The places we put ourselves in

After spending time painting murals and gaining insight into the public art realm, I have often wondered how such large works come to life. It’s one thing to dream up an idea; it’s another to work out the logistics to actually bring it to life. I spoke with public artist and TED speaker, Matthew Mazzotta, about how public art can change us and how he brings his ideas to life. Inside Tampa International Airport, FloridaHe mentioned something interesting- he saw that in activism you try to put your viewpoint on a sign, make it as visible as possible and hope someone going past sees it. He wanted to flip the script and ask, “What if that message was inviting so people would actively go into that space and be curious?”RISE, San Diego Airport Public art can have a lot of boundaries- from funding to getting selected and having others see your idea. I spoke to Matthew about handling rejection and his viewpoint. “Even if you get the rejection letter, it’s still like I’m in this thing and it makes me feel good.”He has also seen from previous projects that even when things get hard and it feels like he’s hit a dead end and it won’t be possible, people come together, solutions are found, and things work themselves out which has now given him confidence going into new projects. Cloud House, Springfield I wanted to know more about why he creates, the impact of public art and how environments shape us. “We all have these experiences in this lifetime, and you get shown little bits of beauty, and I saw the potential to have that beauty around the world more. So I think all the work I do is basically making little openings for that beauty to erupt.”Local Habitat, TexasHis works show the beauty, but it also allows more of ourselves to be revealed. “I know that everyone has much more dimension than they offer up in day-to-day life- can art be the vehicle that allows that to be shown?” And for public art, our environments shape how we relate to each other and act; a space may make you feel welcomed and safe, it may make you want to walk into, it may make you feel safe to talk to someone or make you want to navigate out of. Matthew has purposefully used the environment as a way to create states of awe and wonder in us and make social impact at large. Busycle Project You can find more of Matthew’s work here on his website, Ted Talk , Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook . Thanks for reading Explore Your Core! Subscribe to hear the latest episodesUntil next episode,Explore Your Core This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elisemarcianti.substack.com

How do we know the path we are pursuing will work out when it isn’t guaranteed, when you don’t see a direct path, when the nature of it can be so unpredictable? I spoke with Julien Deforges, a Cirque De Soleil performer who has chosen the unique path of creating breathtaking highlining and hairhanging performances.Dare to be different, dare to go after it Insta: Floating Freak This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elisemarcianti.substack.com

10 years ago, everything got stripped away from me, and I didn’t want to live anymore. Only after experiencing this did I realise how fundamental it was that I felt I belonged, I had a choice and felt capable. I started to see this wasn’t just true for me; it’s an innate need in us to fulfil. Through art and endurance events, I begun to see the impact the subtle and unnoticed things had on us; the way we spoke to ourselves and the places we surrounded ourselves in had on our mind, body and trajectory.“I don’t want to look back on my life and regret how I spoke to myself and how I treated myself; I think I realised this is my opportunity to create a nicer space in my mind” Over the last 100 episodes, guests have shown how their environment shaped them and how changing their relationship with fear and discomfort allowed them to pave their own path, foster resilience and go on to break records and do the unthinkable. “You hold the pen to the script that you get to write for your life." -Pauly James, Ep 88 I’ve been able to attest to what’s been said around discomfort and fears myself- doing ultras, aerials, and things outside my comfort zone has allowed me to see the impact of facing my internal state head-on. When I highline, I have to find different ways to still my mind to still the line to walk. This shines a light on my headspace; I can’t be caught up in thought and walk the line. Being aware of your internal states can be one of the most powerful things you can harness.Whether discomfort is something you already embrace or have just begun to, it’s a journey that opens new doors to a world we didn’t know existed. I’m so happy you’ve found the podcast and are exploring your core!Thanks for following along the journey- the ones brave enough to pave their own path, to experience new depths. Thanks for reading Explore Your Core! Join the journey hereUntil next episode,Explore Your Core This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elisemarcianti.substack.com

