Sevan Matossian (00:00):
That’s the, um, <laugh>, I watched the podcast with, uh, Scott on, uh, Clydesdale Media.
Bethany Flores (00:06):
Oh, yeah. Yep. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah.
Sevan Matossian (00:10):
Feel
Bethany Flores (00:10):
He’s a good guy.
Sevan Matossian (00:11):
I feel I come back. Yeah. Fantastic guy. And, uh, exact same shirt.
Bethany Flores (00:17):
Yeah. <laugh>. It’s the only one that’s like very, like, you know what it is kind of thing. So I try to do my best to give him a shout out
Sevan Matossian (00:26):
Who, who’s the owner of that company. He’s, he’s absolutely tearing it up.
Bethany Flores (00:31):
Um, I actually don’t know his name. <laugh>.
Sevan Matossian (00:34):
Someone will say his name in the cons. There’s always someone I know at all times who’s doing 75 hard. It’s been like, I feel like it’s been like that for over a year now. Every day I hear like, someone be like, oh, I’m doing 75 hard, or I can’t do this. I’m doing 75 hard. Or I’m reading this book, I’m doing 75 hard. It’s crazy.
Bethany Flores (00:50):
Uh, is he the one that started that?
Sevan Matossian (00:53):
Yeah. Um, someone, someone was, oh, say that again.
Bethany Flores (00:58):
They do some fun stuff. Like, we went out there, um, to go visit me and Alexis Ti Uhhuh <affirmative>, and the things that they do with the employees are like, it, it’s extreme, but it’s funny. Like, it’s cool. They’re like, yeah, we ran a marathon around the building, uh, for all the employees the other day. I was like, what? <laugh>
Sevan Matossian (01:17):
Just kept circling the building till they hit 26 miles. Yeah.
Bethany Flores (01:20):
Yeah. <laugh>,
Sevan Matossian (01:22):
Andy, Ella, that’s the guy’s name.
Bethany Flores (01:24):
Oh, there we go, Andy. Yeah. Yeah, I did. Yeah, I did meet him. I’m sorry. Yeah, he was, he’s awesome. He’s super cool.
Sevan Matossian (01:30):
Yeah. He he’s pretty hardcore, huh? He’s just in, in all his presentations and in all, in all his social media content. He is pretty hardcore. He is pretty adamant about his position.
Bethany Flores (01:40):
Yeah. But he is super nice too.
Sevan Matossian (01:43):
Um, h how do you have an agent?
Bethany Flores (01:45):
Yeah,
Sevan Matossian (01:46):
Cooper, who’s, oh, Cooper’s your agent. Okay. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> is, um, is Cooper, Carrie, Pierce’s agent too.
Bethany Flores (01:53):
Um, he was, I’m not sure if they’re still working together, but he was at one point, which is what brought me and Danielle and Carrie all together in Las Vegas.
Sevan Matossian (02:03):
Okay. Yeah. And, and that’s kind of, that’s kind of, uh, why I went there. What a, what a, um, what a cool thing you had going there with Danielle and you and Carrie.
Bethany Flores (02:14):
Yeah. That was a lot of fun.
Sevan Matossian (02:16):
Was that, that was kind of short-lived, right? Two one year. Yeah, two years,
Bethany Flores (02:20):
Basically, I would say a year for me as far as training goes. And then after that, it was kind of <laugh> went downhill, <laugh> physically for me, physically and mentally, I was just like in a really hard place, bad place.
Sevan Matossian (02:35):
You got, you got wounded, you,
Bethany Flores (02:38):
Uh, physically, yes. Multiple times, but also just mentally and emotionally just burnt out and tired and just not having fun anymore.
Sevan Matossian (02:46):
How old are you?
Bethany Flores (02:48):
Uh, I’ll be 30 next month.
Sevan Matossian (02:51):
Yeah. Um, what ha do you have a firm grasp on what happens when people burn out, when something becomes not fun? Like, do you understand the mechanism?
Bethany Flores (03:01):
Yeah, I mean, I mean, it’s just that in itself, it’s you, you stop having fun with what you’re doing. Um, and that’s a big part of a burnout, at least for me. Um, I feel like in 2022, I just went from, I feel like 2021 was like a really big highlight for me. And then injury after injury after injury plagued me. And because of that, I wasn’t able to like fully express myself in the gym, which is what I enjoy the most. And I think because of that, it just, it became not fun and just caused burnout for me.
