Podcasts about Audacious

Can You Cultivate Genius?The question is: can you cultivate genius? What do you think?First, a quote from my mama, Caron McCloud. She says, “I decided early on that I mattered.”Today's episode shares how my mom Karen McCloud encouraged me to cultivate my genius, why I think it's important for women to learn to cultivate their genius, and how brainwave shifts can show us what we do not usually see — including a meditation to access the theta brainwave for your insights, as well as an exciting invitation that includes Amy Ahlers. Hint: it includes the genius we share about money, sex, and influence. So here we go.Let's talk about genius, my friends, and why it matters. First, a question: What would it take to be able to say, I am genius, without qualifying or needing to prove? Most of us don't think we are. This isn't about other people thinking you are, but about cultivating a genius space where fresh thoughts can arise.The term genius comes from the Latin verb gignere, meaning to beget, to produce, or to bring forth. This same root gives us the words generate and genetics. In Rome, your genius was the birth spirit that shaped your personality, guided your destiny, and protected you throughout life. And I can't help but think about the word genie being the root of genius.Very little space is given to the development of our innate genius, and this concerns me. We need more women living in the fullness of their power.But there's a problem. We might not know this is a choice — that we get to cultivate our genius. It may never occur to us that we have a genius to access at all, really. Most of us have never spent hours, let alone days, watching what truly wants to come through us: an insight, an innovation, a worldview built to actually design our lives and relationships.The drafting table Mama gave meI want to start with a personal story that even now kind of blows my mind. Let me take off my shoes now and step onto the ground as I remember this.My mother Karen McLeod was a genius. She encouraged me to write and recite poetry. She bought me a drafting table for my 13th birthday and told me, this is where you work out your ideas. Draw here, paint here, write here. She said, I want you to think as if the thing you're thinking about could be life-saving for yourself and for others. I want you to treat yourself as if you absolutely matter. And the world will be a different place unless you inhabit it with everything you're carrying.She'd send me to my room saying, go write a poem and don't come out until you have a draft. She taught me to treat my thinking as if it completely mattered — and as if I did.If she hadn't given me that framework to explore myself, I doubt the thought would have ever crossed my mind. Because it's audacious, isn't it? It is audacious to devote an hour or a day to your own genius just to see what's available to you.That is what I'm doing right now with two of my genius friends. We are in a sister mind, each quietly working on our own material, then discussing, then back to the drawing table for a 24-hour cycle. This — the cultivation of your genius — is what I've invited women to do for over 30 years. It's what I've built a long-term business and community on.What if our brilliant ideas are in the future? And what if that future is just a few minutes in the future, and accessible — like, right now?Why We Don't Go ThereThere are reasons we don't create the time to cultivate genius. Here are a few.Ego. We're taught not to have an ego. Not to get too big for our britches. Not to be too smart.Fear. We're warned that if people knew how much sacred medicine we're carrying, we could be a danger to ourselves or others.Worth. In the same breath, we're told we aren't worthy, and that there's no real value in cultivating our consciousness. Don't be too big — but be big enough.Those of us in the business world get another script entirely: be more masculine, hustle, grasp, win at all costs, even at cost to yourself. Experiences like hustle and win are almost a deadening place for genius. Genius doesn't grow in the hard ground of striving. It grows in a field of wildflowers, where you lay back and gaze at the sky and ask questions of your own consciousness.And I think the most obvious reason we don't go there, into the space of genius, is simpler. We don't know how. We haven't been shown. We've been prevented from it, and taught to devalue it.Here's how. Access flow state within. Focused, intentional inquiry. That is how. Focused, intentional creativity. That is how.A Little Brain ScienceLet me show you why. Here's a little of the brain science, because it's worth understanding. Our brains move through different electrical rhythms, and each one gives us access to a different kind of thinking.Most of our waking day runs on beta — the busybody, alert, task-managing state. This is the ground of usual day-to-day being. Beta is where we answer emails and cross things off lists. It's useful, but it's narrow. It can only show us a certain number of things, and we can come to think beta is the only place there is — just like we think we are only so smart, and that's how we're born. The issue isn't beta. It's in not knowing how to get out of it into new territory.When we soften and let the mind open, we can visit the bridge to alpha — the relaxed, imaginative, daydreaming state. This is the bridge. It's the gentle threshold between doing and receiving, the en route that takes us into possibility. We can feel the change in our body as our brain loosens its tight grasp on what there is to do and moves into presence.And just past that, theta — the slow, intuitive, dreamlike rhythm we touch as we fall into deep meditation and self-expression. Theta is where the subconscious becomes available to us by choice, where we can even dip a toe into the unconscious. This is where the eureka lives: the vision, the aha, the change we want to make in the world. It's so often conceived here, in expanded possibility.But can we get it back into beta? That's one of our questions.Here's the curious catch. That brilliant idea is conceived in theta, and then we have to carry it all the way back to beta — back to the day-to-day world of action steps. Many people cultivate a vision for years and never find the steps to ground it. So in our community, we travel into theta on purpose, and then we consciously bring that realm of information back into beta, so we can take decisive action on behalf of the vision.As Gertrude Stein puts it, being a genius takes a lot of time sitting around doing nothing. I just call that tea with the muse. It's the pause that makes the cultivation possible.A Ritual to Try TodayIf you want to try it today, here's a ritual.Sit quietly and look out a window. Pick a point as far away as you can see, and fix your gaze there. Pretend you can travel to that spot while staying exactly where you are. Let your breathing deepen and lengthen. Feel your belly soften, and the space between your eyebrows soften too. Let loose the grip, smooth the worry lines, and begin to listen to your inner world.Then state your intention three times: I am here to cultivate my genius. I am here to cultivate my genius. I am here to cultivate my genius.And then you pause. You just be. You just listen. If nothing comes, say, show me one thing I need to know today. And wait. It may take time. You may need to return to this for a week or two.Mama McLeod says this: keep looking at the stories that we tell, and the stories that we don't tell, and take responsibility for them. Create a context that's big enough to live a big life — and then live into that context. Context provides a theme, and it provides a perspective: a way of going about living our lives as a great adventure, and making choices about what we want that story to be. A context defines, and provides an identity to occur from.So the answer is yes. You can cultivate genius by choice. I do. You can too. Let's do it, and teach the others around us. I'm right here with you — in the heart, in the field, in the quantum now.P.S. — Keep your eyes out…I have exciting news. If you're a woman looking for a breakthrough in midlife — in money, sex, and influence — watch this space for an emergent invitation from me and Amy Ahlers, my incredible coach and BFF for the past 16 years.Amy and I have been working on a project behind the scenes to serve women entrepreneurs and those in corporate spaces, to claim their superpowers of prosperity, sexuality, identity, leadership, and intuition. It is a hybrid of virtual private one-on-one coaching and in-person gatherings — the ultimate mastermind, a council for powerful women. This is a dream of ours, and we're bringing it to you. We've been teaching together since 2012.Applications for Powerhouse are opening soon, and we begin in September.Thank you so much for tuning in to Tea with the Midnight Muse.Much love, Shiloh SophiaThis is a video from 10 years ago where you can hear Caron McCloud speaking about mattering. Get full access to Tea with the Muse at teawiththemuse.substack.com/subscribe

Adventures with Thunderbolt eGPU docks on Linux, NVIDIA announces ARM PCs and laptops, new plugins for Audacious 4.6, and a craptop so bad it's kind of adorable.The video version of the show is available to Patrons, along with the Extended Chaos podcast featuring over an extra hour of LWDW content every week.⁠Patreon⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠YouTubeShow NotesTimestamps00:00 Intro02:29 Forcing Webview in Firefox09:12 Ladybird browser closes outside contributions18:20 Proton Dive native Linux client25:46 Adding analog damage on Linux34:18 Intel B580 performance gains with kernel 7.1

How do we pray audacious prayers? Join Pastor Erica Giesow as she dives into two parables where Jesus teaches us how to pray in our new series "Stories Jesus Told."

What if the prayers you've been praying are too small? Throughout Scripture, God responded to people who dared to believe Him for the impossible. He is still looking for people who will trust Him, ask largely, and expect greatly.

