Imperfectly Human™ | Athlete Identity & Life After Sport

What happens when you finally reach the level you worked so hard for, only to realize the pressure is just beginning? Rachel Blogg sits down with NFL player Tyron Herring for an honest conversation about chasing a professional football career, getting cut, changing teams, managing expectations, and learning to separate who you are from how you perform.Tyron shares the mental pressure of knowing every practice could affect your future, the sacrifices people never see, and how faith, mantras, and a commitment to the process have helped him navigate the uncertainty of professional sports. He also opens up about writing his book after being cut, finding value beyond football, and why athletes need interests, relationships, and purpose outside their sport. Together, Rachel and Tyron explore an important truth for athletes at every level: you can want the dream with everything you have while still knowing you'll be okay if the dream changes.
Connect with Tyron:Instagram, TiktokStay connected with Rachel:LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

What happens when the thing you love most becomes inseparable from who you are? Rachel Blogg sits down with professional MMA fighter and former UFC fighter Charles Rosa for an honest conversation about athlete identity, pressure, mental health, trauma, and the complicated reality of imagining life after fighting.
Charles opens up about losing his two older brothers, finding an outlet through MMA, battling depression when fighting is absent, and the devastating neck injury that doctors said gave him less than a 1% chance of returning to the cage. He shares how he fought his way back, what losses have taught him about separating performance from self-worth, and how becoming a father is changing the way he thinks about risk, family, and his future. As he prepares for his first bare-knuckle boxing fight at Fenway Park, Charles reflects on a question many athletes eventually face: Who am I when I can no longer do the thing that has defined me?
Connect with Charles:https://www.instagram.com/charlesrosamma
Stay connected with Rachel:LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

What happens when the sport that shaped your identity is suddenly gone? In this deeply personal episode, Rachel Blogg shares why Imperfectly Human is entering a new chapter with a focused mission: helping athletes navigate life after sports. Drawing from her work as a therapist and mental performance coach, as well as her own experience recovering from a life-changing injury, Rachel opens up about the emotional challenges that come when competition ends and the next chapter begins.
She explores the identity loss that can follow retirement, injury, graduation, being cut from a team, or simply aging out of a sport. Rachel reflects on her own journey through depression after an injury forced her away from endurance racing, and how she slowly rebuilt her life by redefining movement, purpose, and self-worth. She also shares what listeners can expect moving forward, including conversations with current and former athletes, coaches, sports psychologists, and other professionals who help athletes thrive beyond competition. This episode is a reminder that your greatest strength was never your sport—it has always been the person underneath the uniform.
Stay connected with Rachel:LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

What happens when you stop hiding the hardest chapters of your life and start telling the truth? Rachel Blogg sits down with YouTube creator, storyteller, and fashion designer Mrs. Kane for a deeply honest conversation about pregnancy loss, domestic violence, healing, resilience, and finding purpose through vulnerability.
 
Mrs. Kane shares the unimaginable heartbreak of losing nine pregnancies before welcoming her miracle daughter, the emotional impact of surviving abusive relationships and stalking, and how moving to Florida became the beginning of a completely different life. She opens up about documenting her journey on YouTube, using storytelling to process trauma, finding humor in painful experiences, and building a community by showing up as her authentic self. Together, they explore why asking for help is a sign of strength, how healing isn't always linear, and why sharing your story can help someone else feel less alone. It's a powerful reminder that your past doesn't have to define your future—and that even the deepest pain can become a source of hope.
 
Connect with Mrs. Kane:Youtube, Instagram
Stay connected with Rachel:LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

What happens when you stop waiting for the perfect moment and simply decide to begin? Rachel Blogg sits down with endurance athlete, Harvard Business School graduate, engineer, and educator Anthony Simonetti for an inspiring conversation about resilience, purpose, adventure, and choosing experiences over fear.
Anthony shares the journey that took him from a childhood shaped by family challenges and his sister's battle with cancer to running seven marathons on seven continents in seven consecutive days, raising thousands of dollars for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and building a life centered on curiosity rather than comfort. Together, they explore how adversity shapes resilience, why mindset matters more than talent, the value of embracing uncertainty, and how meaningful experiences—not perfect plans—often lead to the greatest personal growth. It's an honest reminder that you don't have to wait until you feel ready to start living the life you want.
Connect with Anthony:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewildant/
Stay connected with Rachel:LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

What happens when you stop hiding the hardest parts of your story? Rachel Blogg welcomes author, speaker, and content creator Rachel Sobel for a deeply honest conversation about surviving domestic violence, navigating breast cancer, raising resilient kids, and learning that vulnerability can become your greatest source of strength.
Rachel shares how years in an abusive relationship slowly eroded her confidence before therapy helped her recognize herself as a survivor. She opens up about the shame that often keeps people silent, why leaving is rarely as simple as it seems, and the importance of creating safe spaces where difficult conversations can happen without judgment. The conversation also explores parenting in the age of social media, living with ADHD, finding humor during breast cancer treatment, and how embracing every chapter of her story ultimately led to the book she always dreamed of writing. It's an honest reminder that healing doesn't come from pretending life is perfect—it comes from telling the truth about who you are.
 
