
Do you feel called toward something bigger — a dream, adventure, or purpose — but fear keeps holding you back? Welcome to The Discomfort Zone — the outdoor, mindset, and leadership podcast where courage meets the edge. Every Tuesday, host Anna Levesque — world-class whitewater kayaker, World Championship medalist, author, and mental agility coach — dives into raw, real conversations with paddlers,... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 98 | Founded | 2 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Self-ImprovementEducationSportsWilderness | |||

In this encore episode of The Discomfort Zone Podcast, I sit down with Heidi Walsh, one of the most dynamic all-around female kayakers in the world and a 2025 Female Paddler of the Year finalist, for a raw conversation about mindset, resilience, and ... more
In this encore episode of The Discomfort Zone Podcast, I'm joined by Sophie Gilfillan, recently named U21 Female Paddler of the Year, for a powerful conversation about mindset training for kayaking, managing fear, and letting go of perfectionism—with... more
What if you didn't set another resolution… and instead chose a theme you could actually live into?
In this bonus re-release, I'm joined by my longtime friend and entrepreneur Michelle Tennant Nicholson for a grounded, energizing conversation about ... more
In this inspiring episode of The Discomfort Zone, I sit down with Makinley Kate Hargrove, two-time Junior World Champion, World Cup gold medalist, and six-time U.S. Junior National Champion, to explore how she leans into discomfort and finds her flow... more
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I love Anna’s soothing voice! It reminds me of the voice in my head when I work on my forward stroke form on the flat water. Because I was lucky enough to get a kayaking class for Anna and she made my form so much better! Mental game is the hardest thing to teach and I love how she is teaching it and also getting into the heads of the best in whitewater to show us how they prepare their mental game!
Injury recovery, doubting yourself, dealing with outside (and inside) pressure to take risks, walking the edge of fear and giving up… Anna talks about ALL of it!
Anna offers the highs and lows of life on the white water (and as a life-long athlete). She doesn’t sugar coat the challenges of both the physical and mental aspect of paddling exhilarating and dangerous waters… and yet always leaves you feeling empowered to take on the challenges while caring for yourself.
I absolutely LOVE Anna’s podcast!
Her information, and the free webinar, made all the difference in helping me to “get out of my own head”, and learn how to roll.
Not only this, but she and the people she interviews, have a wonderful way of using practical kayaking situations as illustrations to teach other life skills and mental agility.
I always look forward to hearing the new podcasts when they download. And a few of them I have listened to more than just once.
Thank you so much, Anna ... more
One of my favorite podcast. Anna shares her insights about how the discomfort zone helps us growth. Love the river analogies. She brings amazing guests and is a skillful interviewer. Her last episode (#72) is so powerful about the courage to share her own experience of dealing with unexpected injury.
I’ve been reading Anna’s blog and listening to her podcast for years. She and her guests are sharing the conversations you have with friends on long car rides, during long hikes, and on long phone chats. Their experiences mirror our own and their insights build emotional muscle. For me, they build more comfort during periods of feeling uncomfortable.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
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Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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The content focuses on the interplay between personal growth and facing discomfort through the lens of outdoor adventure and sports. Episodes often feature interviews with a wide range of guests, including paddlers, athletes, and leaders, who share their personal stories of overcoming fear and adversity in both their athletic pursuits and life transitions. Key themes include resilience, mental agility, and personal development, making it a valuable resource for individuals seeking inspiration and practical tools for their own journeys. The unique aspect is the blend of high-level athletic experiences with broader life lessons, appealing to outdoor enthusiasts and anyone interested in personal transformation.
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Discomfort Zone. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Discomfort Zone and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
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These podcasts share a similar audience with The Discomfort Zone:
1. B-Flow Sessions: The Whitewater Kayaking Podcast. Presented by Pucon Kayak Retreat
2. Tales from the Cripps
3. Outside Podcast
4. Wild Ideas Worth Living
5. The Dirtbag Diaries
The Discomfort Zone launched 2 years ago and published 98 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on The Discomfort Zone include:
1. Michelle Tennant Nicholson
2. Makinley Kate Hargrove
3. Laura Zulliger
4. Anna Alsobrook
5. Jon Stamper
6. Melissa DeMarie
7. Sofia Reinoso
8. Keeya Wiki
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