Have you ever felt like someone else was loved more than you — by a parent, a friend, or even by God? That feeling of comparison and competition can quietly distort how we see ourselves and how we relate to others. This week's study invites us to examine what God's Word says about the true nature of His love — and how receiving it fully transforms the way we love the people around us.Support the show

We live in a culture that tells us to look after ourselves first. Yet despite all our freedom, connection, and opportunity, loneliness has become one of the defining issues of our time. This series explores the biblical practice of hospitality—the simple but powerful act of opening our homes, sharing our tables, serving others, and building genuine community. Through Scripture, practical insights, and honest conversation, we'll discover how God's answer to isolation is found in lives lived together. Hospitality isn't entertaining. It's making room for people. To start the series Pastor Paul Reid shared this great message titled 'Practice Hospitality'

We live in a culture that tells us to look after ourselves first. Yet despite all our freedom, connection, and opportunity, loneliness has become one of the defining issues of our time. This series explores the biblical practice of hospitality—the simple but powerful act of opening our homes, sharing our tables, serving others, and building genuine community. Through Scripture, practical insights, and honest conversation, we'll discover how God's answer to isolation is found in lives lived together. Hospitality isn't entertaining. It's making room for people. To start the series Pastor Lee Brown shared this great message titled 'Everyone, Anyone, Anytime'

Adventures with Thunderbolt eGPU docks on Linux, NVIDIA announces ARM PCs and laptops, new plugins for Audacious 4.6, and a craptop so bad it's kind of adorable.The video version of the show is available to Patrons, along with the Extended Chaos podcast featuring over an extra hour of LWDW content every week.PatreonDiscordYouTubeAMD @ Computex 2026https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/cpus/amd-confirms-am5-support-through-2029-zen-4-and-5-platform-will-likely-see-two-more-generations-at-leastAMD @ Computex 2026https://www.tomshardware.com/laptops/nvidia-unveils-rtx-spark-superchip-at-computex-2026-new-platform-promises-to-turn-windows-into-an-agentic-ai-os-with-arm-cpu-blackwell-gpu-and-128gb-unified-memoryeGPU Docking Adventures On Linuxhttps://interfacinglinux.com/2026/06/01/peladn-link-s-3-egpu-docking-adventures-on-linux/Audacious 4.6https://9to5linux.com/audacious-4-6-media-player-released-with-file-browser-plugin-many-improvementsChewy Book https://tylercipriani.com/blog/2026/05/28/chuwi-minibook-x/

Let this sink in: we are invited to cry out to our God and our King any time we want or need to. Will we be audacious enough to do that?Here's the blog post that goes with today's episode.

Karen Farrington - The Great Italian Breakout: The Most Audacious Escapes of the Second World WarCatch Giles live - 'Let's Talk' - Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday - from 10.00CET...on tre.radio

You've done everything right. You landed the job, found the relationship, maybe even found the church — and yet something still feels off. In this message, Pastor Glyn unpacks why so many of us are stuck in an exhausting cycle of anticipation, arrival, happiness, and disappointment — and why we keep repeating it. Using a brilliantly simple object illustration with a guitar, he reveals what the Bible actually says about the source of joy: it's not circumstantial, it's not earned, and it's not found in what happens to you. It's relational — and it starts with a retuning.

Before we get into our next preaching series we gave Josh Hall an opportunity to share a message that was on his heart and he did just that as he brought this great message titled 'Remember this' Catch up here.

There's a sense of anticipation in the air. New initiatives are on the horizon, fresh opportunities are opening up, and we're being reminded that adventure isn't just something we do — it's part of who we are.This series explores the bold, faith-filled spirit that refuses to settle, keeps believing for more, and takes action before the full picture is visible. It's about embracing faith as the substance of things not yet seen, carrying a can-do attitude, and trusting God for exploits in the season ahead. Spirit of Adventure is an invitation to lean forward, believe bigger, and step courageously into the future God is calling us toward. To conclude the series Pastor Paul Reid shared a great message titled 'A community to belong'

There's a sense of anticipation in the air. New initiatives are on the horizon, fresh opportunities are opening up, and we're being reminded that adventure isn't just something we do — it's part of who we are.This series explores the bold, faith-filled spirit that refuses to settle, keeps believing for more, and takes action before the full picture is visible. It's about embracing faith as the substance of things not yet seen, carrying a can-do attitude, and trusting God for exploits in the season ahead. Spirit of Adventure is an invitation to lean forward, believe bigger, and step courageously into the future God is calling us toward. To continue the series Pastor Lee Brown shared this great message titled 'Work the word'

Every single time I've chosen to quiet that audacity voice and lean into my audacious side, my life has expanded."Two words. They look almost identical on paper, but they feel completely different when you say them out loud. Audacious is bold, brave, and full of possibility. Audacity is the sting, the who do you think you are, the voice that shows up the second you start to dream a little bigger.In this episode, I'm breaking down the battle between these two voices and how to recognize which one is actually running the show. I share what it looks like to catch that shift in real time, how to check in with your body as a signal, and why the audacity voice doesn't disappear but stops being the loudest one in the room.You'll walk away with a whole new way of listening to yourself and a reminder that the world needs more audacious people, not fewer.What's in this episode: [00:00:30] The difference between audacious and audacity [00:02:00] The moment the spark gets squashed by self doubt [00:03:00] What happened when Lisa let the audacity voice win [00:03:30] What leaning into your audacious side actually looks like [00:04:00] Using softness and humor to quiet the inner critic [00:04:30] How your body tells you which voice is speaking [00:05:00] Recognizing when the voice isn't even yours [00:05:30] Building proof that you can trust yourself, one step at a timeIf there's a dream you keep talking yourself out of, this episode will help you figure out which voice has been holding the microphone and how to hand it back to the right one.For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/

Doug Clay serves as the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God USA. He has a passionate love for the local church, a heart for church health, and a gift for equipping leaders to grow in their calling. He joined us in May and brought this incredible message - which will change your life, it's titled 'Living with Biblical Conviction in a confused culture' and you can catch up here.

Paul Geerling is a dynamic leader with an unswerving conviction that ordinary people, connected to a supernatural God, can do extraordinary things, we were privileged to have him join us in May and he brought this brilliant message - titled 'Looking forward, Looking back' and you can catch up here.

For the past two years, at the end of interviews for Audacious, host Chion Wolf has been asking guests one question: have you ever had a dream or premonition that came true? Twenty-three guests describe vivid dreams, sudden urges, eerie intuitions, and moments of certainty that later proved accurate in ways they can’t explain. Some sensed love before it arrived. Some saw danger coming. Some felt loss before they knew what they were losing. Take a personal look at intuition, mystery, and the possibility that the world may be stranger and much more connected than we realize. Suggested episodes: Life advice, one Audacious guest at a time Forgiveness: How we define it and how it defines us Why you so salty? What smells remind you of childhood? Kitchen objects with a story. Listen at your own whisk Awe yeah! Exploring the magic of mind-blowing moments How regret teaches us to live Stories of everyday courage, from getting a needle in the eye to tackling a purse thief The surprising ways we ritual Are you superstitious or just a little 'stitious'? GUESTS (in order of appearance): First segment: Caroline Mandaro, Casper ter Kuile, Timothy Schultz, Christine Ha, Achivai Sofer, Tom Burgoyne, Kerry Kennedy, and Joe Stone Second segment: Dr. Gale Ridge, Katina DeJarnett, Rachel Lithgow, Andy Corren, Bill Edgar, Lindsay Childress-Beatty, RoseMarie Wallace, and Dr. Kruti Parekh Third segment: Bettina Hunt, Joy Brooker, Paperboy Love Prince, Rebekah Spicuglia, Leslie Wharton, Sarah Napoli, and Harriet Newman Cohen Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does this sound familiar? You've done everything “right” and still feel like you're holding yourself back. Today's guest wants you to know that after 50, it's time to stop playing small and consider that the boldest chapter of your life isn't behind you. Rather, it's waiting on the other side of a single courageous step. Audley Stephnson built his entire philosophy around one word: audacious.

