Joy Before Fear explores the stories of people who embody what it means to Choose Joy Before Fear. From runners, ultrarunners, and athletes to professionals and business owners helping others live healthier, more resilient lives. People who are doing work that affect all aspects of daily life. These conversations highlight people who care deeply about their work, their communities, the lives they touch, and the planet we call home.
Host: Stacey Nievweija
Be Bold. Put Your Health First. You've Got This! Choose Joy Before Fear™
17. Ashley Yates: "Come As You Are": Building Community Care Through Fitness, Life Changing Moment of Watching a Professional Basketball Game, and the Power of Olympic Lifting
In this episode, Ashley Yates joins the Joy Before Fear podcast. Ashley is the owner of Rose City Barbell and author of the book of “Give it Purpose”. Her gym is a CrossFit gym where she has members of all ages youth, teens, all the way up to people in their 70s are all participating in the same classes.
We talk about the mind-body connection of Olympic lifting. As well as all the benefits and why you should consider giving it a go, that you can get those benefits even while practicing with something as simple as a PVC pipe. You don't need to necessarily have the super heavy weights in order to benefit from the mind-body connection.
We hear about how in the third grade Ashley won tickets in a reading contest to go watch a professional basketball game where the Blazers played the Bulls and how winning those tickets and watching that game planted a seed that has brought her to where she is today.
"Come As You Are" is written on the gym wall. Ashley has worked hard to create and environment that allows people to find community in fitness and also get fit while in community.
Wanna go workout at Rose City Barbell? https://www.rosecitybarbell.com (https://www.rosecitybarbell.com)
Ashley's book, "Give it Purpose" (https://a.co/d/07ifMjiD), can be found on Amazon
Interested in being a guest Joy Before Fear?
Message me: https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact (https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact)
Curious about Coaching with Joy Before Fear?
Schedule afree consultation call (https://calendly.com/coaching-joybeforefear/35_min?month=2026-07)
Instagram: @joybeforefear
Be Bold. Put Your Health First. You Got This. Choose Joy Before Fear. (https://www.joybeforefear.com/)
26 Aug 2026
16. Rob Clemens: "Good Things Are Waiting For You", Running Towards Sobriety, Magic of 100 Milers, Pain Cave of Life vs Pain Cave of Ultras, and Embracing Imperfection
Are sober curious, on a sobriety journey, or have aloved one that is? Have you lived through trauma and are working through healing from those experiences or have a loved one that is?....THIS conversation is one to listen to.
Rob Shares with us his journey to sobriety and the pivotalrole running played in that journey. To this date he has run 20 100 milers and recently just finished his first 200 miler.
We talk about how big an impact serious loss can have on ourlives, and the self-proof one can gain while running and training for ultras providing momentum for healing. We get to hear how a fortune cookie provided a powerful messagefor Rob just at the right moment.
We talk about the pain cave of life vs the pain cave ofultras and how chosen suffering in ultras can be a huge relief. The ultra event space providing respite from the pain cave of our personal lives.
We talk about healing, the power of embracing imperfection,and how being out on the trails can serve as a mirror for personal reflection. To paraphrase Rob, being shattered glass and slowing gluing the pieces back together.
It is my hope that this conversation allows you to have morecompassion with yourself and the notion that "good things are waiting for you".
Reach out to Rob for coaching: https://robclemens.com/ (https://robclemens.com/)
Interested in being a guest Joy Before Fear?
Message me: https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact (https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact)
Curious about Coaching with Joy Before Fear?
Schedule a free consultation call (https://calendly.com/coaching-joybeforefear/35_min?month=2026-07)
Instagram: @joybeforefear
Be Bold. Put Your Health First. You Got This. Choose Joy Before Fear. (https://www.joybeforefear.com/)
29 Jul 2026
15. Mindy McEachran: Art a "Necessity of Self-Expression, a Way to Build Resilience", Integrating Athlete and Artist Identities, Benefits of Art Therapy, & the Difference Between Art and Creativity
In this episode, Mindy McEachran joins the Joy Before Fear podcast. Mindy is the person behind Crimson Rose Counseling, a trauma-informed art therapist based in Portland, Oregon. We talk about art therapy and why, if creating art isn't a part of your life, considering bringing it in can help you build resilience and express yourself more fully.