Connect with Rachel Sobel:
Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok
Stay connected with Rachel:LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.
 

What happens when the dream you've spent your entire life chasing suddenly comes to an end? Rachel Blogg sits down with former NFL running back Montee Ball for an honest conversation about identity, performance pressure, addiction, recovery, and what it means to rebuild your life after everything changes.
Montee shares the hidden struggles behind his success at the University of Wisconsin and in the NFL, the pressure to always appear strong, and how alcohol quietly became a way to cope with anxiety, burnout, and the expectations placed on him. He opens up about the mistakes that led to his arrest, the moment he realized he needed help, and why taking responsibility—not shame—became the foundation of his recovery. Together, they explore the mental health challenges athletes often face after sports, the importance of asking for help, and the work Montee is doing today to make sure the next generation of athletes knows it's okay to not be okay.
Connect with Montee:Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn
Stay connected with Rachel:LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

What keeps so many of us from showing up as our authentic selves? Rachel Blogg sits down with holistic therapist and coach Corynne Carranza for a candid conversation about perfectionism, social media, motherhood, entrepreneurship, boundaries, and the quiet fears that often hold us back from being fully seen.
Together they explore why even experienced therapists struggle with vulnerability online, how comparison steals confidence, the pressure to always be productive, and the importance of creating space for joy instead of constantly chasing achievement. They also reflect on the value of women's retreats, building meaningful community, protecting your time, and learning that growth often begins just outside your comfort zone. Honest, funny, and deeply relatable, this conversation is a reminder that being imperfectly human is exactly where real connection begins.
Connect with Corynne:Instagram,  Linkedin, Website
Stay connected with Rachel:LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

What happens when recovery stops being about simply staying alive and starts becoming about fully living? Rachel Blogg sits down with comedian, entrepreneur, and recovery advocate Jill Pavlov for an honest conversation about eating disorders, addiction, perfectionism, and the long journey toward self-worth.
Jill shares how years of believing she wasn't enough led to an eating disorder, substance abuse, and ultimately a life-changing stay at treatment. Together, she and Rachel explore the lingering voice of an eating disorder, the pressure of perfectionism, why confidence is something we practice rather than something we have, and how improv comedy unexpectedly became a powerful tool for quieting overthinking and learning to take up space. They also reflect on grief, honoring loved ones lost to addiction, and why kindness may be one of the most powerful forms of healing we can offer each other.
Connect with Jill:Instagram,  Linkedin
Stay connected with Rachel:LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

In this inspiring episode of Imperfectly Human, Rachel sits down with former NFL player, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and keynote speaker Marques Ogden to explore what it really means to rebuild your life after everything falls apart. Marques shares his journey from professional football to becoming a successful business owner, only to lose nearly everything after a devastating business failure. Faced with financial ruin, addiction, and a complete loss of identity, he found himself at rock bottom and forced to make a choice: remain a victim of his circumstances or take radical accountability for his future.
Together, Rachel and Marques discuss the challenges of identity beyond achievement, the mental health struggles many athletes and high performers face, and why focusing on the process rather than the outcome can lead to greater success. Marques opens up about the lessons he learned through bankruptcy, personal setbacks, and starting over, while sharing the mindset shifts that helped him rebuild both his career and his life.
This conversation is a powerful reminder that adversity does not define us. Through resilience, personal responsibility, and a willingness to keep moving forward, even our most difficult setbacks can become the foundation for growth, purpose, and a meaningful comeback.
 
