You can listen to the full episode and read the transcript on Anna Levesque's website (Episode #92, December 2, 2025).
I've been a huge fan of Anna Levesque for years. She's an incredibly talented paddler and coach, and her work has been a big source of inspiration for me, so it was a real honor to join her as a guest on her podcast, The Discomfort Zone.
The title of our episode says it all: the only way out is through. We dug into what happens at our growth edge, when fear, self-doubt, and imposter syndrome show up, and how surrender and letting go of outcomes can actually make the experience better, both on the water and off.
What we talked about
Leaning into the discomfort zone as a place for growth
Surrender, and what pregnancy, childbirth, and injury recovery taught me about asking for help
The cultural pressure, especially on women, to push through and do it all
How sea kayaking, whitewater, surf, and SUP each inform one another
Reframing failure (and rolling!): if you're getting wetter, you're getting better
Play as a path to confidence and resilience, and why I think of myself as a play facilitator
Mental frameworks like The Inner Game of Tennis
Listen to the episode
Find The Discomfort Zone on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts, or listen right on Anna's episode page.
Thank you, Anna, for the thoughtful conversation and for everything you do to help paddlers grow. Happy listening!
