At the Power Women Summit, I had the opportunity to attend several breakout sessions. One of my favorite breakouts was, “Let’s Talk Balance: Mind, Body & Soul” featured Jenna Dewan, with Carolyn Kylstra, the Editor in Chief of Self Magazine, as moderator. Being pregnant with her second child, Jenna shared, “I like the 80/20 rule and I allow myself moments to splurge and eat that bag of chips. My life is crazier now than it was during my first pregnancy. I’m working, filming, traveling, going through major changes. I have a 6-year-old. But there is something about having a second baby, where you’re not as nervous. I’m excited and not in the stress of being busy or not knowing what’s to come. I’m more relaxed this time.”
Jenna elaborated on practicing self-care. “The show, New Girl kept me sane. I take baths every night, and I pour tons of epsom salt and sea salt. I work with Young Living Essential Oils, so I use a lot of essential oils. And I try my best to leave my phone somewhere else, so I can just take a bath, while listening to music or reading a book. I like to workout, or even just have a phone call. For me, it’s about interrupting the moment. When I’m stressed out, panicking or feeling overwhelmed, I interrupt it.”
On her career being affected by her role as a mother, Jenna reflected, “I say no to a lot now. Being a dancer, I’m a hustler by nature. Everly brought me a different mindframe. And now I’m doing things I really love, even more, while not having to yes to everything.”
Sports Broadcaster, Erin Andrews, had a conversation with Tony Gonzalez, former American football tight end, during the session, “Inside the Playbook: Equality in Sports.” On her working life, Erin Andrews shared, “It’s crazy. We are on an absolute carousel, we are on a grind. When the season is all done, you kind of reflect on it. I travel with probably 30 men, I’m the only female on my crew. I go to dinners with them and meetings…but it’s awesome. It’s an amazing experience. The coolest thing about it is just being there, having the best seats in the house, getting close to the players like [Tony]. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. A lot of the media will throw stones and say, ‘She’s only there because she’s this height and wears hair extensions, but the only thing I really care about is, I just wanted respect from the players and the coaches. They see how hard you work, and they see how much you care. And it makes me want to learn their stories, beyond the field.”
