I'm Nicole Lapin, the only financial expert. You don't need a dictionary to understand it's time for some money rehab. So I'll be honest. I have not been doing an amazing job of taking care of myself lately. I'm not proud of it, especially because I actually wrote a book on this becoming superwoman that is literally a twelve step plan to get yourself from burnout to balance.

So I should probably reread that.

But I've not been taking my own advice lately. But you know whose advice I should and will be taking? Gabby Freakin Reese's advice. Gabby needs no introduction, but I would love to celebrate her right now and remind ourselves of her accolades. She's a volleyball legend, a New York Times bestselling author, a podcast host, Nike's first female spokeswoman, and the co founder of a public company, layered Superfood, named for her husband, big wave surfer Laird Hamilton. Today, I sit down with Gabby, and not only does she give the best, most non judgmental framework that reminded me why it is so important to take care of ourselves, but she also has easy, actionable advice. And beyond that, she has awesome stories about keeping work and identity and money.

All in their own lanes.

I'm excited for you to hear this one.

Here's my chat with Gabby. Gabby Reese, welcome to money rehab.

Thanks for having me.

So I saw you speaking at Patel. I just love your approach. You're just cool and chill about all health things. It's not like precious or holier than thou. It's like practical and normal. So thank you.

Just for that, I had a nutritionist.

Named Dan Garner say once, when somebody talks to you in absolutes run. And I thought, oh, yeah, I really appreciate that. So I really believe that, especially when you're trying to talk about something that.

Maybe is already not sexy, you know.

Like in a certain way, wellness or health and fitness is not sexy. So how do you make that feel? Like an invitation.

And also, you know, life.

We're going to do really well certain weeks and maybe we won't make the best choices other weeks, so that shouldn't keep us off the track. And so I think sometimes the approach of being honest but relaxed helps people maybe have the idea that in the overall they could pull it off.

And I think the same thing with finances or that's what I'm trying to do with financial wellness. You know, it is heavy. It is the most important thing. But also, we don't need to talk about it like scary get in the balance sheets if you're a what is your approach to overall financial wellness as being part of your wellness regimen, or how do you think that plays into overall health?

You know, it's an interesting question for.

Me because I think it's something I've had to really look at where maybe the way I grew up, security became so important for me and not maybe the notion of, even though abundance is wonderful. And remember, I started working at 18 and I bought a house at 19 because I was really looking for security. Then you start to realize maybe the order of things. So if I can do something that I'm really excited about as my work, focus on that first before maybe the, quote, security, which is, you know, financial. So first I think I, even though I was interested in security, it was reminding myself to stay focused on, like, hey, what do you really want to do and what do you like? And then usually things follow. But I, especially in my relationship, my marriage, I'm the one who's, like, always. So brass tacks about money because I see everything that goes out and everything that comes in. And so I'm always trying to be.

Like, it's all okay.

And you grew up. I heard you talk about your husband, Laird, like, had an outhouse or something growing up. Like, you both grew up with no money, right?

Yeah, absolutely. And it was like I left home at 17 and I had a stepdad. I went to school on a scholarship, at least for the first two years. I actually gave up my scholarship and paid to play when I started working.

But, you know, he would send me.

A few hundred bucks a month. So if you want to go to the movies for the first year. And then by 18, I was completely on my own.

And when you bought that house, you said it was out of security. Did you feel like that was.

Yeah, I think for me, it was like making sure I had roots and stability and then somehow being responsible. It's funny when you're younger, you're so desperately want to be taken seriously.

Well, I'm a.

Look, I'm grown up. I used to wear, like, I buy.

Suits and I was modeling.

So it's kind of really funny now that I think about it and I go to meetings, but I always wanted to be taken seriously. So part of that was, like, me showing that I was being responsible. And then you realize, like, money is a tool and at times, like, even owning things isn't the best idea.

Right.

And you don't know that until you go through rounds and rounds of living. So for me, I think it was security and being responsible with my money. And then I shifted a bit as I got older.

And how are you thinking about giving your kids money? Or how do you approach this concept of, you guys didn't have that much, but now you do?

