Podcasts about creative action

This episode is a special one. I sat down with the inspiring Roxanne Glaser—artist, educator, and creator of whimsical nature-inspired doodles—to talk about what it really means to live a creative life.We dive into some deeply personal and powerful topics, like how Roxanne used art to process profound grief after experiencing unimaginable loss and how her creative practice became a tool for healing and self-discovery. We talk about the challenges of having too many choices in creativity (I know I've felt that paralysis!) and how gentle self-discipline and limitations can actually set us free to create more authentically.This conversation is packed with takeaways about building a sustainable creative practice, embracing the seasons of your life, and creating art for yourself—not for external validation.I've also created something special for you to deepen the impact of this episode: the Creative Warrior Activation Sheet, a guided exercise to help you connect with your inner creative warrior and discover how to embrace your unique creative journey. It's available exclusively for my Patreon supporters, and I can't wait for you to try it out.What You'll Walk Away With:How creativity can be a tool for healing, meditation, and self-expression.Why creativity is often born from struggle and necessity.The surprising freedom that comes with setting limitations in your creative practice.The importance of daily practices—no matter how small—and how they can transform your creative life.Why loss can be a powerful clarifier for what matters most in art and life.How to let go of perfectionism and start creating for yourself.Why creativity evolves with the seasons of your life and how to embrace that process.This episode is a beautiful reminder that we are all unique instruments in the creative process, and the magic happens when we honour that.If you've been feeling stuck creatively or wondering how to start building a practice that supports you through life's challenges, I've created something special for you. It's called the Creative Warrior Activation Worksheet—a simple, powerful guide to help you tap into your creative courage, quiet your inner critic, and embrace the joy of creating for yourself. This exclusive resource is available to all my Patreon members. Sign up today to access it and start building your Creative Warrior muscle—you've got this, and I'm here to cheer you on

This is a very special episode of the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast for 2 reasons: it's #300, which is a noteworthy milestone for any podcast. And #2, the guest is Steve Chandler, someone whose books have influenced Meredith's thinking and her life more than any other author. At this point, she's read 20 of his 30+ books.  Steve has been coaching leaders and other coaches for decades. His own coach calls him the Godfather of Coaching. Steve is the Founder of the Coaching Prosperity School, now called Advanced Client Systems, for people who already know HOW to coach. This program is highly recommended if you're a coach because you'll learn systems for acquiring clients and building a prosperous business. And speaking of systems, that's the focus of this conversation. We discussed the new book Steve has written with Trevor Timbeck. It's called The Power of Systems: How to Create a Life That Works. It's packed with life-changing insights, so you'll want to listen to multiple times to capture them all. You'll discover: The issues Steve and Trevor were seeing with their coaching clients that inspired them to write this bookHow Steve defines a system in the context of creating a life that worksA simple 2-step process for creating a systemWhy Steve says that PRACTICE is one of the most powerful systemsThe role of systems in setting and reaching a goalCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

(Group Learning Program) - Chapter 18 - God's Creative Action: You Have Free Will Gotama Buddha's goal was not to prove or disprove God's existence, because Gotama Buddha only taught “truth” that could be independently realized or understood by you through your own practice and that which leads to Enlightenment. This is how you gain “wisdom”. But, during the lifetime of Gotama Buddha, there was belief in many different Gods so he did mention God and teach about God during his lifetime. Gotama Buddha never denied the existence of God. In this Podcast, David will help you understand how to learn and practice Gotama Buddha's Teachings to liberate the mind to attain Enlightenment with or without a relationship of God. ——-Daily Wisdom - Walking The Path with The BuddhaDedicated to the education of Gotama Buddha's Teachings to attain Enlightenment. https://www.BuddhaDailyWisdom.com (See our website for online learning, courses, and retreats.) Group Learning Program - LIVE Interactive Online Classes, Book, Audiobook, Videos, Podcast and Personal Guidancehttps://bit.ly/GroupLearningProgram |The Words of The Buddha - Pali Canon in English Study Grouphttps://bit.ly/PaliCanonStudyGroup FREE Book - Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenmenthttps://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/freebuddhabooks Facebook: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-FacebookYouTube: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-YoutubePodcast: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Podcast Support our efforts to share The Teachings of Gotama Buddha with you and worldwide for all people using this link.https://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/supportbuddha

