This is an intimate conversation about our relationship with life. And all the raw material that it gives us - whether pleasant or painful - to expand, learn, create and connect.

In this episode I am joined by Sofìa Laria, a concert pianist, piano-mentor and researcher of creativity and creative expression. Together we explore the idea of effort, what it can mean to our process and to our sense of self-worth. And we talk in depth about what it means to trust and engage with the impermanence of our experiences and performances…

Through the lens of our personal practices in music, art and human interactions, the episode sheds light on how engaging with an object, whether it's a piano or clay or a desired change (or impact), can help us not just understand, but also integrate and put to use valuable life lessons.

About Sofia:

Since the age of six, Sofia has passionately pursued piano, beginning her journey in Argentina and continuing her studies in piano performance in the Netherlands and Sweden with dedication and curiosity.

After completing her bachelor's in classical piano and studying anthropology at the University of Buenos Aires, Sofía followed her lifelong dream of studying in Europe. She earned a Master’s degree in Piano Performance from the University of the Arts Utrecht in the Netherlands. Now based in Sweden, she’s pursuing a second Master’s while researching how music and artistic learning can support personal growth and positively impact society, bringing together her love for the arts with insights from psychology and cognitive science.

Her piano studio is a space for creative learning, where both lessons and one-on-one consultations offer a way to grow, reclaim agency, and find clarity in a noisy world through creativity.

Get in touch:

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/sofia-laria-piano

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sofialaria

Website: https://www.sofialaria.com/

This episode in headlines:

• What is so good about effort?
• The role of effort for self-worth
• The Importance of Process Over Goals
• Is it effort or suffering?
• Can effort be playful?
• What does it mean to be engaged?
• Transitioning from Listener to Player
• The Role of Honesty in Art
• Integrating Theory and Practice - of anything
• Being honest and being of service
• Embracing Impermanence
• The Power of Presence in Art
• The performing persona - that is actually you
• The role of trust in presence