Mindy is a lifelong athlete as well as a lifelong artist. As an athlete, she's played basketball, been an avid triathlete, and competed in bodybuilding. As an artist, it's been a form of self-expression and a career, she was a graphic designer for Pearl Izumi and other brands in the sports nutrition and bodybuilding industries while competing in triathlon, taught in the public school system. Now she is a trauma-informed art therapist. We talk about the difference between art and creativity, and we get into the term "resilience" and the phrase "health resilience", how our ego can get in the way of that relationship. How there's a point where the word "resilience" may be doing more harm than good.
Work with Mindy via Crimson Rose Counseling: https://www.crimsonrosecounseling.com (https://www.crimsonrosecounseling.com/)
Instagram: @crimsonrosecnsl
Therapy Journal: search "Art Therapy Journal Mindy McEachran" on Amazon (https://a.co/d/07OMxqAK)
Interested in coaching with Joy Before Fear?
Message me: https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact (https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact)
Schedule a free consultation call (https://calendly.com/coaching-joybeforefear/35_min?month=2026-07)
Instagram: @joybeforefear
Be Bold. Put Your Health First. You Got This. Choose Joy Before Fear. (https://www.joybeforefear.com/)
1 Jul 2026
14. Jenny Low: "I am Here to Finish"- Shifting DNF Identity, 100 miler "Racing the Cutoffs" Strategies, and Race Day Resilience
Jenny Low joins me for another conversation after completing the Orcas 100.
If you've experienced DNFs, spend a lot of time working with race cutoffs, or find yourself toward the back of the pack, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.
We discuss how racing cutoffs requires a different race-day strategy than racing toward other time goals.
We discuss the importance of supportive and realistic self-talk, as well as shifting the DNF identity during training and on race day. We talk about Jenny's strategic decision to take a 45-minute stop at mile 50. Even though the math wasn't mathing, it ultimately became a critical decision that supported her in finishing the race. Jenny also shares the resilience and mindset growth she gained throughout race.
Check out Here to Finish (Orcas 100 Doc), (https://youtu.be/Rr2bOBd1vFA?si=_E-aYVjAT_w_v3XE) the documentary created by Jenny's son documenting her Orcas 100 journey.
👉 Interested in coaching with Joy Before Fear?
Message me:
https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact (https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact)
or Schedule:
Free consultation call (https://my.practicebetter.io/#/65e4e825852f594c02a9d79e/bookings?s=65e6350c4d5b7fcf8eb5ff31)
Instagram: @joybeforefear
Be Bold. Put Your Health First. You Got This. Choose Joy Before Fear. (https://www.joybeforefear.com)
4 Jun 2026
13. Holly Grahn: "Planes Take Off Against the Wind" — Imposter Syndrome, the Journey of Becoming, Working with Your Subconscious Mind, and a New Hypnotherapy App
In this episode, Holly Grahn returns to the Joy Before Fear podcast to discuss imposter syndrome, the journey of becoming, and the role the subconscious mind plays in our lives. Holly is a hypnotherapist, life coach, mindset coach, and ultrarunner. Through stories from the trail and her work with clients, she shares her perspective on self-worth, vulnerability, and learning to work with ourselves rather than against ourselves.We discuss how physical activity can become a space where self-doubt, identity, and personal growth rise to the surface. We talk about the discomfort that often comes with beginning again, the tension between wanting immediate results and allowing growth to unfold over time, and why some of life's most meaningful lessons happen while we're still in the process of becoming.
Holly also shares her new hypnotherapy app, Hypno Gold, which was created to make hypnotherapy more accessible and affordable for people looking for additional support in their personal growth journey.
Work with Holly via Hypno Gold
🌐 Website: https://www.hypnogold.com/ (https://www.hypnogold.com/) 📱 Hypno Gold App: https://hypnogold.passion.io/ (https://hypnogold.passion.io/)
👉 Interested in coaching with Joy Before Fear?
Message me: https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact (https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact)
Schedule a free consultation call (https://my.practicebetter.io/#/65e4e825852f594c02a9d79e/bookings?s=65e6350c4d5b7fcf8eb5ff31)
Instagram: @joybeforefear (https://www.instagram.com/joybeforefear/)
Be Bold. Put Your Health First. You Got This. Choose Joy Before Fear. (https://www.joybeforefear.com)
14 Jan 2026
12. Annette Kennedy: “Recover, Adapt, Evolve” — Ankylosing Spondylitis, Vegan Strength, and Stepping onto the Bodybuilding Stage
In this episode, Stacey shares a conversation she had in November of 2025 with Annette Kennedy. Annette shares her “Fit for Life” approach to health, movement, and her athletic goals. In this conversation, we learn what it took to turn the dial from daily survival mode into thriving while living with ankylosing spondylitis.