Sevan Matossian (03:36):
Hey, hey. Um, Bethany, is it possible to turn your camera the other way? Yeah. Or is it balanced? Perf. Oh, okay. Cool. Hey, let,
Bethany Flores (03:45):
Is that better?
Sevan Matossian (03:46):
Yeah. Let me ask you this, you know, if like you’re in a relationship and you want, and you’re just like, oh, this isn’t working like with another human being and you want to get out, or, or, or both people want to go their separate ways. Is it like that at all? Is there any, is there any similarity to be training every day and just being like, Hey, this isn’t fun. Whereas, you know, like you wake up next to someone one day and you’re like, this isn’t fun. Is there, is there any, is there any similarity to that?
Bethany Flores (04:14):
I don’t know. I mean, I thought everyone that I was working with in Vegas was amazing and super kind, and ended up just being like a personal problem at the end of the day. And I, we spoke like Justin and I spoke about it, um, and I just told him, I was like, I don’t know what’s going on with me, because I feel like everyone’s enjoyable to be around, and I’m personally just burnt out. I feel burnt out. And I actually said that before, uh, semi-finals West Coast Classic. I, uh, two or a month before I went up to him and I started crying <laugh> because I was like, I’m, I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I just, I’m not having fun anymore. I’m burnt out. Um, and so it’s probably just like we were pushing so hard in the gym every single day that it’s not sustainable for people like this.
(05:06):
And like me, Carrie and Danielle, like we’re the top of the tier athletes. Like, we’re going to the games every year. And so we’re super competitive. Um, and so yeah, we were just pushing so hard in the gym every single day, um, which made semi-finals at West Coast. Kinda like a, kind of like a breeze in the sense of like, man, we’re pushing this hard every single day. That, so it’s just like another training weekend. But I think for, for me and where I was at in my career and being seven years in, uh, and doing a lot of damage to myself personally, even before I went out to Vegas, um, I just got to the point where I was like, oh, man, my body can’t keep up anymore. <laugh>
Sevan Matossian (05:51):
D does the burnout start be, um, between the ears, or does it start in the body?
Bethany Flores (05:56):
I think between ears.
Sevan Matossian (05:57):
Between the ears,
Bethany Flores (05:59):
Yeah. And, and it becomes mental before it becomes physical.
Sevan Matossian (06:02):
I, I, I like the way you said, um, you’re drawing that distinction between you like those people there because like, I hated school, but if someone ever asked me, did you love school? I would say I loved it. And the, and the only reason why I loved this is ’cause I wanted to go see my friends. And that’s how I kind of feel about the podcast. It’s not like my favorite thing to do, but I, but, but I love coming on and just meeting new people, right? Like Yeah. And it, it’s interesting that even with people there that you liked, you know, you know what I mean? Like, I could go out with my friends and just rake leaves and it would be fun.
Bethany Flores (06:34):
Yeah.
Sevan Matossian (06:35):
And so you would think with friends, um, but it started in between. Do you know what it started? Is there a seed? And do you know what the seed was that started it? Do you know what it comes from the burnout? What it, um, what the original thought is?
Bethany Flores (06:50):
I don’t know. I think there was probably like a lot of different things going on in my mind. Um, I think part of it was missing my fiance who was, um, mm-hmm. <affirmative> out in California and almost like trying to like fast forward my life a little bit of wanting to be married, wanting to start a family, all that stuff. And really just getting ahead of myself. Um, but I think at the same time, I like the grass is not greener on the other side. Yeah. I look at that stunning man, <laugh>. Yeah.
(07:20):
Anybody would wanna start a family with him. Um, but yeah, I think I was just trying to fast forward my life and not be present. And I think that’s kind of what got me in trouble partially. Um, and I think once that starts happening and you kind of, you’re not as present in your life, then physically things can start deteriorating, I guess, and going in the wrong direction that you would like them to. Um, and I think it all just comes with ownership and almost like self-sabotage. I did a lot of that before Vegas, and I think maybe by the end of Vegas I was self-sabotaging once again.
