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.

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.

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.

Until next episode,
Explore Your Core

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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Until next episode,
Explore Your Core

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.

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 help

Getting 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.

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Until next episode,

Explore Your Core

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 world
3. How art is a powerful way to access and explore ideas that open your perspective

What 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: Competency
When 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.

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.

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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

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.

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 you

Taking 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.

Subscribe now

Until next episode,
-Explore Your Core

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.

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“I target the ‘wild ones’. The raw, the untamed, the adventurous thrill seekers who see life from a different perspective.” - Nick

Hope you enjoyed Episode 94 of The Explore Your Core Podcast!

Until next episode,
Explore Your Core

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.

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We talk about her journey starting up For Wild Places in COVID; the challenges, the growth and the setbacks and the impact it is making now.

She talks on her experience being the CEO and learning when to take a step back.

“I think the hardest part is trying to disconnect and switch off, you know that if it doesn’t happen today it’s not the end of the world and if it doesn’t happen next month it’s not the end of the world”.

But she speaks to the benefit of community, the support you have when people have your back and having the courage to make change even when it brings discomfort because ultimately ‘people are quick to forget’ and soon the new becomes the norm.

You can check out For Wild Places and Hilary's feed on socials as well as the website.

Photo Cred: Calumn Hockey

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Even after these two huge feats, this is only the beggining for Brooke as she continues to make ripples in this space.

I first came across Brooke’s film ‘Impact to Ignite’ at the Gutsy Girls Film Festival, and later down the track got to meet up with her in Melbourne during her run around Aus and I’ve been able to see her skyrocket firsthand as she continues to shape what we know to be possible and the way we talk about mental health.

It took a head-on car crash for Brooke to realise things weren’t okay. In the middle of her FIFO work, she had some big realisations and the seed and for the run began here in the workplace.

On the podcast, we talk about finding the courage to do things that scare you, even when you have no prior proof to back you and what it takes to be courageous.

She talked of some of the tools she used to improve her self-esteem, the way she speaks to herself and how to build a brighter outlook on life. She also states how having a sense of community and connection has impacted her wellbeing and why it’s so important to have.

She speaks on how getting diagnosed with ADHD acted as a permission slip to live outside the box, do things differently and go all in.

”I said to myself, if I wasn’t to do this, how many lives would I not be impacting, or how many people am I doing a disservice to by not sharing my voice, by not creating the impact, by not being all of me and bringing all of me”

You can follow Brooke’s journey on socials, her website and can donate to Blue Tree Project here.

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As an artist and adventurer, a lot of my time is spent creating something that doesn’t already exist. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes before art hits the wall or my feet hit the trails. Bringing two ideas to life simultaneously has shed a light on the fundamentals on bringing ideas to life.

Murals have been a way I get to bring ideas to fruition, where I turn something that sits inside my mind into something permanent, tangible. My ideas get to fill the cracks of the walls and get to change a place.

Painting murals is proof to me that it’s possible to bring something from nothing and that no idea is ever too big.

While I was working on this mural piece, I was planning a 500km expedition with Sam Gash in New Zealand, fast packing, trail running and bike packing. I had wanted to create a short film and, over the months, started mapping out the idea and mapping routes. It was still an idea, a concept, until plans became something concrete and tangible and before I knew it, my feet were on the trails in New Zealand. It wasn’t until I saw the familiar names of the huts, river systems and turn offs that I had marked on paper- that I realised I had just brought an idea to life. It was the furthest distance I did and first overseas expedition- it was all new territory. That’s the thing though: you don’t know whats possible until you action the ideas that sit scibbled down on paper.

I am always conscious to make space for creativity and to allow for inspiration to constantly be brewing, even amongst the busyness keeping curiosity

I seek inspiration in the tiny windows of stillness, those in between moments and hold onto it until I have the time to give that idea time to breathe. Consciously taking in my surroundings and paying attention to my senses is a practice that helps me fill my mind with possibilities.

Then when there is enough material in my mind, I hone in, I narrow everything down.

There comes a point where I switch from absorbing my environment in to focused attention.

Then to problem solve- I’lI put something on the wall or a map, step back, make an adjustment to the shape or the route and continue refining.

Then comes the build, it’s where the foundations are laid, a slow tedious process of filling in the bricks with paint or the excel spreadsheets of distances that forms the basis of everything to come.

