Stepping Off Now: Lessons in the Art and Craft of Creativity

I've had clients say to me that they feel they can't be "real" artists because they don't suffer enough. They feel like they're creative beings, but they're *gasp* pretty happy with their lives and t…

I thought it was time to revisit mind-wandering and daydreaming and their role in creativity. In this episode I delve into the default mode network, comprised of the parts of our brain that switch on…

Has this happened to you? You're on a roll with your creative project, getting stuff done, you feel enthusiastic and excited about your progress, and then bam! Something happens (usually some kind of…

This is my yearly episode on trying to earn a living as a working creative, where I talk about all the behind-the-scenes stuff. These days a lot of people are giving creative entrepreneurship a try, …

I have two main pieces of advice when it comes to asking for and dealing with feedback. First, you don't have to be "good" at receiving feedback to ask for it. Some of us will never have a thick skin…

I recently underwent a major change in my plans for my novel due to some feedback I received, and in this episode I discuss why it's important to be open to making such changes. They can lead to majo…

The reason we creatives and artists fail to reach goals and achieve dreams is because we misunderstand what kind of hard work is required. We put too much of our energy into the wrong kind of hard wo…

My sister is back! Jill Patterson, a competitive cyclist, is having a great year after experiencing a not-so-great one last year, and I invited her back on the podcast to talk about her recent big wi…

If you've ever felt insecure or angry about the fact that putting your creative work out into the world often means commercializing it, and thus changing or diluting it, this episode is for you. I di…

You've probably heard  somewhere along the way that what really holds us back is fear of success, not failure. I've never understood this, so in this episode I explore what it might mean and if it ho…

In the creative life you must learn to be your own biggest fan: that's what's required to come through the myriad challenges you will face along the way. In this episode I discuss why it matters so m…

You've probably heard it before, this admonition to trust the process. It's one of those things that's easy to say, but difficult to grasp. What is "the process," and how do we operationalize the con…

In this episode I'm experimenting with something new: I've devised an exercise to help you figure out how to enjoy the process of reaching goals, not just the idea of reaching them. This exercise has…

Summer is a special time, and it calls for some special activities. In this episode I discuss why and how this summer is one of transition for me in terms of my identity and my creative activities! I…

Our societal systems, including the public school system, are built to counteract subversive forces such as (too much) intellectual curiosity and creativity. We are socialized in ways of thinking and…

How much time should you take to rest and digest, recover from stress, and adjust to loss? As much time as you need.

As I process the passing of my cat, Lucy, I contemplate why we so often fail to make the changes we need to in life: because change inevitably comes with loss. But change can also be used as a method…

A little about my cat Lucy, who has reached the end of her life. 

I used to think the creative life was only for "real" creatives or artists, the lucky few who are able to spend most of their day doing creative work and are probably also making a living from their …

Have you ever felt like you're living at a distance from your own life, not really immersed in it in a way that feels fulfilling or joyful? The problem could be rooted in our misleading cultural idea…