PerformHappy with Rebecca Smith

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I had the privilege of chatting with international elite gymnast Céleste Mordenti, the first gymnast from Luxembourg to ever win a FIG World Cup medal.

Céleste’s journey hasn’t been an easy one. As a young gymnast, she rose quickly through the ranks, representing Luxembourg at European and World Championships. But behind the medals and the spotlight, she battled the same struggles so many gymnasts face — fear, mental blocks, and the pressure to be perfect. At one point, she couldn’t even bring herself to swing giants, a skill she’d done for years.

In this episode, Céleste opens up about what it really takes to build lasting confidence. She shares how changing environments, learning to step back, and redefining progress helped her shift from panic and frustration to a place of trust in herself and joy in her sport again.

What makes her story so powerful is that she proves confidence isn’t something you’re born with — it’s something you can build, no matter how stuck or scared you feel.

Whether you’re a gymnast, parent, or coach, you’ll find inspiration and practical takeaways in Céleste’s story — from normalizing fear to celebrating small steps, and ultimately learning that setbacks are just part of the path to success.

In this episode, Coach Rebecca and Céleste talk about:

• Competing on the international stage as a teen
• What it feels like to get stuck in the cycle of fear and mental blocks
• How supportive coaching can completely shift an athlete’s confidence
• Why taking a step back is actually the fastest way forward

"Taking a step back isn’t leaving the path to success — it is the path to success." – Céleste Mordenti

Follow Céleste on Instagram: @celestemordenti

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m talking with Utah gymnast Avery Neff — a rising star whose journey proves that resilience, mindset, and belief in yourself can take you further than raw talent ever could.

Avery wasn’t always the clean, confident athlete you see competing on the NCAA stage today. She started as a “floppy” gymnast, throwing skills with no fear but little form. With the help of her coaches, her relentless drive to prove herself, and a mindset shaped by her fearless family, she turned those early struggles into the foundation of a championship career.

In this episode, Avery shares how she developed her growth mindset, how she pushed through one of the toughest moments of her career — spraining both ankles her freshman year — and how she worked her way back when everyone thought her season was over. She also opens up about the importance of setting big goals, visualizing success, and finding joy in the process, even when fear or setbacks creep in.

Whether you’re an athlete learning to push through fear, a parent supporting a child through setbacks, or a coach looking to inspire your athletes, you’ll walk away from this episode with powerful lessons on confidence, perseverance, and chasing big dreams.

In this episode, Avery and Coach Rebecca talk about:

• Why resilience matters more than natural talent
• The mindset that helped her recover from two sprained ankles in record time
• Why believing in yourself (and saying your goals out loud) changes everything
• How gymnastics taught her life lessons that will carry far beyond the gym

"If you’re not saying it, somebody else is — and somebody else is going to get it before you do." – Avery Neff

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m talking to parents who are navigating one of the hardest parts of raising athletes: watching your kids struggle with disappointment, pressure, and even toxic coaching environments.

As parents, our instinct is to protect our kids from heartbreak and setbacks. But what if the very challenges we want to shield them from are the ones that help them build resilience for life? Using clinical psychologist Dr. Becky Kennedy’s “bench” analogy, I share how letting kids sit with their disappointment — instead of rushing to fix it — prepares them for the bigger benches of adulthood, from heartbreak to career setbacks.

I also dive into an important and difficult topic: what to do if your child’s coach crosses the line into emotional abuse. I share guidance on how to recognize red flags, when to approach a coach, and when to go directly to gym owners or SafeSport.

Whether you’re supporting your child through a tough season, or wondering how to handle an unsafe coaching environment, this episode will give you tools to respond with calm, connection, and courage.

In this episode, Coach Rebecca talks about:

• Dr. Becky Kennedy’s “bench” analogy for building resilience
• How disappointment today builds confidence for tomorrow
• Recognizing the signs of emotionally abusive coaching
• When to have a conversation, how to approach it, and when it’s time to leave

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m talking to athletes and parents who are in the thick of it — setback after setback, injury after injury, and feeling like the dream is slipping away. If that’s you, I want you to meet Arya and her mom, Sara.

Arya spent years navigating injuries, mental blocks, and environments that didn’t bring out her best. She battled fear of re-injury, lost skills, and even walked into the gym in tears some days. Through it all, she held onto her dream of competing college gymnastics.

In this episode, you’ll hear how Arya went from feeling stuck and unsupported to thriving in a new gym environment, regaining her skills, and finally achieving one of her biggest goals: competing at Eastern Nationals.

Whether you’re an athlete facing challenges, a parent supporting one, or a coach looking to help your gymnasts overcome obstacles, you’ll walk away with powerful lessons about resilience, environment, and finding joy in the sport again.

In this episode, Arya, Sara, and Coach Rebecca talk about:

• Why environment matters just as much as mental training for success
• The moment she knew it was time to change gyms (and how she found the courage to do it)
• Why focusing on small goals and loving the sport again made all the difference
• How she made it to Eastern Nationals — and why it was even more meaningful after years of setbacks

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m talking to athletes who are stuck. You know you’re capable of doing the skill—you’ve done it before—but for some reason, it’s just not happening right now. Maybe you’re dealing with the pressure of move-ups, recovering from a past fall, or your brain is simply hitting the brakes. You’re not alone, and there is a way through it that doesn’t involve just pushing harder or trying to force your way over the mental block.

