Anna Levesque:
My guest today, Anna Bruno, often jokes that kayaking took over her life. After graduating from Colby College in 2007, Anna headed to Uganda to volunteer with Jesse Stone’s nonprofit, Soft Power Health — kayak wrapped in a blue tarp. Instead of pursuing graduate school, she found herself teaching for Kayak the Nile and never looked back. She went on to become a six-time member of the USA Freestyle Kayak team and a longtime Jackson Kayak ambassador.

Today, Anna is best known as the editor of Kayak Session Magazine and the voice behind the mic at paddling events around the world. She’s mentored countless paddlers through coaching and instruction with the Wilderness Tours Keener Program, World Class Academy, and beyond. Currently, she serves as Marketing Communications Manager at NRS, amplifying the stories and voices that make the whitewater community so special.

Thanks for being here, Anna. I’m excited.

Anna Bruno:
Thanks, me too. Thanks for having me.

Anna Levesque:
I always start by asking: when I say “discomfort zone,” what comes up for you?

Anna Bruno:
Honestly, this right now! (laughs) No, but really, for me the discomfort zone is anything that pushes me out of a place where I feel confident and know what to expect.

Anna Levesque:
Yes, I love that — knowing what to expect. Even when I’m leading something, I’m comfortable. But when I step into a new role, like joining a webinar where I have to post a video — that feels terrifying, even though it’s what I ask people to do all the time. You’ve had a lot of roles in the whitewater world. Do you find yourself in that space too?

Anna Bruno:
All the time. In coaching or teaching, discomfort can come from fear for yourself or from responsibility for others. In leadership roles, you can plan the day, but you can’t control all the outcomes, and that’s real. Personally, the biggest discomfort zones for me are competing and creeking — even runs I know I can handle, if they’re new, I feel that fear.

Anna Levesque:
So what strategies do you use before a competition or new river?

Anna Bruno:
Full disclosure: I’m a puker. It’s embarrassing, but adrenaline hits my stomach hard. I usually need to step away, puke, brush my teeth, and then tell my crew that I’m scared. Once I get my skirt on and start paddling, it fades. I call it anticipatory fear — the anticipation is always worse than the thing itself.

Anna Levesque:
Yes! I’ve definitely worked myself up before rapids that turned out to be no big deal. That anticipatory fear can be so much worse than the reality.

Anna Bruno:
Exactly. And it’s frustrating because it’s not logical. You can know you’re fine, but your body reacts anyway. It’s a muscle — when I was traveling and paddling new rivers constantly, I didn’t feel it as much. Now that I mostly paddle familiar runs, that “new river” muscle isn’t exercised as often, and I notice the difference.

Anna Levesque:
Same for me. Back when I competed full-time, I was paddling everything, everywhere, in tiny playboats on Class V. Now, teaching the same rivers, I realized I hadn’t paddled a new river in years. It’s like any muscle — use it or lose it.

Anna Bruno:
Exactly. At a certain point, it takes effort to keep skills fresh. Sometimes that means trying a new line on the same run, just to challenge yourself differently.

Anna Levesque:
Yes. Even rivers that changed after storms forced me to flex that muscle again — disorienting but fun. Okay, I have to ask about the puking. Where did you puke during the World Championships in Columbus? That’s in the middle of town!

Anna Bruno:
(laughs) I actually didn’t puke that time, but I tried. I hid under the bleachers near a trash can. It was humiliating. Emily Jackson still teases me: “How many times did you puke today?”

Anna Levesque:
I love how you own it. It’s just part of your process. And you’re not alone — other paddlers, even business leaders, have shared similar physical reactions to stress.

Anna Bruno:
What helps me now is visualization. I found a pre-competition meditation on the Sports Motivation Podcast, and it’s become part of my routine. I’ll listen in the car or on headphones before something scary, and it helps ground me.

Anna Levesque:
That’s awesome. And yet, competing is still one of your biggest discomfort zones. What keeps you doing it?

Anna Bruno:
Honestly, community. The energy of an event, the global paddling family — that’s what keeps me coming back. Competition itself is only a small piece. Plus, I’ve always liked having a goal to train for. It motivates me to stay strong and engaged.

Anna Levesque:
I admire that. I love freestyle, but I hated competing. The nerves were overwhelming for me, and I cared too much about what people thought. That pressure can be paralyzing.

