but there's like no getting away from it. There's no getting away from the pain. You can't tap, you can't, you know.

SPEAKER_00 23:12

True.

SPEAKER_02 23:13

Um, it's just it's gonna be there. And you kind of just have to accept, you have to accept the pain. You know, and you kind of, and and what the doula would tell me is like you have to like dig into the pain and kind of like like you know, accept it as part of what it's gonna be, you know. And um, so I don't know where I got off on that tangent. All that to say is I was more depressed when I was pregnant because my body wasn't mine. And after I had a Rhea, I had my af I had my body back. Yeah. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 23:42

So your body back, you had clarity on what you could do, where you could go, and exactly what you wanted to do.

SPEAKER_02 23:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:48

Yeah. I mean, like you said earlier, you touched on it about living in the unknown. You just didn't know where you were gonna be or how you were gonna respond or what your body was gonna be like, and that is exactly where we have all of our most anxieties. I mean, I flip out, yeah. I feel like I'm pretty good at living in the unknown, and then I'm in the unknown, and I'm like, God, you're a nutbag. Start thinking about all the what-if scenarios and how it can all go wrong instead of how it could all go right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:14

And then when you live in your head, it's even worse. Like when you keep all those thoughts to yourself, because that monster grows, you know, it's like a seed that you plant that you didn't even know that you planted yourself. But the more you think about it, the more you water it, and then it grows and it grows. And it's especially if you keep those thoughts to yourself. Because if you say it out loud, people are like, oh, that's stupid. And then you're like, Yeah, it is.

SPEAKER_00 24:36

And then you just Yes, I know, but it's still there.

SPEAKER_02 24:41

Yeah, but when it lives in your head and you like, you know, you allow it to cultivate and grow, that's the worst. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:49

I mean, that'll really screw you over. And that'll, I mean, that'll mess you up in a fight, I'm sure. 100%. Have there been moments where you like, let's say you're in the cage and you just get mentally taken out of it by something? Yep. Walk us through that. How does that feel? What's going on?

SPEAKER_02 25:05

I remember when I was fighting this this girl, she was uh she was a professional boxer coming into MMA. Her name was Elena Reed. And um, so it was this huge thing because she was a huge thing in boxing and she was coming into the MMA world and she was just gonna wreak havoc, right? And um I was like, no, she's coming into my world, you know, and I'm gonna beat her or whatever. And I remember um starting the fight, and I was like piecing her up in the in the first round, like picking her apart, kicking her, keeping distance, moving. And then I remember going to the corner and just being like, this shouldn't, it shouldn't be this easy. And I just literally that thought in my head, it shouldn't be this easy because she's like this world champion, flipped my mentality in my head, like, yeah, it is supposed to be harder.

SPEAKER_00 25:56

Oh.

SPEAKER_02 25:57

And it just was in my head that it was harder going back out into the second round, and I literally like made it harder for myself because I don't know what my what mentality switch happened, but it was like, all right, well, then I'm gonna sit in the pocket and box with her.

unknown 26:12

Woof.

SPEAKER_02 26:13

Because I don't know, I'm a dumbass. I was in that in that in that moment. And um, so I started boxing with her, and she like had me pinned up against a cage and did this like 20, 20 like piece combo on me. Oh, and it in my head, I'm like, okay, she's gonna be done soon here. And when she's done, it's gonna be my turn. And she was like, never done.

SPEAKER_00 26:39

Just kept going.

SPEAKER_02 26:41

And then the uh the ref called it, it became like he called it a TKO, and it was so stupid. Like it literally, I pulled myself out of that fight. And I like, just because it was like in my own head, I was like, I made it harder for myself. Yeah, the weirdest thing.

SPEAKER_01 26:56

Well, I feel like humans do that a lot. Like, to be successful, we have to have challenge. I'm like, yes, I agree that you have to like walk through challenge to get to the other side, but I'm also at the point where I'm like, what? It doesn't have to be that hard. Uh-huh. Maybe it doesn't have to be. Maybe when it is easy, it's like happening, you're doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing. Right, right. But it is crazy to like just one thought like that can take you out of a fight.

