Anna Levesque:
My guest today is Mardae Weaver, an ordinary human with an extraordinary being. He excelled in sports in his youth and also explored metaphysical studies, inspired by his grandmother who was both a psychologist and a spiritual seeker in Nashville. He gained a love for nature as a Boy Scout and now hosts camping retreats centered around healing.
Mardae has owned Solar Fitness, LLC, worked as a personal trainer, and offered Reiki to balance energy systems. Today, his work includes serving as a behavioral analyst at a maximum-security prison, supporting pre-K children on the spectrum, and building Nowhere Solutions, a holistic campground in Nashville to help people heal mental and energetic imbalances. His end game? Human enhancement — exploring what we can evolve into next.
Thanks for being here, Mardae. I appreciate you. It’s good to see you again.
Mardae Weaver:
Thank you, absolutely. I appreciate being here.
On the Discomfort Zone
Anna:
I start every episode with the same question: when I say “discomfort zone,” what comes up for you?
Mardae:
The first word that comes up is opportunity.
Anna:
Love that. Why opportunity?
Mardae:
As an athlete, I learned that discomfort is part of growth. Think about Rocky training — it’s not glamorous. He’s sweating, struggling, pushing through pain. That transitional phase is necessary to get to the next level. Discomfort doesn’t have to mean pain — it just means you’re not used to it yet. That gives you an opportunity to evolve… or not. Either way, it’s an opening.
Knowledge, Wisdom, and Understanding
Anna:
So what’s your strategy for evolving through discomfort?
Mardae:
For me, it comes down to three things: knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.
A dark room is scary — not because of what’s there, but because you don’t know what’s there. Turn on the light, and suddenly you see it’s just a coat rack, not a monster. Knowledge dispels fear. Wisdom is asking, “Why am I afraid of this?” And understanding is deciding, “Okay, now what do I do about it?”
That’s my roadmap for discomfort: get knowledge, gain wisdom, and practice understanding.
Anna’s Injury and Resonance
Anna:
That makes me think of my herniated disc. Hearing the MRI analysis was scary. But then I heard stories from people who had healed themselves, and those stories became motivating and inspiring for me. It’s that resonance you’re talking about — I can feel what they went through because I’m in it now.
Mardae:
Exactly. That resonance changes everything. When you’re in it, the stories hit differently. And that’s an opportunity too. Maybe you’ll love your lumbar in a deeper way when it’s healed. In fact — it is healed. You just have to walk the path in time and space until your body catches up with what your soul already knows.
Stories of Resilience
Mardae shared powerful stories of resilience, including intervening in an active shooter situation at his office in Atlanta and helping at the scene of a serious motorcycle accident just hours before meeting Anna at the Paddle Sport Leadership Academy.
From both experiences, he learned the importance of being centered, refusing to panic, and letting resilience guide him.
Centering Practices
Anna:
How do you center yourself?
Mardae:
By being “self-ish” — not selfish in the negative sense, but remembering I’m part of the circle, holding hands with others, while also holding space for myself.
I use a system I developed called MISRED:
🧠 Mental
🙏 Spiritual
😴 Rest
🏋️ Exercise
🥗 Diet
Every day I check in with myself: did I invest in these five areas? Some days I’m at a “one” or “two,” other days at a “five.” It’s not about judgment, it’s a mirror. If I’m low, I know where I need to shift.
Work in Prisons and with Children
Mardae shared how he uses MISRED not only for himself but also when working with men in maximum-security prisons and children on the spectrum. He sees surprising parallels: both populations can lack social filters and often act out for attention. His work helps them find healthier ways to invest in themselves and build resilience.
Nature and Gratitude
Both Anna and Mardae spoke about the grounding, healing power of nature.
Mardae:
Nature never turns its back on us. The earth, water, fire, and wind are always there. When you feel unsupported, stomp your feet — the ground is holding you up. Gratitude for that connection changes everything.
Rapid Fire with Mardae Weaver
Morning ritual? MISRED check-in
Non-negotiable self-care? The Truth Mirror
Favorite quote? “BIG FACE: Believe in God, For All Comes Eventually”
What people get wrong about you? That I’m one-dimensional — I’m not just muscles and tattoos.
Comfort zone in one word? Spontaneous (and sometimes dangerous)
Legacy in one word? Epic
Final Thoughts
Mardae:
Believe in yourself. And when you can’t believe in yourself, believe in God. And if God feels too far, believe in nature — it’s right at your feet, in the wind at your back, the fire in your heart, and the water in your body.
Anna:
Thank you so much, Mardae. It’s been a gift to have this conversation.