(Group Learning Program) - Chapter 18 - God's Creative Action: You Have Free Will Gotama Buddha's goal was not to prove or disprove God's existence, because Gotama Buddha only taught “truth” that could be independently realized or understood by you through your own practice and that which leads to Enlightenment. This is how you gain “wisdom”. But, during the lifetime of Gotama Buddha, there was belief in many different Gods so he did mention God and teach about God during his lifetime. Gotama Buddha never denied the existence of God. In this LIVE Stream and Interactive Learning Session, David will help you understand how to learn and practice Gotama Buddha's Teachings to liberate the mind to attain Enlightenment with or without a relationship of God. ——-Daily Wisdom - Walking The Path with The BuddhaDedicated to the education of Gotama Buddha's Teachings to attain Enlightenment. https://www.BuddhaDailyWisdom.com (See our website for online learning, courses, and retreats.) Group Learning Program - LIVE Interactive Online Classes, Book, Audiobook, Videos, Podcast and Personal Guidancehttps://bit.ly/GroupLearningProgram |The Words of The Buddha - Pali Canon in English Study Grouphttps://bit.ly/PaliCanonStudyGroup FREE Book - Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenmenthttps://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/freebuddhabooks Facebook: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-FacebookYouTube: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-YoutubePodcast: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Podcast Support our efforts to share The Teachings of Gotama Buddha with you and worldwide for all people using this link.https://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/supportbuddha

We shift focus from the broad, macro-level implications of AI to its tangible effects on the ground, as Austin increasingly becomes a hub for educational innovation. Joining me are Principal Keith Moore of Austin's Campbell Elementary and Jules Beesley from Creative Action. We discuss their efforts in bringing AI and other cutting-edge technologies to their scholars, emphasizing the importance of providing access to these tools and technologies for students today and their impact on our future.Episode HighlightsThe goal of integrating AI in early education is to create access and provide opportunities for learning and exploring new technologies.They strive to integrate the latest tools, keeping pace with their rapid evolution while ensuring effective learning experiences for students​​.Demonstrating endless imagination, 4th graders created audio-visual poems combining their written and spoken words with striking images, while 5th graders produced science shows, integrating curriculum topics with personal creativity​​.Austin's education market is increasingly becoming a hub for experimentation, characterized by the emergence of creative groups, unique partnerships, and new schools/universities, all offering diverse paradigms in education and technology.What's Next?Principal Moore: Greater opportunities for scholars, through increasing the use of technology, in these wonderful ways, to connect core curriculum to the arts.Mr. Beesley: How can we use these tools to tell stories, to use our imaginations, as well as explore issues of how we create.Campbell Elementary School: Website, InstagramCreative Action -------------------Austin Next Links: Website, X/Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn

A daily check-in from our guest and a question for our listeners. Contact Information: 919-675-1058 or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/groups/theanonpodcast⁠

Overlapping catastrophes like to flirt with your apathy, whispering into your ear with empty promises about the safety of solitude. The safety of silence. The safety of avoidance. The empty promises are dark and cavernous, without light and without ground. The darkness wouldn't be so bad if I could at least smell soil — some possibility of change, emergence, growth. But that's the thing about this empty promise — the option we have in the West to look away — we cut ourselves off from the generativity of letting grief and rage transform us. Inside collective grief, rage and study the walls are pulsing with life, the green electricity charges our movements and this dewy microclimate allows us to drink from the air; hydrating our hope for one more minute, one more hour, one more day. There is nothing but the smell of soil here. Plenty of ground to root inside of, eager for the seeds of our collective imagination and all the empty promises powered by fear — the whispering status quo — is drowned out by all the life buzzing around us. See this week's newsletter for more links and footnotes: https://seedaschool.substack.com/p/our-job-is-to-make-revolution-irresistible Learn More About Seeda School: https://www.seedaschool.com/program Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://seedaschool.substack.com/