It's such a really valid and important question because it's also like, how do you put like, enough struggle in their life that they're going to be able to survive the real world? Because the real world, there's savage elements to it. It's like nature, right? And that's the whole thing is our job as parents is like, how do we equip them? So I'll give you examples. My oldest very good in school, we took care of her education and she went out and got a job. And she is completely independent. Our middle is on a pursuit that is a little more creative. She's in an athletic pursuit that sort of takes a little more time. And so rather than going to university, that one is doing that. And so we have realistic check ins. I also see that she's fiscally really responsible. She'll sit in an airport in like Turkey or Japan 4 hours longer to save me x dollars. So I have a comfort of going like, hey, she's traveling the world. She's, you know, getting her teeth, her metal in something. She's working hard. That's money well spent. My youngest is in high school. She's actually probably my biggest free spender, if you will.

And that generation, you know, they just swipe something and ding something and they don't realize it's like real money in.

And real money out.

Yeah, it's magic. It's just venmo. It's just not cash.

But we talk about the value of things and like, for example, if she.

Buys dinner for her friend, I'm not.

Edgy versus she went and like, just bought like, jeans because she felt like it.

Pay for experiences.

Yes. I really am so weird and easy about that versus stuff. But most importantly, it's being the example.

Of you need to value things, but.

You don't want to covet the dollar. It's a weird thing of like, appreciating what you have and earning.

But is there anything worse than being cheap?

I don't think so.

There just isn't.

So it's like this blend of like trying to get them to understand both of that and just try to be that and then believing that they're going to figure it out.

Yeah, because you can tell them, like eating healthy or valuing money or whatever, but like how you're showing them.

Right, right.

That's what they're watching.

That's it.

You're the example. I say that to people all the time. It's like, you know, how do I teach my kids how to be smart with money? I'm like, are you smart with money?

Yeah.

And they're so smart, too, even early, like, really early. So it's having those engaging conversations around money instead of thinking, oh, they wouldn't understand. And even talking about, you know, interest or, I've talked to my youngest about capital gains and, like, all these types of things because she is curious. And so really just having the conversations.

When they come up, they're not learning it in school. No, I'm sure they go to grade schools.

You're right.

I mean, if I were in charge of the world, there would be financial literacy in schools. But it's really incumbent on the parents, I think so. And then also, when you tell kids what to do, whether it's like eating healthy, if you're too strict on them about something, they tend to do the opposite.

Right.

If you're like, it's cool, eat pizza every once in a while, like, it's going to be okay. You find probably that they're eating more salads.

Absolutely.

And I really like the idea of trying to get young people when it's appropriate to just work a little.

Totally. It's that initial investment. And how have you seen your financial mentality and your spirituality and your health correlate?

I think being injured as an athlete is really what teaches you about the value of your health.

It's like, you know, when you're needing.

Assistance to get up and down off the couch or the toilet because your knee is, you know, you've had knee surgery, you start to go like, oh, wait a second. This is kind of the starting point. So if I have to invest in someone's health in my group, I don't.

Even think about it.

Like, it's like we're doing that for whoever, for ourselves. If it's somebody close to us, whatever. The healthier body, I believe, makes it easier to house that spirit of, like, who you want to be. I think it's harder to house the spirit if the body doesn't feel good. So again, back to those experiences or educational things or learning opportunities. Anything to feed that growth for me is like, yeah, there's no limit on that. Yeah.

Because, you know, you tend to value health when you lose it. And same thing with money. I've been very poor, and I'm like, I'm not going back there.

Yeah.

So a lot of our listeners are very ambitious, but they're also really freaking stressed out, obsessed with this hustle culture or like on and off with the hustle culture and probably putting their health on the back burner. How do you talk to somebody like that? How do you say health and career are interrelated? And what kind of healthy habits can you start looking at when you're really optimizing for a high, intense career?

Yeah, I think first off, it's making sure you're clear about your definition of success, because if it's an incomplete definition, like, oh, if I make 2 million a year or 1 million or whatever the hell it is, then I'm successful. Well, it's not because what if you're isolated? What if you have no relationships or time for relationships or your health is deteriorating? So what I would say to somebody is really for themselves because it's such a unique expression. What really would success look like to you? So that when you're grinding it out, you're making sure that your actions are aligned with what that is. So there's going to be times, especially when you're younger and I've been there.

