The first few years I was competing, I'd ride so well in practice, then choke and fall in competition. Now I take a deep breath and say, 'Look at me. I'm outside. I'm doing what I love.' Still, nothing's matched the pressure I felt standing at the top of the halfpipe for the first time at the Olympics.
— Gretchen Bleiler
We need more balance in the world - more balance of the feminine and the masculine.
Climate change poses a far greater threat to the outdoor industry than even the privatization of the public lands.
I'm so grateful for all the experiences I've had; the life lessons I've learned along the way are just completely invaluable.
It takes a village to earn a spot representing your country, and I know that every single person who helped me get to the Olympics was also touched by the dream. The web of inspiration is incredible. Because of this, I know that the core principles and spirit of what the Olympics stand for are worth protecting.
Over the course of my 13-year career, I've had a lot of concussions, and yet, because I'm no longer competing or suffering from concussion symptoms, I felt like I was in the clear. The reality, though, is that I get concussions far more easily, and my symptoms last far longer than ever before.
As pro snowboarders, skiers, etc., we all know that what we do is risky.
I'm a competitor, and since I was 2 years old, I have always wanted to be the best at whatever I was doing.
Snowboarding has really shaped the person I've become, and I consider every moment a good one because every one has led me to where I am now.
Building up expectations, creating unrealistic time frames, feeling like our end goal is the end all, be all can all lead to frustration or anxiety. We end up feeling as though we have to power through what we want rather than enjoy the process and just let the result come as it may.
More and more, companies are realizing the value of their female consumers, and that's showing up in the female-specific products they're making, their marketing strategies, and even the feel of their companies internally.
It takes energy to get energy.
I don't have too strict a diet.
When you're up on the hill, and you know you're as strong as you can be, you're more willing and able and confident to go and do bigger and harder and more technical tricks.
Everyone has different things they like in terms of board setup. The grind of the board and how it's waxed - you want to make sure that the speed of the board is right for the conditions of the halfpipe. And then there's the edges and the bevel of the edge.
I love songs with a lot of confidence.
I have three brothers, and they were all snowboarders, and I always looked up to them. That's the reason I started snowboarding. I always wanted to be just as good as they were.
It took me a long time to figure out how to deal with pressure.
I like eating small meals frequently throughout the day, it helps me keep up my metabolism and get more out of my training.
I grew up snowboarding in two of the best states for the sport: Colorado and Utah. The world-class ski mountains in these neighboring states were key factors that allowed me to represent our country in two Olympics and numerous X Games.
Meditation isn't necessarily this magical experience where we don't ever have thoughts.
I'm a two-time Olympian, but ever since I was a little girl, the Olympic dream has influenced me.
Being at the top means never being satisfied with what you're comfortable with - comfortable means you've stopped pushing, and you're either going to get passed, or you already have been. But if you're constantly pushing yourself, then you're exposing yourself to falls and injuries.
Mt. Hood is still one of my favorites for its sun, warmth, and slushy, forgiving conditions.
Life is short, and if we enjoy every moment of every day, then we will be happy no matter what happens or what changes along the way.
When you find yourself hitting up against a wall over and over again, it's time to try a different route.
Sometimes in life, when we really want something, we can approach it in a way that might actually be closing us off from achieving it.
I learned a few years ago that balance is the key to a happy and successful life, and a huge part of achieving that balance is to instill rituals into your everyday life - a nutritious balanced diet, daily exercise, time for yourself through meditation, reading, journaling, yoga, daily reflection, and setting goals.
There will always be another email to get through; something to clean up, file, and organize; more errands to do. Which is why balance is so important. Life is a marathon, not a sprint.
From day one, snowboarding led me down a totally different path, and it's that path that's kept me laughing and continually intrigued. I love the satisfaction at the end of the day of overcoming my fears, of spending all day outside working hard, and there's nothing better than the feeling of landing a new trick for the first time.
Jumping on the trampoline for even a half an hour is a really good workout. You get really tired. The next day, you're feeling it. And you really have to use your core. If you don't, your lower back hurts the next day.
I get to experience so much in my life as I travel around, and it's just such a great way to get to share that with people. All these sites, like Twitter and Make It Pro, give me such a very strong way to interact with people. It's easy to let people be part of your life and to keep all of your friends and fans together.
I think everyone in snowboarding is close. We've become a big family. It's not a cutthroat sport. I'm competing against one of my best friends, and I think it's cool to be at the top of the half pipe, dropping in with your competitor but your best friend, too.
I think whenever you have any kind of injury or challenge, you just have to deal with it the best you can. You have to decide what's important to you and focus on getting back to where you want to be. And enjoy where you are and what your goals and dreams are and just give it 100 percent.
When you start to find balance, then you start to ask more important questions, like, 'Who am I really?' That's when you start seeing that every single person around you is a human being just doing the best that they can.
I typically have breakfast, have a snack, have lunch, have a snack, and have dinner.
When I win, I'm happy. When I lose, I'm also happy. I'm grateful for this life I have to live. It's a great life.
Meditating, even for a little bit, is better than nothing.
From any traumatic injury, you're going to experience a lack of confidence. There's a whole process you have to go through to break free of that.
Our job as pros is to walk a very fine line: be the best but stay healthy so you can continue to progress and be at the top. You can't push the sport and yourself if you're always hurt.
When I first started snowboarding, it was something that was only really done in the winter. Mount Hood in Oregon was the magical exception.
Change can be uncomfortable and scary. But I believe change exists to teach us to appreciate and enjoy the right now.
When you operate from a nothing-left-to-lose mentality, it's essentially the same thing as the 'Law of Least Resistance.' You have a goal in mind, but you're not emotionally attached to the outcome. You're focusing on all of the little steps inbetween.
I've gotten to work with some amazing brands that, in many cases, market to female consumers.
With the new year comes a refueled motivation to improve on the past one.
Core training is so important.
If you wake up in the morning, and you're feeling tired, I feel like if you get on your yoga mat and even practice for, like, 10 or 15 minutes, it's really great for just grounding you, centering you, and getting the energy moving.
When I first started snowboarding, nobody trained off-hill. People weren't going to the gym and getting stronger. Snowboarding was more self-expression, like skateboarding. It was just something you went and did. It wasn't something you trained for.
For me, vision is just about the most important thing. So goggles play a huge role in my sport. I come to the competition with a bunch of different goggles and tons of different lenses in multiple tints. The weather can always be changing, and you have to have the right thing to make sure you can see perfectly.
I think whenever you get out and do something different, like mountain biking or surfing, it just makes you more aware of your body and balance. For me, I've always loved anything that involved sports, so I've always just tried different things.