Sevan Matossian (08:00):
Hey, uh, I really appreciate you explaining this to me ’cause I’m starting to understand it, or at least be able to see, think I understand it. You, um, you were rushing. Yeah. So I, so you were rushing. So, um, I’ll go into the store with my kids. We buy some food. As we’re walking back to the car, I’m already thinking about how I need to get them home and get new clean clothes on them for the next event. Yeah. And then someone drops their food on the ground, and if I wasn’t rushing, it would be funny. Or I would be like, go over to ’em and be like, oh, I’m so sorry because he dropped his food. It’s sad for him. But instead, because I’m rushing, it turns into a delay for what I want, which is to get them home and change them. So now I’m pissed, but it’s only because I’m not present. Yeah. So I’m, I’m picturing as like you’re in this fantastic situation with Carrie Pierce, Danielle, Brandon, Justin Kotler, with your friends, perfect training situation, but part of you is like, shit, you know, in three years I want to be pregnant. And like, um, I like, fuck. Where, where, um, um, uh, what’s Mr. Flores’s, uh, first name?
Bethany Flores (08:57):
Randy.
Sevan Matossian (08:58):
Randy. Oh, where, where are Randy and I gonna live? And, and, and you’re just kind of, you start drifting off, right? Right. When am I gonna see him? And, and you’re just not present.
Bethany Flores (09:07):
Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I get it. And then it causes other problems. Get like, uh, you kind like pull yourself away from people and I’m, I’m kind of more, I would say a mixture half and half of introverted and extroverted. I can go both ways. And I think when I start getting into my head, I can get a little bit more introverted. And so you start pulling away. And then for me, like injuries started plaguing me, which makes you pull in even more. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, so I think it just, it was just a, a recipe for a mental health. I won’t say breakdown because it’s not like I broke down completely, but just burnout, just complete burnout. And I don’t think my career’s done. Like, and I thought it was done last year. I wanted to be done completely. I wanted to quit and just move on with my life. Um, but that wouldn’t have been fully respecting myself, uh, and really what I wanted to do. And CrossFit,
Sevan Matossian (10:06):
That’s another great, um, explanation. Uh, yeah. When you’re injured, you start to go inward because your attention is now on your body instead of like, looking at the outside world. Like, you’re like, yeah. You always have a little bit of your attention on this shoulder, right? Or on that toe. Yeah. Oh, speaking of toes,
Bethany Flores (10:21):
Toe spacers, got ’em on. Nice. <laugh>. I have my shoes on right now, so no spacers for me.
Sevan Matossian (10:29):
Unacceptable. Uh, Allegra <laugh>. Allegra r um, pumped for this interview. Here’s some loot for some new pants. Thanks,
Bethany Flores (10:36):
<laugh>. What’s wrong with your pants? <laugh>.
Sevan Matossian (10:39):
I don’t wanna talk about it. <laugh>. I po I, I was, I, I have some long Johns and I posted myself wearing them on Instagram and I’m just getting tore up.
Bethany Flores (10:48):
<laugh>,
Sevan Matossian (10:49):
People tell me I look like a homeless woman. Okay. Uh,
Bethany Flores (10:53):
Comfortable.
Sevan Matossian (10:54):
What is, what is, um, sorry to just dig in here. I promise you we’ll get to more, um, positive stuff. What is, were
Bethany Flores (11:02):
Going straight into it. <laugh>.
Sevan Matossian (11:03):
Uh, what is, um, what is, uh, what does self-sabotage look like?
Bethany Flores (11:09):
Uh, I mean, for me it was, um, especially before Vegas, it was undereating and over exercising. Mm. Because I didn’t feel like I was ever gonna be good enough. Um, or like, I, I kind
Sevan Matossian (11:25):
Of work under eating because you want your body to look a certain way when all the lights are on you. Yeah. And there’s everyone’s staring. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Bethany Flores (11:31):
Body image issues. A lot of body image issues. Right. Um,
Sevan Matossian (11:34):
Could someone not have body image issues and be a CrossFitter?
Bethany Flores (11:38):
Absolutely. You should.
Sevan Matossian (11:40):
You could be out there with 3000 people cheering you on in your, in your bra and panties and, and not be thinking, what, what does my body look like? It’s fucking kind
Bethany Flores (11:49):
Of, I think you can look at your body a certain way or think about it without having body image issues.
Sevan Matossian (11:55):
Okay. Well, well, I would love to figure that out. ’cause I, I, I, I need two beers to take my shirt off at the beach, so I’d love to, I’d love to hear what you mean by I, what, what you guys do is crazy. You’re going out there so the whole world can judge every single facet of your body. Not only how it looks, but how it moves and how it performs against other fucking people. Yeah. I mean, I like doing it, but it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s pretty, it’s pretty intense.
