During a long-form interview with John Cena on her “What’s Your Story?” podcast, Stephanie McMahon opened up about a difficult period in her own life where she lost her confidence, and how the discipline of jiu-jitsu was instrumental in helping her find herself again.
Losing and Rediscovering Herself
The conversation shifted when Cena asked McMahon why she thought she had lost herself. “I had some very hard life lessons, mainly as it relates to my family and what WWE is, and what it means to me,” she explained. “It was so wrapped up in my identity… who am I? Right? Like, am I this, this person who was reared in this business… and I needed to accept that part of me.”
How Jiu-Jitsu “Healed Me”
McMahon credited her jiu-jitsu training with helping her regain her sense of self and strength. “Jujitsu healed me… a fair amount,” she stated. “It has helped me get to remind myself of who I am and what I’m capable of… I lost myself for a little bit, I lost my confidence, and I found it again in Jiu Jitsu.” She emphasized the importance of this journey by noting, “it was something that I did completely on my own and with no one else’s help… I did it for me.”
The Importance of Family
She also spoke about how a health scare involving her husband, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, solidified her priorities. “I almost lost Paul, my husband… there is nothing more important to me than my family, than my husband and my kids, and that’s what matters most,” she said. This realization led to her taking a leave of absence from WWE to give her time back to her family.
A Philosophy of Love and Giving Back
McMahon concluded her personal story by sharing her core belief. “I believe that love is what life is all about. And if you can help somebody in any way… that is what it is all about,” she said. “It’s about giving back. And I’ve, I’ve had a lot of blessings in my life… and I’m so grateful and any amount that I can give back… that’s what I want to do.”
Stephanie McMahon’s rare and candid conversation with John Cena, where she shares her own story, is available now on her podcast, “What’s Your Story?”.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Whats Your Story? With Steph McMahon with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
