107. How to Stay Calm Under Pressure: Lessons From a Pilot

You already know the feeling. The plan falls apart, the day turns sideways, and you are left standing in the wreckage of your own expectations, wondering why you could not just stay calm this time. In this episode, I sit down with a woman who spent decades in the cockpit of major airliners, flying everything from a small four passenger plane to a 787 across oceans, and who is now retired and figuring out what comes next. This conversation is not just about flying. It is about what happens in your body before the crisis ever shows up, and whether you have trained for it.In This EpisodeAn unconventional path into a forty-six-year flying career, and the one conversation that started it.What it took to build a career in a field where only a small percentage of pilots were women.The exact moment an engine failed midair, and why the response was calm instead of panic.Simulators, checklists, and the real difference between talent and training.Calculated risk versus recklessness, and how to tell which one you are actually taking.The fine line between fear and excitement, and how to use it to make better decisions.What retirement actually looks like eighteen months in, and who would not let the dream sit unfinished.Why a hobby that hits more than one of your values will carry you further than one that only hits one.Rachel's Resources:- Mood Swings? Get the 5 minute audio to calm them now. https://rachelcartarn.com/sos- Do you want to understand more of what's changing in your body in midlife and get a few simple tools to feel better now? Get the free guide: The Real Reason You Still Feel Off.- Ready to Talk: Book a Clarity & Relief Session here.- Eat Well Made Easy Course