Bethany Flores (12:19):
<laugh>. Yeah. It’s crazy. But yeah. Did a lot of, uh, lot of eating disorders over the years. So
Sevan Matossian (12:28):
Is it, is it, is it conscious when you say sabotage? I think it’s conscious, but now I hear you explain it. It’s not conscious.
Bethany Flores (12:34):
No, I don’t think it really, I mean, I think, you know, kind of what you’re doing, but you don’t know why you’re doing it. So I don’t think it’s as conscious as we think it is until we start working on ourselves and then we realize, oh wow, I did that for so many years. And it’s kind of like you start thinking about it, you start taking ownership of stuff and you’re like, that was really silly of me. Why did I do that? <laugh>,
Sevan Matossian (12:59):
I, is it as simple as the, the event is three days away and you walk by the mirror and you don’t see what, you don’t look the way you want to present yourself. So at every meal you start cutting every meal in half. You know, you’re supposed to eat a six ounce steak, you eat a three ounce steak, you know you’re supposed to eat one potato, eat, have potato. It’s just as simple as that.
Bethany Flores (13:22):
It can be. Yeah. Or just like going into the gym and doing extra reps and extra workouts and exercises and stuff because you don’t like the way you look.
Sevan Matossian (13:33):
Right. More pump, more sweat.
Bethany Flores (13:36):
Yep. Yeah. More calorie burn.
Sevan Matossian (13:38):
Yeah. Should I still do that? Going there, going the, if I feel like a piece of shit going the garage and ride the assault bike for an hour at night and try to sweat off <laugh>. It doesn’t, I don’t ever feel like it works.
Bethany Flores (13:51):
No, I think it gives you instant gratification for maybe 2.5 seconds and then you realize that that didn’t really help at all.
Sevan Matossian (13:59):
Um, do you think you ever harmed your, uh, performance doing that?
Bethany Flores (14:04):
Oh yeah, for sure.
Sevan Matossian (14:05):
Yeah.
Bethany Flores (14:06):
Harmed myself caused more injuries than necessary caused sickness more than necessary. A lot of things.
Sevan Matossian (14:15):
Uh, it’s my
Bethany Flores (14:16):
Whole career.
Sevan Matossian (14:17):
<laugh> what, say, say that again. Your whole career. That’s been my
Bethany Flores (14:19):
Whole career. Yeah. Yeah,
Sevan Matossian (14:20):
My whole career. Is it, is that behind you or? No, it’s, it’s, it’s now, uh, you’re in the battle with it.
Bethany Flores (14:28):
Um, I would say that I’m way farther along in my journey than I’ve ever been. I don’t think that you ever fully arrive from maybe your vice that you have, um, from healing, but it’s very conscious now and I’m definitely taking ownership of it. And it’s a, I think being as present as possible on a daily basis, I can make better decisions for myself.
Sevan Matossian (14:53):
Can you gimme an example, um, of where maybe you make a better decision being present
Bethany Flores (15:01):
Than, yeah. I mean, even just looking, I mean, we can use the example of looking in the mirror. Like I can look in the mirror now and maybe not like the way that I look, but my actions don’t have to dictate from my thoughts. You know, like my thoughts can maybe still be a little ugly, but Right. Um, be like, oh, I don’t like that part of me or whatever. But I can make a conscious decision that even though I don’t like certain things about my body, I’m gonna choose to eat still and fuel my body correctly and not over exercise.
Sevan Matossian (15:36):
Yeah. Um, I call that, uh, uh, I was just talking with someone about this the other day when you have some sort of observation or some sort of sensation and you don’t start spinning a narrative around it. Right. So, um, uh, for example, let’s say you want to get a tattoo and very nice, lots of tattoos, <laugh>, some you might, you might, you might take pause and wonder where is that coming from? Where is what I think a lot of other people do is they start spinning a narrative around justifying getting it. So they might be like, I wanna get a tattoo of my, of my mom that passed away on my forearm. And the reason why is ’cause I never wanna forget her. And they start spinning this narrative about it as opposed to, you know what I mean? So you might, and I, I, the parallel would be like, you walk in front of the mirror and you’re like, fuck, I look a little chubby today and stop there. As opposed to then you spend the narrative, I’m skipping my next meal and I’m going to get, I’m do an extra workout.
