“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I’ve learned that you have to make careful choices because everything has an impact. I’ve also learned that you can’t please everyone in life, so please yourself and figure out what really matters.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“It’s okay to feel nervous before a competition because it means you care about doing well.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Getting older, getting married, buying a house, becoming a different person… I had to figure out what my new motivations, inspirations, and goals were.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I typically have breakfast, have a snack, have lunch, have a snack, and have dinner.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“As long you are doing what you love and making decisions from the heart, you will be successful.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“When you choose to take the road less traveled, it can sometimes be a bumpy ride along the way, but if you’re doing it for the right reasons, then the reward is so great.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I’m so grateful for all the experiences I’ve had; the life lessons I’ve learned along the way are just completely invaluable.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I want to keep snowboarding as long as I’m still having fun and progressing my riding.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“The programs I do with my trainer are amazing for overall strength and have a major focus on building my core. We do a lot of unique exercises that shake up the nervous system, which builds my balance and propreception. That’s really important for my sport.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Eliminate the energy vampires in your house. Connect all of your appliances to power strips and turn them off they’re when not in use.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Walk, skateboard, bike, car pool, or use mass transit more, and drive less.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“As pro snowboarders, skiers, etc., we all know that what we do is risky.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“As a professional snowboarder, my goal is to educate and create awareness around the issues we’re facing with climate change.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I think snowboarders have a unique experience when it comes to the Olympics because we have a pretty frequent competition circuit in addition to the games. So it’s not a sport where your big moment is just once every four years.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“It took me a long time to figure out how to deal with pressure.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“When you find yourself hitting up against a wall over and over again, it’s time to try a different route.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“With the new year comes a refueled motivation to improve on the past one.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Climate change poses a far greater threat to the outdoor industry than even the privatization of the public lands.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“If you don’t snowboard a lot, then it’s a good idea to go to the gym before you get up on those mountains to make for a better experience. Lots of core exercises and squats and lunges would help work the muscles you’ll be using.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Meditation isn’t necessarily this magical experience where we don’t ever have thoughts.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“My family moved to Aspen, Colorado, where we had ‘Avalanche Danger’ days that kept us from going to school, climbed 14,000-foot peaks as part of my education, and I learned to snowboard.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I love songs with a lot of confidence.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“We need more balance in the world – more balance of the feminine and the masculine.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“The Olympics have always been very special to me.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“After the Winter Olympics in 2006, I realized I had a platform to speak about causes that were important to me – and people would listen.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I work out hard; that way, I can eat whatever I want. If you have a hard time regulating your diet, pushing yourself at the gym will help you keep the pounds off.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I have at least one goal that I work toward each day. It’s all about taking hold of the day rather than letting the day run you.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“If you take minutes a day to take care of your mouth, the odds are you’ll take the next steps needed to take care of your whole body, like exercising and eating healthy. It’s a building block for other healthy habits.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I don’t have too strict a diet.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Core training is so important.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“It takes energy to get energy.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I’ve gotten to work with some amazing brands that, in many cases, market to female consumers.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Change can be uncomfortable and scary. But I believe change exists to teach us to appreciate and enjoy the right now.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I’m a competitor, and since I was 2 years old, I have always wanted to be the best at whatever I was doing.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“When I first started snowboarding, it was something that was only really done in the winter. Mount Hood in Oregon was the magical exception.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Mt. Hood is still one of my favorites for its sun, warmth, and slushy, forgiving conditions.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I’m a two-time Olympian, but ever since I was a little girl, the Olympic dream has influenced me.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Meditating, even for a little bit, is better than nothing.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“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.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I like eating small meals frequently throughout the day, it helps me keep up my metabolism and get more out of my training.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I’m very competitive.