I struggled with self-esteem issues as a young girl, and it was not until my gymnastics career was completed in 2000 that I realized my accomplishments would not have been possible without my type of body, and I finally started to appreciate and celebrate myself.

I thoroughly enjoy the work I do in helping motivate and empower young girls to celebrate and love their natural selves.

I realized I love motivating and I love empowering and I love inspiring people. I did that as an athlete for 18 years, and I am able to do that as a motivational speaker now as well as doing work on television.

I did do Broadway for a little less than a year and realized quickly I don't have a passion for it and, more importantly, I don't have a talent in it.

I'd been ready too, because before Olympic Games, I wasn't compete in big competition like, World Championship, like European Championship. I just competed in national competition.

Essentially, I am a dreamer. I've dreamed all my life. When I started, I dreamed I'd be Champion because it is a sport that is all about the people who win the most, and I have a fear of not winning.

I think that in figure skating, and in sports in general, that when you're young, it's considered a huge advantage because you're fearless, and you also don't have bad past experiences. But with age comes experience, and I have found that my experience is a huge advantage to me as a competitor.

Once you have selected a sport or a creative activity, the rules are pretty much the same.