Connect with Marques:Instagram,  Linkedin
Stay connected with Rachel:LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

Fear doesn't always show up in obvious ways. Sometimes it's loud and easy to recognize, and other times it hides behind perfectionism, self-doubt, and the belief that we're not ready yet.
In this solo episode of Imperfectly Human, Rachel shares how her fear of the ocean led her to take on a triathlon and eventually complete a Half Ironman. She explores how fear can keep us stuck in our personal lives, careers, and athletic pursuits—and why waiting for everything to be perfect may mean waiting forever. Through personal stories and professional insights, Rachel challenges listeners to identify what's really holding them back and take the first step forward, even when fear is still present.
Stay connected with Rachel:
LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
 
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

In this deeply moving conversation, Rachel Blogg sits down with Holocaust survivor Mary Eckstein to explore a life shaped by loss, resilience, courage, and gratitude. Mary shares her firsthand experiences as a child in Nazi-occupied Hungary, surviving fear, hunger, separation from family, and the uncertainty of war while witnessing extraordinary acts of kindness that helped save lives.
As the conversation unfolds, Mary reflects on the heartbreak of losing family members in Auschwitz, the challenges of rebuilding a life after the Holocaust, immigrating to America, and later facing the loss of her son and husband. Through it all, she reveals the mindset that has carried her through decades of hardship: focusing on what remains rather than what was taken away.
This episode is a powerful reminder that while we cannot change our past, we can choose how we carry it forward. Mary's wisdom on gratitude, resilience, kindness, and the dangers of hate offers lessons that feel especially relevant today.
Stay connected with Rachel:
LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.
 

Rachel Blogg sits down with Alicia Michelle, founder of The Koi Collective, for a conversation that took a completely unexpected turn. What starts as a business chat quickly becomes one of the most raw and honest conversations about surviving a childhood defined by poverty, abuse, and chaos, leaving home at 17 with nothing, and slowly, painstakingly building something different.
Alicia opens up about growing up the oldest of 13 siblings in Section 8 housing, discovering in her mid-twenties that her siblings shared a different father, navigating a physically abusive marriage with no financial safety net, and walking away from it all with zero support and zero dollars. She talks about what it actually takes to rebuild not just a business, but a sense of self, over 13 years of showing up imperfectly and refusing to stay stuck.
This episode is for anyone who has ever felt like the odds were stacked against them before they even started. Alicia's story is not about one big breakthrough moment. It is about consistency, boundaries, and deciding that your past does not get to write the rest of your story.
Connect with Alicia:
LinkedIn, Instagram
Stay connected with Rachel:
LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

Rachel Blogg sits down with Malcolm, founder and CEO of Langdon Park Capital, whose paths crossed in the most unexpected way — through a TikTok video Rachel posted after helping his college-aged son get home safely following a March Madness game. What started as a simple act of concern from one parent to another became a moment that restored faith in humanity for nearly half a million people. In this conversation, they unpack how that moment happened, what it meant to both families, and why kindness like that feels rare when it really shouldn't.Malcolm opens up about his journey from NFL player to Wall Street banker to mission-driven real estate investor, and how each chapter was shaped less by ambition and more by a deep sense of responsibility to the communities he grew up in. He shares how a single question from his wife while he was recovering from knee surgery — "will you figure it out?" — became the quiet turning point that launched everything that followed.The conversation also goes deep on mental health in athletics, the pressure young student athletes face around NIL money, and Rachel's own courageous shift toward performance coaching after nearly three decades as a licensed clinical social worker. Together they explore what it really means to build a life around purpose, not just profit, and why the people who do that well make all of us a little better.
Connect with Malcolm:
LinkedIn, Instagram
Stay connected with Rachel:
LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

In this episode of Imperfectly Human, Rachel sits down with Garrison Carter for a powerful conversation about identity, discipline, leadership, and resilience. As a senior student-athlete at Illinois Institute of Technology, Garrison shares the realities behind competing at a high level while balancing academics, personal growth, and life beyond basketball.
Together, they discuss overcoming injury, losing 40 pounds during COVID, handling pressure as a college athlete, and learning how faith and family helped shape his mindset. Garrison opens up about mental toughness, the fear of failure, and how he learned that success is not just about performance on the court, but about growth, consistency, and staying true to yourself. This episode is an inspiring reminder that we are all more than the titles, achievements, or expectations placed upon us.
Meet my Guest
Garrison Carter is a senior at Illinois Institute of Technology from Island Lake and a four-year captain of the men’s basketball team. A Dean’s List student and one of the top scorers in program history with more than 1,000 career points, Garrison has earned First Team All-Conference honors along with multiple all-conference selections throughout his college career.
Outside of basketball, Garrison serves as President of the Black Student Athlete Association and has previously served as President of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. He is also a Resident Advisor and mentor who is passionate about leadership, community, and helping others grow both on and off the court. Through his experiences as an athlete and leader, Garrison continues to inspire others with his humility, discipline, and commitment to personal development.
Connect with Garrison:
Instagram, Linkedin 
Stay connected with Rachel:
LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

