The Unseen Effort: Heather Fisher on Resilience, Authenticity, and Finding Purpose | Episode 16

The Bouncebackability Podcast

In today's episode we are joined by Birmingham-based Olympic rugby player and former GB bobsledder, Heather Fisher. Heather is an accomplished elite athlete, motivational speaker, LGBT advocate and media personality with her own BBC radio podcast.

After a difficult start in life, Heather quickly found she excelled in the sports arena. Breaking her back in four places in her late 20s left her in a back brace for 18 months and triggered alopecia which impacted her self-confidence and self-perception. Never to be held down, she learnt to crawl, walk and finally run again before returning to international sport and was quickly back at the top of her game. Rugby highlights include competing in five Rugby World Cups and winning in 2014, winning four Six Nations, medalling at the Commonwealth Games and representing Team GB in the Olympic Games Rio 2016.

Since retiring as an athlete, she has become an accomplished motivational speaker, MC and event host and has taken on a number of TV and radio opportunities. Building on her stint on Celebrity SAS Who Dares Wins, she became a celebrity warrior on BBC survival show Go Hard or Go Home. Heather also does extensive charity work raising money for young people with autism and for those with alopecia.

Heather's story is one of determination, personal growth, and the pursuit of creating positive impact. Get ready for an enlightening and inspiring discussion on life behind the scenes in elite sports, career transitions, authenticity, and finding one's true purpose in life. Tune in for an episode filled with valuable insights and wisdom from Heather!

In this episode:

00:00 Heather’s struggle with identity, on and off the pitch.

13:16 Life after rugby – how Heather’s fear of rejection and judgement lead to a dangerous lack of motivation.

43:55 Seeking reasons and explanations – why we need to care more about individuals and less about labels.

49:44 Personal growth – what Heather’s decision to prioritise clarity of her situation over people pleasing taught her about the importance of individualised support.

01:02:57 Taking opportunities - Heather’s brave step into an exciting venture with international electric scooter racing.

01:04:39 The bigger picture - embracing her charity and endeavouring towards a new, more informed and inclusive world.

01:09:58 Life lessons - the importance of giving time and space for working through issues and allowing your authentic self to develop.

Connect with Heather here:

Website: http://heatherfisher.co.uk/

Instagram: @heatherfish29

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