Master Stress with Dr. S
Welcome to Master Stress with Dr. S, the podcast that empowers high-achievers to unlock their full potential by mastering stress and achieving burnout-proof success. Hosted by Dr. Safia Debar, a renowned stress expert, medical doctor, speaker and coach. Each episode dives deep into the neuroscience of stress, blending logic and intuition to give you practical tools for thriving in a fast-paced world. Whether you’re navigating the pressures of leadership, striving for peak performance, or yearning for a life of balance and freedom, Dr. Safia Debar will guide you through powerful strategies, expert insights, and personal stories to help you regain control, nurture your well-being, and live authentically. Tune in to discover how to stop stress from holding you back and start living your best, empowered life.
Master Stress with Dr. S
Running from the Dead Sea to Everest: Why Charlie Engle Does Hard Things on Purpose
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Dr. S continues a conversation with ultra-runner Charlie Engel about addiction as part of human evolution, the loss of identity and belonging that can come with quitting substances, and the need to develop skills for grief, transition, and loneliness rather than numbing out. Engel describes getting sober on July 23, 1992 by committing to an AA meeting and a run every day, taking sobriety one day at a time, and how this helped him become a father and husband, though he later divorced amicably. He explains how endurance running taught him to avoid catastrophizing, focus on the next “aid station,” and make clear-headed decisions rather than quitting in emotional moments. Engel recounts running across the Sahara for 111 consecutive days at two marathons per day, learning to detach from outcomes, and he previews a planned expedition from the Dead Sea to Mount Everest as a metaphor for life’s peaks and valleys, emphasizing integration over constant self-help consumption and prioritizing basic movement like walking for longevity.
00:00 Welcome Back Part Two
01:13 Beyond Shame and Numbing
02:27 Identity After Quitting
05:48 Meetings and Running Daily
09:57 Running as Mind Training
16:21 Ultra Performance Questions
19:12 Sahara Run and Mindset
22:16 Travel Trust and Humanity
27:15 Everest Metaphor Peaks Valleys
33:25 Integration Over Consumption
36:09 Longevity Basics and Walking
37:44 Closing Reflections Thanks
Connect with Dr Safia Debar
Dr Safia Debar
Speaker / Coach | Medical Doctor | Breathwork Facilitator
One of Tatler's "Top 21 private doctors in Britain" 2020
www.drsafiadebar.com
contact@drsafiadebar.com
IG: @drsafiadebar
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