Once that foundation has been laid, the detail gets to be applied on the wall and the adventures form; it’s where the idea finally takes shape. There’s no more analysing or problem solving on the concept, it’s where I’ve worked out the right colours, the route, and get stuck into it. It’s where I can commit to the finer deatils, to buying the gear needed- I can put skin in the game because I am clear on what I want to bring to life.

And then.. I get to be IN IT, in the essence of what I love doing and finding a flow state. It’s where I get to switch off and be immersed on the trails feeling the rhythm of my feet below and where time fades away.

Bringing ideas to life is always a reminder of patience- that things take time to seed and grow before coming to fruition. It’s so easy to chase and desire the end outcome, the flow state, the finishing touches- but so much has to occur before that; from possibility to refining it and down to the tedious job of filling in the cracks of the bricks or compiling excel spreadsheets for expeditions. Although it can be a long process, it has taught me no matter how big and idea it can always be brought to life.

So here’s to bringing more ideas to life- more artworks more adventures, more creative pursuits and crazy expeditions.

- Explore Your Core

Jessa’s approach to life seeps into her work, art and everyday- she has a knack for finding joy.

Jessa has recently produced a short film “Drawn in” and done a live painting at the BANFF Film Festival and over the years has collaborated with brands such as Burton, Yeti, Leatherman and Roxy, as well as done graphics for the Women’s Adventure Film Tour and been in numerous mural festivals. Her works are brightening the towns and mountain slopes and bringing joy to so many places and spaces.

As well as an artist, Jessa is a backcountry splitboard and hiking guide who froths the outdoors.

In this episode, we talk about her journey to becoming an artist and guide, her change in identity after injury, imposter syndrome and the power of having a team to make ideas come to life.

“Seth Godin talks about imposter syndrome as this beautiful moment where you’re at the cusp of what you know and what you don’t. And it’s actually a really good place to be if you’re trying to do something new or different, because it means that you’re stepping outside of your comfort zone and into a new arena.”

We also talk about the similarities in art and adventure in it’s ability to foster curiosity, bring joy and learn through trial and error.

“It’s like, you gotta be good in your own head. You can be your best ally and your worst enemy on the same day, multiple times, but it doesn’t help you to beat yourself up.”

You can follow her epic journeys and works on socials, watch her film "Drawn In" and find out more about her on her website.

Until next episode,
Explore Your Core

I went down to Mount Dandenong to join Matt as he led a forest therapy session as part of a Zorali x Forest Therapy Victoria event. What I experienced over the following 3 hours was remarkable. He spoke about how time in nature can lower cortisol levels, increase calmness and mood and that mindful walking can induce ‘soft fascination’ which allows us to recover from overload, increasing creativity. As well, he spoke about how the trees emit phytoncides, natural compounds that protect plants and boost our immune systems when inhaled all of which I got to experience firsthand. He mentioned how shared forest therapy experiences increase social bonding, lowering isolation and enhancing wellbeing, which is why experiences like this are more important than ever.

I then had the honour to chat further with Matt on the podcast, where he shares his story with Forest Therapy.

Forest Therapy or Shinrin-yoku (“forest bathing”), started in Japan as a response to rising stress and burnout and is a slow, sensory immersion in nature that invites presence, mindfulness, and connection to the natural world- you could say you return to ‘nature time’ which is far slower than the speed we often operate at.

In the episode, we talk about the role of storytelling, metaphors and how feeling a sense of belonging is important for healing.

He raises the term Biophillia, ‘Bio’ meaning life, ‘phillia’ meaning love, so ‘a love of life’ and the biophillia effect, which refers to the health effects we receive when we connect with the natural world.

We talk about how we can bring more of that connection with nature into our daily lives such as eating outside, gardening and having more greenery inside and chat about the idea of a nature prescription.

And if you were already persuaded how healing nature can be here’s a few more incredible things time in nature does:

-Increase Natural Killer cell activity which is important for fighting viruses and cancer cells which effects can last days to weeks
- Interoception which is the awareness of internal body signals improve and supports emotional clarity and resilience
- Increases social bonding, lowering isolation
- Decreases heart rate and blood pressure and breathing deepens

You can find out more about the Forest Therapy Experiences with Matt Glover here and on socials, and his counselling services here. The new book will soon be released and available through Zorali.

