Engaging in artistic work is challenging, rewarding, and thrilling. It’s also time consuming and difficult to maintain because of the demands of everyday life. As a result, creative pursuits are often shoved to the side leaving songs unwritten, pictures unpainted, and stories unfinished. This podcast is for anyone who loves a good story, but it’s especially meant for the “weekend warriors” who long to set their imaginations free and more fully embrace their creativity. Join host Andrew Doan as he begins a personal journey to fulfill his creative ambitions and finish what he started. Along the way, he’ll learn from and encourage others just like him—ordinary people who want to bring beauty and truth to the world around them through the creative arts.
Listeners of This Is by Andrew D. Doan that love the show mention: tells a story, get started, andrew, adventures, creative, encouraged, dream, real, time, life, love, doan.
The first half of 2021 brings Andrew to a crossroads. With novel completing, grocery delivering, class teaching, family supporting, and life living demands pulling him in multiple directions, he reckons with the realization that “living the dream” isn't always what it's made out to be. Insight from others who've pursued their passion, however, convinces him that the effort required to reach your goals pays off in the end. At least, he desperately hopes it does.
As someone who spends most of his time in his comfort zone, Andrew (and his family) are on the move and looking for something bigger. Despite a long-held dread of negative feedback, Andrew-with the help of a friend-contemplates the subject of criticism (constructive and otherwise) and wonders if he can handle whatever comes his way. GUEST INTERVIEW Heather Sorenson INDEPENDENT CREATOR SPOTLIGHT Jaclyn Hodgkins, Artist SPONSOR The Audibility Podcast (Links on the episode webpage)
The 2nd Season begins on a high note for Andrew and his creative dreams. It's late summer of 2020. He's one huge step closer to finishing his novel and the podcast has launched. It's not long, however, before dreams run into harsh reality, and he's faced with a choice—feel sorry for himself or find a way to be useful. Some well-timed conversations serve as great reminders of how he got here and why he must keep moving forward. GUEST INTERVIEWS Elora Maxwell, Emily Sealy INDEPENDENT CREATOR SPOTLIGHT Rebekah Burling, Artist SPONSOR The Abundant Life Project (Links on the episode webpage)
Get a quick rundown of Season 2. The first episode drops on the week of September 20th!
It's been a while since you've heard from me, but I'm happy to tell you that I'm still here and some exciting things are headed our way! Take a couple minutes to listen to this update episode and find out what's going on.
Host Andrew Doan began this podcast with both high hopes for his creative ambitions and deep questions about his abilities. In the final installment of the season, an assortment of events--from the world at large to his own backyard--coincide to bring both his hopes and questions into sharper focus, while a major life milestone serves as the backdrop for a story of reflection, gratitude, and unexpected joy. It's a deeply personal and heartwarming conclusion to Season 1.
March begins with a flurry of opportunities for Andrew at school and home. Just as he’s gearing up for a frenzied few months full of creative fulfillment, someone flips the switch and everything—EVERYTHING—comes grinding to a halt. Andrew walks with several friends through valleys of disappointment even as he grapples with his own sense of loss and his newly formed disdain for the word “CANCELED.” Episode 3 brings the untidy intersection of creativity and everyday life to the forefront in a powerful way.
Having determined to pursue his dream of creating a podcast, Andrew and his family face the challenges of starting over in an unfamiliar place. As his children navigate the nuances of fitting into a new school community, Andrew wrestles with fears and doubts about his creative endeavors. Will his readers be willing to question their assumptions? Will his high schoolers decide that creativity is cool? Can he convince himself that he’s up to the task? Episode 2 focuses on fear and tries to tackle it head on.
The story of Season 1 picks up in early 2020. Host Andrew Doan has a mind heavy with big ideas but light on action and completion. For him, the new year brings with it a bevy of questions—Will he ever finish his novel? Is he destined for creative greatness? Is he crazy? His personal journey begins with a thoughtful look at what holds us back from fulfilling our creative ambitions. It’s the opening chapter in a podcast that almost never happened.
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