Where it's like you are going to bust your ass and there's going to.

Be very little time for real for taking care of yourself. So the way you could really compensate is in your food. And this is hard because when you're really stressed out, you then would go out and drink with your friends and blow off steam. And that kicks your ass in a whole other way, I would say if you could, and there's a lot of science and data around it, you could listen to Andrew Huberman's podcast just on alcohol consumption. It'll tell you. So for all the brainiacs, they can get all the science about alcohol, food. Americans drink about 20% of their calories, so we can get a lot of that out. And hidden sugar from liquid drinks, try to avoid that.

And for women, what I would say.

Fasting has become very popular. Women, especially women that are performing, perform better fed. They have to be careful not to try to do everything that men are doing, especially to manage weight.

Like the intermittent fasting.

I mean, it's fine. It'd be good to finish dinner early when you can, and then great, you have the whole night and you're sleeping, and then you want to wake up first thing. You want to hydrate because you haven't had anything right. But to fast for these super long periods, unless your eating is out of control and you just use it to pull in the reins with women, I'd be mindful and also making sure for.

Females, but males too.

Healthy fat and protein. You know, women tend not to eat enough protein, so I would say be really mindful of that. But first, it's your own self definition. Consistency, I hear over and over zone two, which is for most people, it's 130 beats per minute, 80% of your fitness life. If you could be in zone two, you're fine. Try to be huff and puff twice a week. You don't have to kill yourself every day. All these overachievers are sitting at their desk. Be mindful of being nasal breathing only, so keep your mouth closed, because what happens is by nasal breathing, you go deeper into the diaphragm, so you down regulate. You stay in your parasympathetic, your relaxed state. What these people are all dealing with is stressful. So stay out of that fight or flight by nasal breathing. And on top of it, your CO2 raises in your system when you nasal breathe. So the oxygen that is in your bloodstream gets absorbed into the cells and the tissue muscle with the presence of CO2. So if you are mouth breathing, you're scrubbing your CO2, you're never absorbing the oxygen. So this is a very easy thing they can do, sitting at their desk to support their health and their emotional well being by downregulating.

It's very good for their health because you're actually absorbing the oxygen, which then.

Supports your health in so many ways.

Do you like those strips, those little mouth strips?

Absolutely. For sleeping 100%. Until you can do it, your tongue should gently lift to the roof of your mouth. It keeps your jaw open because your tongue is up, so the jaw stays.

Wide and on top of it, your.

Teeth don't oxidize because when your mouth is opening and you're breathing in and out in your sleep, you are oxidizing your teeth.

Oh, that's not cute.

People might think it's ridiculous, but just by breathing well throughout your day will keep you calmer, more focused, and keep you healthier.

I just got these little nose like.

Cones that I open her.

Yeah, it's changed my life. I was like, damn. I've not ever actually breathed like a normal human.

Well, if we want to get technical, sitting at the desk or looking at our cell phones, that position with the head forward, right, that doesn't leave you open for proper breathing. And what they say is once the shoulders are rolled forward, you're actually going into fight or flight. So you don't even realize you're creating more anxiety just by that posture.

I'm sitting back.

Yeah, I mean, just see, you know, where they can get it, you know? I know we don't live in a perfect world. If they can stand up and down, if they have a stand for their computer or what have you. Be conscious of keeping the head back so the weight of the head isn't hyper developing.

The upper back, you know, all those types of things.

Plus all of a sudden you're going to drop your head, mouth, breathe. And it's more about that habit. If you know now, then when you're.

50 and you're doing it again, these.

Are the invitations of what are the levers you can pull that aren't really going to disrupt your life because otherwise you won't do it. You're breathing what you're eating and drinking. And then when you can really find time, you know, exercise is important. We're meant to move. And I would say if you lived in a place that you could get outside occasionally in nature, I think it.

Gives us that perspective and gives us.

That dream time to be more creative.

About the pursuit we're in to understand.