Bethany Flores (16:32):
Yeah.
Sevan Matossian (16:32):
You just stay present and catch yourself.
Bethany Flores (16:35):
Yeah. That is, yep. That is the perfect way to look at it and think about it. But that’s what I try to do with everything.
Sevan Matossian (16:43):
It’s really hard,
Bethany Flores (16:44):
You know, it’s a lot of discipline.
Sevan Matossian (16:46):
<laugh>. Sp speaking of, um, uh, not liking yourself in the mirror. Do you know who this is?
Bethany Flores (16:52):
Yeah, it’s my doppelganger.
Sevan Matossian (16:54):
Yeah.
Bethany Flores (16:55):
<laugh>.
Sevan Matossian (16:56):
Do you know who it is? In?
Bethany Flores (16:57):
Everyone says,
Sevan Matossian (16:58):
Oh, other people have said that to you too. Oh, okay. Good. Yeah,
Bethany Flores (17:02):
I get that in Ali Raisman.
Sevan Matossian (17:04):
I don’t know who that is, but you. Um, I mean, gal, it’s crazy, right? ’cause uh, c clear gal ga DOT’s like, looked like she fell from the heavens. You look like you fell from the heavens. And so it’s kind of hard for, for people to, you welcome. It’s, I mean, I, I think every, everyone sees it, but it’s just crazy. It’s crazy. Maybe it’s not even good to tell you that ’cause that just piles more pressure on you. But on the show, I always, I joke around a lot about how you’re a fucking wonder woman. I go, look, it’s Gal Gadot. I mean, you would be better Wonder Woman than Gal Gadot <laugh> or Gau or whatever name is. It’s crazy. Well, I’m so glad that people told you that’s your doppelganger. ’cause I thought it was just me. People in the comments always make fun of me. Uh, that’s funny. Don’t
Bethany Flores (17:45):
Be creepy. I don’t see it. I mean, I see it, but I don’t see it at the same time. So it’s funny.
Sevan Matossian (17:49):
Don’t be creepy. What do you mean? Don’t, it’s, it’s, it’s part and parcel of, with my d n a, it’s, it’s who I’m, oh, uh, Jessica Valenzuela. Bethany is way more beautiful. Bethany’s just way more healthy looking gal DOT’s hot. But Bethany is, is is healthy. Um, uh, Ryan Stokes, I’m all about the Bethany Flores brand. Love her accessories videos and, and always share them. What’s that? I don’t know about that. What’s that?
Bethany Flores (18:15):
Um, I don’t know. I don’t know if it’s a brand, but <laugh> I mean, that’s all I do on my page is accessory work and working out and
Sevan Matossian (18:23):
Oh, those kind of accessories. Gotcha.
Bethany Flores (18:26):
Yeah. Yeah. All that stuff. All the good stuff that maybe people skip out on. I like that stuff. The boring stuff.
Sevan Matossian (18:35):
What’s a, um, uh, what, what’s it, what’s an, what’s an injury you think you had from, um, not taking care of yourself? Undereating and over time, my back <laugh> your back, for sure. And, and what is it about your back? Do you know?
Bethany Flores (18:50):
Um, if you look at it on like an m r i, it’s very common. It’s just bulging discs, arthritis, um, like osteophytes that have formed, like the bony parts have formed out ’cause the disc has been out for so long. So it’s not anything crazy, outrageous, mysterious. It’s just, that’s why. And like, I’ve had it since I was 12. So that’s how I know it’s not just a physical thing. I think there’s like a psychological component to it. So, um, it’s one thing that after the 2019 CrossFit Games, I really tried to take ownership of my mind, I guess, and the things that I was doing that maybe was causing it to be in more pain, uh, than it needed to be. So it’s been a journey in itself with all of that.
Sevan Matossian (19:39):
For explain the connection. If it’s, if it’s physical, how, how is it also mental?
Bethany Flores (19:46):
Mm. I think that, I don’t know. I just feel like if you have chronic pain for that long, like I’ve had it for 17, 18 years, there has to be a psychological and mental component to it. Um, and that’s what I just started to believe, because I think your mind is a really strong, uh, thing and can cause you to, I think sometimes it can cause you to be sick sometimes, sometimes when you’re not actually sick. Um, and I think it can cause pain when there actually isn’t maybe, maybe actual pain there. So, um, I just realized that as much as it is physical, ’cause there is, it’s very physical, right? Like, it’ll get to the point where my back will go out on me completely. Um,
Sevan Matossian (20:36):
Like crawl, like crawl to the bathroom, go out on you
Bethany Flores (20:40):
Most <laugh> Carl to the bathroom?
