Can laughter on the river be a way of reconnecting to self, to ancestors, to the water itself?

In this powerful episode of The Discomfort Zone, Anna sits down with Keeya Wiki, a 17-year-old Indigenous kayaker who belongs to the Yurok peoples of the Klamath river and Te Aupouri and Ngati Porou tribes of Aotearoa (New Zealand). Keeya shares the story of completing the first descent of the newly undammed Klamath River, a historic journey led by Indigenous youth reclaiming connection to ancestral waters.

Through laughter, vulnerability, and reflection, Keeya and Anna explore:

🌊 What it felt like to paddle the Klamath after generations of advocacy for dam removal 💫 How to navigate discomfort, fear, and self-doubt with grounding and self-trust 🤝 The power of community, mentorship, and representation in outdoor spaces 😮How she navigated an intense underwater experience on the river

🔥Why the joy she experienced on the river has the power to heal generations

Keeya's young wisdom invites us to listen deeply, and learn from Indigenous peoples and their resilience as we move and paddle forward through the world.

🎧 Listen now to hear how joy, courage, and river restoration flow together on the Klamath.

In this week's episode of The Discomfort Zone, Anna dives into the power of accountability as a key mental agility skill — both on the river and in life.

From her journey healing a herniated disc to returning to the water with strength and gratitude, Anna shares how holding herself accountable (even when it's hard) helped her rebuild courage, confidence, and consistency. 💪

You'll learn why being kind to yourself sometimes means doing the hard thing, and how small daily actions — those "easy moves in easy water" — create real momentum toward your goals.

Anna also explores how accountability shapes true leadership: walking your talk, staying the course, and inspiring trust — whether you're leading a river crew or your own life. 🌊

💡 Why Listen If you've ever... ✨ Set a goal and drifted off course ✨ Struggled to get back into rhythm after fear or injury ✨ Wondered how to balance self-compassion with discipline ✨ Needed a reminder that small daily actions really do matter

...then this episode will meet you right where you are.

Anna shares paddling stories, honest reflections, and actionable tips to help you:

Rebuild trust with yourself

Practice accountability without perfectionism

Stay in your flow — even when the current gets tricky 🧘‍♀️

🔥 Key Takeaways 🛶 Accountability isn't punishment — it's an act of self-leadership. 🌊 "Easy moves in easy water" build strength for harder runs. 💙  Being kind to yourself can mean doing the hard thing. 🤝 You don't have to do it alone — find a buddy, system, or coach to help you stay the course

🎧 Listen Now Available wherever you get your podcasts

You might know Dane Jackson as that guy in the pink boat, the G.O.A.T. of Whitewater, or the paddler who somehow manages to throw tricks off of rarely run Class V drops. But in this episode, we go deeper — into what really drives his courage, how he navigates fear, and why fun might just be the ultimate superpower.

Dane opens up about:

• 🌊 What "comfort zone" really means to him — and how he lives right on the edge of it

• 🧠 How fear actually keeps him safe (and why "no fear" is a myth)

• 💪 The mental and physical prep behind big waterfalls and world championships

• 🕊 Why failure isn't the opposite of success — it's part of the flow

• ❤️ How joy, curiosity, and community fuel his drive more than competition ever could

Through stories of big water, mindset mastery, and pure love for the sport, Dane reminds us that courage doesn't mean the absence of fear — it means showing up anyway.

If you've ever looked at someone fearless on the water and thought, "I could never do that," this episode is for you. Dane pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to trust yourself in the moment, stay calm when things go sideways, and find joy — not pressure — in the pursuit of growth.

You'll walk away with:

• 🔥 A new way to use fear as fuel — not a stop sign

• 🌬 Tools for grounding yourself in presence when challenges arise

• 🌊 The reminder that courage comes from preparation, not perfection

• 😄 Inspiration to bring more fun, play, and joy back into your paddling — and your life

🎙️ Listen now to paddle past fear, find your flow, and fall back in love with the process — on the river and in life.

🚀 From fighter jets to river rapids, this week's episode of The Discomfort Zone takes you on a journey of resilience, courage, and service. Anna sits down with Khalid Kure — U.S. Air Force veteran, father of five, and leader of Team River Runner Columbia, SC — who shares how kayaking became a powerful tool for healing, community, and transformation.

Khalid opens up about anxiety, fear, and facing the river with shaky legs (literally!), and how leaning into those moments of discomfort helped him level up as both a paddler and a mentor for other veterans. His passion for service, family, and empowering others shines through in every story — from practicing kayak rolls with a broom in Germany to teaching his kids the joy of the river.

🌊 Whether you're a paddler, a veteran, or simply someone navigating your own discomfort zone, this conversation is packed with wisdom, humor, and heart.

✨ Why Listen?

Hear how Khalid transformed fear into confidence and leadership — on the river and in life

Discover the power of visualization, community, and "finishing strong"

Learn why camaraderie on the water feels so much like camaraderie in the military

Get inspired by Khalid's mental toolbox for facing rapids, challenges, and life transitions

Be reminded that you're never alone — and that support is often closer than you think

🎧 Tune in for a story of courage, service, and the healing power of rivers.

What if discomfort wasn't something to avoid, but an opportunity to grow? 🌱

In this episode, I sit down with Mardae Weaver — athlete, trainer, healer, and creator of Nowhere Solutions holistic retreat center in Nashville. Mardae's path has taken him from sports and fitness to Reiki, prison work, and childhood behavioral support. Along the way, he's faced profound moments of discomfort, from life-threatening encounters to deep personal challenges — and he's discovered how leaning into those moments creates wisdom, empathy, and transformation. 💫

We talk about: ✨ Why Mardae sees discomfort as opportunity, not pain 🧘 His MISRED framework for self-investment (Mental, Spiritual, Rest, Exercise, Diet) 🔄 Parallels between children on the spectrum and men in maximum security prison 🌿 The healing power of nature and gratitude 🔥 Stories of resilience, balance, and choosing to evolve

It's a conversation about strength, flow, and what it means to reconnect to our deepest core — body, mind, and spirit.

