This episode features Kristen Ulmer, a former world-famous extreme skier once celebrated as the "most fearless woman" in her sport. She shares how her perceived fearlessness was actually an unconscious, high-risk "love affair with fear." After retiring, she reflected on what her career taught her, leading her to coach others on how to embrace their fear rather than resist it.

About Kristen Ulmer:

• Former professional extreme skier, named the most fearless woman athlete in North America.
• Spent 12 years as the best woman big-mountain extreme skier, starring in films and pioneering first descents.
• High-performance facilitator and thought leader on fear and anxiety.
• Long-time student of Zen and a voice dialogue facilitator.
• Author of The Art of Fear: Why Conquering Fear Won’t Work and What to Do Instead.

Topics:

• From a meek, shy kid to a world-famous extreme danger athlete.
• Her "love affair with fear": addiction to adrenaline and feeling intensely alive.
• The turning point: retiring and realizing she didn't understand fear.
• Fear as a person living in your body: shifting from resistance to relationship.
• What "intimacy with fear" actually feels like in the body.
• Flow states, extreme sports, and why the best danger athletes relate to fear differently.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Introduction to Fear and Kristen Ulmer's Journey
• 03:43 The Relationship Between Fear and Anxiety
• 06:45 From Unconscious to Conscious: Kristen's Athletic Career
• 08:25 The Love Affair with Fear
• 11:24 The Message: Embracing Fear Instead of Conquering It
• 14:05 The Transition to Teaching and Facilitating
• 17:06 Secrets of High-Performance Athletes
• 19:38 Understanding Intimacy with Fear
• 22:31 Resistance vs. Intimacy: The Key to Flow
• 25:02 Practical Advice for Managing Panic and Anxiety
• 28:02 The Nature of Fear and Its Manifestations
• 30:17 Rethinking Mental Health: The War on Fear
• 31:43 Levels of Dealing with Fear: From Resistance to Intimacy
• 36:09 Embracing Fear: The Path to Intimacy
• 39:03 The Role of Trauma in Anxiety Disorders
• 41:09 Zen Influence: Handling Fear in Life and Sports
• 45:16 Choosing to Embrace Fear in Sports and Life
• 52:29 The Control of Thoughts and Positivity
• 53:29 Rethinking Anxiety Management
• 54:51 The Cost of Resistance
• 57:44 The Domino Effect of Fear
• 01:00:09 Intimacy with Emotions
• 01:03:02 Navigating Fear and Control
• 01:04:53 The Spiritual Component of Fear
• 01:13:47 Embracing Fear as a Messenger

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