I am Elle. I currently call home to half a dozen places but I grew up in Young, NSW
With my four younger sisters, Chloe, Annabel, Lara and Sophia, Annis (exchange student) and Kate (my soul sister). I guess I am kind of like a cat, with 9 lives… I feel like I have changed and be reborn again a lot of times.. I’m a complex human; I am a hopeless romantic, an over-sharer and giver. At the moment, I’m living with my boyfriend, Jai. I have a loving, weird, large family, fucking amazing friends - who I miss so much and a slight shopping addiction… but I have had my fair share of stupid decisions, lack of boundaries and low times before the primo age of 26. I feel I am head strong and like to make decisions in my own time but I also require love and guidance once I’ve made them. I’m inspired by people who love to grow and expand the minds of people they’re around, I love perspective and feel I’m pretty accepting to anyone’s point of view if they can back it up…. I’m open to most things but also do stick in my own lane. I feel energy deeply and can be very effected by what others feel. Where I tend to become too emotionally involved and depleted. If I’m on the phone, I will want to chat for age and my mood really depends on my cycle, so, pretty much I’m a little quirky with a whole lot of sensitive.
Challenges and what I have learnt?
Hmmm.. I can become quite anxious, so I often feel a lot of challenges in life, but they all come down to the same things - lack of self-confidence, too must trust, being naive. To be honest. What I have learnt so far in life is trust your intuition, be your own best friend and people have their own trauma, everyone is walking around with demons, acknowledge but know your self worth. My biggest challenge was not knowing these things when I was 17-19 and I use that time as motivation to be a better person and to grow. I wouldn’t know this though without professionals, friends and family particularly, my Aunty who always explains why and how I feel a way I do. I’m lucky to have all these people. I feel I will have this platform for a while and will get real deep on this one day, but I know how long this post is already and wigging if people have already switched off.
What does the day in the life of Elle Turner look like?
In this current life he he, I’ve taken a step back from primary school teaching, studying complementary medicine, working on this passion project ohti.
A typical day for me… hmm.. my routines lack.. After moving around for a few months, there has been none. I would like to say that I get up, stretch, but sometimes to be honest, im straight on my phone, so fucked, I know. Every morning though involves some kind of writing, manifesting, journaling. Then normally it starts with study with a break of facetiming one of my sisters, especially if the unit is science related, I might continue to call others too, procrastinate… I then get ideas for ohti and it pretty much consumes my day. I love food, so food has a pretty big part, I LOVE baking after a day of being an i-life, I normally go mess up the kitchen and then feel sad I have to clean it. Working on ohti can be different, its time-consuming shit, planning blog posts, chatting and planning collaborations, It normally is around 20-30hrs of my week… but I fucking love it. I really run at my own beat, I used to plan my time down to the minute, that was really unhealthy for me… I still am a little obsessive though if I have planned to do something and it doesn’t work out..
There’s a joke with my friend I co-taught with last year, all the good ideas come from deep thinking shower moments… and I still back that, I often think of some real good ideas in the shower. So, I’m non-stop all day, every day lately. But my day always ends with a lot of relaxation and probably catching up with summer bay.
You are so selfless and giving. It is amazing that you have met Alex and taken him under your wing, given him a platform to tell his story and share his work. Why is this so important to you?
Oh my, so kind and makes my heart so full hearing this. I keep in regular contact with Alex since meeting him a few years ago through my friend Chae. I really love keeping up with what is going on in Bali and at the moment trying to learn Bahasa to be able to understand each other a little more. I can become so emotional so I'm going to stick to the facts. Alex was asking if I needed any clothes made, he was explaining the situation in Bali and I really wanted to help but didn’t need anything in that time (I love shopping but I do only buy when there is a purpose) I did send him some money but, this wasn’t sustainable for long as I was currently unemployed and already donate monthly to my sponsor child, Mercy. He started asking if my sisters needed anything and I told him, I’m making this page, I could try and sell some clothes for him. I think sometimes in the Western world we can become a bit numb to what is going on. Having Alex make items, actually goes straight towards his family. I like this. I think he is good at what he does and I enjoy his friendship. He doesn’t get covid payments or support, or updates of the situation in Bali through daily notices. I’m really grateful for him actually, he sparked and initiated a purpose for a collaborative space. Sharing other people’s passion projects and making it about others gave me so much ignition to make a website.
