What do you do when fear shows up and your instinct is to either force your way through or quit altogether?

In this episode of The Discomfort Zone Podcast, Anna talks with Sara Hunter, a licensed clinical mental health counselor, certified emotionally focused couples therapist, and PMBIA Level 1 mountain bike instructor based in Asheville, NC. Sara takes clients out of the office and onto the trail, using mountain biking to help them notice what's happening in their bodies, name what they're feeling, and practice new ways of responding to fear.

This conversation is really about the skill of slowing down, and why the smallest step toward what scares you is often the most courageous one.

If you tend to white-knuckle your way through hard things, or freeze when the pressure is on, this one is for you.

In this episode, you'll explore:

• Why slowing down and naming what's happening in your body changes how you respond to fear

• What titration means, and how to break an intimidating goal into steps your nervous system can actually handle

• Why beginners often grow more on the trail than seasoned athletes, and why sitting still is the real discomfort zone for adventurers

• How the rhythm of pedaling and scanning the trail calms the body's threat response

• The surprising link between perfectionism and the courage to ask a clarifying question

Whether you're eyeing a rapid you've been walking around, a trail feature that gets in your head, or a hard conversation you keep putting off, this episode offers a kinder and more effective way through.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts!