Shawn Johnson Admits Marriage Isn't 'So Easy' But It's Always Worth Sticking Together

Shawn Johnson and Andrew East have one of the most solid relationships, but the Olympic gold medalist doesn't want to portray their marriage as picture-perfect. In a June 2026 interview with People, she got real about what it takes to make it in the long run, sharing, "I got really tired of all these movies portraying romance as a fairy tale that's so easy, and people thinking that if theirs wasn't easy, it was wrong." Johnson is clearly a fan of marriage counseling, which can take a while to have an effect. Comparing marriage to her and East's past vigorous training, she stated, "I think our athletic careers taught us how to be in a relationship. Gymnastics is the most humbling sport. You have to fail miserably and stand back up and try again and fail again."

Johnson and East teamed up to co-write their book, "The Courage to Commit," which highlights how they show up for each other as a couple and as parents to their three kids. It's not just a memoir telling folks how to make relationships work, however, but rather an honest insight into their lives. "We don't feel qualified to give marriage advice to people. We're just trying to fail openly and honestly with people and learn along the way," East told Nashville Lifestyles in March 2026. The former NFL player is not afraid to admit to his mistakes, and a big one he made had Johnson seeing red.

One of the biggest proponents of a healthy marriage is being on the same page when it comes to big decisions, but Andrew East failed to tell Shawn Johnson about an important career choice. During a July 2026 appearance on "The Bossticks," the gymnast revealed that her husband started their podcast without telling her right after they welcomed their first child. "About seven days after I gave birth, he started the podcast. We never talked about doing it," Johnson stated. "He came up with the name, he came up with the concept, and he launched it. And he said he sent it out on Apple Podcasts," she continued. While "Couple Things with Shawn Johnson and Andrew East" did well, Johnson said that she was initially angry. Thankfully, that wasn't a relationship issue that couldn't be fixed, as she ended up enjoying the experience.

While that was certainly a lesson on simple ways to improve communication in your relationship, Johnson told E! News in 2023 that her joint podcast with East strengthens their bond. "I think that's one of my favorite things about this is we take away different little tips and tricks for our marriage after every single interview. So there's a laundry list," she reflected. They also use date nights to connect, with East sharing, "We always debrief. Any time we have it on date night, the whole conversation between Shawn and I that night is just about what we learned that day."