Creative Happy Life

Trigger warning: the end portion of this episode discusses loss and grief, and may be heavy for certain audiences. In episode 17, we sit down and reminisce over memories of learning various crafts and skills, from crochet and sewing, to favorite things we enjoyed seeing our mom make, our own creative experiments, and some creative things we discovered we do NOT enjoy through trying new things. We also discuss various learning styles and the current state of public education. And we end the episode discussing special and meaningful things that other people have made for us, which leads to emotional discussion of grief and healing through art and creativity.

Welcome back to the podcast! If you're new to Creative, Happy Life - we're glad you're here! This is the first episode in a new chapter, co-hosting as sisters and people with some shared life experience, as well as individual views and interests. It's the podcast I dreamed of when I started in 2019, sharing conversations, having laughs, getting into some nitty gritty topics, and geeking out over creative ideas. In this episode, we discuss reconnecting as family and humans, how people have different styles of communication and conversation, and we ask the big question - what IS creativity? Join us on Instagram for updates, episode quotes, and building a community where we continue these conversations. Enjoy this episode? Hit the "follow" button on Apple podcasts and let us know with a review. We appreciate your support!

I was so happy to spend time chatting with Jess Parks, the designer, maker and creative heart behind MissLouMakes. We discussed her journey to becoming a full time maker, what inspires her work, using creative projects to relieve stress, and more! Follow Jess on Instagram.com/missloumakes. Check out her handmade jewelry shop: missloumakes.etsy.com To continue the conversation and dive deeper into your own creative exploration, head over to my new, private Facebook group, Awakening the Creative Spirit, and connect with fellow creatives. Want a weekly dose of creative inspiration? Join my Art Club newsletter at www.shannon-sorensen.com.

This episode of Creative, Happy Life podcast is all about practice - establishing consistency, creating understanding from the beginning of the process, and not letting the idea of "should" get in the way of starting. Join me for guidance, wisdom, inspiration each week to live a more creative, happier life. To see more of my work, visit www.shannon-sorensen.com, and subscribe to join my weekly email ART CLUB.

Are you a multi-passionate person? Have you heard that word before? I heard it for the first time a couple years ago, and things started to click together in my mind and in my heart, about my creative interests, skills, and the work I wanted to do. And surprising to absolutely no one, it meant going against the grain, shattering expectations, and ensuring I was the writer of my own story. To learn more about my work, visit www.shannon-sorensen.com and become a Patreon supporter at patreon.com/shannonsorensen.

As a working artist, working at home with two young kids during the pandemic, join me to hear more about a method of planning my days that allows me to create boundaries and balance between personal time and work time, flexibility in my day during personal time, and how I'm getting more focused and productive in my work. I came to a realization that my days felt busy, but not much was actually getting done. And the already blurred lines between my personal and professional life had become even more blended. It was time to regroup, and rethink, and re-prioritize how I spend my days. To see more of my work, visit www.shannon-sorensen.com, and consider becoming a Patreon supporter at patreon.com/shannonsorensen.

It's the first episode of 2021! In episode 11, I'm encouraging you to let go of expectations, shift your mindset, and learn to get into the flow. Whether it's creativity, resolutions and goal setting, or day to day things that you generally don't enjoy, you can learn to take steps to feel better, happier and hit your stride. I discuss things such as crafting with kids, starting a running program, cleaning, and of course, painting, to share how we all face these same limiting beliefs, and how we can start to shift them to a more positive, proactive mindset. If you want to support my work, consider becoming a subscriber at patreon.com/shannonsorensen and you can check out more of my creative work at www.shannon-sorensen.com.

In this episode, I talk about the "I Want" song, in relation to Disney princesses and Hamilton, to inspire you to listen to your creative wants, needs and desires. There's no dream to big or small that will be worth exploring. At any age, we experience times of shift and change, and maybe feel a pull to try something new or shake things up. I share my own experiences of learning to listen and trust myself as an artist, and the importance of stepping out of comfort zones.

Meg O'Brien is my guest on episode 8, and she is serving up some beautiful and important truths about the necessity of the arts in education and in humanity. We talked about silver linings during the global pandemic of Covid-19, pushing through fear, and how learning the basic tools of theater will give you skills to carry you through life. Meg talks about how the arts are keeping us sane and how everyone in the world, in some way, is touched by art. Join the Creative Happy Life Community on Facebook for more discussion and inspiration!

Episode 7 of the Creative, Happy Life Podcast is all about those times when you don't feel happy or creative. They happen to all of us, and especially in the midst of the events happening in our world right now, there are a lot of big, hard feelings to process. In this episode, I'm sharing some personal things that have happened during our time staying at home. It's a bit of a heavier show than usual, but an important conversation to have, about the scope of being human, and the wide range of emotions we experience.