Sevan Matossian (20:42):
No. Like crawl to the bathroom, go out.
Bethany Flores (20:44):
Oh, crawl to the bathroom. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I mean, yeah, ever since I was 12 I’ve had the point where I’d have to lay in bed for a couple of days and just can’t even stand up straight. Um, so it’s a, it’s a awful feeling. Um, but yeah, I think that there’s just this, I can make it worse and it actually is with my head and just being a victim of it. Mm-hmm. Um, so maybe something that could have been fixed in a couple of days. I prolong it for six to eight weeks because I’m staying in this victimized mindset and woe is me and I’m in pain and there’s nothing I can do about it and not taking ownership where maybe I could. So I feel like that’s what Perrin Wow. My, uh, new coach has kind of brought into my life is,
Sevan Matossian (21:31):
Oh, what’s, what’s her name? What’s her name? Perrin. Perrin. Oh, I think I, I just started following her yesterday. She’s the training think Tank girl, right? Mm-hmm. <affirmative> Asian girl. Oh yeah. I did just start following her.
Bethany Flores (21:42):
Um, but I think what she’s helped me with this year, um, because my training has not been like it has in the past, uh, is figuring out still things to do when I’m in a bunch of pain. Um, and so there’s, we have like levels basically of things that I can do. Like there’s, you know, when I’m feeling fit, everything’s feeling good, and I have no pain, and then maybe we have to go a notch down from that and a notch down to the point where maybe I’m just doing meditations and walking, but she always has something for me to do. And I think that’s a big part of staying out of like the victimized mindset of feeling like you can still do things. I guess with your day,
Sevan Matossian (22:26):
Uh, um, you’re describing so much, I think what so many fucking people have gone through, like the, the whole back thing I used to my, I my back used to go out like that, crawl to the bathroom, pee in the shower, can’t move <laugh>. But about four years ago, I just put my foot down and once I had kids and I said, I’m, I’m never, I knew the, I didn’t know, I didn’t penetrate it as deep as you’re, you’re going into it. But I knew that there were certain things that I was doing that was always hurting it, some reckless things, and I just, I just cut everything back in half from there. I mean, as simple as if, if if, if, if, if I used to do Fran 95, then I took the woman’s weight at 65 and then I cut it in half and did it at 32, like, fuck you, I’m not hurting myself anymore.
Bethany Flores (23:08):
Yeah. Yeah. I think there’s just a part of like, um, I think part oft my self-sabotage was, uh, I mean I was able
Sevan Matossian (23:16):
With your goals, with your goals of that
Bethany Flores (23:18):
Semi-finals. Yeah. I mean, with semi-finals there was a lot of things that I had not touched in over a year and a half that I was expected to do on the floor. Um, so I don’t know. I mean, this year has just been really crazy and the things that I’ve been able to do, uh, as the years of the year has gone on is just honestly mind blowing to me. Like I thought I was gonna have to pull out during semifinals because everything that I did before semifinals was causing me pain. Like the sled pool was causing me pain. Um, I couldn’t, I didn’t snatch over like 1 45. Um, I hadn’t touched the 150 pound sandbag since Waap Palooza in January of 2022. Um, so I decided to take a risk this year and go a different route. And that means, for me, the, the risk was self-respect.
(24:14):
So anytime I felt like my back was starting to fill a bunch of pain, um, or intuitively I could tell like, this is gonna cause pain, uh, I didn’t do it. I stopped. And that’s, yeah, it’s a really hard thing to do and it’s very risky to do as a CrossFit athlete because there’s a lot of things that we’re expected to do on the floor. Um, but this year is about taking risks in that way and a lot of self-respect. So I’m sticking with my game plan as I go into the CrossFit games this year.
Sevan Matossian (24:48):
Did you ever, um, do you ever feel if someone says something to you, your back get tight?
Bethany Flores (24:55):
Yeah. I feel like if, um, I’m a huge people pleaser, so I feel like when people aren’t happy with me, my back can get tight.
Sevan Matossian (25:02):
Yeah. It, it, it’s weird. It’s weird that for some reason that’s gone away with me, but that used to be a huge thing too. I could get upset or I could get frustrated and I could feel my back start to seize up. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, is that part, is that the, is that the, the mind part you’re talking about also?