There's a sense of anticipation in the air. New initiatives are on the horizon, fresh opportunities are opening up, and we're being reminded that adventure isn't just something we do — it's part of who we are.This series explores the bold, faith-filled spirit that refuses to settle, keeps believing for more, and takes action before the full picture is visible. It's about embracing faith as the substance of things not yet seen, carrying a can-do attitude, and trusting God for exploits in the season ahead. Spirit of Adventure is an invitation to lean forward, believe bigger, and step courageously into the future God is calling us toward. To continue the series Pastor Emily Foster shared this great message titled 'TA calling to pursue'

Why women leaders freeze when they know they're meant for more You're not lazy. You're not unmotivated. And you're definitely not broken. So why do so many capable, brilliant, purpose-driven women keep freezing when it comes to the thing they say they want most? In this deeply personal episode, Carina unpacks the invisible trauma responses that keep women stuck in busyness, overwhelm, perfectionism, and self-abandonment — even when they know they are here for more. From childhood conditioning… to inherited trauma… to the fear of visibility and leadership… this conversation goes beneath mindset and into the body. This episode is for the WOMAN who feels the ache for more, but keeps finding herself pulled away from her purpose, distracted by everyone else's needs, or frozen at the edge of her next level. And it's also a reminder: You were never meant to do this alone. In This Episode Why high-achieving WOMEN still sabotage the things they want most The hidden trauma response behind procrastination and "I have no time" Why your nervous system may see visibility and leadership as unsafe How inherited trauma impacts ambition, purpose, and self-expression The difference between desire and deep knowing Why purpose becomes stronger than fear The real reason WOMEN stay busy instead of fully expressed How sisterhood and support help heal the trauma body Why Carina believes WOMEN are urgently needed in leadership right now The transformational process behind MORE: 21 Days of Audacity Memorable Quotes "Purpose is the great elevator." "Higher than desire is knowing." "The trauma body is so powerful — the majority of our body is designed for survival." "We remember who the fuck we are." "I will not let you get to 85 years old and wonder where your life went." "You were given these dreams and this vision for a reason." "You're not asking for too much. Your soul is asking you to expand." Mentioned in This Episode ✨ MORE: 21 Days of Audacity A 21-day transformational experience for WOMEN ready to stop shrinking and start fully living. Daily teachings. Audacious dares. Nervous system healing. Deep purpose work. Sisterhood. https://carinrockind.com/audacity  Connect with Carina Join the movement at: The Institute of WOMANhttps://carinrockind.com/links  Listen to more episodes of YES, WOMAN and subscribe so you never miss a conversation. And if this episode moved you, leave a review and share it with a WOMAN who needs this reminder today.

There's a sense of anticipation in the air. New initiatives are on the horizon, fresh opportunities are opening up, and we're being reminded that adventure isn't just something we do — it's part of who we are.This series explores the bold, faith-filled spirit that refuses to settle, keeps believing for more, and takes action before the full picture is visible. It's about embracing faith as the substance of things not yet seen, carrying a can-do attitude, and trusting God for exploits in the season ahead. Spirit of Adventure is an invitation to lean forward, believe bigger, and step courageously into the future God is calling us toward. To start the series Pastor Paul Reid shared this great message titled 'A culture to carry'

You've had the questions. It's time to talk about them. Our Big Questions series is exactly what it sounds like. Real conversations about faith, God, and life across all our locations. No topic is off limits. No question is too big. Whether you're a sceptic, a seeker, or somewhere in between—this series is for you. To conclude the series Pastor Mark Foster shared this great message answering the question - ow do I find peace in an anxious world?

Valériana Chikoti-Bandua Estes, executive director of Social Justice Fund Northwest and Maya Thornell Sandifor, managing director of the Kataly Foundation, join Mares for the final episode of season 3 focused on community philanthropy and equity.The episode begins with a conversation on power, and how community philanthropy typically underutilizes the power and influence they have. Together they share the need to move against the status quo for greater justice for their communities. They also discuss the necessity of overcoming fear, being politically active and building deep relationships with the community to move philanthropy toward equity and justice through collective liberation. See the full episode guide.Each episode of season 3 spotlights lessons from Toward Transformation, Philanthropy Northwest's equity-focused guide, and brings you real-world case studies, tough questions and tangible ideas you can bring back to your organization.

The girls have NERVE! We must abandon them! Kid Fury | Crissle  Thisistheread.com Patreon Fury: patreon.com/kidfury Patreon Crissle: patreon.com/cw/CrisslesCouch Merch: shoptheread.com/ IG: @thisistheread Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

She's back — and she's healing, but she's not done. Shirley, our guest from the season two episode The Relative Truth, returns with a long-awaited update. After nine years with a man who cheated with his own cousin, Shirley has done the work: betrayal coaching, a podcast of her own, and a hard-won emotional reckoning — including one final, tearful goodbye to the house that held all of it.But just when she found her footing, a new relationship brought new trauma — and this time, she believes she was dealing with something darker. Shirley shares her experience with what she describes as a malignant narcissist, someone who weaponized her past wounds against her and has left a trail of victims behind him. She's not staying silent, and she's got receipts.This episode is emotional, empowering, and a little wickedly themed (intentionally). Shirley also shares updates on her podcast, The Audacity, her new women's support community, and closes the episode by reading a beautiful letter — a healed woman's final word to the narcissist who taught her to love herself.If you haven't heard Shirley's original episode, go back and listen to The Relative Truth (S2E22) first — you'll want the full context before this one.Narcissists, Gaslighters, & Cheaters, Oh My! — real folks, real stories, survival & healing.Follow on Instagram: @theaudacitypodcast2.0. Join the Facebook Group: theaudacityofmen. Listen to the podcast: The Audacity Podcast with Amber, Charlotte, and ShirleyContent warning: infidelity, narcissistic abuse, toxic relationships, grief, chronic illness, and discussions of manipulation and coercive control.Behk and LAH are not doctors or therapists. Nothing shared on this podcast should be taken as medical or professional advice.Have a story you'd like to share? We'd love to hear it. Submit yours here.If this show has meant something to you, consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive content — every bit helps us keep the curtain rising.Hosts: Behk & LAHFollow us on Instagram + Facebook @ngcompodProduction & Design: LAHardenMusic: No Reason Why by Anchor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You've had the questions. It's time to talk about them. Our Big Questions series, is exactly what it sounds like, Real conversations about faith, God, and life across all our locations. No topic is off limits. No question is too big. Whether you're a sceptic, a seeker, or somewhere in between—this series is for you. To continue the series we were joined by our good friend and part of the !Audacious Family - Pastor Neil Smith - International director of Planetshakers who shared this great message titled - Who knew?

Taxidermied dogs. A CIA agent's hat. A perfume that made strangers on elevators lose their composure. This is what happens when you pull names from a vase at a brewery and say: show us something you love, and tell us why. Our fourth live Show and Tell at Little Red Barn Brewers in Winsted, Connecticut delivered exactly what this format always delivers: stories that are intimate, hilarious, and impossible to predict. Even for us. Suggested episodes: Audacious Live! Show & Tell in Stamford Audacious Live! Show & Tell birthday bash in Hartford Audacious Live! Show & Tell in Willimantic: From rare computers to hand grenades GUESTS: Jon Barbagallo: Director of Sales at Little Red Barn Brewers, who brought a styrofoam curling rock that was used as a movie prop Jill Bowen: New Haven resident, who brought Doggie, her stuffed animal Lauren Pierson-Gallagher: New Milford resident, who brought a bottle of Shalimar perfume, her late mother’s signature scent Gerri Griswold: Director of Administration & Development at the White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield, who brought a taxidermied dog in a display case Nils Johnson: Co-founder & President of Little Red Barn Brewers, who brought an 1861 one-dollar note issued by The Winsted Bank Theresa Taylor: Canton resident, who brought her late father’s British bowler hat Nora Pasco: New Britain resident, who brought her Persephone rosary beads Caroline Christensen: Winsted resident, who brought a conch shell Alex Harper: Winsted resident, who brought her service dog’s harness Terry Wolfisch Cole: Simsbury resident, who brought a tin of 100-year-old Ramses condoms from her late uncle’s collection of antique pharmaceutical containers Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As interoperability matures, the industry is shifting focus from connectivity to usability—ensuring data can move seamlessly across networks and support real-time decision-making. In this episode, Michael chats with Audacious Inquiry's Greg Farnum as he shares insights on the challenges and opportunities ahead, including the role of national frameworks like TEFCA, the importance of network-to-network exchange, and what success looks like in achieving truly actionable data.

You've had the questions. It's time to talk about them. Our Big Questions series, is exactly what it sounds like, Real conversations about faith, God, and life across all our locations. No topic is off limits. No question is too big. Whether you're a sceptic, a seeker, or somewhere in between—this series is for you. To launch the series Pastor Glyn Barrett shared this great message titled - What is Truth in a world of options?

In this episode of Grit, Grace and Glitz, Erika Rothenberger explores Chapter 10 of Audacious Expansion—a powerful reminder to step into your most authentic self. She unpacks the impact of social media on self-worth, the importance of embracing the messy middle, and finding joy in everyday moments. Erika also highlights setting boundaries as an act of self-respect. This episode is a call to let go of comparison and audaciously expand into who you're meant to be. Connect with your host, Erika: LinkedIn (primary) ⁦https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikarothenberger⁩ IG ⁦https://www.instagram.com/erikalearothenberger?igsh=MmhjeTRhbnB1aXM2⁩ FB ⁦https://www.facebook.com/share/69wqEYVzFKKnci9u/?mibextid=LQQJ4d⁩ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Jen gets excited about the idea of risk progression, and she and Pete use the idea of BHAGs to think about steady risk implementation. Specifically, in this episode Jen and Pete talk about: What is the definition of a BHAG? How might we utilize progressive risk taking in our work and reach outs? What might a hairy risk or goal look like? To hear all episodes and read full transcripts, visit The Long and The Short Of It website: https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/. You can subscribe to our Box O' Goodies here (https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/) and receive a weekly email full of book and podcast recommendations, quotes, videos, and other interesting things that Jen and Pete are noodling on.  To get in touch, send an email to: hello@thelongandtheshortpodcast.com. Learn more about Pete's work here (https://humanperiscope.com/) and Jen's work here (https://jenwaldman.com/).