In fact, trying to "just do it" is usually the opposite of what works. In this episode, I’m sharing what actually helps: starting with ditching perfection, tuning into what your brain needs, and building momentum through small wins. Whether you're the athlete going through it, or a parent or coach supporting someone who is, you’ll walk away with clear, actionable tools to make progress—even when progress feels slow.

In this episode, Coach Rebecca talks about:

• How to shift your focus from perfection to progress
• The power of treating each turn like an experiment
• What to do instead of comparing yourself to your best day
• Why communication with coaches and parents is important to getting unstuck
• One essential mindset shift for parents

“When you stop judging every turn and start treating it like data, you actually build the confidence you’ve been chasing.” – Coach Rebecca

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m sharing one of my favorite topics: the “camp magic” that gives athletes those powerful bursts of confidence, and what you can do when that confidence disappears back at the gym.

Whether it’s a breakthrough skill at camp or a fearless moment at competition, those experiences can feel like superpowers. But why don’t they last? I’ll explain what’s actually going on in the brain when athletes are in fresh, positive environments, and how you can capture that feeling and bring it home.

If your athlete has ever done something brave at camp or at a meet, only to freeze again in practice, this episode is for you.

In this episode, Coach Rebecca talks about:

• What “camp superpowers” are, and why kids often break through blocks in new environments
• The science behind how your environment impacts confidence and fear
• What to do when confidence fades once your athlete is home
• How to identify your “camp alter ego” and show up as them every day

“If you want consistent confidence, you have to figure out what sets you up for success, and then do more of that.” – Coach Rebecca

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m sharing the simplest way to build confidence, even if you feel like you don’t have a single extra minute.

So many athletes and sport parents tell me the same thing: “I want to feel more confident, but I’m just too busy to add one more thing to my day.”

Trust me, I get it. Between school, sports, work, and everything else, life is full. But what if I told you that just 10 minutes a day could actually rewire your brain for more confidence, happiness, and success?

In this episode, I’m walking you through the exact mental routine I use every single day. It’s fast, backed by research, and it works, even for the busiest athletes and parents.

Whether you're an athlete trying to rebuild trust in yourself after a setback, or a parent looking to support your child’s mental game without overwhelming them, this episode is for you.

In this episode, Coach Rebecca talks about:

• Three brain-based strategies that take just a few minutes a day
• How small daily shifts in mindset lead to big confidence wins
• What the research says about gratitude, mindfulness, and affirmations

“Confidence isn’t something you’re born with, it’s like a muscle. You’ve got to do your daily reps.” – Coach Rebecca

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m talking directly to sport parents (but athletes, don’t tune out just yet!). I had two parents in our community share the same concern: “I don’t want to say the wrong thing.” They love their kids, they want to help, but they’re afraid they might accidentally be making things worse.

So in this episode, I’m sharing what I’ve learned about how to actually support your athlete, without adding pressure, without creating shutdowns, and without walking on eggshells.

This is something I dive deep into in my Peak Performance Parenting course, but today I’m giving you the Reader’s Digest version so you can start building trust, connection, and resilience with your athlete right away.

Whether you're a parent wondering how to be encouraging without pushing too hard, or an athlete who just wants to feel understood, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, Coach Rebecca talks about:

• The different stages of change, and why “helpful” advice doesn’t always land
• How to know when your athlete is ready to talk, and when it’s better to just listen
• Why open-ended questions (not lectures!) are your best tool
• How to become your athlete’s safe space, even when they’re struggling
• Ways to build trust outside of sports conversations
• Why empathy goes further than problem-solving

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, Coach Rebecca dives into a powerful Q&A session centered around one of the most difficult crossroads in an athlete’s journey—deciding whether to keep going or walk away from their sport. Whether you’re deep in upgrade season, dreading practice, or feeling the spark fade, this episode offers clarity and compassion for athletes (and their parents) navigating burnout, fear, and identity.

Coach Rebecca shares personal stories from her own gymnastics career, candid conversations with athletes, and the key questions every gymnast should ask before making a decision they might regret—or celebrate.

Whether you're the athlete considering a change, or the parent watching your child wrestle with uncertainty, this episode is a must-listen.

In this episode, Coach Rebecca talks about:

• What to do if you’re falling out of love with your sport
• The difference between burnout and being truly done
• How fear, pain, or pressure can cloud your decision-making
• Why it’s okay to redefine what your gymnastics journey looks like
• Four essential questions to ask before making a choice to stay or go
• How to create your own version of success (even if it doesn’t include leveling up)
• Tools for finding clarity—especially if college recruiting pressure is weighing you down

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

Has your athlete suddenly developed a fear of a skill they’ve done a hundred times before? You know they can do it physically, but something’s holding them back… and no matter what you try, nothing seems to help.

In this week’s PerformHappy podcast episode, I’m diving into three hidden warning signs that you, as a well-meaning parent, might accidentally be keeping your athlete stuck in fear. Maybe you’ve tried everything: encouragement, time off, stepping back, even considering a new sport, but they're still shutting down.

This isn’t about blame. It’s about awareness.

Because here’s the good news: the way you show up can make a difference. In fact, when you shift your approach, you can have a profound impact on their confidence and ability to overcome fear.

Tune in now to find out if you’re part of the problem or the solution and how to make that shift.

In this episode, Coach Rebecca talks about:

Warning Signs of Overparenting in Athletes 

The Impact of Parental Pressure on Athletes.

Dealing with Parental Impatience.

Navigating Parental Concerns and Emotional Regulation.

The Mental Block Breakthrough Method.

“To overcome mental blocks, you need trust, not motivation.” - Rebecca Smith

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com