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“It sucks. When you’re a woman in sports, people want you to show some skin.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I run on the beach, surf, and bike.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Have a specific goal every time you hit the gym; this way, your workouts have built-in purpose.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“While everyone’s purpose may be different, with social media we all have that platform to create the change we want to see in the world, and I spend a lot of time encouraging others to step up and use theirs.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“What most people don’t realize is that in snowboarding, there are two different aspects: the filming side and the competition side. The filming side is when snowboarders spend the entire winter season trying to document the best, most progressive and innovative riding of the year.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I’ve always had bigger legs and butt; it’s just the way I’m built. Over time, I realized that they were blessings because that foundation – my legs and butt – is what helps me flip 12 feet above an icy halfpipe.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Being involved in sports, you think less about how your body looks and more how it performs.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Your money is power, so be aware of the products you’re buying and the companies you’re supporting to make sure you’re helping the companies that are leading the way in sustainability.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Get a composter and let nature breakdown your compostable trash and use the remains as mulch for your plants.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“As a professional snowboarder, my livelihood obviously depends on snow. And for me, traveling around the world, chasing the snow, I see the effects of climate change first hand. You can tell the difference.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I love how snowboarding is like no other sport out there – I mean, some of my best friends are my biggest competitors. And we just cheer each other on. It’s a very supportive sport.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Every year, I push myself to do something different – and push the boundaries a little bit more.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I partnered with Mission: it’s a really cool company based on giving athletes what they need. I have my own signature lip balm because when I’m up on the hill, protecting your lips is so important.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“If you’re stressed at work, or before a competition, or if you need to be energized, or relaxed, there’s so many scents that kind of take you there.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“The Olympics, you’re in front of the world, and yeah you’re competing, but you want to look good. You want to have a great representation of who you are.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I care about the way I look, and I want to look my best. My regime isn’t crazy. For my face, it’s just sunscreen because foundations and tinted moisturizers rub against my neck warmer. But I do like eyeliner, mascara, and a little color on my lids.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“When I started snowboarding, I was looking for success to bring me identity. I still love to win, but at the same time, I don’t need the X-Games to show me who I am.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I’m a Midwestern girl; I was born in Toledo, Ohio, and grew up in Dayton until I was ten years old. Then my whole life changed.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Growing up with brothers, I’ve always been a very competitive person and also very involved in sports. So when I was younger, whatever sport I was involved in, I wanted to go to the Olympics for that!”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“When I first started snowboarding, there weren’t a lot of girl riders on the hill.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“What snowboarding has always had and the Olympics has not touched is that spirit, that original spirit of creativity and athletes standing up and having a voice and being innovative. But I guess what the Olympics has done is provided a platform for that spirit, and that’s what I see as being a really positive thing.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I’ve landed on my shoulders a lot of times, and separated them and stretched the capsule. I’ve torn my ACL in my right knee; that took me out for an entire season.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I’ve had cumulative concussions and realized that’s something you carry with you.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“You’ve made the time to go to the gym, so don’t just go through the motions.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“When you feel the burn, that’s when you know you’re doing an exercise correctly. If you’re doing 20 crunches, and you’re not struggling, make an adjustment so they’re harder to do. Don’t cheat yourself. If it isn’t burning, you’re not getting stronger.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I’m on the road a lot, but I eat healthy whenever I can with foods that don’t contain pesticides.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I’m a two-time Olympian, but on the front and back end of both of those were two Olympics where I narrowly missed making the team.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I remember being glued to the TV as I watched the Olympics as a kid. There was something so magical, almost otherworldly, about the Olympics. My favorite part was that moment right before it all started. The moment where the athlete would stand up ready to face whatever lay ahead.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“I love dried mangoes, walnuts, and goji berries. The mix provides iron, antioxidants, and omega-3s and really kicks up my energy.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Lots of times, people go to the mountains and feel like it’s not cool to wear a beanie and goggles and neck gaiter. But you’re so much more comfortable, and you’re getting the protection you need.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
“Mission makes athlete-specific products. I always use their sunscreen – it’s an anti-sting formula, which is huge for me because it doesn’t burn my eyes when I’m snowboarding in warmer temperatures.”
― Gretchen Bleiler
Leave a Reply