We are all bodies of water, from humans, to other animals, plants, watersheds and waterways; all require water to survive and thrive. Considering ourselves and others bodies of water helps to illustrate the interrelationships between self and others, and water protection involves protecting all life, while also addressing intersecting issues such as racism and colonialism. […]

In this episode of Reviving Virtue, host Jeffrey Anthony engages Dr. Molly Farneth in a rigorous dialogue exploring the multifaceted connections between rituals, virtues, and democratic communal life. Dr. Farneth, author of "The Politics of Ritual," elucidates the transformative potential of rituals for shaping social norms, articulating community values, and nurturing democratic citizenship. From the paradigm-shifting case of the Philadelphia 11 to the application of Hegelian social ethics, and even touching upon the cultural phenomenon of Taylor Swift, this conversation provides a nuanced investigation into the capacity of rituals and habits to rejuvenate our democratic ethos.Books Discussed: The Politics of Ritual by Molly Farneth Hegel's Social Ethics: Religion, Conflict, and Rituals of Reconciliation by Molly FarnethTopics Covered: The importance of rituals in shaping social norms Hegel's social ethics: Recognition and Reconciliation The Philadelphia 11: A case study in ritual and social change American Democracy and the Struggle for Recognition Habits, Virtues, and their Role in Democratic Life Rituals and Creativity The Role of Emotions and Responsibility in Public Rituals Taylor Swift and Collective Effervescence: A cultural phenomenonContact: revivingvirtue@gmail.comMusic by Jeffrey Anthony

(Audiobook) - (Volume 1 - Chapter 18) - God's Creative Action: You Have Free Will The Words of The Buddha The Path to Enlightenment Revealing The Hidden (Book Series) Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment (Volume 1) To obtain a copy of this book in PDF, Kindle, or print versions, please visit this link. FREE Book - Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment https://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/freebuddhabooks ——— AUDIOBOOK - WEEKLY CHAPTERS BY EMAIL Receive a chapter of the audiobook version of "Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment" (Volume 1) delivered each week directly to your email inbox to learn The Teachings of The Buddha. https://bit.ly/audiobook-signup-volume1 ——-Daily Wisdom - Walking The Path with The BuddhaDedicated to the education of Gotama Buddha's Teachings to attain Enlightenment. https://www.BuddhaDailyWisdom.com (See our website for online learning, courses, and retreats.) Group Learning Program - LIVE Interactive Online Classes, Book, Audiobook, Videos, Podcast and Personal Guidancehttps://bit.ly/GroupLearningProgram |The Words of The Buddha - Pali Canon in English Study Grouphttps://bit.ly/PaliCanonStudyGroup FREE Book - Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenmenthttps://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/freebuddhabooks Facebook: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-FacebookYouTube: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-YoutubePodcast: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Podcast Support our efforts to share The Teachings of Gotama Buddha with you and worldwide for all people using this link.https://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/supportbuddha

If you are ready to take that step up to the next version of yourself, then this is your episode! It is feeling more and more like go-time for me and so many others in our community. I know you are here for it too, so listen in for this inspiring convo to give the exact mindset shifts, tools and tips to transform. I cover: - What is up-leveling and what does it feel like? - Why we need to look back to go forward - The 3 C's that are the stepping stones to level-up - Clarity: the importance of getting clear, how to do it and what gets in our way - Confidence: why it directly ties to Clarity, the value of self-integrity and how to identify limiting beliefs - Creative Action: what is co-creation, how to keep track of ideas and why we need guardrails for our creativity And more! The Open to Alchemy Membership is Launching! Join the waitlist here. Please rate, review, share to help grow our pod-community. I am so grateful for you! Reach out to me on IG at open.to.alchemy or on my email at lauren@opentoalchemy.com. Check out my offerings at opentoalchemy.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lauren-opentoalchemy/support