Bethany Flores (25:17):
Yeah, I think so. I think there’s a part to that. Yeah. Being able to control, um, like your perception of what is causing you frustration or, um, making you mad, angry, whatever it is. Sad. I think it, there’s, it’s all about perception about things. So had to work on that. Bethany,
Sevan Matossian (25:38):
There was this article that came out in 2022, um, M S N B C put it out and then, and then the article was just reposted again recently, so in the last like couple days, um, on Twitter or something. And so Joe Rogan and Elon Musk weighed in on it and a bunch of people are weighing it, weighing in on it. And it’s an old, it’s an old article. And the article basically says that exercise is something that’s a component of the far right. Meaning people who are Republicans. Right. So, and, and it’s not
Bethany Flores (26:06):
Why is that?
Sevan Matossian (26:06):
Well, well, it’s interesting and, and Elon and Joe Rogan made a lot of jokes and, and laughing about it. But I think that there’s a, without going so much into the political side of it, but there’s characteristics of those two political parties. And maybe one of them is the reason why they think that is. ’cause one of those, uh, political parties has more personal accountability and responsibility. So like to say it in the nicest way possible, the Democrats might see a baby fall down and go over and pick the baby up. The Republicans see a baby fall down, and they want to turn their back to it to make sure it’s safe so that the baby can work on itself and stand up on its own. You see? So, so you kind of see what I’m saying there? There’s a No follow me little
Bethany Flores (26:48):
No, you’re, you’re good. <laugh>.
Sevan Matossian (26:49):
Okay. And so your analogies are funny. And so I I, it’s interesting because you say that you used to play, I’m going somewhere with this. You said that you used to play the, um, the you, that you had a little bit of a v victim mindset around your injury. It, it would be a two day injury that you, that you prolonged into a six to eight week injury. Yeah. Two questions here. Where do you think that started from to play that victim? And so, another reason, another way of, of, of the victim is, is like, Hey, we think doctors are gonna save us, right? Yeah. Like, you have type two diabetes, instead of changing your diet, you think the doctor’s gonna save you and give you metformin. And so there’s these two different ways of like thinking, and that’s why they think exercise is far right, because those people in general, I’m, I’m big sweeping generalization, but they’re, they’re more likely to take, uh, uh, personal accountability and responsibility for it. Like think that they, and that’s why they’re called selfish, et cetera. What, whatever, <laugh>. But do you know the origins of that? Do you know the origins of why you might’ve played the victim? Mm.
Bethany Flores (27:54):
I feel like for me it was just like a low self-esteem and self-worth. Um, I might have had like, possibly he high self-esteem, like in the gym and I was working out, but as far as like my livelihood went, um, it was actually pretty low. So I think a lot of the origin starts from there.
Sevan Matossian (28:16):
Okay. And then, and then, and then, and then to, and then to fix it. How do you fix it? Did you remember your first step when you said you would, you would look inward?
Bethany Flores (28:24):
Yeah. It was after the 2019 CrossFit games and just feeling like I didn’t deserve anything that I had and I wasn’t, um, I wasn’t happy honestly, and I didn’t feel like I had anybody to share it with. And I had a lot of people that wanted to support me and love me, and I just pushed everyone away. And so when I got back from the games, um, I think for me it was working on a personal relationship with God. So that started with literally diving into a devotion and journaling and just sitting with myself a little bit more. Um, so having quieter moments because I felt like I was constantly busy. And I think that was like, maybe it subconsciously just didn’t wanna be by myself ’cause I didn’t trust myself. Um, or I didn’t, or I just didn’t want to be by myself. Um, and so forcing myself to be quiet was a big thing for me, which is scary for people like me that like to stay busy.
Sevan Matossian (29:24):
Um, the, yeah, that’s interesting. The, the, the God thing. When, when was, uh, God introduced to you as a kid?
Bethany Flores (29:30):
Yeah, as a kid. We, we went to church growing up and we were, my parents were involved with the church that we went to. Um, and I just never, I never really latched onto it fully. I didn’t really grasp it. I didn’t understand it. So, um, like in my teenage years, got away from it. And then, yeah, in 2019 I just was like, something was pulling me towards it. So I just decided that I wanted to dive in a little bit.
The above transcript is generated using AI technology and therefore may contain errors.
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