Powerful Women on Connection: “There is no joy in success without connection.”

We go to Tokyo and no audience is allowed, we're quarantined in our rooms, and can only come out for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Everyone expected us to perform in a certain manner. There was no camaraderie.

Connection is everything. It’s people to lean on, especially your family, your friends—they can help lift you and help you get through those emotions.

For the world to expect some of these athletes to go above and beyond when we're all going through the same thing and trying to survive a pandemic was really strange for me mentally.

We are neurobiologically hardwired for connection with other people, and in the absence of it there is always suffering. There is no joy in success without connection.

When we feel anxious and untethered, we look outside of ourselves for the tethering, for that port or safe harbor. What we’re looking for to reground ourselves is not external to us, it’s inside of us. We can only be as connected to other people as we are to ourselves.

How do I make connections with others? I start by investing in my connection with myself. How do I talk to myself? I try to be more caring and tender and loving with myself.

All of us have an opportunity to be the places of gathering…If you love, you are an intersection of the people who love you.

Curiosity is the key that unlocks possibility. What is possible? We can’t create connections if we aren’t first curious. You can’t have courage and connection without curiosity.

Be curious. Shift from defensiveness to curiosity to make connections. Fear shrinks our world, curiosity expands it.

When we squad up as women and create community and connection in the rooms we are in, we are less likely to be ignored. We are less likely to be punished. When we come as a group that is supportive as a group, we are more likely to get what we want.