How do we want to do it and what do we want it to look like.

Hold onto your wallets. Money rehab.

We'll be right back.

And now for some more money rehab.

I think it's so important when you were talking about defining what that definition for you of success is, because if you don't, you're never gonna get it. Like, and if you keep changing the goalposts, depending on what you see on Instagram or like somebody else's definition of success, you're gonna constantly feel like a failure.

What you're saying is so important, and I give young adults and certainly teenagers, but right now, young adults that are going in the world and trying to build this life, I give you guys so much more credit because you have so much more noise to navigate. And I think that the idea of success, and I heard this once, weirdly, by Arnold Schwarzenegger, when your external life.

Reflects your internal self, I mean, what's better than that?

Like, who are your friends and the relationship you're in? And it doesn't mean you have a giant house. It's like when your life reflects something truly about you. I mean, that's some magic. So I really give you guys a lot of credit for doing it in the noise. And maybe it's that one or two people that you can bounce ideas off of that tell you the truth, but really want you to be successful, I think, is very, very important.

And speaking of breathless, you've put out some guided breath work. Is there any easy exercise? Maybe we could even do it together that people can think about.

Sure.

So let's say you're getting ready for sleep. You've had a stressful day. You'll see a lot of people talk about box breathing. You can just lay in your bed, obviously, blue light, it does kick your ass. I'm guilty like everyone else, but either where the wear glasses or don't have the device. So then when you're laying in your bed, you can just do seven second inhales again through the nose. And then you sort of take a soft pause at the bottom. Hold it for about seven, if you can. Now you see how when you took a deep breath in, your shoulders went up. What you want to think about is a circular breath. That's why lying down is good, because we don't have gravity, but we want to actually take the ribs and think of them opening in a circular way versus having a. The shoulder shrugging. You'll tell people, take a deep breath and they go, and for women, stick your belly out. Let it be soft. Don't worry about it. We're not in bikinis. It's okay. 7 seconds in, down into the gut. Then you have that nice round breath up into the ribs where the lungs make room and you almost feel like it's the upper back lat.

So 7 seconds in, down, 7 seconds. Inhale 7 seconds. Hold at the top again. If people do that for three minutes.

They will down regulate and just be.

In that nice, easy, get ready for sleep. Now, there are patterns we can do that are different. If, like, you're going into a big meeting and you got to get alert and you got to be on your game. There's ways to upregulate, but in a healthy way, using the breath. So I really encourage people. There's books like James Nestor wrote breathe. Patrick McKeown wrote the oxygen advantage. Xptlife has a breathing app for anything you want. So using the breath as a tool is really powerful. And my favorite are investing guys from Boston like we do experiences, and we get all these hardcore money guys, and they look at you out of the side of your head about breathing. They're like, oh, yeah, okay, right. And then what happens is you run.

Them through breathing and they're like, wow.

I really felt something. It's like, yeah, because you can feel.

Like you're on drugs.

You can just, with your breath, you can.

And, and the thing is, this is not new. Right?

Like, this is old. There's been yogis, there's been monks. I mean, this is not new. It's just what it is. Our physiology, as sophisticated as we think we are, we're still who we've been for a really long time. Maybe because it's free. It's like, well, what's the hook? Like, what's the value? You know? So I just want to say it's.

Like a sunset, you know?

It's like, they really are that pretty and they're free and they happen on their own. So the breathing really is that good.

And to get yourself, like, pumped up and not down, what would be a good way to, like, get more energy?

Well, you could do, like, two in through the nose and then out through the mouth.

But, see, a lot of people will.

Do, like, the shallow, like, right?

You have to, like, get in.

You want to push from your diaphragm and.

Huh.

I heard you talk about this story. I'm not sure which daughter you were with at a golf course where somebody said you used to be gabby the volleyball player or something like that. Can you tell us that story? Because you've, you know, superstar, volleyball icon, author, entrepreneur, podcast host, business owner, like, on and on so many amazing things and constantly more and reinvention and creation. But can you tell me about that person and what you said?

This is an important story because it's a universal story. So I was at a golf course. I took one of my daughters to go hit golf balls, and there was.