This is a free preview of a paid episode (40 min), exclusively available on our subscriber-only premium feed. Become a premium subscriber to tune into the full episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cubicletoceo.co/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Questions about our premium podcast subscription? Send us a DM ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo ⁠ Continuing our series on leveraging events for business growth, today's case study is a masterclass in using the resources and infrastructure of established brands to create co-branded experiences that accelerate your own brand expansion. Marty McDonald, USA Today bestselling author of Audacious and founder of Boss Women Media, launched a national events platform from a strategic partnership pitch to Sugarfina's CEO. Her bold ask turned into sold out pop-ups in five cities, a 22,000-person virtual event, additional partnerships with Amazon and Capital One, and eventually, a book deal. We dig into the pitch, follow-up, and execution in this episode. Connect with Marty: ⁠ Grab a copy of Marty's book Audacious: https://a.co/d/0cFzSDdE https://bosswomen.org/audacious/ If you enjoyed today's episode, please: Post a screenshot & key takeaway on your IG story and tag us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@cubicletoceo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can repost you. ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our premium feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for case-study style interviews every Monday.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Easter is such an important time in the Christian Calendar when we remember all that Jesus did for us on the cross. As we met on Good Friday, Pastor Glyn Barrett shared this important message titled - Love showed up, Hope walked out.

1. Musk's Audacious Vision for a Multi-Planetary Future In this segment, guest Eric Berger discusses Elon Musk's 2016 speech in Guadalajara, where he unveiled a grandiose plan to colonize Mars. Despite a recent rocket explosion, Musk proposed sending hundreds of people at a time to establish a self-sustaining civilization. Driven by the need to safeguard "the lamp of consciousness" against potential extinction events like nuclear war or pandemics, Musk envisioned landing one million tons of equipment on the Martian surface. This vision requires massive, fully reusable rockets and the production of methane fuel on Marsusing the Sabatier process. (1)1897 WAR OF THE WORLDS

What if the greatest disruption in the history of marketing is not coming for your job but for your customer?Mark Schaefer is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, and a top marketing strategist. In this episode he discusses his book Audacious and explains why competence alone now makes people and businesses vulnerable and ignorable in an AI-driven world. He walks through how ChatGPT's launch sparked an existential moment for him, and then lays out a clear path for entrepreneurs to out-human AI through disruptive storytelling, human connection, and emotional resonance.Mark argues that the best defense any entrepreneur has against AI is a strong personal brand built on trust, and that small businesses are structurally positioned to win in ways large companies cannot replicate because you cannot delegate vulnerability to an advertising agency. He also breaks down his four-step personal brand framework and describes what it takes to build an audience that evolves from social followers to engaged subscribers to a loyal brand community.What you will walk away with: Why competence alone now makes you ignorable and what to build instead. How to out-human AI through disruptive storytelling and emotional resonance. Mark's four-step personal brand framework and how to finish the sentence "only I." How to build an actionable audience that grows from followers to subscribers to brand community. Why small businesses have a structural advantage large companies simply cannot replicate.Visit businessesgrow.com for Mark's free weekly ideas, blog posts, and resources.Connect with Mark Schaefer on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwschaefer/Hosted by John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann, Entrepreneurs United is built for founders and leaders who want straight talk on building businesses that actually work. New episodes every week.https://entrepreneursunited.us/links/Hosted by John St. Pierre and Rich Hoffmann, Entrepreneurs United is built for founders and leaders who want straight talk on building businesses that actually work. New episodes every week.

he Bible may be a collection of books written in different styles and seasons, but it tells one unified story. Throughout this series, we'll explore how everything—from the Old Testament to the New—ultimately points to Jesus. To continue the series our Senior Pastor, Glyn Barrett shared a message on 'The Prophets'. Catch up on this great message here.

What kind of person looks at a Boeing 727 and thinks, yes, I should live there? Or boards a cruise ship and decides never to go back to a traditional home? Bruce Campbell is a 76-year-old engineer and pilot who has spent more than 25 years living in a retired jetliner in the Oregon woods. Angelyn and Richard Burk are a married couple who turned loss, an enthusiasm for minimalism, and a love of travel into an everyday existence at sea. They share wisdom about home, routine, freedom, minimalism, and staying put. Suggested episodes: Audacious at sea: Wisdom from strangers on a cruise ship GUESTS: Bruce Campbell: 76-year-old engineer who has lived in a retired Boeing 727 in the woods of Hillsboro, Oregon, since 1999. He welcomes visitors from around the world into the airplane home he built after deciding a conventional house no longer made sense for him Angelyn and Richard Burk: Married couple from the Seattle area who have been living as cruise nomads since 2021. After losing all their belongings in a moving-truck fire in 2013, they embraced minimalism and now spend much of the year making cruise ships their home Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the difference between women who get what they want and don't? It's all about asking. Today's conversation features the bold and visionary Anna Lozano. Anna has been in the entrepreneurial game for seventeen years and today, she shares how she dropped her ego and became someone who uses her authenticity and giving energy to create an endless supply of aligned opportunities. Anna will challenge you to rewire your relationship with rejection, reframe the word “no,” and lean fully into the law of reciprocity.Tune in to hear:Anna's bold shift from corporate life to entrepreneurship and how she used uncertainty to her advantage Why beginner energy can be your most magnetic asset, no matter how seasoned you areRejection as a strategy and how Anna reframes every decline as a pivot pointWhy showing up without ego or a hierarchy mindset creates unexpected and powerful opportunitiesThe secret to making bold, unapologetic asks and why most women hold backHow Anna prepares energetically for every room she enters to attract aligned connections From story to strategy, this conversation is full of insights for female entrepreneurs who are here to give value, lead with courage, and build with depth. Share this episode with a fellow high vibe woman and connect with Anna using the links below.Connect with Anna: WebsiteInstagramFacebookListen to The Prosperity Playground PodcastAlso mentioned in the episode:Open the door to your dreams by starting a Door Gurus franchiseSend me a text!The Fresh Patch Podcast - Where Good Pets Get It. Welcome to the Fresh Patch Podcast where we talk about everything, from dog...Listen on: Apple Podcasts I Am That Content Creator Podcast The podcast for multi-passionate, serial entrepreneurs.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showFor Your Information:• Host your podcast on Buzzsprout!•Join The High Vibe Women Online Community!• Join our favourite scheduling platform Later• FLODESK Affiliate Code | 25% off your first year!• Connect with Kristina  Don't forget to come say hi to us on Instagram @thesocialsnippet, join the Weekly Snippet or follow us on any social media platform! Website . Instagram . Facebook . Linkedin

What if the moment that knocked you to the ground became the spark for your greatest breakthrough?Lou Diamond welcomes back the unstoppable Erika Rothenberger, who shares the audacious story behind her comeback—from a literal punch in an alley to launching her book and the Audacious Woman Summit. Erika reveals how confronting setbacks head-on allowed her to transform pain into powerful purpose, create bold spaces for women to thrive, and inspire daily action for lasting change. From navigating the challenges of event planning and authoring a book, to celebrating wins with her family, you'll discover how Erika's journey is about activating your audacity and expanding your impact.Plus, don't miss the speed round, behind-the-scenes stories, and actionable ways to break free from your limitations!Episode Overview:00:00 Welcome & Erika's bold comeback story02:20 Year-in-review: Book, Summit, and juggling it all03:35 What sparked Audacious Expansion & the summit's impact06:04 Launching the book and embracing legacy08:06 Behind-the-scenes of creating a summit & overcoming overwhelm11:13 The “happy accident” of authoring and family celebration14:28 How to grab Erika's book and summit details17:07 Speed round: colors, sports, speakers, vacations, and next big goals21:16 Final thoughts, book flash, and inspiration to keep thriving