Annette was generous in sharing her story and candid about the ups and downs of navigating a chronic health condition while holding down jobs, being a mom, being a wife, and being a community builder, all while continuing to fight for her athletic identity. She shares how becoming vegan helped turn the dial from survive to thrive, how her quality of life changed, and what it was like to participate in her first bodybuilding competition in 2025 at the age of 50. This is a grounded and honest conversation about health, resilience, and athletic identity.
🏃♀️💪 Curious about coaching with Joy Before Fear?
Schedule a free consultation call (https://my.practicebetter.io/#/65e4e825852f594c02a9d79e/bookings?s=65e6350c4d5b7fcf8eb5ff31&step=date)or send Stacey a note (https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact). coaching@joybeforefear.com
🎙️ Have a story to share? Interested in being a guest on the Joy Before Fear podcast?
Send Stacey a note (https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact). coaching@joybeforefear.com
🌱 Curious about The Vegan Gym?
Learn more here:
https://www.thevegangym.com (https://www.thevegangym.com)
Be Bold. Put Your Health First. You Got This. Choose Joy Before Fear.
https://www.joybeforefear.com (https://www.joybeforefear.com)
Instagram: @joybeforefear
29 Oct 2025
11. Angel Mathis: "Biology Reacting to an Injustice", Lessons from the Pacific Crest Trail, the Power of Financial Resilience, and Nurse Wealth Coaching
In this episode, Angel Mathis shares lessons from hiking the entire Pacific Crest Trail and her path from nursing burnout to financial freedom and resilience. She’s a powerful example of what happens when we step into our own power, build our resilience, and then turn around to help others do the same.
We talk about athletic identity as something rooted in choice, and how sport and time on trail can create both simplicity and agency. Angel reflects on how her experience in nursing shaped her approach to well-being and led her to become a nurse wealth coach.
If you’d like to connect with Angel or learn more about the work she’s doing with nurses, here’s where to find her:
Nurses Investing for Wealth
Teaching nurses to fund their future with small portions of their paycheck so they can work less (or retire early) if they want to.
🌐 Visit the Website: learn.nursesinvesting.com (https://learn.nursesinvesting.com/)
📱 DM Angel on Instagram: @nursesinvestingforwealth (https://www.instagram.com/nursesinvestingforwealth/)
👉 Interested in Athlete Health Resilience Coaching?
Contact me directly (https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact) or schedule a free consultation call (https://my.practicebetter.io/#/65e4e825852f594c02a9d79e/bookings?s=65e6350c4d5b7fcf8eb5ff31&step=date).
Be Bold. Put Your Health First. You Got This. Choose Joy Before Fear. www.joybeforefear.com (https://www.joybeforefear.com)
27 Oct 2025
10. Monday Mindset Snack: Rest, Recalibrate, and Return
🎧 Monday Mindset Snack: Rest. Recalibrate. Return.
This week’s Monday Mindset Snack is about rest— the reminder that every living thing needs recovery to adapt and grow, including you. Rest isn’t weakness — it’s biology. Every living thing needs recovery to grow, adapt, and thrive — and that includes you.
In this episode, Stacey shares three connected mindset snacks:
Rest — Needing rest is not a failure; it’s a necessity. Learn to recognize what kind of rest you need and catch it where you can.
Recalibrate — Being a leader of your own life requires being honest about what is sustainable for you. Slow down, zoom out, and make intentional adjustments in training and in life.
Return — Returning after rest, illness, or time away from training isn’t about quickly jumping back to 100%. It’s about rebuilding with alignment, support, and purpose so you can sustain longevity in sport and life.
✨ Rest. Recalibrate. Return. ✨
Be Bold. Put Your Health First. You Got This. Choose Joy Before Fear.
👉 Interested in Athlete Health Resilience Coaching?
Contact me directly (https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact) or schedule a free consultation call (https://my.practicebetter.io/#/65e4e825852f594c02a9d79e/bookings?s=65e6350c4d5b7fcf8eb5ff31&step=date).
