#168 Anxious, Accomplished, and Secretly Falling Apart w/ Buck The Stigma (Guest Devin Bang)

✨ Let’s be honest: most riders aren’t breaking down because they’re weak—they’re breaking down because they’ve been told to stay strong for too long.

In this episode, I’m joined by Devin Bang, the founder of @buck.thestigma, and we’re cracking wide open the pressure, identity weight, and unspoken mental load riders carry. From the outside, Devin looked like she had it together. But underneath? Anxiety, overwhelm, and a constant battle to prove she was enough. Constantly inspired by her experiences and interactions with other competitors, trainers, owners and friends in rodeo, the idea of Buck The Stigma was sparked not only from her own deep struggle with anxiety and depression, but from others’ struggle as well.

Devin shares what it looked like to ride through the noise—without the tools, without support, and with a whole lot of internal pressure. Together, we talk about what happens when you finally realize: you’re not broken… you’re just burned out from carrying the mental weight no one sees.

This isn’t just a feel-good chat. It’s a real, grounded conversation about how high-achieving riders can look fine while struggling hard—and what it actually takes to shift the way you show up in and out of the saddle.

📣 If you or someone you know has benefited from this episode, be sure to tag us

@nicoleburnettmentalcoach @resilientreiner and @buck.thestigma on Instagram and share this episode with your community! I’m curious to hear what landed for you most. Also, please leave a quick review on iTunes—it helps more riders find these important conversations.

🎧 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why burnout in the western world is more common than we admit
• What anxiety can actually look like in the saddle (and why it’s not always obvious)
• How hustle culture keeps riders stuck in survival mode
• The identity trap of feeling like you have to “earn” rest or confidence
• Why showing up with empathy and self-discipline matters more than either one alone
• Devin’s personal story of transformation—from panic to presence
• A mindset shift that will change the way you approach pressure forever

❓Questions We Explore in the Episode:

• What does anxiety look like in riders who don’t “seem anxious”?
• How can you tell if what you’re feeling is burnout—not lack of motivation?
• Why do so many riders feel like they have to prove their worth before they deserve to rest?
• How did Devin go from carrying shame about her mental health to building a community around it?
• How do you build the courage to learn in public, mess up, and keep going anyway?”
• How do you learn to ride through the fear of judgment, failure, or just plain not being good yet?
• What’s the difference between avoiding pressure and riding with emotional awareness?

🔗 Want to Connect with Devin?:

• Follow Devon on Instagram: @buck.thestigma

🔗 LINKS / RESOURCES:

• If this conversation hit close to home—and you're realizing it’s not your horse, your saddle, or your lesson schedule that needs to change—it might be time for something deeper.

• Ride Free is my newest, application-only coaching experience for riders who want to reconnect with joy, confidence, and the version of themselves that used to love this. We start soon. Applications are open now through Monday, June 16. 👉 Click here to apply.

• 🎯 5 Days to Confident Competitor. Stop ‘show nerves’ and saddle up with swagger! https://nicoleburnettcoaching.thrivecart.com/5-days-to-confident-competitor/

• 🎯 Resilient Reiner Academy → The confidence to win so you ride like you belong. Sign up here! https://www.nicoleburnettcoaching.com/resilientreineracademy

• 🎯 Get Free Weekly Mental Coaching Tips → Join my email list! Subscribe here