We recently had the chance to connect with Larissa Paes Thackeray and have shared our conversation below.
Larissa, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What are you chasing, and what would happen if you stopped?
I’m currently chasing Olympics as a Speed Skater from Brazil.
I know it’s a very high goal, and I started the sport at 23 years old, which for many would be considered a bit late.
But I’ve seen other athletes successfully do it, and I know I’m the only woman in my country doing this, so if I stopped I would feel like I’m abandoning a dream that I’ve carried with my country for a long time.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am an ice speed skater from Brazil. I have been representing my country in sports since I was 15 years old, and I absolutely love sharing the joy of sports with those who support me.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
When I was 6 years old, I got my first pair of roller blades for Christmas.
I couldn’t even stand on them properly the first day, but the next morning I woke up at 7 am and while everyone was still asleep, I tried them on one more time and was able to stand up without holding on to anything!
Over the next few weeks all I wanted to do was learn how to skate.
I walked up my street, which was a very steep road, put the skates on, and looked down to the hill I was about to skate.
I was terrified, but I really wanted to do it no matter what. I took a deep breath and let gravity do the work.
It was an amazing feeling to be flying down that road… and then throwing myself on the floor cause I didn’t know how to stop. Good thing my parents got me some hand protectors too!
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
I started actually training roller skating as a sport when I was 13. While I was a very joyful kid and then teenager, I had to deal with a huge amount of trauma.
The suicide of my grandfather and then being a victim of violence in Brazil got me into constant fight or flight mode.
I struggled for years, and while I kept traveling and competing in roller speed skating, I wasn’t truly present. I had panic attacks, have memory gaps due to PTSD, sometimes I couldn’t speak for hours.
A couple years ago I lost a pregnancy from an ex-boyfriend, and while I was still deep in depression and handling a toxic relationship, one of my teammates committed suicide. I had offered to talk to her about what she was going through, but unfortunately we never had the conversation. A while later another friend died of cancer. It was a year covered in loss and sadness.
All that pain got me to realize what truly matters in life and decide that I deserve to let go of anything that had been adding unnecessary pain to my life. Holding on to things that happened when I was a teenager, entering bad relationships and living in bitterness had to be left behind so that I could experience the happiness that I deserve.
I felt horrible for constantly worrying about past trauma while my friend had been dealing with cancer on this timeline.
Fortunately I started dating my now husband, and he brought a lot of light into my life, with no judgement, only support.
He was crucial in my acceptance of happiness and peace as a real option for me, not just temporary relief between traumas.
I think that’s the hardest part when dealing with trauma, to interrupt the pain cycles and realize that we’re causing a lot of it.
Once I made a decision of no longer letting any unnecessary drama enter my life, the healing started truly happening.
I’ve also done therapy for years and mental training for sports performance.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
Coming from Brazil I definitely experienced multiple layers of culture-shock, some in a positive way but many in a negative way also.
In Brazilian culture, people tend to welcome others with open arms, whether it’s a friend, a neighbor, or even someone they’ve just met. You’ll see people making conversation in line at the bank or at the grocery store.
That sense of belonging is something I miss and often try to recreate wherever I go. I make it a point to include people, make them feel seen, and show genuine appreciation for who they are.
Another value that I fiercely protect is honesty—both in how I speak and in how I feel.
Brazilians often express themselves with little filter, and while that can sometimes be surprising in other cultures, it also brings a refreshing clarity to relationships. Nothing frustrates me more than when someone greets you with a smile, but their actions or words don’t match
I try to always be straightforward and transparent, even when it’s not the easiest path.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
I think that’s very common with high performers, to take for granted all that we have already achieved, because we have our eyes on the next step.
A few years back I found a list that I made about 10 years ago of things that I wanted to conquer, including being a full time athlete, training abroad, and a few other things. The surprising part was that I had actually achieved all of them, maybe not exactly how I imagined but yes, they all did become true.
That moment made me realize that I wasn’t celebrating my victories as much as I could, and that I needed to be more appreciative of each step of the way.
While I’m still very goal oriented and know I have the potential to achieve a lot more, I have been much better at enjoying the small and big wins along the way.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lari_atleta/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atletalarissa/
Image Credits
Kris Braun
Rafaela Camelo
Noel Stave
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