What happens when something you love becomes your identity and then you lose it?For Lachie, he grew up training to play cricket for Australia, until an injury completely changed his trajectory.This conversation made me think about the things we hold close to us, how we allow them to become our whole identity, and what happens when itis suddenly taken away. He thought at 18, he would be at his peak, playing cricket and enjoying these years, but he was struggling through an ACL recovery and then found out his Dad had died by suicide. The years that followed were hard and led him to his own dark place. Struggling with his own suicidal thoughts, he realised something- you need to seek support, that you can’t expect someone to save you. After years of counselling and working through the trauma, he got into the police academy, later moving into fire management and reppel, discovering his love for the mountains and adventure. After completing his first ultra in Bright, he then signed up and completed the 231 km West Macs Monster last year. We spoke about the journey and the realisation that a lot of what you go through in ultras is what you go through in life. “Just like training for an event, you can look back at the training you’ve done and have confidence in that; it’s the same with life: if you reach out to friends and do the things that help you, you can have confidence in those processes you have put in place too ”Lachie has navigated himself out of dark places in life and the lows on the trails and isn’t afraid to show up. This conversation is a testament to how capable we are of getting through hard things and how much those times teach us and shape us. “Put yourself in the arena and give it a red hot crack because you never know what is on the other side.” This episode is real, raw and full of insight. Come along on the Explore Your Core journey as we explore the depth of human experience and find new ways to lean in and navigate unknown paths. If you want to keep showing up and seeing what’s on the other side, pave your own path and keep exploring; you’ve found the right place.Thanks for being a part of Explore Your Core! Until next episode, Explore Your Core This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elisemarcianti.substack.com

When you’re not happy with how things are, when you’ve experienced burnout, when you don’t know any options- how do you make the space to thrive?There’s been a pattern in the conversations I’ve had- when people are in the spaces they thrive in, whether it’s a job they love or a passion they’ve pursued, people don’t seem to struggle with motivation or doubts quite the same. “I’ve worked all sorts of jobs. I’ve spent 15 years in hospitality, I was a door-to-door vacuum salesperson at one point. I’ve worked triple shifts- in a cafe, a restaurant, then a nightclub. That’s hard. Cleaning toilets is hard. What I do now is not hard. So I think if I can get this far, I can keep going.” It seems counterintuitive, but sometimes the creative career, the busy schedule, the high-intensity activities are actually what people thrive on. For Rae Johnston, TV presenter and radio host, she thrives from having a variety of tasks that require different skills and has the excitement of going from one thing to the next, and that’s what lights her up- doing work that is exciting and meaningful is what stops her from experiencing burnout. “I think there was a lot of pressure, having to put yourself out there to generate clicks on your work. So the more open and vulnerable you were, the more attention you got and the happier your bosses were. And I think there comes a point where you realise you are selling yourself and selling your trauma in order to keep that career going.” Something else that Rae mentioned, which I know holds true to me too is how important time in nature is. “No one can email me. None of that exists while you’re out there. I need that time, that’s my processing time. That’s my time where I just think about life and what I’m doing and I sort out problems and come back with ideas” Time in nature can help you find a way back to yourself, give you clarity on your path and allow you to see if you are living aligned with your values.“I think having an idea of who you are as a person and what you want to achieve and not compromising on that, even when it’s really hard. At any point, I could have chosen a path that would have got me higher paid jobs, more followers, options that I had but were paths that didn’t align with my values. And I could be far more successful than I am now but I would not have felt good about that in any way. ” Staying true to her values now attracts people and projects that align because she’s held those boundaries. “Saying yes to everything should be about doing things that you might not be super experienced in but might scare you a bit, or you need to learn along the way. It shouldn’t be about things that compromise who you are as a person.”So I have a question to ask- what values are you guided by and is the path you are on, truly honouring these values?And when there isn’t a clear path that aligns with your values, well that’s when you have to pave your own. “I built my own network and own pathway in because noone had laid it out in front of me.” But that’s what Explore Your Core is here for- to help you build the resilience and find the courage to pave your own path, to find ways to do the things that light you up. To keep learning about the journey and hear more stories like Rae’s, follow the Podcast on Spotify and Substack. To follow Rae’s work, you can find her socials here. Until next episode, Explore Your CoreYou’re paving our own path and that’s pretty damn cool- join the community and find ways to continue to thrive. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elisemarcianti.substack.com

