Gritty Genius

What a way to close out 2021 Gritty Genius podcast series with none other than my former high school soccer teammate, badass Latina and marathoner, Elizabeth “E” Sanchez. In this episode, E and I chop it up about how soccer was a catalyst for empowering our identity and smashing gender roles. We talk about owning our voice and representing in spaces where there are, still, too few women have a voice. We bring to light that in the sport of running, and marathoning, there is a need to smash the “thin ideal” body type and embrace all (our) body types. E shares that her career journey is deeply rooted in her desire to create consciousness shift and help create a more empowered narrative for others. I am so honored that E took the time to chat it up on the Gritty Genius podcast. Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Bio:

Elizabeth Sanchez grew up in Adrian, Michigan, but has been at home in Chicago for the past 17 years, raising her family of three kiddos with her husband while working in sports communications. Her first love is soccer, and she was in the Communications Department at the U.S. Soccer Federation for 15 years, serving as an interpreter, youth national team press officer, media operations officer and overall jackie of all trades. She was one of two venue press officers to manage four matches in the historic Copa America Centenario, where she oversaw three group matches (Lio Messi hat-trick, anyone?) and a semifinal at Soldier Field in 2016. In 2019, she transitioned from the international game to the Chicago Fire Football Club, where she was also hyped into signing up for the Chicago Fire Foundation's Chicago Marathon team. Despite being on the cross country team for two years in high school, she would never ever have called herself a runner, but now, 21 years, three kids and one marathon later, she thinks she just might be. Elizabeth is the sister of a former guest and Mario Aguirre.

For inspiration and realness follow Elizabeth on Instagram @chivet

Don’t know who needs to hear this but it was something on my heart that I needed to check-in on. For this Gritty Genius Hot Minute I share my perspective on how we can view our past as a roadmap and release ourselves from judgement or doubt. While we have the power to create our reality, we are also human. We can learn from where we have been and mistakes we have made, not with judgement but with trust and self-compassion. Everything now is preparing you for something later down the road. See your past as preparation and roadmap to help you more forward with more intention. Thank you always for sharing this little space with me and much love!

Dr. P checking in for a Gritty Genius hot-minute with some post-cancelled race reflections from Ironman California on October 24, 2021.

To note, on October 24, 2021 Sacramento, California had record breaking rainfall and what was called a “BOMB CYCLONE” here are some of my reflections a couple weeks later…

To summarize: When life/sport doesn’t go as planned…

•It’s okay to feel the feels but don’t stay there too long because triathlon/sport is a lifestyle AND #firstworldproblems

•No effort EVER goes wasted. Be proud of everything you have accomplished and the journey it too to get to the start line.

•Your start line tells an important story too. Honor it!

•Triathlon is a lifestyle and should reflect your values of what living a healthy life is about.

•As you change, grow and evolve your relationship to sport and what you want to get out of it will evolve too.

Selenne and Dr. P chop it up all about endurance training! Dr. P kicks off the conversation with Selenne's USF 30 under 30 nomination. They talk about the parallels of endurance training and life. Dr. P is training for Iron Man California (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, 26.2-mile run) happening in Sacramento, CA in October. Selenne is training for the Boston Virtual Marathon (26.2 mile run) happening in Boston, MA in October. The chicas talk all about training, the mental commitment, what they've learned from previous races and training, and their expectations for endurance races this year.

“It’s one thing to be successful and make it but to me it’s not valuable unless you share it and how do you lift other people up to share it.” -Selenne Alatorre, USF 30 Under 30 Winner 2021

In this Gritty Genius episode I share my post-yoga insights regarding the themes of self-worth and its connection (for me) to guilt.

Check in and ask yourself…

Do I move around in the world trying to prove my worth (consciously or unconsciously) through what I can do, how many followers I have, who I know, or what I have? Do I have patterns of over justifying, to others or myself, why my wants and needs are valid?