I am delighted to have Lara Bianca Pilcher back on the podcast as we celebrate the launch of Lara's new book Audacious Artistry: Reclaim Your Creative Identity and Thrive in a Saturated World. Lara's personal artistic journey and her experience coaching artists come together beautifully in her message of hope for artists--that it is possible to thrive in today's noisy world!Lara shares practical wisdom, powerful mindset shifts, and stories that will ignite your passion to show up boldly as an artist. I am so inspired by Lara's encouragement to "do it afraid" and the insights she shares from her experience building a life of audacious artistry. We dive into navigating overwhelm, handling rejection, overcoming burnout, and facing loneliness. Lara's game-changing Creative Brief Framework detailed in Audacious Artistry is a tool you can return to time and time again to reconnect to your identity, direction, and purpose. No matter your season of life, Lara's message will help you move forward with courage and find your creative rhythm.Gather some artist friends and take your community deeper with the free group study at larabiancapilcher.com/bookDo you want to hear more from Lara? Check out episodes 13 and 98 of the podcast where she shares more of her journey!. . . . .Welcome to The Creative Impact Podcast, where you will find encouragement to live out your calling as an artist.. . . . .Watch this episode on YouTube! Check out our YouTube Channel and be sure to like and subscribe!⁠http://www.youtube.com/@creativeimpactpodcast⁠Join our Patreon community for behind-the-scenes and bonus content!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ patreon.com/creativeimpactpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Find the show notes and more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://creativeimpactpodcast.com/episode-140/⁠⁠Some topics we chat about in today's episode include:Creativity, artist identity, overwhelm, Audacious Artistry, community, burnout, consistency, The Creative Brief Framework, emotional processing, and the artistic journey.. . . . .Let's Connect!Instagram & Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@creativeimpactpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. . . . .The podcast music was produced by Michael Cash.

Send a textEver feel like a rudderless ship in the ocean—moving, busy, maybe even working hard… but not actually steering toward anything?That's where Mental Athleticism comes in.In this episode, we introduce the  first foundational pillar of MA: anchoring yourself to a bold vision for your life. Because when you know where you're going and who you're becoming, your entire trajectory will start to shift.This episode sets the stage for how to think bigger, act more intentionally, and start training your mind like an athlete.Want to go deeper?

Two Scotlands, one episode. Scotland One: kilts, haggis, bagpipes, and that irresistible fairground mix of music and muscle at Connecticut’s Scottish Highland Festival & Games! Plus swordplay and the oddly soothing chaos and grunts of Weight Over Bar. Scotland Two: centuries of witch trials, powered by rumor, rubber-stamped by law. Meet Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi of Witches of Scotland, a campaign and podcast working to restore names and dignity to the accused from 1563 to 1736. Suggested episodes: Where We Live - 'Before there was Salem, there was Connecticut': State formally pardons accused witches Where We Live - Are witch hunts truly a thing of the past? Dress to unrepress: Women who dressed like men, broke rules and made history Are you very superstitious or just a little 'stitious'? Big E ep? (similar vibe) GUESTS: Benjamin Elzerman: flute player from East Hartford, CT Haley Hewitt: harpist from Manchester, CT John Morahn: instructor at Western Swordsmanship Technique and Research (WSTR) from Ashford, CT Eric Lewis: weight over bar competitor at The Scottish Highland Festival and Games from Woburn, MA Christopher Annino: weight over bar competitor at The Scottish Highland Festival and Games from Groton, CT John H Spencer: the only living founding member of The Scottish Highland Festival and Games Reggie Patchell: Co-Chairman and Vice President of Scotland Connecticut Highland Festival Committee Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi: founders of Witches of Scotland, a campaign seeking justice for the roughly 4,000 people - mostly women - accused of witchcraft in Scotland between 1563 and 1736, many of whom were executed Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this power-packed episode of the Married Into Crazy Podcast, hosts Snooks and Lovey take you behind the scenes of their incredible 2nd Annual Winter Ball of Marriage conference! With over 120 attendees flying in from Maryland, Florida, Arizona, Texas, and all across California, this two-day event was nothing short of transformational. Friday Night Highlights: Experience the magic of "Dinner, Diamonds, and Dance" featuring DJ Nointed, Chicago stepping legend Cree, and delicious catering from Koncrete Kitchen and Louisiana Heaven. Saturday's Expert Sessions Include:  Devon Truvel shares the raw truth about couple entrepreneurship—the roses AND the thorns. Discover the four pillars of finding your niche: What you're good at, what you love, what the world needs, and what you can get paid for. Learn how the Black Wall Street board game is revolutionizing financial literacy education!  The Akintades reveal their secrets to building an UNCOMMON LIFE. As a board-certified gastroenterologist and engineer, they took a 6-month sabbatical to travel 29 countries with their children! Latifa, host of the Money Fit MD podcast, shares practical biblical principles for creating generational wealth.  BONUS: Learn about SMARTE Goals—a revolutionary twist on traditional goal-setting: Specific Measurable Aligned with who you're called to be (Audacious!) Reasonable based on your current season Time-bound Emotionally grounded Plus powerful mantras: "Write it, Read it, Pray about it" | "See it, Speak it, Seek it" | "Be, Do, Have"  Whether you're building a business with your spouse, seeking financial freedom, or wanting to create extraordinary family experiences, this episode delivers actionable wisdom for couples at every stage of marriage.

On today's episode of Back Porch Theology, Lisa and Allison dive into the book of Numbers, exploring its surprising themes of communication, intimacy, and God's deeply personal care for His people, reflecting along the way on God's mercy through the story of Moses and the bold, faithful courage of Zelophehad's daughters. It's a hope-filled truth that even in the wilderness, God knows His people by name and never stops drawing them close. Grab a chair and join us on the porch, we saved you a seat.