20 Oct 2025
9. Monday Mindset Snack: Core Values, Seasons, and Capacity
Monday Mindset Snack Episode: the weekly mini-series from Joy Before Fear.
Stacey shares three quick mindset snacks to help you start your week in the Joy Before Fear way — grounded, intentional, and connected to what truly matters.
✨ Core Values — Your values are your foundation — the why behind your goals and choices. When your training and life goals reflect what truly matters to you, everything feels more purposeful and sustainable. Revisit them often. They evolve with you. Build a living, breathing relationship with them — not just a list on paper.
🌿 Seasons — We move through seasons in life, sport, and energy. Honoring the season you’re in helps you plan and train from where you are vs. where you wish you were.
🔥 Capacity — Your capacity is dynamic and shifts with your physical, emotional, relational, mental and other life loads. Be real about what’s sustainable right now. You can "Be the person who....", no matter what your capacity is.
👉 Interested in Athlete Health Resilience Coaching?
Contact me directly (https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact) or schedule a consult call (https://my.practicebetter.io/#/65e4e825852f594c02a9d79e/bookings?s=65e6350c4d5b7fcf8eb5ff31&step=date).
Be Bold. Put Your Health First. You Got This. Choose Joy Before Fear.
13 Oct 2025
8. Monday Mindset Snack: Be Bold, Stand in Your Power, and Shine Your Light/Be the Lighthouse
This Monday Mindset Snack continues the weekly mini-series from Joy Before Fear.
Stacey shares three quick mindset snacks to help you start your week grounded, strong, and radiant:
Be Bold — Boldness is a daily practice of showing up in your truth — through your body, your voice, your choices, and your self-talk. It’s not about being loud or reckless; it’s about being real, compassionate, and aligned, even when your voice shakes.
Stand in Your Power — It isn’t about control; it’s about connection — first with yourself, then with others. It grows through consistency: speaking your truth, setting boundaries, honoring your body, and remembering you are your own source of strength.
Shine Your Light / Be the Lighthouse — When you live boldly and stand in your power, your light naturally shines brighter. Be the steady, imperfect light that helps guide others through their storms — and allow others to guide you when your own light needs tending. We thrive and shine together.
👉 Interested in Athlete Health Resilience Coaching?
Contact me directly (https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact) or schedule a consult call (https://my.practicebetter.io/#/65e4e825852f594c02a9d79e/bookings?s=65e6350c4d5b7fcf8eb5ff31&step=date).
Be Bold. Put Your Health First. You Got This. Choose Joy Before Fear.
6 Oct 2025
7. Monday Mindset Snack: Trust the Reflection / Take the Action, Be the Mirror, and Building Consistency
This first Monday Mindset Snack kicks off a new weekly mini-series from Joy Before Fear.
Stacey shares three quick mindset shifts to start your week strong:
Trust Reflection / Take the Action — Borrow belief from those who see your potential and take the step anyway.
Be the Mirror — Reflect belief back to others so they can borrow it too.
Small Actions Build Consistency — Go small and go consistent; big goals grow from repeatable steps.
👉 Interested in Athlete Health Resilience coaching?
Contact me here or schedule a consult call.
Be Bold. Put Your Health First. You Got This. Choose Joy Before Fear.
22 Sept 2025
6. Stacey’s Corner: Navigating Healthcare Appointments, Connecting Personal Health to Public Health Realities, and the Women’s Running Outdoor Safety Survey
In this episode of Joy Before Fear, Stacey shares practical ways to make healthcare appointments less stressful and more effective. She talks about tracking symptoms, writing down questions, and bringing someone you trust so you don’t have to navigate it all alone. Stacey also digs into the lack of attention to women’s health, especially around perimenopause and menopause, and why finding a practitioner who has taken the time to get certification in evidence-based practices and science is critical for advocating for yourself during this stage of life.
She also highlights an important new study, Experiences of Sexual Assault Among Women Engaged in Wilderness and Outdoor Activities: An Online Survey, urging listeners to take part and share it widely so the data can help create safer conditions for everyone. These conversations show how deeply personal challenges—like struggling for evidence-based menopause care or feeling unsafe while running outdoors—are also public health realities. By recognizing them as collective issues rather than individual shortcomings, we can better support one another, advocate for change, and push back against the barriers that keep people from accessing care and safety.