What was one moment you can remember that you decided to create ohti? And what gave you the inspiration to create this brand and platform?
As lame as this sounds, I felt I was gifted ohti, everything aligned and it gave me a purpose, something to be excited over, a passion. I had an Instagram account that changed names many of times; ohti lifestyle, then ohti wellness and lots more, I think there was 17 name changes where I would post kind of like tumblr. At the start of the year, I decided to move to the Northern Rivers, study and enjoy a new area. I now had more time… I started manifesting what I would like to have once I’ve finished my new course. A space that makes others feel supported, inspiring, real and raw, ultimately a place to make others feel good. I thought I could make this space online before I finish by writing blog posts about topics of interest to help me study. The power of manifestation hehe, I asked and my brain was popping off with ideas. I’ve never felt so creatively alive. I changed to ohti_socials because it’s the social media account for ohti, not the platform and hope to have a store one day... I kind of didn’t think twice…
I don’t really see it as a huge platform or anything, so please don’t take what I say too seriously…
Inspired by creating with Alex, I also desired to create a collaborative space for people who wanted to create a product or experience in which, I could give them a platform and collaborate. I like doing that kind of stuff… I think though, sometimes I let my love for wanting to create take over my desire for funds. Every cent that ohti makes, doesn’t go back to my original investment, it goes towards collaborating with other people and products… I may never get that original investment back, but fuck it, people spend money on way worse things. The biggest collaboration is the one with Alex, it does not really have a profit for me but an odd, ten or twenty dollars which goes straight back into an account to pay for ohti goods. I know, not the best business model, especially coming from a family of business people, I just don’t want to take my joy out of creating and I can clearly notice when it happens and profit is at the front of creating a product because, I fizzle out quickly and it doesn’t come to fruition. I want a legacy. I like being proud of ohti, knowing it’s a true representation of me. And I have some big ideas, and some real cool people surrounding me, I intend to just have fun, collaborate and learn.
Sharing other people on the blog, came together through being inspired by my friends and wanting to create a sense of connection; a community. They are killing it. I thought maybe I’d just ask a few and then call it a day, but I received such a lovely response, I wanted to continue to share. I’ve always lived by; if the people around you don’t like what you have to say / do, someone else will. There is always your people and one person or a group of people may be great in some ways and others fill the other parts. So, I would like to think, I’m starting to create a platform that connects these people that may feel the desire to align and connect with new humans, it shows how human, raw, vulnerable but yet amazing we are. I feel my manifesting dreams were coming through big time by doing this.I'm personally so motivated by every post.
I like vulnerability in people. I don’t enjoy seeing them suffer but I love chatting from peoples core. I wanted to share people who in my eyes are killing it and expose their story, because no one gets to where they are without challenge. Originally, it was for my younger sisters, showing them, life is fucking weird and the people I look up to & feature also are in the position where they are taking chances and we are all in this big game of life. But really, my sisters are now my inspiration and I turn to them lately for guidance. I’m here to celebrate the downs, the ups and the in between with people, share, let others understand, not feel alone, resonate with others, share their passion, everyone has something special and everyone deserves to share it. That’s the blog. That’s ohti story and a whole lot of blab.
What sets my soul on fire?
Being asked this question and confidently answering does because I’ve never felt so confident in my steeze. But moment wise, I love that feeling when you look around and really feel so lucky and appreciative, you know that second where you feel all warm inside. I live for that moment. But also live for that feeling of pure contentment with my body. When I wake up nourished, feel light with my body & mind. Both get me excited.
I apologise for the length of this and I still have several unanswered questions from beautiful George & Krissy, I just get so passionate and maybe one day soon will answer the others. What I’ve learnt from this is I have so much more to share about who I see myself as and defining yourself to a few questions only shows a very very small part of someones world.
I thank you ♥️ OHTI & Elle
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