SPEAKER_02 27:22

Yeah, definitely. And you're you're right. Like, um, I have a sports psychologist, and I think I've struggled a lot with that. Um, and you know, we we talked about that quite a bit um, you know, in our sessions. And you know, and I think he just was like, I don't know if you think because you're a fighter, everything has to be a challenge and everything has to be a hard, but why can't you think that, you know, your 20 years of experience has has given you the momentum that you need for it not to be hard?

SPEAKER_01 27:52

And I was like, Why would I think that way? Why would I think that every ounce of my being that I've been wanting to do this my entire life and just fully committing would have any effect on how I am today?

SPEAKER_02 28:07

Yeah, yeah. So that was something I struggled with quite a bit, you know. And and you know, there were some fights that like I was able to embrace that that idea, and it did kind of re just like thing like fall into place, you know, and it was like, I do belong here, I do, um, you know, I am a champion, I will win. And, you know, whatever anybody says, it doesn't matter because I know where I belong, and those things fell into place. You know what I mean? But it's it's kind of like that sweet spot, and that's why, you know, so many fighters like end up like chasing that because it does become like when you do get that sweet spot, when you do find that flow, um, it is like the most incredible high, and it it's very hard to find. You know, and so then you lose it, and then it's like, okay, just one more fight. I can find it, I can find it, I can find it. All right, give me one more fight, give me one more fight, give me one fight, you know, and you know, Father Time's a bitch, you know. So it just it is what it is.

SPEAKER_01 29:02

And that's kind of, I mean, I I want to talk about the invect Invicta champ and then going into the UFC, and now here you are retired from fighting. And it's I don't know if you that was something that you went through about being like, okay, one more fight, one more fight, one more fight, you know. Is that what you would did? You feel like that resonated with you? Do you feel like, yeah, I was in a place where I was just kind of like chasing the carrot a bit?

SPEAKER_02 29:27

Well, I just I know my skills and abilities, you know, and I know I have what it takes to be the champ.

SPEAKER_00 29:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 29:34

And so that was what was like eating at me. It was like when you're in the moment, things happen the way they're supposed to. And then it's kind of like the moment has come and gone, and it's just like you're you're full of regret as a fighter, you know, and it's like everything happens the way it's supposed to, but it's kind of like you have you, you know, you you quarterback Monday it, right? It's like, well, I could have done this and I should have done that and this and that and this and that, but the fight happened the way it was supposed to. And um, but for me, it was like, I mean, even now as like just newly retired, still feel like I, you know, I can get back in there and and compete against, you know, the best of them. And so that it is hard. It's hard for a fighter to like to let go of that. Um, and I think in my last fight was for me kind of like the last draw because I I I know I could have beat her and I didn't. And so it was like, okay, Michelle, like, you know, let's take our fight somewhere else. You know? Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 30:36

How was that transition? Did you know going into that fight that you wanted to retire?

SPEAKER_02 30:40

Yeah, I did. I didn't tell very many people. I told Dana, but I didn't want anybody like thinking that I was just taking the fight and it was gonna be my last hurrah. I wanted to win the fight. For sure. Yeah, you want to win on a you don't want to go out on a loss ever. Um, but I just I just knew that um that I had other desires, you know. Um and uh and that yeah, I think it was like I felt like it was my time to walk away.

SPEAKER_01 31:08

Yeah, it was like it is nice when you get to a point and you're like, okay, now I can close that door.

SPEAKER_02 31:14

It was sad. I was it was very bittersweet to be honest with you. It was very sweet of them to like put together the collage and and like it, you know, it warmed my heart that they, you know, that they like kind of took it all the way back to the beginning and like showed my entire career in its entirety. And like when you when you see it that way, you can be proud, you know. But at the time I just lost my my last fight, and so it was like hard for me. I was like, can I be happy? I'm still pissed off that I lost this fight, you know. So it's like I didn't I didn't know how to feel, you know. So it was like it was like a bittersweet moment for me.