We hear it’s good to be in the outdoors, but what does the outdoors really bring? I sat down with Cam and Elise, the founders of Zorali, to unpack more about the outdoors and the meaning behind the brand. Zoran, the Persian word for fearless, and Kali, an African word for full of life, became the combined name, giving rise to Zorali, the outdoor brand designed for enthusiasts. We chat about creating Zorali, the community they built behind it and how they kept moving through the unknowns of starting a business. “You start to recognise the feeling and the challenge, like ‘oh we’ve been here before, and I know we are going to get through this again.” After diving into their journey starting the brand, what I took away was this: - The hard stays hard but with time you gain more confidence - Less is more- focusing on a few things when starting out worked better than providing everything all at once - The grass is always greener on the otherside, being aware of that is a great helpGetting into the outdoors impacts us more than we know on the mind, body and soul. It can be tricky to begin venturing into the outdoors but three things were shared to help: - Start small: Begin with something small like going for a swim or a walk outside- Find a friend: Doing it with someone else can make things easier, grab a friend before heading into the outdoors - Find an event: Having something you’re working towards or a goal can make it easier to get outdoors, and finding a community event can make it a super fun and exciting way to connect with other like minded people. Follow the journey of Zorali on socials, jump over to the website to check out gear and events and join the Outdoor Club here if you an outdoorist. Until next episode,Explore Your Core This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elisemarcianti.substack.com

I’ve noticed a trend towards sameness, as if keeping things the same will eliminate any risk of change- that if we only ask ourselves the same questions, we won’t have to be faced with the big questions. But the time I’ve spent out in nature, I am always getting pulled to see perspectives that perplex me- like coming across glow worms and bioluminescence and experiencing time warping from flowstate. Sometimes being open to different ways of seeing things is daunting, but I spoke with mural and fine artist Jack Rowland about the importance of opening your perspective and how that can change your reality. An experience with psychedelics shifted Jack’s world- even his grey and dark paintings turned vibrant and colourful. From this experience, he started to see the world from a new perspective, one where everything became a bit more precious, connected and inviting. What I took away from this was:1. How little we truly see- as humans, we only see a small spectrum of light and what we do see is influenced by our own biases 2. How important it is to step back into the natural world3. How art is a powerful way to access and explore ideas that open your perspectiveWhat came up was this:Motivation isn’t about willpower but alignment- Jack is driven and has no problems working late nights in the studio or long hours on the wall but during Uni, he was just scraping by. It made me see motivation doesn’t come from willpower; it comes from fulfilling these innate needs: 1: Autonomy When you have autonomy, your actions reflect your genuine interests rather than expectations and obligations 2: CompetencyWhen you feel competent, you feel able to interact with the world around you successfully 3: Relatedness Relatedness is the need to feel close to, involved with, and genuinely cared for by others.Jack and other guests have intentionally changed their environment so that what they’re chasing fulfils these; the outcome- having the motivation to keep at it. “If you can surprise yourself of what you thought you couldn’t do then, I think that’s a great thing to give yourself ”We delve into this and so much more. Listen to the full episode on Substack, Spotify or wherever you listen! Find Jacks artworks on his website, socials and his podcast here.Conversations like this are why I started Explore Your Core.I’m interested in what happens when people follow the signals most of us ignore — curiosity, intuition and environment and consciously construct the life around them to pursue what they love.If you’re someone who’s curious, follow the podcast on Instagram, Spotify and subscribe to keep up with new episodes.Thanks for tuning in. Help spread the word! Until next episode,-Explore Your Core This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elisemarcianti.substack.com