A man, and he goes, weren't you.

Gabby Reese or something? You know, like, so what are you doing now? Just. Just the mom thing, right? And I was like this.

Yeah.

And, you know, like, I'm six three, and, like, there's a part of me, I'm a pretty polite person, but there is a part of me that's like, oh, yeah. You know, and when he said that, I wanted to rattle off my resume while I'm doing this, you know, and then I thought to myself, are you ridiculous?

Like, who cares?

You know? And so I was like, well, actually, you know, I think I said, yeah, I am. But I always tell people this, whether they were CEO's or, you know, I have a lot of athletes that come by that either they got injured or they're doing something else.

It's like, hey, listen. And my husband says this. I'm Laird.

One of the things I do is surf.

I'm not a surfer, and so I'm.

Not any of those things. I'm all of them and none of them. Because what's so great about liberating yourself from these titles that we need so that when we go places, we have validation? And so what do you do?

It's like, oh, well, blah, blah, blah.

This is what I do. This is my title. And so just to encourage people to remember, you are your special, you badass.

And then, okay, some of the hats.

Or titles you do or have played are those. And don't fall into that. Especially, it's so hard because you have social media, you have instagram, and everybody has become very self important. And so the liberation comes from just pulling out of all that. There are more days than not that nobody knows who the hell I am. And I walk around, I'm going to the grocery store, and I got to get something for my family, and sometimes I'm Larry wife, and sometimes I'm Brody's mom. And you know what?

That's cool.

And at the core.

Core, I'm just me.

Yeah.

You're like, yeah, I wasn't Gabby. I am Gabby. Hello. Nice to meet you. What's your name?

Yeah.

And we're not. Not badass because we're not the CEO anymore, or I'm not playing anymore. It's like, what are your relationships? Are there people who really love you and that you really love, and are you excited about something, and are you in a challenge for yourself, and are you growing and learning and changing?

Then that is what it's all about.

Like, experiencing it from your point of view, not from the outside world's point of view on you. Yes. Also, people have to realize, sometimes people say silly things because they don't know how to start a conversation and they want to. Or they want to connect with you somehow, and they go, blah, you know? And you just have to also give people the benefit of the doubt.

Yeah, you know, that's true, because I.

Feel like either people don't come up to celebrities because they're scared of saying the wrong thing or they say the wrong thing.

Exactly. And I think it's also like, why would I get upset about that? And that's always the question to ask ourself. It's like, when somebody says something, why would I get upset? Well, I must have an issue with something. Am I feeling insecure? Am I feeling like I'm getting left behind because I have small children right now? I'm at this phase of my life, and I think that's true of all relationships. Like, if my husband says something to.

Me that why would I get upset?

It's like, oh, well, you might have an issue with that. So I think that that's the other litmus for going like, ooh, did they hit a spot? And do I need to work on that?

Yeah, because it's probably on my side.

Of the street, right?

Totally. Like my ego is like, you know.

Yeah, I was. The statements like, if it's hysterical, it's historical. Like something, something's come up.

Right, totally.

So it's always good to. Yeah. Be curious. Obviously there was a lesson in it and now you can tell it to others. Before we let you go, I have a couple of things I'd love to just get your pulse check on for health trends.

Oh, I love trends.

So if we could do like yay or nay maybe or.

Yeah.

Okay.

So intermittent fasting for men.

Definitely for women. Get informed if you are a heavy exercise woman.

Not the best.

Okay.

Ice baths.

Absolutely.

And I give you one little trick. It's called the mammalian reflex. So if people get in and get their face first wet, you actually prepare your body for the cold. Once you put the cold here on the cheeks. So nobody wants to do it, but it does help you. 8 hours of sleep, I think anywhere from, you know, seven to nine. And you have to know who you are and where are you in your life. And what I would say is go to bed and wake up at the same time. That'll help you get into the best sleeping rhythm period, whenever you can control it. And whatever the punch list is, it will be there tomorrow.

And most of it, it's, you know, it's constant.

Sure will be. What time do you go to bed? Wake up?

I usually go to bed around ten. I wake up at six. My husband loves to go to bed, like at 830. It's like, oh my God, 830 or nine. And then he's, you know, he's very serious about his sleep. Yeah.

