Thought Experiment Called Life - Mindset, Resilience, Creativity, and Intentional Living

From Interior Design to Food Anthropology: Christy Capano on Slow Food and Starting Over In Italy

If you've ever traveled somewhere beautiful and thought, what if I just moved here?...this week's guest did exactly that. I've known Christy Capano and her family since we were kids, and over the last few years I've been completely captivated by the life she's built in Italy. What started as an opportunity to help renovate a farmhouse in Florence became a complete reinvention of her life. Christy left behind a career in interior design, returned to school in her 40s, earned certifications in Italian gastronomy and a Master's in Food Studies, and is now creating immersive travel experiences through her business, The Slow Travel Lab [https://www.slowtravellab.com]. This is a conversation about curiosity, courage, and what happens when you choose a life that feels more aligned with your heart. In this episode we discuss: • Leaving an unhealthy marriage and starting over in Italy • Reinventing yourself in your 40s • Following intuition and taking big leaps of faith • The Slow Food movement and food sustainability • Food as culture, connection, memory, and medicine • Ancestry, identity, and reconnecting with your roots • Going back to school later in life • Curiosity as a path through depression • Living in Florence and adapting to Italian culture • Foraging, herbalism, and reconnecting with the land • Food diplomacy and how meals bring people together • The healing power of nature, travel, and community • Romanticizing everyday life • Why getting older might be something to celebrate I left this conversation feeling very inspired. In fact, after talking with Christy about foraging, I wandered into the woods behind our house and discovered an abundance of wild spinach growing everywhere. I've been harvesting it for omelets ever since. As always, thank you for being here. It has been such a joy to share these conversations with you, and I hope they offer a little inspiration, a fresh perspective, or simply a little space to dream for a while. If this podcast has meant something to you, sharing it with a friend is one of the best ways to help it grow. From my heart to yours, have a beautiful week. Greta ❤️ Join me on Substack to get two recipes from Christy: https://substack.com/@thoughtexperimentcalledlife 👉 Get 20% off and help your cells age brilliantly with liposomal NAD+, glutathione, and more from Sunny Within. Supporting your body's natural cellular repair processes as you age. Use my code: THOUGHTEXPERIMENT https://sunnywithin.com/THOUGHTEXPERIMENT ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

How Three Women Built a Band, a Community, and a Movement with Folk Band The Little Mercies

This episode has been a long time coming. Back in February, I played my first live show in years and had the honor of opening for The Little Mercies. Their performance was so joyful, heartfelt, and magnetic that I immediately wanted to know more about them and share them with all of you. We talk about building a life outside the norm, women supporting women, creativity, music therapy, community, and what it really takes to follow your own path. They also share a few beautiful songs and plenty of stories from the road. In this episode we cover a lot of ground: •Building a touring folk band from friendship, grit, and a shared love of adventure •Why having fun is a serious creative strategy •Leaving your hometown and becoming who you're meant to be •Women supporting women in music and business •The realities of making a living as independent artists •Turning big dreams into practical action •Teaching music to children and empowering creativity •Music therapy, memory care, and the power of song •Following your joy even when the path gets messy •Balancing art, relationships, family expectations, and personal growth •The magic of folk music, storytelling, and shared experiences •Creating spaces where people feel free to dance, play, and be themselves •The importance of community in an increasingly disconnected world •Cats, campfire energy, and a whole lot of laughter A quick note: this was my first time recording an interview like this, and the video disappeared for the first half of the conversation. If you're listening, you'll never know. If you're watching on YouTube, the video kicks in about halfway through. I loved this conversation and these women. I think you will too. Xo, Greta Learn more about The Little Mercies at: www.thelittlemercies.com Join me on Substack for the full details of this episode: https://substack.com/@thoughtexperimentcalledlife 👉Get 20% Off and help your cells age brilliantly with liposomal NAD+ (and more) with Sunny Within (get the Strawberry Lime flavor…it’s much better than the Watermelon!!) Use my code: THOUGHTEXPERIMENT https://sunnywithin.com/THOUGHTEXPERIMENT ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Feral Hearts, National Parks, & Punk Rock Side Quests with Writer and Musician, Emily Pennington