Most people wouldn’t think that being an artist would feel more calming, regulating and sturdy than a 9-5 job, but for Lily-Rose, leaving her corporate job and becoming an artist did just that. “I remember getting to the point where I was like, is this how I’m going to be for the rest of my life, is this just what it’s like to be an adult, to be stressed all the time?”She felt lost and stressed in a job she didn’t like, and after becoming an artist, she realised art gave her a sense of direction and purpose that her old work didn’t provide. In this episode, we explore what happens when you align yourself in a way that’s more true to you and how to navigate the things that try to pull you away from it. From the conversation, three ideas around creativity stayed with me:• You need input to create output- if you aren’t consciously taking in the world around you, you can’t expect to have creative output • You need to feel creatively rested- like running marathon after marathon, you need rest to avoid burnout, and this applies to creativity• Your environment shapes your creativity- be intentional with who and where you spend your time and what surrounds youTaking a leap of faith is a common narrative we hear when people jump into something new. Lily-Rose shares 3 things that she was doing that allowed her leap to land on solid ground. 1. She put in the hours to develop her skillset while she was still working 2. She made sure she loved it and wasn’t going to grow tired of doing it every day 3. She made a calculated risk, knowing she was already capable of selling works and put time into understanding her audience Having this behind her meant that when she left work, she had more time to put towards this rather than just blindly leaping and hoping for the best. With more time on your hands, it also means more choices to be made. Like myself, when you are your own boss, you don’t have anyone telling you what needs to be done, when and what you need to do. So I asked Lily-Rose, and it comes down to longevity and what will have the most long-term return that helps guide her decisions.But these decisions made for the long-term outcomes make it hard when it’s up against instant gratification. In the episode, we talk about how to detach from outcomes on social media and drop the pressure to avoid getting caught up in tying self-worth to socials. Listen to the full ep now on Substack and Spotify and follow Lily-Rose on socials here or her website to see her work, print releases and colour theory course info!Conversations like this are why I started Explore Your Core.I’m interested in what happens when people follow the signals most of us ignore — curiosity, intuition and environment and consciously construct the life around them to pursue what they love.If you're someone who’s curious, follow the podcast on Instagram, Spotify and subscribe to keep up with new episodes. Until next episode, -Explore Your Core This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elisemarcianti.substack.com

His mum’s an artist, his dad never sits still around the house, combined, you have an artist who never stops- Nick Hills. I met up with Hobart local Nick Hills, in a cave on Kunanyi/ Mount Wellington, a pretty unreal spot for this conversation. Surrounded by lush trails and beautiful wildlife, Nick shares how growing up in Hobart, the riding scene and nature have inspired his art and how his love for riding and art have merged yet again to create the graphics for this years Redbull Hardline event in Tasmania. Nick shares about times he lacked purpose and how that affected his mental and how riding and art have given him that sense of purpose and have been his way of staying calm. In his 20’s he sent it hard with BMX, with broken bones and constant injuries he started to do art when he couldn’t write. After many years as an electrician, he’s finally been able to make art his career. We talk about the tricky balance when art becomes work, the continuous pursuit of getting better and his art process. “I want to be on my death bed knowing I didn’t slack off, that I put my life to use and got to leave something behind”. You can find Nicks works on socials and his website. “I target the ‘wild ones’. The raw, the untamed, the adventurous thrill seekers who see life from a different perspective.” - NickHope you enjoyed Episode 94 of The Explore Your Core Podcast!Until next episode,Explore Your Core Thanks for reading Explore Your Core ! Subscribe to stay up to date with new episodes This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elisemarcianti.substack.com

I’m joined by Lucy Bartholomew, one of Australia’s top trail runners, who’s been absolutely crushing it on home soil recently. She came onto the scene young and has a lot to share from what she’s learnt on this episode. Outside of finish lines and course records, Lucy shows what it means to be authentic and follow her curiosity. Lucy has been shaping the narrative of how we view the sport and our bodies, and we talk about her journey over the last 12 years, how her attitudes changed and how she’s kept the love for the sport. With her job as an athlete, which is not only unpredictable but also high-pressure, she shares how she remains calm with her main supports- her Dad and dog, how she finds a feeling of home when on the move, and what community provides her. Lucy talks about her mindset, that you can only control two things: Your effort and your attitude. “If you lead with curiosity, excitement and confidence, you can’t lose, but if you’re using it as something to prove or to release negative emotions, you’ll only get so far”She’s changing the narrative on how we view distances, what it means to be successful in the field, and how we view our bodies- watch out as she’s a force to be reckoned with!You can follow her on socials here.Until next episode, Explore Your CoreThanks for reading Explore Your Core! Subscribe for free to keep up to date with the latest episodes. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elisemarcianti.substack.com