Until next episode,
Explore Your Core

When I first heard about the event I thought “How epic!!” Then the doubt crept in and I wondered, “Would it even be possible?” The team had to hold a 4:07 pace even with all the elevation, for the entire 24 hours. I wasn’t confident in my training and I was iron-deficient only months before.

The night before we all put our heads together to come up with a strategy, we knew sharing our weaknesses would be our biggest strength- we spoke about niggles, challenges and also what we can bring to the team and what we thrive in. In this moment, Turnbull asked “If we had to go all in if it meant we would be able to beat the sun, who would be willing?” We all raised our hands, our sign that we had just committed to this statement and committed to each other.

I will admit, I was worried in the lead up. From past races, tendon flare-ups and a recent iron deficiency, it had taken a hit to my confidence. There’s a ripple effect when things don’t go your way, doubt creeps in, belief goes down, and the questioning seems to find a way in. This event could go either way, but it was an invitation into the unknown, and I was ready to see what would unfold.

It was surreal to be back here in Surfer’s rewritten the script. My previous time was spent in nightclubs I didn’t want to be in, looking for a way out, wanting to run free. Now I get to be back here, truly running free.

When the sun began to rise over the ocean, the starting runners took off. Still caught up in the chaos of the city, we were weaving the car in and out of the side streets, swapping runners and moving the baton forward at a cracking pace with tunes blaring and high vibes. We got a glimpse of what we were going to be in for and heck, we were excited.

We were buzzing off each other’s energy, all aware that the second half of this journey would be taking us into the darkness and the unknown and through the hill climbs and windy roads that were to come. As darkness set, the focus became dialled, the systems became automated. The runner who had just run would hop in on from the far side, we’d all shuffle over, and the one closest to the door would get ready to run their stint. We did this with crushed chips and smooshed muffins at our feet, swapping seats and flashing blue vests all while Sammy and Kim had their own endurance feat of driving on no sleep.

Just as we thought the fatigue would set in and the pace would drop, something switched. For 22 hours we were in it, our focus only on the road that lay ahead and the rhythm that felt so good we didn’t want it to break but when we looked up, we realised we were only 12kms from the finish and we had a chance to beat the sun. I thought we were running at capacity but a new capacity got unleashed in us, an energy that fed off each other’s growing energy- we were charged up.

A long endurance event on big open roads happened to come down to a final sprint as our team and another went head to head- 40 meters from the finish we overtook the team in front and managed to beat the sun.

All maybe a little delusional but we stood there hugging, in awe of what had just happened. We had just witnessed how a team can bring out a knew physical limit in all of us.

What I was left with after this experience still perplexes me. No sleep, running while sore, tired and with an upset gut through the whole night, I would have thought would be painful, adversive, and just enduring, but I walked away feeling connected, excited for more to come, and had a lightness, clarity and buzz that stayed.

I made my way back to the start line, went for a night swim, and under the moonlight saw the water below light up with phosphorescence. I couldn’t believe it.

Experiences like this leave me in awe- for what we were able to achieve as a team, what we are all capable of, and the mysteries of the world I’ll never fully comprehend. And it’s a feeling of awe that I will always continue to chase.

Until the next adventure,
Explore Your Core

On episode 89 of the Explore Your Core Podcast, I talk with Pauly James, who is currently riding 18 000kms around Australia for youth mental health. He joins me in the middle of his trip, having just crossed the WA border.

On this episode, Pauly talks about his experience with depression and how he realised it’s never too late to rewrite the narrative. With this realisation, he had the idea of riding around Australia to shine a light and inspire people, raising money for Human Nature .

In 2022, Pauly started to see that nothing was working, so he committed to trying everything he hadn’t done yet. This ended up in traveling the world for 9 months- from exploring Volcanos to the Himilayas, to hiking the Camino De Santiago. This opened his eyes up to a world he didn’t know existed- one that was far more expansive than the walls we was confined to thinking ‘this was it’.

He realised how changing his environment could change his perspective and went on a mission helping other people change their environment through an organisation called Human Nature which is a youth mental health service that focuses on youth empowerment through outdoor therapy.

Episode now live! You can donate to Human Nature on his website. Be sure to follow along the journey on his socials here.