SPEAKER_01 31:48

But in that moment when you're watching the collage, could or yeah, the collage of the of your entire career, could you be proud of yourself for what you had done?

SPEAKER_02 31:58

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's crazy. Like everything when you know, when you're in the in the thick of it, like I don't think you really give yourself the credit of all the things you've done. Yeah. Right. Because it's just like, okay, on to the next one. Let's, let's, let's keep climbing, let's get, let's, let's get conquer another mountain. Let's, you know, and so you don't never look back to see like all your accomplishments and for them to kind of slow it down and and show it all was like was really amazing.

SPEAKER_01 32:24

How has the transition been from you know, your last fight, retiring, and deciding that you want to take your fight somewhere else? What has that transition been like?

SPEAKER_02 32:34

It was hard. I mean, it still is hard. Um, I think it's hard for a lot of fighters, you know, like when you're so like solely focused on a single objective and it's very specific, yeah, you know, to like to move on to something else and to like um to feel like you know, your identity is solely as being that one thing, like solely as being a fighter. And I think I remember like you know, crying to my husband about it and being like, what am I gonna tell people? Like, I've been a fighter all my life. I can't tell people I'm a fighter anymore. He's like, Why? You are a fighter, you'll always be a fighter. It'll just be in a different arena, you know, like you're just gonna you're just gonna fight for different things. That's who you are, and like that gave me peace, you know, when he said that.

SPEAKER_01 33:22

I I can't even begin to imagine what it's like transitioning from a sport like that or in any sport, football, hockey, like whatever sport it is that you've played your entire life, and then retire and have this like kind of like new beginning and kind of like brand new awakening and getting to know who you are all over again in a totally different arena or a different world or place. I I think about that often when I see these like football players or fighters like yourself yourself retire. And it's just like that transitionary period has to be weird and awkward and exciting and relieving and like happy and just like all of the emotions all at once.

SPEAKER_02 34:12

100%. It is, it is, and like I it's hard for me to watch fights because I'm like, oh, I want to get back up in there. Like that. Um and it's hard for me to talk to people sometimes uh because like I don't know what to say. And then we were talking about it earlier. It's like, you know, the first thing you you when you meet somebody is like, oh, so what do you do? And I'm so used to telling people that I'm a professional fighter, and now I'm like, well, I do a lot of things, you know. I'm I'm a mom. And then list them out, list them out. She's a mom. I own a uh jujitsu school, and we have restaurants and we have investments, and um, so then I feel like I have to like list off all these things. And we were talking, I should just tell them, well, I'm a professional badass.

SPEAKER_01 34:56

Yeah, professional badass for hire.

SPEAKER_02 34:58

Yeah, for hire. How much you won't hire me for broadcasting, you're doing that now too. Broadcasting, acting, you know.

SPEAKER_01 35:06

Yeah, so I resonate with that as well because I've I've I feel like I've been pretty good at a lot of things, but never great at every at one thing. So I've never been able to be like, I am this one thing. Yeah. It's like, oh well, I do this and I love to podcast, and I wanted to, I wanted to fight for a little while, and then I was a pageant girl, and I also was a professional wake surfer, and I just like to do a lot of things, you know. I don't know exactly where I fit in. Yeah, I guess is is the thing.

SPEAKER_02 35:33

Uh huh. I think that's probably why we like mesh. We because we have like similar person personalities in that sense. It's like if you if you see something that's a challenge, you're gonna do it. Let's try it. And you're gonna climb it to the to the furthest like tippity top that you can, and then you're just gonna go find something else to do that's fun and challenging. Yeah, you know, so that's that's probably why like we like gravitate towards each other.

