For years, Shawn Johnson East's quest for perfection kept her from getting in the swing of things.
While that drive to be flawless was certainly an asset when it came to collecting Olympic medals—with the gymnast leaving the 2008 Games in Beijing with a gold and three silvers—once she stepped off the mat, "I was so paralyzed by perfection that I was afraid to ever try anything," she detailed in an exclusive interview with E! News. "I didn't want to look bad. I didn't want to be bad at something."
She was even nervous that innocuous activities with friends would land her in the rough.
"Like, I was afraid to go to Top Golf and play, because if I can't hit the ball, people are going to judge me or whatever," she admitted. "I was crippled by that."
She credits husband of nearly 10 years—former NFL long snapper Andrew East—with helping her enter new fields of play, noting the Vanderbilt University alum was "the one who really healed that over the years."
Still, tackling Special Forces: World's Toughest Test required learning a whole new playbook.
Spending 10 days enduring the actual selection process for the elite military unit "was truly a way to kind of face that fear multiple times a day," explained the athlete, 33. "To just be like, we're all just gonna grind through this. We were, like, peeing our pants, vomiting. Talk about looking vulnerable and not perfect. But it was really cathartic."
Not only did she walk away from the Fox reality series with that metaphorical gold when she and Gia Giudice each successfully completed training camp, noted Shawn, but the process helped her "heal from a lot of those insecurities."
That opportunity was the reason she vaulted into the competition in the first place.
"Shawn had been asked to do it in previous seasons," explained Andrew, whose armband was stripped in the Nov. 20 finale when he struggled through the interrogation, "but she had other things going on."
As in, explained the mom to Drew, 6, Jett, 4, and Bear, 23 months, "I was pregnant. Every time."
But after welcoming her last little cub in December 2023, producers suggested that she could compete in season four and bring a teammate along.
"As soon as we found out that we could do it together, it was like, 'Oh, baby, let's go. This would be like a second honeymoon,'" joked Andrew. "A sick and twisted one, you know."
A vacation that was light on sunbathing sessions, but heavy on self-reflection.
"We voluntarily jump out of planes," Shawn explained of their shared adrenaline junkie nature. And while they hold a deep respect for the military, "I think there was also a curiosity in both of us, like, are we capable of that? We're used to pushing ourselves in athletics. But this felt a little bit different."
For both, it was the chance to discover who they were beneath the accolades.
"Having been the professional athlete and then feeling lost for a while and having to rebuild that, I was curious what my identity would feel like being put back in to a competition world like that," explained the author and YouTuber. "And it was just cool, like, I felt so secure and confident as Andrew's wife and the mother of our children."
Because it's a role she's stuck perfectly.
Even when the ex-Special Forces operatives would try to "test that identity and see if I had confidence in it," said Shawn, she didn't wobble.
"They'd be like, 'Oh, isn't it so annoying when you get hurt, and he's just right there next to you?'" recounted the host of the Couple Things podcast. "And I'm like, No, that's freaking amazing. That means I have a phenomenal husband.'"
Ultimately, the process made her feel she was part of a winning squad.
"I actually don't think I could have done it without him, like we are truly a team," Shawn insisted. "And I think it just made me feel so proud that I have regained my identity. I know what it is, and it's awesome."
While few people would call a trip that involves crawling through mud and agreeing to be buried alive a honeymoon, the couple would argue that it made their nearly decade-long marriage all that much sweeter.
"I feel like our marriage and family greatly benefited from the show," Andrew said, "because you're put in these extraordinary situations, and then through those extraordinary situations, we learn about each other."
And the takeaway, continued the athlete, 34, is that he found himself a true MVP.
Noting how at one point the officers questioned if he was slowing down to stay with Shawn, he acknowledged that was the case for maybe one of the sessions. "But if you take all of the challenges, and certainly all of life beyond that as a whole," he said, "Shawn and I are way better as a team than individuals."
So, huddle up, because we're giving you a glimpse into how their squad functions both away and at home.
Welcome Baby Bear
Shawn and Andrew appear with their third baby, son Bear, in December 2023.
Baby No. 3
Shawn Johnson East and Andrew East welcomed their third child on Dec. 12, 2023.
Moment With Daddy
The former NFL player already has a sweet connection with baby No. 3.
Sibling Bonding
The newborn shared a hug with big sister Drew, born in 2019, and brother Jett, born in 2021.
Bear-y Cute
The gymnast captioned this cute shot of her thirdborn with the bear emoji.
Family of Four
Shawn and Andrew, who tied the knot in 2016, posed with Drew and Jett. She captioned the 2022 portrait, "Just the Hulk and his family."
A House Divided
For Halloween 2023, the guys chose their fighters as the girls went for magical vibes.
Taking After Dad
"Well… can’t make this up," Shawn wrote in August 2022. "Little dude has a new favorite toy. Giggles, smiles, won’t put it down."
Red, White and Baby Blue
The fam was ready for fireworks on July 4, 2022.
Pool Time
Shawn and Andrew relaxed with a swim alongside their kids.
Struttin' Her Stuff
Drew modeled her one-piece swimsuit during a family pool day.