Sounds like he knows that apart microdosing.

Absolutely.

I mean, given the right environment, you know, like I microdosed. I started maybe about a year ago. I was having some brain stuff and after Michael Pollan's book how to change your mind and some stuff Tim Ferriss was sharing, I really opened up my mind to it. And it's all measured. I'm not tripping balls or anything. It's like I don't even. You know what I mean? Like it's like. But it really helped me. Homeostasis. Everything so measured and done, you know.

Kind of strategically 100% like mushrooms and chocolate. Like a square.

I actually don't even mess with the chocolate because chocolate can make you do more. I think I take it in a pill. I don't even mess around with the chocolate.

Okay.

You're like, oh, chocolate.

Yeah, totally. So that brings us to carbs. Yay or nay?

Of course you need carbs mostly, you know, get them from, you know, good food. If you said carbs from a sweet potato versus carbs from pasta and bread, of course I'd say the sweet potato. So what I'll say is carbs. Fiber is your friend. Protein, healthy fats, and carbs from real food. 100%. Any trick that would make it easier, eat your fiber first, because then it diminishes your insulin spike. It kind of puts a webbing in your system. So I would, if you have your.

Plate, eat your salad, your vegetables first.

Then eat your protein, and then eat your carbs.

I've heard you say plants and animals.

Yeah, real food.

Is that what you try to stick to?

Real food?

Yeah, real food. Collagen, yay or nay? It's tricky.

Collagen, because how did they really get. It is a tricky source. Marine collagen seems a little more interesting.

To me, but I think the idea is good. I'm not totally sold.

Sounds like an a meditation.

It depends on who you are.

I think breathing, a breathing exercise. If you've got the patience for meditation, great. And if that's the case, even five minutes would impact you positively. I think the concept of down regulating.

Is a yay times 100. Yep.

Juice cleanse. Listen, I think if people go like, I've been partying, I've been eating like dog, you know, crap, I think absolutely. To pump the brakes on everything and just get a reset, and then all of a sudden you're happy to chew broccoli. So for certain situations, yes.

And so I always feel I've done juice cleanses. You know, you're hungry if you want to eat a plate of raw vegetables.

Yeah.

Otherwise, not hungry.

Chewing is a real thing, you know, mastication is, like, one of our largest biological impulses. So I would say that that was a really good thing. But to use that to be like, I'm going to lose weight, that's not what's happening. People have to understand. It's about insulin sensitivity. It's an inflammation. It's impossible to exercise a chocolate chip.

Cookie off your hips.

It's just not how it works. Right.

Cryotherapy, yay or nay?

I would prefer the plunge, but if you don't have access and you don't want to get your hair wet and ruin your makeup and all that.

Absolutely.

You know, everything everyone is thinking. Two more activated charcoal.

Yeah.

Great.

I mean, for the right situation, it's excellent. And if people have been taking, like.

Antibiotics and things like that, really good.

Nighttime and morning skincare routine.

Yeah. Just keep it simple. And I think you can get more of an impact from supporting your supplements, also from what you're eating and supplementation.

Amazing. All right, well, before we let you go, we end all shows with a tip listeners can take straight to the bank. What's one piece of advice, career advice, money advice that you'd give listeners today?

I have always used my money to reinvest into my own dreams. And so if somebody is teetering on this, you want to do this still in a calculated way. But if it's a reasonable risk that's back in you, there is no better risk way to spend your money.

I agree. I've always said investing in yourself pays most dividends later on.

Yes.

Money rehab is a production of Money news network. I'm your host, Nicole Lapin. Money rehab's executive producer is Morgan Lavoie. Our researcher is Emily Holmes. Do you need some money rehab? And let's be honest, we all do. So email us your money questions. Money rehaboneynewsnetwork.com to potentially have your questions answered on the show or even have a one on one intervention with me. And follow us on InstagramoneyNews and TikTokoneyNewsNetwork for exclusive video content. And lastly, thank you. No, seriously, thank you. Thank you for listening and for investing in yourself, which is the most important investment you can make.