My guest this week lives a life that inspires to me to my core. I first learned about Emily Pennington through former guest, Anthony Elio, when my song ‘Think You’re In Love’ was played on his podcast. Emily’s story grabbed me instantly as she took a year of her life to travel to every national park and wrote a book about it called Feral. In addition, she is also the front woman of her ‘Rowdy Alternative Folk Rock’ band called Trouble’s Braids, so naturally I wanted to hear more about her very unconventional life path. In this conversation we discuss: - Starting over creatively in your 30s and 40s - Building an unconventional life rooted in meaning instead of societal expectations - Overcoming fear of being “bad” at something new - Adult learning, side quests, and creative reinvention - Grief, loss, and how it changes your relationship with time - Conservation, native plants, and protecting public lands - Why creativity and wonder are essential parts of being human Also, Trouble’s Braids is coming out with a brand new EP on June 5th. Stay in touch with everything they’re up to here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1nN66NEHxiYwSeLGB2t3tF?si=sLCOnjsvT62I5jn46D9qAw www.troublesbraids.com Click here to read Feral: https://a.co/d/0cjYfkIK Join me on Substack for the full details of this episode: https://substack.com/@thoughtexperimentcalledlife 👉Get 20% Off and help your cells age brilliantly with liposomal NAD+ (and more) with Sunny Within (get the Strawberry Lime flavor…it’s much better than the Watermelon!!) Use my code: THOUGHTEXPERIMENT https://sunnywithin.com/THOUGHTEXPERIMENT ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

BJJ World Champion Emily Kwok on Conscious Leadership, the Art of Becoming Yourself, and Having the Courage to Take the Leap

This week I’m so honored to share my conversation with Emily Kwok, a World Champion Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 4th degree Black Belt, peak performance consultant, teacher, mother, creative thinker, and one of the most deeply insightful people I’ve had the gift of speaking with. While Emily has played an enormous role in paving the way for women in jiu jitsu, this conversation reaches far beyond BJJ. We talk about conscious leadership, creativity, performance, taking risks, learning how to trust yourself, letting go of old versions of your life, and what it really means to become more fully yourself. I first met Emily when I was a blue belt at an all-women’s BJJ workshop that completely changed my life, but over the years I’ve come to admire her for so much more than her accomplishments on the mat. This is one of those conversations that feels like it has gems tucked into every corner, and I hope it leaves you feeling inspired, challenged, and a little more ready to climb whatever mountain is in front of you. Learn more about Emily Kwok at www.emilykwok.com Join me on Substack for the full details of this episode: https://substack.com/@thoughtexperimentcalledlife 👉Get 20% Off and help your cells age brilliantly with liposomal NAD+ (and more) with Sunny Within (get the Strawberry Lime flavor…it’s much better than the Watermelon!!) Use my code: THOUGHTEXPERIMENT https://sunnywithin.com/THOUGHTEXPERIMENT ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Rise of Third Spaces & Creative Culture in Denver: Creating Spaces Where People Feel Seen with Hayley Featherston of BlendCo Denver

You know an interview is going to go well when you and your guest show up wearing almost the exact same leopard print pants. Hayley Featherston, one of the co founders of BlendCo, one of Denver’s most inspiring new ‘third spaces’ (meaning a place that is not our home or our workspace), mission is crystal clear: build community by providing a cozy, welcoming place for humans to gather, and make sure they know they are welcome to stay a while, there is no rush. The idea of a ‘third space’ in regard to BlendCo makes me think of the ‘Room of Requirements’ in Harry Potter. It can transform into whatever you need it to be at any given time. Hayley, one of the founders of BlendCo has a deep dedication to building community and bringing people together, especially in a cozy and warm environment. Her intentions of community care are crystal clear, you will hear it in our conversation. Learn more about BlendCo here: https://www.blendcolorado.com/ Join me on Substack for the full details of this episode: https://substack.com/@thoughtexperimentcalledlife 👉Get 20% Off and help your cells age brilliantly with liposomal NAD+ (and more) with Sunny Within (get the Strawberry Lime flavor…it’s much better than the Watermelon!!) Use my code: THOUGHTEXPERIMENT https://sunnywithin.com/THOUGHTEXPERIMENT ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.