How do you stay audacious in a world that's noisier and more saturated than ever? How might the idea of creative rhythm change the way you write? Lara Bianca Pilcher gives her tips from a multi-passionate creative career. In the intro, becoming a better writer by being a better reader [The Indy Author]; How indie authors can market literary fiction [Self-Publishing with ALLi]; Viktor Wynd's Museum of Curiosities; Seneca's On the Shortness of Life; All Men are Mortal – Simone de Beauvoir; Surface Detail — Iain M. Banks; Bones of the Deep – J.F. Penn. This episode is sponsored by Publisher Rocket, which will help you get your book in front of more Amazon readers so you can spend less time marketing and more time writing. I use Publisher Rocket for researching book titles, categories, and keywords — for new books and for updating my backlist. Check it out at www.PublisherRocket.com This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn Lara Bianca Pilcher is the author of Audacious Artistry: Reclaim Your Creative Identity and Thrive in a Saturated World. She's also a performing artist and actor, life and creativity coach, and the host of the Healthy Wealthy Wise Artist podcast. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Show Notes Why self-doubt is a normal biological response — and how audacity means showing up anyway The difference between creative rhythm and rigid discipline, and why it matters for writers How to navigate a saturated world with intentional presence on social media Practical strategies for building a platform as a nonfiction author, including batch content creation The concept of a “parallel career” and why designing your life around your art beats waiting for a big break Getting your creative rhythm back after crisis or burnout through small, gentle steps You can find Lara at LaraBiancaPilcher.com. Transcript of the interview with Lara Bianca Pilcher Lara Bianca Pilcher is the author of Audacious Artistry: Reclaim Your Creative Identity and Thrive in a Saturated World. She's also a performing artist and actor, life and creativity coach, and the host of the Healthy Wealthy Wise Artist podcast. Welcome, Lara. Lara: Thank you for having me, Jo. Jo: It's exciting to talk to you today. First up— Tell us a bit more about you and how you got into writing. Lara: I'm going to call myself a greedy creative, because I started as a dancer, singer, and actress in musical theatre, which ultimately led me to London, the West End, and I was pursuing that in highly competitive performance circles. A lot of my future works come from that kind of place. But when I moved to America—which I did after my season in London and a little stint back in Australia, then to Atlanta, Georgia—I had a visa problem where I couldn't work legally, and it went on for about six months. Because I feel this urge to create, as so many of your listeners probably relate to, I was not okay with that. So that's actually where I started writing, in the quietness, with the limits and the restrictions. I've got two children and a husband, and they would go off to school and work and I'd be home thinking, ha. In that quietness, I just began to write. I love thinking of creativity as a mansion with many rooms, and you get to pick your rooms. I decided, okay, well the dance, acting, singing door is shut right now—I'm going to go into the writing room. So I did. Jo: I have had a few physical creatives on the show. Obviously one of your big rooms in your mansion is a physical room where you are actually performing and moving your body. I feel like this is something that those of us whose biggest area of creativity is writing really struggle with—the physical side. How do you think that physical practice of creativity has helped you in writing, which can be quite constrictive in that way? Lara: It's so good that you asked this because I feel what it trained me to do is ignore noise and show up. I don't like the word discipline—most of us get a bit uncomfortable with it, it's not a nice word. What being a dancer did was teach me the practice of what I like to call a rhythm, a creative rhythm, rather than a discipline, because rhythm ebbs and flows and works more with who we are as creatives, with the way creativity works in our body. That taught me: go to the barre over and over again—at the ballet barre, I'm talking about, not the pub. Go there over and over again. Warm up, do the work, show up when you don't feel like it. thaT naturally pivoted over to writing, so they're incredibly linked in the way that creativity works in our body. Jo: Do you find that you need to do physical practice still in order to get your creativity moving? I'm not a dancer. I do like to shake it around a bit, I guess. But I mainly walk. If I need to get my creativity going, I will walk. If people are stuck, do you think doing something physical is a good idea? Lara: It is, because the way that our body and our nervous system works—without going into too much boring science, although some people probably find it fascinating—is that when we shake off that lethargic feeling and we get blood flowing in our body, we naturally feel more awake. Often when you're walking or you're doing something like dance, your brain is not thinking about all of the big problems. You might be listening to music, taking in inspiration, taking in sunshine, taking in nature, getting those endorphins going, and that naturally leads to the brain being able to psychologically show up more as a creative. However, there are days, if I'm honest, where I wake up and the last thing I want to do is move. I want to be in a little blanket in the corner of the room with a hot cocoa or a coffee and just keep to myself. Those aren't always the most creative days, but sometimes I need that in my creative rhythm, and that's okay too. Jo: I agree. I don't like the word discipline, but as a dancer you certainly would've had to do that. I can't imagine how competitive it must be. I guess this is another thing about a career in dance or the physical arts. Does it age out? Is it really an ageist industry? Whereas I feel like with writing, it isn't so much about what your body can do anymore. Lara: That is true. There is a very real marketplace, a very real industry, and I'm careful because there's two sides to this coin. There is the fact that as we get older, our body has trouble keeping up at that level. There's more injuries, that sort of thing. There are some fit women performing in their sixties and seventies on Broadway that have been doing it for years, and they are fine. They'll probably say it's harder for some of them. Also, absolutely, I think there does feel in the professional sense like there can be a cap. A lot of casting in acting and in that world feels like there's fewer and fewer roles, particularly for women as we get older, but people are in that space all the time. There's a Broadway dancer I know who is 57, who's still trying to make it on Broadway and really open about that, and I think that's beautiful. So I'm careful with putting limits, because I think there are always outliers that step outside and go, “Hey, I'm not listening to that.” I think there's an audience for every age if you want there to be and you make the effort. But at the same time, yes, there is a reality in the industry. Totally. Jo: Obviously this show is not for dancers. I think it was more framing it as we are lucky in the writing industry, especially in the independent author community, because you can be any age. You can be writing on your deathbed. Most people don't have a clue what authors look like. Lara: I love that, actually. It's probably one of the reasons I maybe subconsciously went into writing, because I'm like, I want to still create and I'm getting older. It's fun. Jo: That's freeing. Lara: So freeing. It's a wonderful room in the mansion to stay in until the day I die, if I must put it that way. Jo: I also loved you mentioning that Broadway dancer. A lot of listeners write fiction—I write fiction as well as nonfiction—and it immediately makes me want to write her story. The story of a 57-year-old still trying to make it on Broadway. There's just so much in that story, and I feel like that's the other thing we can do: writing about the communities we come from, especially at different ages. Let's get into your book, Audacious Artistry. I want to start on this word audacity. You say audacity is the courage to take bold, intentional risks, even in the face of uncertainty. I read it and I was like, I love the sentiment, but I also know most authors are just full of self-doubt. Bold and audacious. These are difficult words. So what can you say to authors around those big words? Lara: Well, first of all, that self-doubt—a lot of us don't even know what it is in our body. We just feel it and go, ugh, and we read it as a lack of confidence. It's not that. It's actually natural. We all get it. What it is, is our body's natural ability to perceive threat and keep us safe. So we're like, oh, I don't know the outcome. Oh, I don't know if I'm going to get signed. Oh, I don't know if my work's going to matter. And we read that as self-doubt—”I don't have what it takes” and those sorts of things. That's where I say no. The reframe, as a coach, I would say, is that it's normal. Self-doubt is normal. Everyone has it. But audacity is saying, I have it, but I'm going to show up in the world anyway. There is this thing of believing, even in the doubt, that I have something to say. I like to think of it as a metaphor of a massive feasting table at Christmas, and there's heaps of different dishes. We get to bring a dish to the table rather than think we're going to bring the whole table. The audacity to say, “Hey, I have something to say and I'm going to put my dish on the table.” Jo: I feel like the “I have something to say” can also be really difficult for people, because, for example, you mentioned you have kids. Many people are like, I want to share this thing that happened to me with my kids, or a secret I learned, or a tip I think will help people. But there's so many people who've already done that before. When we feel like we have something to say but other people have said it before, how do you address that? Lara: I think everything I say, someone has already said, and I'm okay with that. But they haven't said it like me. They haven't said it in my exact way. They haven't written the sentence exactly the way—that's probably too narrow a point of view in terms of the sentence—maybe the story or the chapter. They haven't written it exactly like me, with my perspective, my point of view, my life experience, my lived experience. It matters. People have very short memories. You think of the last thing you watched on Netflix and most of us can't remember what happened. We'll watch the season again. So I think it's okay to be saying the same things as others, but recognise that the way you say it, your point of view, your stories, your metaphors, your incredible way of putting a sentence togethes, it still matters in that noise. Jo: I think you also talk in the book about rediscovering the joy of creation, as in you are doing it for you. One of the themes that I emphasise is the transformation that happens within you when you write a book. Forget all the people who might read it or not read it. Even just what transforms in you when you write is important enough to make it worthwhile. Lara: It really, really is. For me, talking about rediscovering the joy of creation is important because I've lost it at times in my career, both as a performing artist and as an author, in a different kind of way. When we get so caught up in the industry and the noise and the trends, it's easy to just feel overwhelmed. Overwhelm is made up of a lot of emotions like fear and sadness and grief and all sorts of things. A lot of us don't realise that that's what overwhelm is. When we start to go, “Hey, I'm losing my voice in all this noise because comparison is taking over and I'm feeling all that self-doubt,” it can feel just crazy. So for me, rediscovering the joy of creation is vital to survival as an author, as an artist. A classic example, if you don't mind me sharing my author story really quickly, is that when I first wrote the first version of my book, I was writing very much for me, not realising it. This is hindsight. My first version was a little more self-indulgent. I like to think of it like an arrowhead. I was trying to say too much. The concept was good enough that I got picked up by a literary agent and worked with an editor through that for an entire year. At the end of that time, they dropped me. I felt like, through that time, I learned a lot. It was wonderful. Their reason for dropping me was saying, “I don't think we have enough of a unique point of view to really sell this.” That was hard. I lay on my bed, stared at the ceiling, felt grief. The reality is it's so competitive. What happened for me in that year is that I was trying to please. If you're a new author, this is really important. You are so desperately trying to please the editor, trying to do all the right things, that you can easily lose your joy and your unique point of view because you are trying to show up for what you think they all need and want. What cut through the noise for me is I got off that bed after my three hours of grief—it was probably longer, to be fair—but I booked myself a writing coach. I went back to the drawing board. I threw a lot of the book away. I took some good concepts out that I already knew were good from the editor, then I rewrote the entire thing. It's completely different to the first version. That's the book that got a traditional publishing deal. That book was my unique point of view. That book was my belief, from that grief, that I still have something to say. Instead of trusting what the literary agent and the editor were giving me in those red marks all over that first version, I was like, this is what I want to say. That became the arrowhead that's cut into the industry, rather than the semi-trailer truck that I was trying to bulldoze in with no clear point of view. So rediscovering the joy of creation is very much about coming back to you. Why do I write? What do I want to say? That unique point of view will cut through the noise a lot of the time. I don't want to speak in absolutes, but a lot of the time it will cut through the noise better than you trying to please the industry. Jo: I can't remember who said it, but somebody talked about how you've got your stone, and your stone is rough and it has random colours and all this. Then you start polishing the stone, which you have to do to a point. But if you keep polishing the stone, it looks like every other stone. What's the point? That fits with what you were saying about trying to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one. I also think the reality of what you just said about the book is a lot of people's experience with writing in general. Certainly for me, I don't write in order. I chuck out a lot. I'm a discovery writer. People think you sit down and start A and finish Z, and that's it. It's kind of messy, isn't it? Was that the same in your physical creative life? Lara: Yes. Everything's a mess. In the book I actually talk about learning to embrace the cringe, because we all want to show up perfect. Just as you shared, we think, because we read perfect and look at perfect or near-perfect work—that's debatable all the time—we want to arrive there, and I guess that's natural. But what we don't often see on social media or other places is the mess. I love the behind the scenes of films. I want to see the messy creative process. The reality is we have to learn to embrace the messy cringe because that's completely normal. My first version was so messy, and it's about being able to refine it and recognise that that is normal. So yes, embrace it. That's my quote for the day. Embrace the cringe, show up messy. It's all right. Jo: You mentioned the social media, and the subtitle of the book mentions a “saturated world.” The other problem is there are millions of books out there now. AI is generating more content than humans do, and it is extremely hard to break through. How are we to deal with this saturated world? When do we join in and when do we step away? Lara: I think it's really important not to have black and white thinking about it, because trust me, every day I meet an artist that will say, “I hate that I have to show up online.” To be honest with you, there's a big part of me that does also. But the saturation of the world is something that I recognise, and for me, it's like I'm in the world but not of it. That saturation can cause so much overwhelm and nervous system threat and comparison. What I've personally decided to do is have intentional showing up. That looks like checking in intentionally with a design, not a randomness, and then checking out. When push comes to shove, at the end of the day, I really believe that what sells books is people's trust in us as a person. They might go through an airport and not know us at all and pick up the book because it's a bestseller and they just trust the reputation, but so much of what I'm finding as an artist is that personal relationship, that personal trust. Whether that's through people knowing you via your podcast or people meeting you in a room. Especially in nonfiction, I think that's really big. Intentional presence from a place where we've regulated ourselves, being aware that it's saturated, but my job's not to be focused on the saturation. My job is to find my unique voice and say I have something