SPEAKER_01 35:56

Yeah, I could do that. Because I I look at you and I'm so inspired, not only just by your career, obviously, like, but that's a small part of who you are as an individual. You're an amazing mother. I look to you, and your daughter's awesome. She's so well behaved, and like I want to hang out with you all the time. And I don't want to do that usually. But it's like you have you've it been so inspiring. You're always so kind and so welcoming to everybody. You've raised this incredible family, you know, it's truly remarkable. And like from the outside looking in, I would have cried too. From the outside looking in, it's it's it's something that I truly aspire to. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 36:44

I love you, girl. I love you too.

SPEAKER_01 36:46

She was there when I broke someone's arm.

SPEAKER_00 36:48

I cried then too. I was like, that's badass. And she was like, oh my God, I don't think I can never do this again.

SPEAKER_02 36:57

I mean, you felt bad because you heard her. I felt bad.

SPEAKER_00 37:00

That was my thing. I was just like, oh man. You're like, oh my god, that was badass. And you're like, oh my god, is she okay? Is she okay?

SPEAKER_01 37:09

She did send me a message later and she was like, It's totally my fault. I posted when I shouldn't have been. My husband worked on that with me.

SPEAKER_02 37:14

That's rough. You know, especially for girls because our joints are a little bit more loose. You know what I mean? And so that that happens quite a bit uh with girls. Yeah. That's funny. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:24

Not to get off topic there, but yes, I am just like such a uh a supporter and a cheerleader of you. And you have something really big coming up, which I'm gonna be just on your ass about. I want to see everything. You have a movie premiere.

SPEAKER_02 37:40

Yes, we're very excited about it. That I mean, this movie has been like a while in the making. Yeah. So um, you know, it happened during COVID. Uh they call the director of the movie, I think the stuff coordinator followed my follow my MMA career. And so when he's putting together like the choreography of this of this movie, uh, he had my style of fighting in mind for this specific character. Oh wow. Yeah. And uh, and so they're trying to get in touch with me. And finally, it's funny how they got in touch with me because he they're in the UK, so he knew a guy that knew Bisbing, and he knew that Bisbing was a uh MMA fighter in the UFC. And so, and because I fought for the UFC, he thought that Bisbean might know me. I knew of Bisbing, you know, and I've worked with him a little bit through broadcasting. And so, like, Bisbing reached out to me through Instagram and was like, hey, there's this director that wants to talk to you about a movie. Do you mind if I give him your contact? And I was like, Yes, a hundred percent. So he gave me his contact, and I wasn't sure. Like, sometimes you get people to reach out to about projects, and it it never ever comes to fruition, or it's like a small project that doesn't like, you know, pick up any steam. And um, so the director calls me and he kind of is like, Hey, I want you to see this fight pre-viz and let me know what you think. So um he literally shows me this like 10-minute fight scene, which is like not very common in in the movie world, right? But he's so passionate about fights that he puts together the fight pre-viz before he puts together the script.

SPEAKER_01 39:15

Wait, what's a pre-viz?

SPEAKER_02 39:16

Uh like fight fight pre-viz is basically like the choreography of a fight scene. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 39:20

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02 39:21

And it's like how they they have to put that together before they, it's kind of like a script for fight scenes. Okay, right. So he puts this whole thing together and he's like, um, that girl, like he's wearing a shirt that says like assassin, you know. He's like, the assassin uh would be you. And I was like, Well, what do you mean? Like, do I have to audition for it? He's like, No, like we when we put together the previs, we had you in mind. So if you want the role, you have it.

SPEAKER_01 39:49

Oh, that's so cool. Yeah, they've made an entire role for you, built around you. See, you're a badass.

SPEAKER_02 39:58

I was like, Yes, I'm down. Well, first, before I said I'd down, I was like, well, let me talk to my husband. You know, because it was in the UK and I wasn't sure how what was, you know, what the stipulations were with all that. And Josh was like, Of course you're doing it, like 100%. It's a huge opportunity. Um, so directors, if you anybody's like huge, like uh like fight choreo, like or fight film fans, the director is uh Gareth Evans, who directed uh the raid, and the raid uh kind of like really kind of launched off uh as far as like what directors like what how much energy directors put into like fight choreo.