(Group Learning Program) - Chapter 18 - God's Creative Action: You Have Free Will Gotama Buddha's goal was not to prove or disprove God's existence, because Gotama Buddha only taught “truth” that could be independently realized or understood by you through your own practice and that which leads to Enlightenment. This is how you gain “wisdom”. But, during the lifetime of Gotama Buddha, there was belief in many different Gods so he did mention God and teach about God during his lifetime. Gotama Buddha never denied the existence of God. In this Podcast, David will help you understand how to learn and practice Gotama Buddha's Teachings to liberate the mind to attain Enlightenment with or without a relationship of God. ——-Daily Wisdom - Walking The Path with The BuddhaDedicated to the education of Gotama Buddha's Teachings to attain Enlightenment.https://www.BuddhaDailyWisdom.com(See our website for online learning, courses, and retreats.)Group Learning Program - LIVE Interactive Online Classes, Book, Audiobook, Videos, Podcast and Personal Guidancehttps://bit.ly/GroupLearningProgramThe Words of The Buddha - Pali Canon in English Study Grouphttps://bit.ly/PaliCanonStudyGroupFREE Book - Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenmenthttps://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/freebuddhabooksFacebook: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-FacebookYouTube: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-YoutubePodcast: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-PodcastSupport our efforts to share The Teachings of Gotama Buddha with you and worldwide for all people using this link.https://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/supportbuddha

A commentary and discussion on the Spiritual Principle a Day Meditation. Contact Information: 919-675-1058 or facebook.com/groups/theanonpodcast

Creative players!

In this episode, Andrew chats with Evan Woolsoncroft, vice president of philanthropy for Heroic Media. Andrew invites Evan to share about his work at Heroic Media, and the two discuss the need for proactiveness, innovation, and smart modeling in ministry.

Farai interviews transmedia conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas and art curator, Rujeko Hockley about building an artistic legacy as life partners, and the role public and collaborative art plays in shaping our society. Then on our roundtable, Sippin' the Political Tea, Farai is joined by Washington Post columnist, Karen Attiah and Entertainment Correspondent for Scripps News, Casey Mendoza to discuss the latest in entertainment and pop culture, including Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle's quest to control their narrative.

A commentary and discussion on the Spiritual Principle a Day Meditation. Contact Information: 919-675-1058 or facebook.com/groups/theanonpodcast

Creative Action Unlimited develops new plays that guide creative change for individuals, organizations, and communities. After casting a group of actors, the company writes and performs pieces revolving around social issues such as racism, homelessness, suicide prevention, addiction, and child sex trafficking. Michael Kennedy joins us to discuss the incredibly important work Creative Action Unlimited shares with the community. https://creativeactionunlimited.com/ This episode is sponsored by the Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York and Albany Civic Theater.

(Group Learning Program) - Chapter 18 - God's Creative Action: You Have Free Will Gotama Buddha's goal was not to prove or disprove God's existence, because Gotama Buddha only taught “truth” that could be independently realized or understood by you through your own practice and that which leads to Enlightenment. This is how you gain “wisdom”. But, during the lifetime of Gotama Buddha, there was belief in many different Gods so he did mention God and teach about God during his lifetime. Gotama Buddha never denied the existence of God. In this Podcast, David will help you understand how to learn and practice Gotama Buddha's Teachings to liberate the mind to attain Enlightenment with or without a relationship of God. ——- Daily Wisdom - Walking The Path with The Buddha Dedicated to the education of Gotama Buddha's Teachings to attain Enlightenment. https://www.BuddhaDailyWisdom.com (See our website for online learning, courses, and retreats.) Group Learning Program - LIVE Interactive Online Classes, Book, Audiobook, Videos, Podcast and Personal Guidance https://bit.ly/GroupLearningProgram The Words of The Buddha - Pali Canon in English Study Group https://bit.ly/PaliCanonStudyGroup FREE Book - Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment https://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/freebuddhabooks Facebook: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Facebook YouTube: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Youtube Podcast: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Podcast Support our efforts to share The Teachings of Gotama Buddha with you and worldwide for all people using this link. https://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/supportbuddha