Until next episode,
Explore Your Core

Eric Philips is no stranger to the unknown- he has pioneered his life around exploring where people haven’t gone before. This venture has led him to become a polar explorer, guide, and astronaut as well as an educator and author.

Eric’s feats are nothing short of remarkable, from becoming the first Australian alongside Jon Muir to ski both the North and South Poles, pioneering numerous new routes to the South Pole and a sea-to-sea crossing of Greenland by using skis, kites and kayaks.

He was also onboard Fram2 which was the first spacecraft to fly in polar orbit, spending almost 4 days in space and completing 55 orbits over the North and South Poles.

Eric shares his earliest recollection being fascinated by space; that was when he was 7 years old, watching the first moon landing on a black and white TV in his school classroom. It wasn’t until years down the track when he crossed paths with someone while guiding that this dream was able to come to fruition.

On the podcast, Eric talks about his journey, how he knew what to follow when there was no clear path ahead and how he navigated staying on track even when ‘the longitudes inevitably pull you in different ways’.

Eric also talks about his space travel and polar expeditions and we discuss the different ways of going about it, how expeditions allow for time to disconnect and the challenges we face with constant stimulation.

You can follow him on socials and find out more on his website as well as the space missin with F2 here. To find out about upcoming Svalbard and Greenland expeditions, head over to Ice Trek.

Until the next episode,
Explore Your Core

On this episode, I talk about some of the challenges living a nomadic life brings and how it’s hard to feel grounded while being on the move.

I also chat about what draws me to the mountains, Mount Beauty, and the community of a mountain town.

We speak of the recent New Zealand expedition, where a short film is to be released soon as well as the Zorali short film that came out, 'The Curious Path'

Alongside that, I talk about the realisation that crewing Sean Bell, sailing with James and the New Zealand trip have shown me that possibilities are limitless.

I open up about my journey with ADHD and how I have learnt to honor it and lean on it’s strengths, and my last few months dealing with iron deficiency and learning to listen to my body.

The episode is now live on Substack and Spotify

Until next episode,
Explore Your Core

Halfway through Benny’s Uni degree he decided to leave for Canada, when we returned months later, he didn’t see himself in the work he was previously doing. He looked elsewhere and discovered an avenue that would lead him into the guiding world.

We talk about the change that it brought about, how he began to blend guiding with photography and the challenges he found now working as a creative.

We talk about descion making and how sometimes, they can be crucial ‘sink or swim’ moments where you either rise up, and love it or realise it’s not for you. We also talk about the transition into creative work and how the early period can be challenging to navigate with learning the demands, handling crititsm but also can be the best way to give it a try and do it without the pressures that can build when the expecations increase.

“It’s easy to get caught up comparing yourself with others in the ceative field”.
We speak about how important it is to go through the archives and the journey to get to where you are and see the progress and celebrate the wins that have got you there.

In this episode we discuss labels we put on ourselves or by others and the power of defying categories. We also touch on as the lessons his own projects that have taught him.

“We are so much more than the box we put ourselves in”

You can follow his journey on socials here.
Make sure to follow along to keep up to date with new episodes!

Until next one,
Explore Your Core

Her connection to climbing started in her 20’s when she felt like something had been missing. She first got into hiking, and while travelling and couch surfing, came across a climber who introduced her to the world of climbing and eventually got into mountaineering, canyoning and guiding.

On the podcast, we talk about connection and how the vulnerability in climbing allows for deep and quick connections to be formed, as well as the mindset of fear and dealing with stressful situations.

We also talk about the climbing initiative RAWQ (Rescue and Adventure climbing for Women and Queer) and how that came to be.

Ange talks about what she has learnt from bringing RAWQ to life, her years of adventuring and pushing her limits.

Listen to the full episode on Substack, Spotify or Apple Podcast.
You can follow Ange on socials and find out more about RAWQ here.

Subscribe to stay up to date with new episodes.

Until next episode,
- Explore Your Core

Paula Reid lives by the motto “living life to the full” and what she has accomplsihed and her attitude towards life show she has truly embraced that motto. Paula has skiied 1000km from the coast of Antarctica to the south pole, a journey hauling an 80kg sled over 46 days. She has also sailed around the world in the worlds toughest Yacht race and cycled across 17 countries.

On the podcast, we talk about her recent trip volunteering in Ukraine and the broadened persepctive she came back with.

