Everybody sacrifices something in an attempt to reach what they think society wants.

My other life keeps me calm and grounded and normal.

I'm doing four hours of gymnastics training a day, six days a week and then an extra two to three hours in a fitness center as well.

That's the drama of our sport. Our margin of error is so small that anything can happen.

I was able to do Classics, the U.S. national championships and the Pan American Games and feel like I improved with each meet, but I was still struggling with a lot of residual pain from the two surgeries.

Retiring was scary and it was tough to give up gymnastics, but so many great opportunities have come from it that I never expected.

Stay strong. Stand up. Have a voice.