Capítulo 041: On this episode of Ocu-Pasión we are joined by doctoral fellow and program assistant Chell Parkins.  Listen in as we discuss the experiences of Latin youth engaged in culturally relevant dance-making practices, her contribution to the nation's only doctoral program focused on educational research in dance, and her journey back to Puerto Rico.Chell Parkins is a Doctoral Fellow and Program Assistant in the Dance Education Program at Teachers College, where her research explores the experiences of Latinx youth engaged in culturally relevant dance-making practices. Her career as a dance educator, advocate, performer, and choreographer spans 28 years, having taught music, theatre, and dance in private and public sectors from preschool through college levels. As a Teaching Artist with Creative Action in Austin, TX, Parkins used Theatre of the Oppressed strategies to promote social change, then went on to direct the dance and drill team program at Manor High School. Her publication “Dance Media Collaborations: Engaging At-Risk Youth” details how her students used choreographic methods, technology, and social media to explore cultural identity and social issues.As a Full-Time Lecturer in Dance at Middle Tennessee State University, Parkins helped initiate the first and only stand-alone dance major in the state. She co-directed a Maymester abroad program in the Guatemala highlands, where she mentored university students who performed and taught movement workshops at local K'iche and Kaqchikel elementary schools. She was also the Executive Director of the Tennessee Association of Dance, a core member of ArtsEd Tennessee, and Fine Arts Subject Matter Expert for the Tennessee Department of Education.Parkins has performed with MADCO, Steamroller, Bibliodance, Forklift Dance Works, and in the film Bernie. She has choreographed and performed versions of her ongoing choreographic project, WanderlustDance, at the Millennium Forum in Northern Ireland, ZAWP and AZALA in the Basque region of Spain, and in front of the Guggenheim Bilbao. Her current project, the documentary WanderlustDance: Puerto Rico, invites audiences to look at the culture, politics, and people of post-Maria Puerto Rico through interviews set against footage of solo dance performances at some of the most picturesque and historical sites on the archipelago.Follow Chell:http://chelldance.weebly.com/https://www.ballethispanico.org/https://www.instagram.com/ballethispanicoeduOcu-Pasión Podcast is a heartfelt interview series showcasing the experiences of artists and visionaries within the Latin American/ Latinx community hosted by Delsy Sandoval. Join us as we celebrate culture & creativity through thoughtful dialogue where guests from all walks of life are able to authentically express who they are and connect in ways listeners have not heard before.Delsy Sandoval is the Host and Executive Producer of Ocu-Pasión. If you want to support the podcast, please rate and review the show here. You can also get in touch with Delsy at www.ocupasionpodcast.comFollow Ocu-Pasión on Instagram: @ocupasionpodcast www.instagram.com/ocupasionpodcastJoin the Ocu-Pasión Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/5160180850660613/Visit www.ocupasionpodcast.com for more episodes.https://linktr.ee/Ocupasionpodcast

A commentary and discussion on the Spiritual Principle a Day Meditation. Contact Information: 919-675-1058 or facebook.com/groups/theanonpodcast

Action After Items 3 Ways To Own Your Inner Creative On your social media, put what you do as a creative on your bio. In the next 5 conversations that you have, start with your creative identity. Take one imperfect action in the next 24 hours to push your creative journey further.   Stu's IG - @stumassengill Get your Action After Worksheet Here! www.stumassengill.com/actionafter Free Resource: www.findingdirectionuniversity.com/5steps