to bring. Be intentional with that. Shoot your arrow, and then step out of the noise, because it's just overwhelming if you choose to live there and scroll without any intentionality at all. Jo: So how do people do that intentionality in a practical way around, first of all, choosing a platform, and then secondly, how they create content and share content and engage? What are some actual practical tips for intentionality? Lara: I can only speak from my experience, but I'm going to be honest, every single application I sent asked for my platform stats. Every single one. Platform stats as in how many followers, how many people listening to your podcast, how many people are reading your blog. That came up in every single literary agent application. So I would be a fool today to say you've got to ignore that, because that's just the brass tacks, unless you're already like a famous footballer or something. Raising and building a platform of my own audience has been a part of why I was able to get a publishing deal. In doing that, I've learned a lot of hard lessons. Embrace the cringe with marketing and social media as well, because it's its own beast. Algorithms are not what I worry about. They're not going to do the creativity for you. What social media's great at is saying, “Hey, I'm here”—it's awareness. It's not where I sell stuff. It's where I say, I'm here, this is what I'm doing, and people become aware of me and I can build that relationship. People do sell through social media, but it's more about awareness statistically. I am on a lot of platforms, but not all of them work for every author or every style of book. I've done a lot of training. I've really had to upskill in this space and get good at it. I've put myself through courses because I feel like, yes, we can ignore it if we want to, but for me it's an intentional opting in because the data shows that it's been a big part of being able to get published. That's overwhelming to hear for some people. They don't want to hear that. But that's kind of the world that we are in, isn't it? Jo: I think the main point is that you can't do everything and you shouldn't even try to do everything. The best thing to do is pick a couple of things, or pick one thing, and focus on that. For example, I barely ever do video, so I definitely don't do TikTok. I don't do any kind of video stuff. But I have this podcast. Audio is my happy place, and as you said, long-form audio builds trust. That is one way you can sell, but it's also very slow—very, very slow to build an audio platform. Then I guess my main social media would be Instagram, but I don't engage a lot there. So do you have one or two main things that you do, and any thoughts on using those for book marketing? Lara: I do a lot of cross-posting. I am on Instagram and I do a lot of creation there, and I'm super intentional about this. I actually do 30 days at a time, and then it's like my intentional opt-in. I'll create over about two days, edit and plan. It's really, really planned—shoot everything, edit everything, put it all together, and then upload everything. That will be 30 days' worth. Then I back myself right out of there, because I don't want to stay in that space. I want to be in the creative space, but I do put those two days a month aside to do that on Instagram. Then I tweak things for YouTube and what works on LinkedIn, which is completely different to Instagram. As I'm designing my content, I have in mind that this one will go over here and this one can go on here, because different platforms push different things. I am on Threads, but Threads is not statistically where you sell books, it's just awareness. Pinterest I don't think has been very good for my type of work, to be honest. For others it might. It's a search engine, it's where people go to get a recipe. I don't necessarily feel like that's the best place, this is just my point of view. For someone else it might be brilliant if you're doing a cookbook or something like that. I am on a lot of platforms. My podcast, however, I feel is where I'm having the most success, and also my blog. Those things as a writer are very fulfilling. I've pushed growing a platform really hard, and I am on probably almost every platform except for TikTok, but I'm very intentional with each one. Jo: I guess the other thing is the business model. The fiction business model is very, very different to nonfiction. You've got a book, but your higher-cost and higher-value offerings are things that a certain number of people come through to you and pay you more money than the price of a book. Could talk about how the book leads into different parts of your business? Because some people are like, “Am I going to make a living wage from book sales of a nonfiction book?” And usually people have multiple streams of income. Lara: I think it's smart to have multiple streams of income. A lot of people, as you would know, would say that a book is a funnel. For those who haven't heard of it, a way that people come into your bigger offerings. They don't have to be, but very much I do see it that way. It's also credibility. When you have a published book, there's a sense of credibility. I do have other things. I have courses, I have coaching, I have a lot of things that I call my parallel career that chug alongside my artist work and actually help stabilise that freelance income. Having a book is brilliant for that. I think it's a wonderful way to get out there in the world. No matter what's happening in all the online stuff, when you're on an aeroplane, so often someone still wants to read a book. When you're on the beach, they don't want to be there with a laptop. If you're on the sand, you want to be reading a beautiful paper book. The smell of it, the visceral experience of it. Books aren't going anywhere, to me. I still feel like there are always going to be people that want to pick it up and dig in and learn so much of your entire life experience quickly. Jo: We all love books here. I think it's important, as you do talk about career design and you mentioned there the parallel career—I get a lot of questions from people. They may just be writing their first book and they want to get to the point of making money so they could leave their day job or whatever. But it takes time, doesn't it? So how can we be more strategic about this sort of career design? Lara: For me, this has been a big one because lived experience here is that I know artists in many different areas, whether they're Broadway performers or music artists. Some of them are on almost everything I watch on TV. I'm like, oh, they're that guy again. I know that actor is on almost everything. I'll apply this over to writers. The reality is that these high-end performers that I see all the time showing up, even on Broadway in lead roles, all have another thing that they do, because they can still have, even at the highest level, six months between a contract. Applying that over to writing is the same thing, in that books and the money from them will ebb and flow. What so often artists are taught—and authors fit into this—is that we ultimately want art to make us money. So often that becomes “may my art rescue me from this horrible life that I'm living,” and we don't design the life around the art. We hope, hope, hope that our art will provide. I think it's a beautiful hope and a valid one. Some people do get that. I'm all for hoping our art will be our main source of income. But the reality is for the majority of people, they have something else. What I see over and over again is these audacious dreams, which are wonderful, and everything pointing towards them in terms of work. But then I'll see the actor in Hollywood that has a café job and I'm like, how long are you going to just work at that café job? They're like, “Well, I'm goint to get a big break and then everything's going to change.” I think we can think the same way. My big break will come, I'll get the publishing deal, and then everything will change. The reframe in our thinking is: what if we looked at this differently? Instead of side hustle, fallback career, instead of “my day job,” we say parallel career. How do I design a life that supports my art? And if I get to live off my art, wonderful. For me, that's looked like teaching and directing musical theatre. It's looked like being able to coach other artists. It's looked like writing and being able to pivot my creativity in the seasons where I've needed to. All of that is still creativity and energising, and all of it feeds the great big passion I have to show up in the world as an artist. None of it is actually pulling me away or draining me. I mean, you have bad days, of course, but it's not draining my art. When we are in this way of thinking—one day, one day, one day—we are not designing intentionally. What does it look like to maybe upskill and train in something that would be more energising for my parallel career that will chug alongside us as an artist? We all hope our art can totally 100% provide for us, which is the dream and a wonderful dream, and one that I still have. Jo: It's hard, isn't it? Because I also think that, personally, I need a lot of input in order to create. I call myself more of a binge writer. I just finished the edits on my next novel and I worked really hard on that. Now I won't be writing fiction for, I don't know, maybe six months or something, because now I need to input for the next one. I have friends who will write 10,000 words a day because they don't need that. They have something internal, or they're just writing a different kind of book that doesn't need that. Your book is a result of years of experience, and you can't write another book like that every year. You just can't, because you don't have enough new stuff to put in a book like that every single year. I feel like that's the other thing. People don't anticipate the input time and the time it takes for the ideas to come together. It is not just the production of the book. Lara: That's completely true. It goes back to this metaphor that creativity in the body is not a machine, it's a rhythm. I like to say rhythm over consistency, which allows us to say, “Hey, I'm going to be all in.” I was all in on writing. I went into a vortex for days on end, weeks on end, months and probably years on end. But even within that, there were ebbs and flows of input versus “I can't go near it today.” Recognising that that's actually normal is fine. There are those people that are outliers, and they will be out of that box. A lot of people will push that as the only way. “I am going to write every morning at 10am regardless.” That can work for some people, and that's wonderful. For those of us who don't like that—and I'm one of those people, that's not me as an artist—I accept the rhythm of creativity and that sometimes I need to do something completely different to feed my soul. I'm a big believer that a lot of creative block is because we need an adventure. We need to go out and see some art. To do good art, you've got to see good art, read good art, get outside, do something else for the input so that we have the inspiration to get out of the block. I know a screenwriter who was writing a really hard scene of a daughter's death—her mum's death. It's not easy to just write that in your living room when you've never gone through it. So she took herself out—I mean, it sounds morbid, but as a writer you'll understand the visceral nature of this—and sat at somebody's tombstone that day and just let that inform her mind and her heart. She was able to write a really powerful scene because she got out of the house and allowed herself to do something different. All that to say that creativity, the natural process, is an in-and-out thing. It ebbs and flows as a rhythm. People are different, and that's fine. But it is a rhythm in the way it works scientifically in the body. Jo: On graveyards—we love graveyards around here. Lara: I was like, sorry everyone, this isn't very nice. Jo: Oh, no. People are well used to it on this show. Let's come back to rhythm. When you are in a good rhythm, or when your body's warmed up and you are in the flow and everything's great, that feels good. But what if some people listening have found their rhythm is broken in some way, or it's come to a stop? That can be a real problem, getting moving again if you stop for too long. What are some ways we can get that rhythm back into something that feels right again? Lara: First of all, for people going through that, it's because our body actually will prioritise survival when we're going through crisis or too much stress. Creativity in the brain will go, well, that's not in that survival nature. When we are going through change—like me moving countries—it would disconnect us a lot from not only ourselves and our sense of identity, but creativity ultimately reconnects you back into life. I feel like to be at our optimum creative self, once we get through the crisis and the stress, is to gently nudge ourselves back in by little micro things. Whether it's “I'm just going to have the rhythm of writing one sentence a day.” As we do that, those little baby steps build momentum and allow us to come back in. Creativity is a life force. It's not about production, it's actually how we get to any unique contribution we're going to bring to the world. As we start to nudge ourselves back in, there's healing in that and there's joy in that. Then momentum comes. I know momentum comes from those little steps, rather than the overwhelming “I've got to write a novel this week” mindset. It's not going to happen, most of the time, when we are nudging our way back in. Little baby steps, kindness with ourselves. Staying connected to yourself through change or through crisis is one of the kindest things we can offer ourselves, and allowing ourselves to come into that rhythm—like that musical song of coming back in with maybe one line of the song instead of the entire masterpiece, which hopefully it will be one day. Jo: I was also thinking of the dancing world again, and one thing that is very different with writers is that so much of what we do is alone. In a lot of the performance art space, there's a lot more collaboration and groups of people creating things together. Is that something you've kept hold of, this kind of collaborative energy? How do you think we can bring that collaborative energy more into writing? Lara: Writing is very much alone. Obviously some people, depending on the project, will write in groups, but generally speaking, it's alone. For me, what that looks like is going out. I do this, and I know for some writers this is like, I don't want to go and talk to people. There are a lot of introverts in writing, as you are aware. I do go to creative mixers. I do get out there. I'm planning right now my book launch with a local bookstore, one in Australia and one here in America. Those things are scary, but I know that it matters to say I'm not in this alone. I want to bring my friends in. I want to have others part of this journey. I want to say, hey, I did this. And of course, I want to sell books. That's important too. It's so easy to hide, because it's scary to get out there and be with others. Yet I know that after a creative mixer or a meetup with all different artists, no matter their discipline, I feel very energised by that. Writers will come, dancers will come, filmmakers will come. It's that creative force that really energises my work. Of course, you can always meet with other writers. There's one person I know that runs this thing where all they do is they all get on Zoom together and they all write. Their audio's off, but they're just writing. It's just the feeling of, we're all writing but we're doing it together. It's a discipline for them, but because there's a room of creatives all on Zoom, they're like, I'm here, I've showed up, there's others. There's a sense of accountability. I think that's beautiful. I personally don't want to work that way, but some people do, and I think that's gorgeous too. Jo: Whatever sustains you. I think one of the important things is to realise you are not alone. I get really confused when people say this now. They're like, “Writing's such a lonely life, how do you manage?” I'm like, it is so not lonely. Lara: Yes. Jo: I'm sure you do too. Especially as a podcaster, a lot of people want to have conversations. We are having a conversation today, so that fulfils my conversation quota for the day. Lara: Exactly. Real human connection. It matters. Jo: Exactly. So maybe there's a tip for people. I'm an introvert, so this actually does fulfil it. It's still one-on-one, it's still you and me one-on-one, which is good for introverts. But it's going out to a lot more people at some point who will listen in to our conversation. There are some ways to do this. It's really interesting hearing your thoughts. Tell people where they can find you and your books and your podcast online. Lara: The book is called Audacious Artistry: Reclaim Your Creative Identity and Thrive in a Saturated World, and it's everywhere. The easiest thing to do would be to visit my website, LaraBiancaPilcher.com/book, and you'll find all the links there. My podcast is called Healthy Wealthy Wise Artist, and it's on all the podcast platforms. I do short coaching for artists on a lot of the things we've been talking about today. Jo: Brilliant. Well, thanks so much for your time, Lara. That was great. Lara: Thank you.The post Audacious Artistry: Reclaiming Your Creative Identity And Thriving In A Saturated World With Lara Bianca Pilcher first appeared on The Creative Penn.

