The Discomfort Zone

This week on The Discomfort Zone Podcast, I'm joined by Boyd Ruppelt—a seasoned whitewater kayaker, guide, and instructor—who shares his wisdom on confronting fear and managing risk in high-stakes environments. Boyd offers a deep dive into the art of risk management and the guiding philosophies that shape his approach to both pursuing and guiding adventure sports. Together, we explore the unique m...

This week's episode with Greg McFadden, owner and guide at Canyons River Company on Idaho's iconic Middle Fork and Main Salmon Rivers, takes you into the transformative experience of "life without mirrors" on multi-day trips. Greg shares the art of building trust on the river, the delicate balance of leadership and vulnerability, and the unique responsibilities that come with guiding.  He also shi...

In this week's episode, Kara Weld, co-owner and CEO of Immersion Research, shares how she approaches the discomfort zone in business, kayaking and her relationship. This conversation provides many insights for life on and off the water,  and lots of river analogies! Kara shares about her experiences as a competitive canoe slalom kayaker and business owner, emphasizing the balance between risk and...

In this episode of The Discomfort Zone Podcast, I sit down with Danny Mongno, a true paddling industry veteran, as he opens up about his journey through the highs and lows of a career in paddle sports. From his passion for teaching to overcoming physical challenges like hip surgeries, Danny shares the resilience it takes to stay active in an ever-evolving outdoor industry. We delve into the impact...

Anyone can get to the bottom of a rapid because the water flows downstream, and so it is with life. We will all end up at the end of the journey. The question is, what moves do you want to make and how do you want to feel once you're there?   In this solo episode I reflect on big picture strategies that we use when learning how to navigate the river, that also apply to navigating life.   There's a...

My guest this week, Ottie Robinson Shaw, is a 6X Freestyle World Champion, and who is aspiring to be the best and beat the boys. Ottie shares how, growing up, she was very afraid of failure, and the strategies she has been able to overcome that fear to become the successful competitor she is today.  She also talks about navigating major injuries, like the labrum tear she suffered during the last W...

If you've watched a Matchstick Productions (MSP) ski film within the last 25 years, then you've witnessed the incredible work of this week's guest, renowned filmmaker and skier, Scott Gaffney. In a big life change, Scott recently left MSP to step into a big discomfort zone of trying to make it as a freelance filmmaker and cinematographer. He shares what keeps him up at night, and the struggle to b...

If you're a whitewater paddler and you've wondered how the legendary 'Brown Claw' came to be, you'll get the facts in this episode, directly from Dave Fusilli, one of the OG Demshitz. If you're not a whitewater paddler and that sounds like crazy talk, you'll still want to tune in because Dave tends to bring out the best in people. He seems to effortlessly balance not taking himself too seriously w...

In this episode, certified counselor Somerville Johnston returns to the show to do a dive deep with Anna into the mental health impacts of Hurricane Helene on their Asheville community. They candidly explore the emotional landscape of discomfort, self-care, and survivor guilt, while underscoring the essential role of community support in the healing process. The conversation sheds light on the imp...

Last week Hurricane Helene devastated parts of our town and much of Western North Carolina. This is a solo episode on my reflections of the past week because it felt like the right thing to do rather than go to a pre-recorded interview episode. I literally re-recorded this episode 4 times because nothing I say captures all of the emotions and thoughts that have been running through me. There are n...

If you want to learn to set better boundaries, then to tune into this week's episode about my absolute favorite teaching from the river: How to set boundaries like river banks. Learning how to set boundaries around what's important to you is essential to living a life that is fulfilling and meaningful to you. Unfortunately, boundaries can get a bad rap as too confining, rigid and not fun. However,...

Need some inspiration on positive self-talk to face your biggest challenge?  Arnaldo Cespedes, accomplished Costa Rica paddler, instructor and guide, shares his strategies for self talk that get him through challenges on and off the water.  We also talk about what it takes to recover from injury, his top advice for river leaders, and the discomfort and benefits of traveling, connecting with others...

Have you ever been skeptical when you see someone with a service dog?  I admit, I have to, and that changed when I met and got to hang out with Michelle Weger and her Great Dane service dog, Quinn. Michelle is an accomplished entrepreneur, speaker and author who lives with narcolepsy, and is passionate about inspiring you to not let obstacles get in the way of your dreams. During our conversation...

If you need some positive inspo this week, this episode is for you! Stephen Wright is one of the most accomplished and positive paddlers I know. In this conversation Stephen shares how he navigates his discomfort zone in competition, squirt boating, coaching and starting his carbon boat building company, Dreamboat Kayaks. You'll learn about his coaching philosophy, and how he approaches inspiring...

Join me for an inspiring conversation with Sophie Gilfillan, recent silver medalist in Junior Women at the World Freestyle Championships, who has also excelled in slalom kayaking, and creek boating. In this episode of the Discomfort Zone Podcast, Sophie delves into the delicate balance between rational and irrational fear, sharing how she navigates the mental challenges of paddling and competition...

Nicole Bernardin, a passionate ultra runner, reminds us to separate fact from fiction to stop ourselves from getting derailed by the lows or the highs of racing and life. She shares her mental agility strategies for completing endurance races, and how the sport has helped her cultivate patience, resilience and confidence in all areas of her life. Nicole also shares her story of having to face a di...

Imagine recovering from a catastrophic climbing accident that resulted in major multi -systems trauma, including  a skull fracture, a broken back, bruises in both lungs and 15 broken bones, to race the Green just 11 months later. Adam Herzog, an accomplished whitewater kayaker and outdoor enthusiast, did just that. This week, Adam shares his journey of overcoming the accident and how it has redefi...

Shane Benedict, co-founder of Liquid Logic Kayaks, is one of the most confident paddlers that I know, and in this conversation he shares how he cultivated that confidence, and has sustained it for 40+ years on the water. He also talks about his passion for designing kayaks, and what part of the design and development process feels most uncomfortable, and most satisfying. Shane shares the strategie...

Shawanna Kendrick, founder of The Hiking, Healing and Outdoors Life (H2O), shares how her recent expedition to Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania was both a personal and generational goal, and the lessons she learned along the way. Our conversation delves into cultivating self-awareness and personal growth through adventure, the benefits of pushing through hard, both for yourself and for others, and why i...

Benny Marr is known as one of the best big wave and river paddlers in the world, but I've always been just as impressed by his self-awareness, growth mindset and lighthearted humor. There's so much packed into this episode! Benny shares his thoughts on ego and kayaking, and how he has used his ego for both 'good' and 'evil' throughout his career. He distinguishes between being self-conscious versu...

Brenna Keller, a top PSIA ski instructor and guide, dives into the interplay between fear and excitement, highlighting how mindset can help achieve a flow state. .She explains how fear, when managed properly, can enhance performance.   The conversation also examines the discomfort zone beyond skiing, particularly in communication and relationships, where the courage to speak up can be challenging...

In this episode, helicopter air ambulance pilot, Holley Gardel, shares strategies for transforming negative feelings into powerful cues that propel you to perform at your best. We talk about the power of mental performance training, how it unlocks potential in every aspect of life, and how it's not just for elite athletes. Holley champions thorough preparation, seeking support, and celebrating eve...