👉 Take the survey here: Women’s Running Outdoor Safety Survey (https://bcomnm.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eR0Rkc8qvhgHxfo)
👉 Reach out for coaching inquiries or to share your story as a podcast guest (https://www.joybeforefear.com/contact)
3 Jul 2025
5. Bonus Episode: Holly Grahn with Science Behind Hypnotherapy, Nervous System Resilience and Pacing for Ultramarathons, Working Through Limiting Beliefs, and More!
Holly Grahn explores the science of hypnotherapy, nervous system resilience, and pacing strategies for ultramarathons, revealing the impact of subconscious beliefs and early experiences in an interview.
14 Jun 2025
4. Holly Grahn: "Resilience is knowing who you are", the power of your subconscious mind, Hypnotherapy for Athletes, and Orcas Island 100 miler
Hypnotherapist Holly Grahn discusses the power of the subconscious mind and hypnotherapy's effectiveness for athletes, sharing her experiences as an ultrarunner and life coach in this interview.
30 Apr 2025
3. Jenny Low:"Try and Try Again", Working Towards a 100 Mile Finish, and Resilience Rooted in Nature
In this episode, Jenny Low shares how her connection to nature, her inner voice, and her “try and try again” philosophy shape her approach to life, running, and long-term goals. She reflects on reaching 90 miles at the Orcas Island 100 miler—her furthest distance yet—and how mindset training supported her decision-making and focus on race day. Jenny discusses setting clear DNF criteria, making peace with downtime injuries, and the value of preparing for discomfort ahead of time. She also speaks to the role of community in her journey, highlighting how support, connection, and shared experience have made ultra running more than just a sport. She offers a refreshing outlook on the process of working toward goals, grounded in patience and self-trust.
Rainshadow Running (https://www.rainshadowrunning.com/) The amazing folks that put on Orcas 100 mile race, plus other awesome races.
Share your story (https://www.joybeforefear.com/podcast) on Joy Before Fear Podcast.
Learn about Athlete Health Resilience Coaching (https://www.joybeforefear.com/coaching) with Joy Before Fear.
Be Bold.
Put Your Health First.
You Got This.
Choose Joy Before Fear.
6 Mar 2025
2. Ted Clifton: Turning "I Can't" into "I Was Born For This", Becoming an Ultrarunner
In this episode, Ted Clifton shares his transformative journey into ultra running, emphasizing the importance of joy over fear. He discusses his experiences at the Orcas 100, the mental and emotional resilience developed through running, and the supportive community found in ultra running. Ted also highlights his work in building net zero energy homes, connecting the themes of personal growth and environmental sustainability. The conversation encourages listeners to redefine success, embrace their athletic identities, and find joy in movement.
TC Legend Homes (https://tclegendhomes.com/) Ted's net zero home building company
Rainshadow Running (https://www.rainshadowrunning.com/) The amazing folks that put on Orcas 100 mile race, plus other awesome races.
Frosty Mountain 50K (https://trailwhisperer.ca/frosty/) Beautiful and fun race in Manning Provincial Park, BC.
Share your story (https://www.joybeforefear.com/podcast) on Joy Before Fear Podcast.
Learn about Athlete Health Resilience Coaching (https://www.joybeforefear.com/coaching) with Joy Before Fear.
Be Bold.
Put Your Health First.
You Got This.
Choose Joy Before Fear.
9 Feb 2025
1. Welcome to Joy Before Fear and Athlete Health Resilience...Let's Go!
Welcome to the first epsisode of Joy Before Fear Podcast!!
In this espiode you will learn:
What athlete health resilience coaching is and who it is for
Why health resilence matters
Why "Joy Before Fear"
A little bit about your host Stacey Nievweija...that's me, and how ultrarunning, swimming, and strength training have given me strength and resilience I never knew I had.
Get some takeaways to support your own health resilience foundation as you navigate this year and work towards your big and bold running, ultrarunning, and athletic goals.
Let's Go!
If you are an runner, ultrarunner, or athlete that would like to share your journey on the podcast,send me a message (https://www.joybeforefear.com/podcast).
You can check out my website to learn more about coaching:www.joybeforefear.com (www.joybeforefear.com)
Be bold. Put your health first. You got this. Choose Joy Before Fear™.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 15 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
18
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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