Or do I move around in the world knowing my worth, and anything that I want, need, or desire affirms that knowing. Do I ask for what I want empowered fully knowing that it needs no justification?

Do I fully, wholly, and internally feel worthy despite what has happened to me, what I may have done or how someone has treated me?

Self-worth is a big theme! I hope you take a listen and it stirs something in your soul, and… reminds you why YOU ARE WORTHY!

*MUST LISTEN* Dinanga Mulumba, attorney, engineer, woman of color in STEM and mom keeping it real during the pivots of life.

This one is for the books! There is so much depth and heart in this conversation with my long-time friend and soul sister Dinanga Mulumba. I’m so thrilled to share this space with her and you all! We jam on the theme of pivoting in life, overcoming fears of complacency, and creating our own path of growth. We share our reflections of being a woman of color in STEM and feeling the weight of responsibility in spaces.

One thing Dinanga said during this conversation was “If you don’t push for your own path and interests, people are very happy to put you in a box that makes them feel comfortable that they get who you are” POWERFUL and so much more to this conversation. Enjoy!

Bio:

Dinanga Mulumba is a corporate attorney, who has worked in the biotech, aerospace, and research and development industries. She holds a bachelor’s of science in Chemical Engineering and Spanish minor from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She also holds a Master’s in Engineering Management from FIU and Law degree from NSU. Born and raised in NY, she is now based in Boston and is the mother of lovely curly headed kids.

Respect note: I mentioned my time at the NIH and it was Dr. Jean Lud Cadet, MD whom is Chief, Molecular Neuropsychiatry Research Branch and Chief, Molecular Neuropsychiatry Section at National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Intramural Research Program.

Dr. P and Selenne take on the first "Chop'n it Up with the Chicas" series episode where they talk about their roots of grittiness and how their upbringing instilled the willingness to take on every challenge they face. Although they grew up on different coasts and have different stories, they share the ways their moms made significant impacts on the way they show up in the world today as Latina women.

Dropping another Gritty Genius Minute with me, Dr. P. Spring has sprung and what is manifesting in your life? What has been underground all winter that this sprouting up in your life? Observe, reflect, commit to getting one 1% better each day and “weed” out things (people, places, etc.) that are hindering you, if necessary.

Book reference: Atomic Habits by James Clear

Correction: 37% better at the end of the year if we commit to getting 1% better each day; the temperature in which ice starts to thaw into water.

Dr. P and Selenne talk down-to-earth-highly-motivated-realness-on-display conversation about goals, doing the work, making jefa moves and not settling for the comfort zone. Big news, Selenne will be a future co-host of the Gritty Genius series “Chop’n it up with the Chicas” Be on the lookout for more juicy conversations that will elevate you to the next level!

Bio: Selenne Alatorre is a Research Project Manager at Boston University. She obtained a bachelor's degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Sacramento State and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of San Francisco. Her work in the public health field has focused on addressing childhood obesity, mental health and wellbeing, and other health-related behaviors. She has presented research on childhood obesity, social determinants of health, maternal health, and mental health at conferences across the country; including the Nation College Health Association Conference, the American Public Health Association Conference, the California Childhood Obesity Conference, and the Latina's Rising conference. Selenne is a daughter of immigrants and a proud Latina. Her ultimate goal is to work with Latino communities by addressing health and socioeconomic disparities in a meaningful way. When Selenne is not bossing it up, she can be found running marathons and throwing some heavy weight in the the gym.

Dr. P is getting back to the bricks of what “Gritty Genius” is about. It’s about using what you’ve gone through to refine and cultivate your own "personal genius,” and manifest it this world. It’s about keeping it real and sharing what we have gone through to help other realize this is process is apart of developing their life path and passions.---

"Grit is passion and perseverance for long-term and meaningful goals…the ability to persist in something you feel passionate about and persevere when you face obstacles.” + "Genius is an exceptional talent or skill, something above and beyond the norm." YOU HAVE GRIT and YOU ARE GENIUS!