For more creative musings, come hang out with me on instagram @amyinfullcolorBook a free guided visualization with me here.Access Your Creative Night In for FREE.Learn more about Creative Action and get involved: www.creativeaction.orgKaren LaShelle is the executive director of Austin Together, an organization dedicated to strengthening nonprofits in Central Texas through sustained collaborations that increase capacity and maximize impact. Karen is a highly respected nonprofit leader and was instrumental in the success of Creative Action where she currently serves as part-time executive director of strategic initiatives. During her 20-year tenure at Creative Action, the organization grew from a grassroots startup into one of the largest arts education organizations in Texas, reaching more than 20,000 students every year. Karen has received many accolades for her leadership, including being named 2015 Mission Capital Executive Director of the Year, being recognized as a finalist for the 2012 and 2013 Ernst and Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year and receiving the 2011 “Austin Under 40” Award. Karen was a 2015 board member of the National Guide for Community Arts Education Leadership Institute and a co-chair of their Race Equity Committee where she is currently the Board Chair. She is also on the Board of The Thinkery. She holds a holds a BFA from Illinois Wesleyan University and an MA in Community Based Arts from New York University.Discover more about me and my work: amyinfullcolor.com

You've heard the saying "if you want something bad enough, you'll find a way!". We dig into this topic today on Mindset Monday connecting the dots between that powerful desire and the creativity it can unlock! Our Leadership Webinar series continues on May 18th at 12.00 pm ET - claim your spot below to uplevel your leadership skills and empower them in others around you! Can't make the call? Register to receive the recording. Register Here!

(Group Learning Program) - Chapter 18 - God's Creative Action: You Have Free Will Gotama Buddha's goal was not to prove or disprove God's existence, because Gotama Buddha only taught “truth” that could be independently realized or understood by you through your own practice and that which leads to Nibbana. This is how you gain “wisdom”. But, during the lifetime of Gotama Buddha, there was belief in many different Gods so he did mention God and teach about God during his lifetime. Gotama Buddha never denied the existence of God. In this Podcast, David will help you understand how to learn and practice Gotama Buddha's Teachings to liberate the mind to attain Enlightenment with or without an understanding of God. ——- Daily Wisdom - Walking The Path with The Buddha Dedicated to the education of Gotama Buddha's teachings to attain Enlightenment. https://www.BuddhaDailyWisdom.com (See our website for online learning, courses, and retreats.) Group Learning Program - LIVE Interactive Online Classes, Book, Audiobook, Videos, Podcast and Personal Guidance https://bit.ly/GroupLearningProgram The Words of The Buddha - Pali Canon in English Study Group https://bit.ly/PaliCanonStudyGroup FREE Book - Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment https://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/freebuddhabooks Facebook: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Facebook YouTube: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Youtube Podcast: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Podcast Support our efforts to share the teachings of Gotama Buddha with you and worldwide for all people using this link. https://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/supportbuddha

Tim Greenhalgh is the Chief Creative Officer at Landor & Fitch where he steers the creative direction globally for this brand transformation company.Tim has been awarded for his work from the likes of LEGO, McLaren, and Harrods. He has also been a judge and advisor for many awards and industry bodies, including the DBA and D&AD's International Advisory Board. Tim is listed as a Retail Design Luminary by design: retail and is also a course mentor on the BA for Interior Architecture & Design at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA).  Creativity Without Frontiers available at all relevant book retailersStay in touch with Unknown OriginsMusic by Iain MutchSupport the show (https://www.paypal.com/unknownorigins)

HMM Producer Lizzy Kramer discusses Creative Action Unlimited, an organization which performs plays about issues of social justice in the community, with the organization's founder and director Michael Kennedy. For more information on Creative Action Unlimited, see https://www.creativeactionunlimited.com/

AMM friends, here’s the low down on a very cool three-day event kicking off tonight: Summer Fest 2021 features an awesome exhibit of works by artists in the atxGALS arts collective, as well live music performances, all taking place at The Cathedral, 2403 E. 16th St. Proceeds benefit local nonprofit Creative Action, providing community programs […]

In this episode we talk about how taking creative action even when the culture is going through a period of fear. How media can create a "transmission" of fear or tension How we can counter that by partnering up with someone! Steps to generate ideas and start sharing them If you feel a little tense in your business at the moment, this might help unlock some creative action so you can reach your dream audience.

