How do you learn to trust yourself enough to know your limits, and still take the big risk when it counts? In this episode of The Discomfort Zone Podcast, Anna Levesque, former professional whitewater kayaker and founder of Mind Body Paddle, talks with Nadia Burton, founder of WhatVest and Big Hollow Designs. Nadia spent more
Ep #125 Trusting Yourself in Skiing and Business with Nadia Burton Read More »
I pulled into the Lower Swiss parking lot and saw more than 15 women gathered in front of the ACE Adventure Resort shuttle bus, laughing, talking, and covering each other in glitter and jewels. A Full-Circle Return to the Lower Gauley The last time I paddled the Lower Gauley, it was my personal first descent
Today is my 52nd birthday — and I’m doing something I don’t do nearly enough: actually stopping to celebrate. If you’re someone who moves straight to the next goal, minimizes what you’ve accomplished, or quietly compares yourself out of your own wins — this one’s for you. I’m sharing a simple reflection practice that has
Ep #108 Your Younger Self Would Be Blown Away – Solo Ep Read More »
Ask Mariann Sæther what got her to two world championships, and she won’t say talent. Mariann is a two-time world champion in extreme kayaking, a mother of two, and one of the most accomplished women in whitewater history. She retired from competition in 2024 after nearly three decades of paddling rivers around the world. In
Ep #106: Grit Over Talent: Resilience, Risk, and Paddling Hard Stuff with Mariann Sæther Read More »
Spring is a season of new beginnings. Just as rivers swell and cleanse with spring rains, it’s a powerful time to clear out what’s old and create space for what’s new. We’re good at spring cleaning our homes — but spring cleaning our minds? That’s where real transformation happens. Here’s a river metaphor I love:
You’ve felt that edge before — the moment between staying in the eddy and peeling out into the current. In this episode of The Discomfort Zone Podcast, I sit down with world-class kayaker, coach, and avalanche specialist Tyler Curtis to explore what it really means to lean into uncertainty — on the river and in
Ep#103 Tyler Curtis on Modeling Courage and Why Passion Matters Read More »
Is 2026 the year you drift aimlessly into the shallows,or the year you paddle confidently down the wave train? Because here’s the truth the river teaches us over and over again: It’s up to you to choose your position relative to the current.To peel out of the eddy with intention.To set your edge, lift your
3 strategies to stop your drift and choose your line for 2026 Read More »
My friend Clay Wright once said something to me that has really stuck, and inspired me to write this blog post. I’m starting with ‘in a nutshell’ because that is the new trend, also known as Too Long, Didn’t Read of TL;DR. It’s true, more folks scan now, so… In a Nutshell Anyone can get
When I talk about accountability, I don’t mean it in the harsh, rigid way our culture sometimes portrays it — as a measure of worth or perfection. I mean accountability as a mental agility skill, and even as an act of kindness toward yourself. A way of holding yourself gently but firmly on your chosen
How Accountability Builds Real Confidence (Without Perfection or Pressure) Read More »
Are you on a constant roller coaster of emotion through life, getting attached to ‘the good’ and having an aversion to ‘the bad?’ If so, I hope this story helps you ground, I know it has for me over the last week. There’s an old legend that goes like this (as I’ve heard and understand