We also talk about the conflicting pull- the moment you realise you have the path you ‘should follow’ and the path you have a pull for, and speak about what gave her the courage to listen to that pull and pave her own path where there wasn’t a clear way forward.

“It was about 20 years ago that I realised this could be a lifestyle and that it’s okay to be me and it’s actually better, I feel more alive and therefore I’m able to put more energy back into the world”

She talks about a positive psychology model called PERMA which makes up the core elements needed for wellbeing- Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment and how important having meaningful conversations and relationships and a sense of purpose are for our wellbeing.

Paua’s story shows it’s not about chasing happiness, it’s about honoring all the human emotions we have by seeking richness in experience.

Follow the Explore Your Core Podcast to stay up to date with new epsisodes.
You can find Paula Reid here and on socials.

Until the next episode,
Explore Your Core.

As an artist and adventurer, a lot of my time is spent creating something that isn’t already there. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes before art hits the wall or my feet hit the trails. Bringing two ideas to life simultaneously has shed light on the similarities and some of the universal traits of bringing ideas to life.

Murals have been a way I get to bring ideas to fruition, where I turn something that sits inside my mind into something permanent, tangible. My ideas get to fill the cracks of the walls, spread to the corners of the streets and get to change a place.

Painting murals is proof to me that it’s possible to bring something to life- that no idea is ever too big. While I was working on this mural piece, I was also planning a 500km expedition with Sam Gash in New Zealand, fast packing and bike packing. I had wanted to create a short film and, over the months, started mapping out the idea and mapping routes. It was still an idea, a concept, until plans became something concrete and tangible and before I knew it, my feet were on the trails in New Zealand. It wasn’t until I saw the familiar names of the huts, river systems and turn offs that I had marked on paper- that I realised I had just brought an idea to life. It was the furthest distance I was about to do and my first overseas expedition- it was all new territory. That’s the thing though: you don’t know what you’re capable of or what is possible until you action the ideas that sit scibbled down on paper.

I feel very fortunate to still be able to following my passion, so often I can get caught up in the businessof life, the finacials stresses and external demands but even when this pressure feels immense I always try to create a little window for my creativity- I sneak it in in the inbetween moments, flicking through magazines while at the doctors, taking in the colours of the plants while walking to work or listening to podcasts while driving. It keeps inspiration and ideas always brewing.

For me, I try to expose myself to as much as I can whether that be trying new activities, hearing other people’s ideas, or just taking in as much as my surroundings through my senses. Before a project, I usually set an intention of what I want to be soaking in; for this mural, I spent a lot of time hiking and paid attention to the colours and plants. As for the expedition, I learnt about bikepacking and spoke to others about their adventures. It’s a practice that helps me fill my mind with possibilities.


Then when there is enough material in my mind, I hone in, I narrow everything down.

There comes a point where I switch from absorbing my environment in to focused attention.

Then I probem solve- I’lI put something on the wall or a map, step back, make an adjustment to the shape or the route and continue refining.

I try things on just like clothes and adjust it on the wall or my mind until it fits.

Then comes the build, it’s where the foundations are laid, a slow tedious process of filling in the bricks or the excel spreadsheetheets that forms the base which it is all built upon.

Once that foundation has been laid, the detail gets to be applied on the wall and the adventures form; it’s where the idea finally takes shape. There’s no more analysing or problem solving on the concept, it’s where I’ve worked out the right colours, the route, and get stuck into it. It’s where I can commit to the finer deatils, to buying the gear needed- I can put skin in the game because I am clear on what I want to bring to life.

And then.. I get to be IN IT, in the essence of what I love doing and finding a flow state- usually with headphones on and knocking paint as I have a boogie. It’s where I get to switch off and be immersed on the trails feeling the rhythm of my feet below and where time fades away.

Bringing ideas to life is always a reminder of patience- that things take time to seed and grow before coming to fruition. It’s so easy to chase and desire the end outcome, the flow state, the finishing touches- but so much has to occur before that; from possibility to refining it and down to the tedious job of filling in the cracks of the bricks or compiling excel spreadsheets for expeditions. Although it can be a long process, it has taught me no matter how big and idea it can always be brought to life.

So here’s to bringing more ideas to life- more artworks more adventures, more creative pursuits and crazy expeditions.

- Explore Your Core