🔥 Listen now and learn how to transform challenge into growth

In paddling and in life, nothing is wasted — every stroke counts, and every experience is money in the bank moving you toward your goal.

In this episode of The Discomfort Zone Podcast, Anna Levesque sits down with longtime paddler, coach, and storyteller Anna Bruno — a six-time member of the USA Freestyle Team and current Marketing Communications Manager at NRS.

From pre-competition nerves that literally send her running for the bushes, to redefining her relationship with ego and identity in paddling, Anna Bruno shares the raw and relatable side of navigating discomfort. Together, Anna and Anna dive into:

🤢 Anticipatory fear — why the waiting is often harder than the rapid itself

🏆 Ego and expectations — how comparison can both drive and derail us

🌊 Community over competition — why connection matters more than results

💰 Money in the bank — why every step, even failure, builds toward future success

💡 Lessons from rejection — building resilience through vulnerability

🧘‍♀️ The wisdom of yoga and self-awareness in paddling and beyond

💭 Why Listen If you've ever felt held back by nerves, struggled with self-doubt, or questioned your path in paddling or life, this conversation will feel like a breath of fresh river air. Anna Bruno's down-to-earth wisdom invites you to step past fear, laugh at the ego, and discover the joy of your own path.

👉 Tune in and discover how to embrace discomfort, find your flow, and remember why you fell in love with paddling in the first place.

What does it mean to honor the voice inside you that says "Not today"—even when your skills say yes? In this conversation, Brett Mayer, lifelong educator, athlete, and Policy Director at the American Canoe Association, joins Anna to explore how discomfort shows up on the river, in public speaking, and in stewardship. Together, they unpack identity, ego, and the courage to choose connection over conquest.

✨ What You'll Learn in This Episode 🌊 Why discomfort on the river isn't always about skill — sometimes it's about intuition

🧠 How to separate fact from story and keep anxiety from spiraling

💪 The practice of saying "It's a no today" and why it can save you from injury or burnout

🌍 Why stewardship work matters for paddlers — and how to get involved

💡 Why Listen If you've ever felt pressure to prove yourself, whether in a rapid or in front of an intimidating audience, this episode will remind you that true courage is about presence, patience, and self-trust. You'll hear real stories of walking away, choosing differently, and finding growth not just in big drops but in everyday choices.

🎧 Hit play and discover how leaning into discomfort, protecting the rivers we love, and finding your flow can transform not just your paddling, but your whole life.

Ever feel like your inner critic has you stuck in a recirculating hole? 🙋‍♀️ Same here.

In this solo episode, I share the 5 steps to stop negative self-talk — the exact ones I use when my own mind starts spiraling - which it has been doing recently on my back-healing journey.

Here's what you'll learn:

✨ Get curious about your inner dialogue 🛑 Interrupt the negative loop 🌊 Replace it with affirmations + embodied feelings 📒 Gather evidence of your progress 🔄 Keep practicing — it's a lifelong river journey

Think of it like paddling out of a sticky hydraulic: awareness, direction, and practice set you free.

💡 Why listen? Because your self-talk shapes how you show up — on the river and in life. If you're ready to stop trashing yourself, paddle toward confidence, and feel lighter in your body and mind, this episode is for you.

🎧 Hit play now and listen to the full episode — your next breakthrough starts here.

What does it mean to reconnect with your river, your culture, and your courage — all through the power of kayaking?

In this episode of The Discomfort Zone, I sit down with Ruby Williams, a Quartz Valley tribal member and Kuduk person raised along the banks of the Klamath River in Happy Camp, California. Ruby's paddling journey began in 2022 with Paddle Tribal Waters, and has since taken her from the first full descent of the 310-mile Klamath, to training in Chile, Canada, and Africa.

Ruby shares how kayaking has transformed her relationship with fear, taught her the power of choosing her own challenges, and deepened her connection to community, leadership, and her ancestral river.

💡 In this episode, you'll hear Ruby's reflections on: 🌊 Running the full 310-mile descent of the Klamath River 💪 Learning that courage doesn't mean never being scared 🧠 The difference between "good" and "bad" discomfort 🤝 How supportive mentors and crew make all the difference 🔥 Finding her voice as a young Indigenous leader 🌍 Why rivers are more than water — they're culture, protest, and connection

If you've ever wondered how paddling can shape identity, courage, and connection far beyond the rapids — this conversation will inspire you.

🎧 Listen now to hear Ruby's story of courage, culture, and flow.

What if the mistake you're dreading is the very thing that sharpens your line?

In this conversation, I sit down with Deborah Kane—founder of Rally Crew, a new "online eddy" for whitewater paddlers—to talk about launching big ideas, running big rapids, and staying human when the outcome isn't guaranteed.

From walking away from months of work to the power of one person saying "I'd bet on you," Deborah offers an honest, practical playbook for courage and connection.

Why listen 🧭 Discomfort as a compass: Turn "I don't know if this will work" into forward movement.

👥 Crew that's truly invested: What supportive looks like (beyond "just follow me").

🧪 Mistakes = momentum: The Rally Crew pivot—and why the "wrong turn" made the final product stronger.

💪 Confidence you can practice: Collect evidence for your self-belief and ask for help (yes, that's a skill).

🎛️ Control the controllables: Manage variables, then—when it's time—be all in.

🌊 Paddling parallels that land: Hard moves in easy water, relationship with the river, and resilience in real life.

Available wherever you get your podcasts!