SPEAKER_01 40:38

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_02 40:39

So I mean, I I ended up living in in Wales for six months because I I couldn't fly back and forth because I had you it was like during that time when you had to quarantine for 10 days and we had to wear the masks in between shots and stuff like that. So it just didn't make sense for me to fly out and fly back and fly out. So I ended up living in Wales for about six months. Wow. Shooting the film. And uh and after, you know, they've just they've been working on the edits and stuff like that, piecing it together to make it perfect, and finally it's coming out, it'll be on Netflix April 25th. Woo! And I have a super cool role in the movie.

SPEAKER_01 41:17

Yeah, you're the assassin.

SPEAKER_02 41:18

I am yes, I am the assassin, and it's it's a really cool film, and I uh I have a lot of cool like fight scenes, and and I uh just you gotta watch it. I don't want to give them any spoilers. It's like super cool. Even if you see the trailer, like I'm like I'm the one with the shot with the shotgun, and I'm like, I pull the shotgun out, I pull it, I ban, I blast it's like really cool. Yes, I get to shoot a shotgun one-handed. All right. It's pretty cool. Uh what is it called? Havoc. Havoc. April 20th. April 25th is when it uh premieres on Netflix.

SPEAKER_01 41:56

See, you're gonna, God, you're gonna do so many cool things, even like post-fighting. I know this was like four years ago when you did this, but it's like I'm just so stoked to see everything that comes up for you because you're like me. You're like, okay, let's just try these things and see what happens. I don't know how it's gonna go, but like I'm down to at least try it.

SPEAKER_02 42:15

Yeah, yeah, 100%. And and that's the thing too. Like, I kind of just have to like trust in the process and like kind of keep my head down and grind it out just like the same way I did in fighting. You know, but it is like it's the uncertainty, it's like the unknown. You don't know what's gonna happen. And so, like, I, you know, I have my husband to think to like kind of like steer me back on course and be like, you're okay, we're doing this. Yeah, you know, we're you're okay. Because sometimes I'm like, no, I just want to lay in bed of me. Yeah, ice cream and lodgin at like, please, you know, and he's like, No, you're a badass, let's go.

SPEAKER_01 42:53

No, you know, like always like so important to have someone like that in your life, regardless if it's your partner or your best friend or your mom or dad or whatever. But like I feel like I have a partner like that now, and it's it's a game changer.

SPEAKER_02 43:05

Yeah, yeah, he's definitely my anchor.

SPEAKER_01 43:07

Yeah, it helps you get it gives you like a stable ground to springboard from.

SPEAKER_02 43:13

Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 43:15

And y'all been together for a long time.

SPEAKER_02 43:16

Yeah, we have. It's you know, I think we're at that point now where it's kind of like you start losing count of how long we've been together. But you know, Raya's 14 now, so uh, we were together three years before Araya was born. So 17 years we've been together.

SPEAKER_01 43:30

Oh my God.

SPEAKER_02 43:31

I know.

SPEAKER_01 43:32

Wow. It's crazy. I mean, that's an accomplishment in and of itself.

SPEAKER_02 43:36

Gosh, I feel like, you know, we've become just like a we've kind of meshed into one. You know what I mean? Like, I don't know like what I would do without him. Um, and I think, you know, we've both changed so much since then, but we've like grown together, which is beautiful. You know. What do you think is the key to a long-term relationship? Well, he always jokes about it because I always like to change my hair and stuff like that. So he's like, every time you cut your hair or dye it or change it, I get to date a new girl. And also my weight fluctuates. So it's like skinny Michelle, big booty Michelle.

SPEAKER_00 44:14

What do you want? Short hair, long hair.

unknown 44:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 44:18

So I'm like, today I'm my vanka. Yeah. Um, but just like, you know, uh transparency, I think is key. And just like I said, I think growing together, like not allowing each other to become stagnant and encouraging each other to want to grow and kind of like be a powerhouse together, you know? Um, because I think that sometimes you can like you can become you can get too comfortable with each other to where it's like where it becomes stagnant and there is no movement in the water. And that's where, you know, that's where the bad stuff grows. That's where it dies.

SPEAKER_01 44:53

Yeah, really. You know, yeah, bad stuff grows there and you don't want to be swimming on that pool. It grows and then it dies. It's gross. Okay. But that's the thing, like you want change, you want growth as much as possible, and that can be challenging and uncomfortable at those times. But like other if you want your relationship to last, you have to support your partner in growing, and you have to be okay with growing too.

SPEAKER_02 45:19

Yeah, for sure. I think it honestly that's the biggest thing, and just um also just like uh I feel like the the longer we're together, the um you know, the more rich our relationship becomes. And I always say it's like it's like whiskey, you know, like you don't want to water down whiskey with like a cube of ice. If it's good whiskey, you drink it straight. You know what I mean? And so I think because we've like um leaned on each other all these years, it's just kind of um made our our our bond just that much richer, you know.

SPEAKER_01 45:51

Yeah, it's like it like it just keeps getting deeper. That's that's awesome. I know you guys are really good together.

SPEAKER_02 45:58

It's great to see. He's my he's my rock. He's my, you know, we're it and we're talking about opposites attracting. Um, and so like we are opposite. I'm the talker, he's kind of the strong and silent guy. Yeah you know, he's he's more serious um and more calculated, and I'm kind of just like free-spirited and like la la la, you know, which I think he wishes I wasn't, and I'm getting better. Um but it's probably just because you know, we become a very I I've I've taken a lot of his characteristics because we have been together for so long, you know, and I and I just and I see the beauty in um in in how we've kind of leaned on each other and have and have grown together. I see the beauty in in that, you know, whereas I think a lot of people can can fall into that trap of thinking that the grass is greener on the other side. You know what I mean? And and it is easy because I I I can I do it in my career, I do it in my personal life, I do it, you know, and um I I think that's just kind of again, it's like where the unknown is, is like that curiosity. And it's just like, well, like, no, the grass is greener where you water it, you know, it's where you take care of it. It's you know, like if there's cracks, like fix the cracks, you know, and um then it becomes something like that you created and cultivated and that you can be proud of.

SPEAKER_01 47:24

Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Uh I do want to talk about you came out to Nashville for an event that we threw called the Protect Her event. Um uh I'm shocked that people showed up. Oh my gosh, we killed it.

SPEAKER_02 47:40

I know, we actually did. We crushed it. I I I think Whitney's a connector, you know, like she's great at like making friends and like kind of pulling like the greatness out of people and just like you know, connecting and being like, hey, you should come, you should come, you should come. Like I try to tell people they should come, they don't come. Maybe it's because I'm not motivating or like I'm not like inspired. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 48:02

Nope, do not say that. So the fucking UFC fighter and evicted cham, just running businesses, an amazing mom. Like, yeah, come on.

SPEAKER_02 48:13

It was great. It was an amazing turnout. The maths were full. Yeah. The maths were so full, and the girls are so enthusiastic and excited to be there.

SPEAKER_01 48:20

Yeah, it was fun. It was great. I wanted to bring women or just give them a taste of like martial arts and being able to have self-awareness and situational awareness, and just the whole idea was you know, it's a self-defense and wellness event. Like, I'm gonna tease them, I'm gonna bring them in because you're gonna get free massages and pepping and cold plunging, and you're gonna win some really great prizes, meet some cool people, and you're gonna feel really cool doing it because we're gonna do the whole self-defense portion. Um, but the way that you ran the seminar with Alex Barcelona here in Nashville was just, it was very easy to grasp. Yeah, you know, and I feel like the girls were stoked to be there. And it was just, it was just so much fun because to me it was, it just started off as like a little baby idea. And I texted you out of the blue, which is like, hey, would you want to do something like this with me? And you're like, heck yeah, let's do it. And so I didn't know if I would be able to even figure out how to do it because you have all those doubts in your head, and I'm really good at playing that game. But I just put one step in front of the other and just started to like, okay, what are my two worlds blending together? And it's, you know, I love the fight space. I love watching fights, I love the whole mentality and environment around it. And I also love to pamper myself and get my lashes done and be feminine and girly because I was missing the United States, you know? And so to me, it was really about like bringing the two worlds together, which is something that I think you do very flawlessly naturally in your own life.