Chapter 18 - God's Creative Action: You Have Free Will - (Group Learning Program) Gotama Buddha's goal was not to prove or disprove God's existence, because Gotama Buddha only taught “truth” that could be independently realized or understood by you through your own practice and that which leads to Nibbana. This is how you gain “wisdom”. But, during the lifetime of Gotama Buddha, there was belief in many different Gods so he did mention God and teach about God during his lifetime. Gotama Buddha never denied the existence of God. In this Podcast, David will help you understand how to learn and practice Gotama Buddha's Teachings to liberate the mind to attain Enlightenment with or without an understanding of God. ——- Daily Wisdom - Walking The Path with The Buddha Dedicated to the education of Gotama Buddha's teachings to attain Enlightenment. https://www.BuddhaDailyWisdom.com (See our website for online learning, courses, and retreats.) Group Learning Program - LIVE Interactive Online Classes, Book, Audiobook, Videos, Podcast and Personal Guidance https://bit.ly/GroupLearningProgram The Words of The Buddha - Pali Canon in English Study Group https://bit.ly/PaliCanonStudyGroup FREE Book - Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment https://bit.ly/FreeBuddhaBook-NEW Facebook: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Facebook YouTube: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Youtube Podcast: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Podcast Support our efforts to share the teachings of Gotama Buddha with you and worldwide for all people using this link. https://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/supportbuddha

Holly Savas is a mom, artist and VP of Brand, Art & Community at Creative Action Network. She's a passionate supporter of artists and of universal arts education in schools and makes it her mission to raise awareness and give back to her community whenever possible. Her job at CAN is the perfect combo of all of those things rolled into one.

Holly Savas is a mom, artist and VP of Brand, Art & Community at Creative Action Network. She's a passionate supporter of artists and of universal arts education in schools and makes it her mission to raise awareness and give back to her community whenever possible. Her job at CAN is the perfect combo of all of those things rolled into one.

How do the magi teach us about collective, creative action? How can that shift our understanding of our current work of liberation?

(Group Learning Program) - (Chapter 19) - God's Creative Action: You Have Free Will Gotama Buddha's goal was not to prove or disprove God's existence, because Gotama Buddha only taught “truth” that could be independently realized or understood by you through your own practice and that which leads to Nibbana. This is how you gain “wisdom”. But, during the lifetime of Gotama Buddha, there was belief in many different Gods so he did mention God and teach about God during his lifetime. Gotama Buddha never denied the existence of God. In this Podcast, David will help you understand how to learn and practice Gotama Buddha's teachings to liberate the mind to attain Enlightenment with or without an understanding of God. ——- Daily Wisdom - Walking The Path with The Buddha Dedicated to the education of Gotama Buddha's teachings to attain Enlightenment. https://www.BuddhaDailyWisdom.com (See our website for online learning, courses, and retreats.) Group Learning Program - LIVE Interactive Online Classes, Book, Audiobook, Videos, Podcast and Personal Guidance https://bit.ly/GroupLearningProgram The Words of The Buddha - Pali Canon in English Study Group https://bit.ly/PaliCanonStudyGroup FREE Book - Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Nibbana https://bit.ly/FreeBuddhaBook-NEW-Edition-7 Facebook: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Facebook YouTube: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Youtube Podcast: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Podcast Support our efforts to share the teachings of Gotama Buddha with you and worldwide for all people using this link. https://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/supportbuddha