Anna Bruno:
Yes, exactly. When you start thinking about expectations, your own or others’, it can shut down joy and growth. I’ve struggled with that too.

Anna Levesque:
Same. After winning bronze at Worlds, I convinced myself I had to podium every time. It was toxic and self-sabotaging. Without a coach, I spiraled. That mindset eventually made competing impossible for me.

Anna Bruno:
It’s an evolution. Early on, there’s so much excitement and fast progression. Later, you have to redefine what brings you joy in the sport. Maybe it’s Class V, or maybe it’s a Class III lap with friends. That’s a hard transition, but part of a lifetime in kayaking.

Anna Levesque:
Yes. If you want to stay in the sport, you have to adapt. My father-in-law is still paddling at 77, but he’s modified his goals. It’s a lifelong journey.

Anna Bruno:
Absolutely. And that’s what I love about kayaking — there are endless ways to challenge yourself without always increasing risk. A million ways to have fun in a kayak.

Anna Levesque:
I noticed in your bio you were going to go to grad school, but instead you went to Uganda. Was your family supportive?

Anna Bruno:
Super supportive. My parents are actually paddling with me next week at MKC! I think they thought at first it was just a phase, but they saw how passionate I was and how much I learned. It was unconventional, but it gave me lifelong skills — leadership, teaching, navigating life in another country. They eventually realized this wasn’t just a phase, it was my path.

Anna Levesque:
I can relate. My dad once asked if I was ever going to get a “real job,” but when I got sponsored by Nike and brought him shirts from the campus, he stopped asking. (laughs)

Anna Bruno:
That’s amazing. For me, everything I’ve done connects back to those early days in Uganda. Kayaking has given me a platform for so many careers — guiding, coaching, media, and now marketing. Each step led to the next.

Anna Levesque:
I love that. But moving into media must have been another discomfort zone. Submitting articles, taking risks in such a niche sport…

Anna Bruno:
Absolutely. My first article submission to Kayak Session was rejected. But instead of shutting me down, the editor encouraged me to keep writing. That rejection was uncomfortable but taught me to keep putting myself out there. Laying groundwork — building relationships, taking risks, introducing yourself — those little steps all add up.

Anna Levesque:
Yes. It’s like paddling: start with the easy moves in safe water, then progress. Each step is “money in the bank.”

Anna Bruno:
Exactly. Even failures are deposits you’ll draw from later. It’s all building toward something.

Anna Levesque:
What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned about yourself through discomfort?

Anna Bruno:
That I don’t always have to do things the hard way to succeed. During yoga teacher training, we held poses for 20 minutes. I got angry, frustrated, even betrayed — but I learned to ride the wave of sensation, to face emotions that come up. That self-awareness has carried into kayaking. You can’t always control outcomes, but you can choose how you respond.

Anna Levesque:
Yes. Self-awareness gives you choice. Your fear, your anger — they’re not you. You get to decide how to act.

Anna Bruno:
Exactly. And in places like White Salmon, surrounded by incredible paddlers, it’s easy to compare. But I’ve had to accept that some days I just don’t have the energy for Class V — and that’s okay. Joy matters more than ego.

Anna Levesque:
Yes. I had to unfollow the “badass” kayakers for a while to stop comparing myself. Eventually, I followed them back, but only after I found peace with my own paddling journey.

Anna Bruno:
That’s so real. Taking away comparison as motivation is hard, but necessary. Refocusing on what feels good for you is badass.

Anna Levesque:
Thank you. Okay, let’s shift to rapid fire. What’s a morning ritual that sets you up for success?

Anna Bruno:
Slow mornings. Coffee, walking the dog, and some alone time before facing the world.

Anna Levesque:
What’s a non-negotiable self-care practice?

Anna Bruno:
Sleep, and making time for myself — whether that’s yoga, running, or reading. I can be a people pleaser, so alone time keeps me balanced.

Anna Levesque:
Favorite motivational resource?

Anna Bruno:
The Sports Motivation Podcast. The pre-game visualizations really help me with anticipatory nerves.

Anna Levesque:
Final question: what does courage mean to you?

Anna Bruno:
Courage is choosing to step forward even when you’re scared, even when you’re uncomfortable. It’s not the absence of fear — it’s moving with it.

Anna Levesque:
Beautiful. Anna, thank you so much for this conversation. I could talk to you for hours. Thanks for being vulnerable and sharing your wisdom with us.

Anna Bruno:
Thank you. It’s been great.