SPEAKER_02 49:52

Thank you. I like again, I think that's why we're drawn to because we're very much similar in that sense. It's like you're scared to do a thing, but you do it anyways. Yeah. Like you do it scared, you know what I mean? And so that's kind of how I am too. Like I'll be shaking, like petrified, but I'm like, all right, I'm gonna jump, you know. So, um, and then whatever you do after you jump, you know, yeah, it's gonna you're gonna fly. Yeah. Um, but it was it was great. And the girls, you know, the the girls took to it. It and I think kind of just everything like fell in a line the way it was supposed to, uh, you know, after retiring from fighting, you know, I think one of the things that I do want to do moving forward, turning the page to this next chapter, is you know, getting as many people and uh passionate about martial arts as I am and and and having them understand how important it is to incorporate martial arts in your everyday life for children, for adults. It's it's something that you know everybody I think should do. Um and um I think it's because it gives you it gives you so much, you know what I mean? It gives you a challenge, but it gives you um, it gives you community, it gives you a sense of confidence, it gives you like an understanding of how the world works um and how you're you you know your you yourself work. And um just I mean, I could go on and on about what I think, but as far as women go, I think it's even more vital for them to understand how important it is to protect yourselves. Because um, you know, like guys like to do martial arts because it's kind of like, I don't know, in their DNA, like to fight and and all that stuff. But girls need to learn how to do martial arts to protect themselves, to protect their loved ones, and and to, you know, that that's who the guys are, or not the guys, but the you know, the perpetrators or uh the these bad guys in the world are are looking out for. They want to see if they can take advantage of these girls that are vulnerable, that are are small, weak, um, sensitive, unaware, you know, and so let's not just let's just not give them that opportunity.

SPEAKER_01 51:56

Yeah, take me, we'll dive into this and then we'll close out the show. But what do you think is the most important for women to know when it comes to self-defense or protecting themselves?

SPEAKER_02 52:07

I mean, I think I think it's the preventative, right? I I that's just uh I I think that's universal when it comes to anything in life. It's like it's better to do the preventative stuff than already get yourself in deep waters and had to have to try to dig yourself out. You know, so we spent a good amount of time talking about situational awareness because if you have good situational awareness, you know, nine times out of ten, you're not gonna get yourself in those positions.

SPEAKER_01 52:34

Yeah, you're not gonna attract the perpetrator or sire or whatever you want to call them.

SPEAKER_02 52:38

Yeah, 100%. Like you want to go out with your girls, like have a plan. You know, like don't get to the point where you are, you know, are don't know where you're at. And in, you know, uh if you're gonna do that, like be stay at home with your girls and and know that you're in a safe place where you can, you know, let loose and and be in that white zone of of awareness. Um, so all those things. And it's it has nothing to do, and and it goes so much further than just going out to the club and having a good time. Because you could be completely sober and in your car and in at a in a parking lot or at a gas station and and somebody is trying to take advantage of you. You can be walking down, you know, I've seen so many videos where girls are just like walking down like um, you know, the street next to a park and get taken advantage of because they weren't aware. They're looking down on their phone or, you know, looking into their purse, trying to find their keys. And at that moment is when, you know, you know, somebody snatches you up and and it's scary.

SPEAKER_01 53:44

Yeah. The world is a gnarly place. As much as we can live in our own little bubbles and like, God forbid anything actually happens, and we can just go for a walk in our neighborhood, no big deal. There's things that happen on every street that we have no idea about. And it unfortunately could we could happen to us at any point. I mean, you're a world champion and world class fighter, you know, like the last person I want to mess with is you, for sure. But you don't go to gas stations at night.

