Alexi Pappas: Staying Awake to Our Pain

When she was a child, Alexi Pappas lost her mother to suicide. So when Alexi faced a season of deep depression she knew had to find a different way forward. That’s when her training as an Olympic runner became invaluable. 

In this conversation, Kate and Alexi discuss,

• The difference between stress and trauma
• The discipline—and joy—of sheer effort
• Good pain vs. bad pain and how to stay inside the uncomfortable for a bit longer 
• The highs and lows of realizing your dreams
• How viewing mental illness as an injury not only destigmatizes depression, but offers tangible next steps toward healing

Too often professional athletes fall into the pure motivational speaker category. But this conversation with Alexi gently threads the needle about what is possible if you stay a little longer in uncomfortable situations when even getting out of bed feels like a win. 

There is so much wisdom we can glean from Alexi’s discipline and willpower.

CW: suicide, depression, mental illness

***

Find me on Instagram or Facebook or Twitter.

Be sure to subscribe to my weekly email for bits of wisdom, prayers, free downloads, and more.

No Cure for Being Human (And Other Truths I Need to Hear) is now available wherever books are sold. Order your copy today.

To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.