We are going to spend the next 5 weeks talking about prayer, and Christine Caine is here to help us kick off that conversation. If we're going to be spiritually stronger in a world we cannot control, we have got to get serious about prayer. Chris is going to fire you up today about your prayer life! We talk about her prayer life as an activist, her turning 60 this year and continuing to run her race harder, olive trees, and what Jesus tells the disciples to pray for in Matthew 9. You don't want to miss this one!  She also has a new book coming out  on February 10th called The Faith to Flourish which is perfect for what we're talking about right now. You're going to want to preorder your copy today!  We want our miniBFFs to learn about prayer today too, so parents, there's a brand new episode for them today over on the miniBFF podcast. We also will continue this conversation and I'll tell you some of my over on our Substack. You can find that at spirituallystronger.com.  . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! Our Place: Visit fromourplace.com/TSF and use code TSF for 10% off sitewide. Thrive Causemetics: Go to thrivecausemetics.com/TSF for an exclusive offer of 20% off your first order This show is sponsored by BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. CreaTone: Let's get you started with 20% off your first order. Visit tonetoday.com and use our code TSF for your discount. AG1: Go to drinkag1.com/SOUNDSFUN to get their best offer… get 3 FREE AG1 Travel Packs and 3 FREE AGZ Travel Packs, plus FREE Vitamin D3+K2 and AG1 Welcome Kit with your first AG1 subscription order!  Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/THATSOUNDSFUN and use code THATSOUNDSFUN. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

THE AUDACIOUS VISION: A MILLION TONS TO MARS Colleague Eric Berger. In his discussion of the 2016 Guadalajara speech, Eric Berger details Elon Musk's "grandioso architecture" for Mars colonization, proposed during a time of deep skepticism following rocket failures. Musk envisioned not just a visit, but a self-sustaining civilization requiring the transport of a million tons of supplies and thousands of people. Berger explains that Musk's ultimate goal is not economic profit, as there is no "pot of gold" on Mars, but rather ensuring humanity's survival against potential extinction events. Consequently, SpaceX is aggressively redirecting resources from the successful Crew Dragon to the massive, fully reusable Starship to realize this multi-planetary future. NUMBER 11913