This week I have my very first guest - my husband, Sean! We're stuck at home together, so we might as well make the most of the time, right? In this episode, we talk about how it's going with both of us working at home, while in quarantine together with the kids, we hear a bit from Lily about distance learning, and how we're doing adjusting to the weird "new normal" while we try to flatten the curve. Recorded March 28, 2020

Recorded on Thursday, March 12, 2020. It is all about tips for people who will be working from home, possibly for the first time, and ideas and resources for learning activities to do with your kids! I wanted to offer some encouragement for how to tend to your own mental wellness, and perhaps cope and find calm through creativity. You'll find even more resources and ideas listed below in the show notes at creativehappylifepodcast.com, so you can easily look for what you need and might find to be helpful. Join the Creative, Happy Life Community on Facebook and follow CreativeHappyLifePodcast on Instagram for more information and inspiration!

Have you ever heard someone say “I'm not a creative person”. Whenever someone says that to me, it just makes me sad, I want to give them a hug and look them in their eyes and say “Yes! Actually you are!" We need to stop thinking of creativity under the umbrella of talent and skill and final products. Creativity is in all of us. This episode was recorded February 2020.

Recorded January 2020 - This episode is all about how I am doing a very quick morning ritual that has transformed my days to feel calmer, happier, and more focused on what matters. Making time and space for creativity each day is just as vital as eating, sleeping and exercising.

In this episode, I'm tackling the subject of storytelling as a means of creating connection, understanding, and empathy. I share a couple personal stories that I consider to be a core piece of my “backstory”, that has directly affected who I am, and where I am, today. We all have a story inside us. What's yours?

Welcome to the first episode of the Creative, Happy Life Podcast! In this episode, I'm discussing the importance of starting before you're ready, rejecting fear, and accepting that done is better than perfect. You are more ready than you know! There are lessons to be learned in every experience, even the ones where we think we've failed.

This is part two with guest, Meg O'Brien, where we talk musicals, spirituality, and the importance of theater and the arts in society. From growing up in Southern Connecticut and falling in love with dance, to experiencing the unspeakable devastation of cancer, and being a college student during 9/11, Meg's personal and professional journey as an artist, actor and educator is powerfully uplifting. There are beautiful lessons in life and loss, and I'm grateful to Meg for so eloquently and thoughtfully sharing her perspectives and wisdom.

Part one of a two part series of episodes with Meg O'Brien, Director of Education at the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston. In this episode, we discuss the silver linings of this time at home during the Covid-19 pandemic and how the arts and artists have contributed to keeping the world entertained and happy; using the tools of theater in education to prepare and empower young people to persevere through tough situations in life; and more!

The name of the podcast is Creative, Happy Life, but that doesn't mean any of us go through life always feeling creative and happy. So, in this time of going through a global health crisis and quarantine due to Covid-19, if you haven't been feeling great and not sure of how to deal with all the big hard feelings, this episode is for you.

Join me and my husband, Sean, as we talk about how we're doing with life at home during the Covid-19 quarantine. Two weeks in, with two young kids, incorporating distance learning, and balancing work and family life, we get really real about how we're coping and managing each day as best we can. We discuss the weird new norms and our favorite things we've been doing to get creative and keep from going too stir crazy.

How are you doing, friends? How are you really doing? This is a weird time in our lives as we navigate the Coronavirus, and practice social distancing, so I wanted to offer some ideas and resources if you’re feeling overwhelmed, bored, nervous, or just trying to come up with some ideas to stay happy. This episode is all about tips for people who will be working from home, possibly for the first time, and ideas and resources for learning activities to do with your kids! The last part of the episode I just wanted to offer some encouragement for how to tend to your own mental wellness and perhaps cope and find calm through creativity.

In episode 4, I am sharing my thoughts on the idea that there are people who write themselves off as "not being creative", and what it means to be creative.

Do you have five minutes in the morning, before you officially start your day? I bet you do. In episode 3, I am telling you all about my new favorite part of my day - a five minute guided self check-in to center myself on my overall well-being. It has helped me to slow down, feel more focused and happier. Want to know what it is?

Welcome to the Creative, Happy Life Podcast, with host Shannon Sorensen. In episode two, we're tackling the subject of storytelling as a means of creating connection, understanding, and empathy. Shannon shares a couple personal stories that she considers to be a core pieces of her “backstory”, that has directly affected who she is, and where she is today. We all have a story inside us. What’s yours? Join Shannon each week for heart-to-heart discussions, friendly conversations and inspiring stories about life, creativity, and the pursuit of happiness.

Welcome to the first episode of the Creative, Happy Life Podcast, with host Shannon Sorensen. In this episode, Shannon discusses the importance of starting before you're ready, punching fear in the face, and accepting that done is better than perfect. There are lessons to be learned in every experience, even the ones where we think we've failed. Join Shannon each week for heart-to-heart discussions, friendly conversations and inspiring stories about life, creativity, and the pursuit of happiness.