Rachel Blogg sits down with Meghan Brooks, a recovery advocate and treatment professional with 15 years of sobriety, who shares the honest, unglamorous truth about what it actually took to get sober and stay that way. Meghan opens up about growing up with addiction in her family, bouncing between cities trying to outrun her disease, and the moment she got kicked out of her own IOP group, which turned out to be the day everything changed.
This conversation goes deep on the early struggles of sobriety that nobody talks about, including why the first two years felt awful, how Meghan intentionally surrounded herself with women who had decades of time, and why doing the steps more than once can completely shift your perspective. They also touch on the misconceptions around AA, higher power, and what it really means to protect your recovery without guilt.
If you or someone you love is waiting for the "right moment" to ask for help, this episode is a reminder that the window of willingness is real and worth walking through.Connect with Meghan on Instagram
Stay connected with Rachel:LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
 
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

Rachel Blogg sits down with Dido Balla, CEO of Kindness Matters, for an honest conversation about what kindness actually means and why it has nothing to do with always saying yes. Together they explore the difference between being kind and being nice, why self-kindness is the foundation, and how setting boundaries can be one of the most generous things you do for yourself and others.
Dido shares the four guiding beliefs behind Kindness Matters, including the idea that every human being is born with a capacity for good, and explains how negativity bias quietly shapes the way we see the world and raise our kids. From training teachers and parents to taking kindness programs to Cameroon, the work is as practical as it is deeply human.
The episode closes with a reminder about gratitude that cuts right to the core: if your heart is beating, you have already hit the jackpot. Whether you are a parent, educator, or someone who has been a little harder on themselves than they deserve, this conversation meets you right where you are.
Connect with Dido:LinkedIn, Instagram, Website
Stay connected with Rachel:LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
 
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.
 

In this episode, the podcast enters a new chapter as Perfectly Imperfect Me 365 transitions into Imperfectly Human—a name that reflects the deeper conversations that have naturally unfolded over time. What began as a space for growth, self-awareness, and releasing perfection has evolved into something more focused: understanding strength in its most honest and transferable form. Not the kind of strength that is performative or visible on the outside, but the kind that shows up in how we handle pressure, relationships, identity shifts, and the moments no one else sees.
This episode explores a central question that will guide every conversation moving forward: Is your strength working everywhere in your life, or only where it’s rewarded? Through reflections drawn from performance psychology, endurance sports, therapy work, and lived experience, the discussion unpacks why many high performers appear strong in one area of life while quietly struggling in another. It highlights how discipline can sometimes mask emotional avoidance, how success in sport or career doesn’t always translate to connection at home, and why incomplete strength eventually shows its limits.
Ultimately, this episode sets the foundation for what Imperfectly Human is becoming—a story-driven space where lessons from sport, relationships, and personal growth intersect. It’s an invitation to rethink strength, not as perfection or constant control, but as something that must be able to transfer across every part of life if it’s going to hold up over time.
 
Stay connected with Rachel:
LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

What if your life isn’t defined by your past—but by your decisions? In this solo episode, I challenge the idea that your childhood gets a lifetime vote over your future. This isn’t about blame—it’s about agency, and what you choose to do with what you were given.
I talk about how your nervous system is shaped not just by trauma, but by repeated patterns, why insight alone won’t change your life, and the hidden cost of staying loyal to old stories. Healing isn’t a one-time realization—it’s a practice. And if patterns are practiced, they can be changed. The question is: if someone met you today, would your life reflect your past—or your decisions?
Stay connected with Rachel:
LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
 
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

In this episodeThis is one of those conversations that really stays with you. In this episode, we explore what it truly means to create a life and career that feel aligned—not driven by pressure, burnout, or expectations, but by authenticity and purpose. We talk about the shift away from hustle culture and into a more grounded, honest way of building something meaningful. If you’ve ever felt like there’s more for you—something deeper, more connected to who you really are—this conversation will meet you there. It’s about trusting your evolution, giving yourself permission to grow, and redefining success on your own terms.
 
Meet my guestCamille Miller is a thought leader, 3x bestselling author, and the founder of the Soul Professional® Movement—a global community supporting impact-driven entrepreneurs around the world. With a background in nonprofit leadership, business strategy, and transformational mentoring, Camille is known for blending practical business design with inner identity work. Her approach helps people bridge the gap between who they are and what they do, creating work that is both successful and deeply fulfilling. Through her writing, speaking, and programs, Camille has helped thousands step into aligned leadership and build meaningful, purpose-driven lives.
 
Connect with Camille:
Website, LinkedIn, YouTube, Movement
Stay connected with Rachel:
LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.