SPEAKER_02 54:15

Nope. I don't go to gas stations at night. I don't grocery shopping at night. Like, and if I have to, like absolutely have to, I'm finding a place where, you know, it's, you know, it has good lighting and that the, you know, I'm parking right underneath the street lamp. And there's there's like all sorts of like little things that you can do to make sure that um you're in a safer place.

SPEAKER_01 54:36

What do you say to people that would say that that's being paranoid by being that aware or choosing not to do certain things at certain times of day is just being paranoid?

SPEAKER_02 54:46

No, it's just being aware. You know what I mean? And we kind of talked about that um in the seminar, having different levels of awareness and like thinking that like there's gonna be a serial killer that's out to kill you at every second of every moment of your life, that is, you know, overly, that is like being in the red. And and as a fighter, like I have to be in the red when I know I'm stepping into the cage and they're closing the the gate behind me to fight 25 minutes, right? So now I'm in the red. Now it's go time and now I'm hyper-aware. Um, but that's not sustainable like every day and every second of your life. But what is sustainable is just being aware. Um, and somebody that says that you're you're being paranoid or hypersensitive might be somebody that's trying to get you to get your guard down. You know what I mean? It's not always the person that you don't know or in the stranger danger. It sometimes is the person that you do trust the most that is trying to get your guard down slowly because they know that the best way to take advantage of you is when your guard is down. You know, and that's unfortunate too.

SPEAKER_01 55:51

Yeah, that's it's very, very true. It's very true. And I think the other thing that was interesting that we talked a little bit about was the fact that, you know, you can be all of these things. You can be a mom, you can be very feminine, you can do all of that. And I also think the fact that we walk around with our bodies, this is the one thing that we have regardless until we don't, you know, that you being more comfortable with who you are and understanding how this actually works and taking more of a proactive role to life as opposed to being passive and life is happening to me and nothing's going to happen to me, happen to me. It's like if you take the proactive role, you're really confident. And in fact, you're like fully embodied into the feminine of who you are by knowing how to use your body if you need to.

SPEAKER_02 56:39

I a hundred percent. And I think that you know, body language it uh plays a huge role in it. And and that's that's another thing that you know the bad guy is looking out for. What is this what is this person's body language? Are they confident? How are they walking through life? You know, every anybody that's anybody that you talk to will say that there's a difference in in somebody's uh um way of life by their body language. And if you want to change how, you know, how you walk through life, you start by changing your body language. You start by changing your physiology, you know? It's just the the difference in a couple centimeters is like how you walk through life.

SPEAKER_01 57:18

Yeah. I mean, when I'm having a bad day, I I'll go in the mirror and put my shoulders back.

SPEAKER_00 57:24

Come on, we'll pull yourself out of it. Let's go. Shoulders back, power stance.

SPEAKER_02 57:32

Mama said you a pimp.

SPEAKER_00 57:37

Get out of it.

SPEAKER_02 57:38

100%. And it works. And it you might feel silly doing it, but gosh, it already puts a smile on your face. It makes you laugh. It changes like all of the energy that's like flowing through your body. So yeah, do it, man.

SPEAKER_01 57:51

Yeah. All these little things that you might think are dumb and cliche actually are pretty truthful.

SPEAKER_02 57:58

100%. And if they are dumb and cliche, it's it's cliche for a reason. Like they say it over and over and over and over again for a reason. It's because like the people that are so successful, they don't do a hundred million things once, they do one thing a hundred million times. Yeah. They say it over and over and over and over and over again. They do it over and over and over and over again. The champions, the goats, they'll tell you all the same thing.

SPEAKER_01 58:23

Yeah, they go deep. Well, Michelle, you're amazing. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you for being a part of the Protect Her event. You absolutely rocked it. Hopefully, we'll do something like that again in the future. Um, and maybe we'll just keep chit chatting. And I'm excited for this next chapter that you have going on.

SPEAKER_02 58:40

I am too. And I am excited for you. I'm I'm like always your biggest cheerleader. And um, yeah, let's continue on pushing forward.

SPEAKER_00 58:49

Yeah, girl, love you. Love you too.