Karen LaShelle, Executive Director of Creative Action, joins hosts Kent and Shelby for this final episode of Season 1 to talk about her trajectory from volunteer to leader of Creative Action, a nonprofit, arts-based youth development organization that provides creative learning programs for Central Texas youth. Karen talks about the weight of being an Executive Director, but also the best parts of her role; her passion for building community; and how Creative Action adapted during the pandemic to continue supporting their students, including their new virtual programming - Creative Action Together. The Competency Model topic of this episode is equity, diversity, and inclusion. Karen talks about the work that she and Creative Action are doing to operationalize equity. Every episode of How They Lead will feature a local Austin-area nonprofit executive discussing how they got to where they are today, surprising lessons they’ve learned along the way, and what skills they’re looking for in young nonprofit leaders. Each episode will align with skills from YNPN Austin’s Competency Model and how they have honed that skill through their work. Connect with us: Become a YNPN Austin member Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram Donate to YNPN Austin today Have questions? Email info@ynpnaustin.org About YNPN Austin YNPN Austin provides affordable and accessible professional development opportunities that empower young leaders and advance the nonprofit community. Our mission is to provide accessible professional development opportunities that empower young leaders and advance the nonprofit community. www.ynpnaustin.org

(Audiobook) - (Chapter 19) - God's Creative Action: You Have Free Will Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Nibbana Chapter 19 - God's Creative Action: You Have Free Will To obtain a copy of this book in text format, PDF, Kindle, or print versions, please visit this link. FREE Book - Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Nibbana https://bit.ly/FreeBuddhaBook-NEW-Edition-7 ——- Daily Wisdom - Walking The Path with The Buddha Dedicated to the education of Gotama Buddha's teachings to attain Enlightenment. https://www.BuddhaDailyWisdom.com (See our website for online learning, courses, and retreats.) Group Learning Program - LIVE Interactive Online Classes, Book, Audiobook, Videos, Podcast and Personal Guidance https://bit.ly/GroupLearningProgram FREE Book - Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Nibbana https://bit.ly/FreeBuddhaBook-NEW-Edition-7 Facebook: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Facebook YouTube: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Youtube Podcast: https://bit.ly/DailyWisdom-Podcast Support our efforts to share the teachings of Gotama Buddha with you and world-wide for all people. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SupportBuddha Paypal: http://paypal.me/SupportBuddha999

 “No one wants a boring facilitator, right? It's about being effective. It's about getting their goals accomplished. But if someone's going to be in a room with you for four to eight hours, to an extent it would be nice if you can entertain.”  -Harold Hardaway I'm excited to have Harold Hardaway with me on the Control the Room podcast today. Harold is the co-founder and CEO of Cardigan, a branding and internal communications company that "Inspires Brands that Inspire Employees." Cardigan has deep expertise in working with companies with non-desk employees, multiple-location businesses, retail brands, and professional companies with remote workers.   Harold started his career in banking and found his way as the Director of Corporate Communications and Culture for H.E.B. before co-creating Cardigan. He currently oversees research and strategy for all client projects at Cardigan, and he is also a speaker and thought leader on corporate communications and culture.  On today’s episode, Harold and I talk about how to utilize quiet during facilitation, how to bring subjects and jokes back around when presenting, and how to have a "full circle" moment. Listen in to find out how Harold uses ingratiation in his facilitation, how to use equifinality, and why acknowledgment is so powerful.     Show Highlights [01:58]  Harold’s genesis story. [03:33] How personality traits assist Harold in his career. [06:42] Creating a better experience for clients. [09:07] Planning ahead of time and getting to know your client. [14:03] How to change your language to fit your audience. [16:15] Harold shares about facilitating and racial unrest. [18:27] How professionalism has crept into the workplace as a form of insensitivity. [21:35] The power of acknowledgement for yourself and others.  [30:22] Advice from Harold about facilitating during COVID and into the future. Links and Resources Harold on LinkedIn Cardigan CG on the Web About the Guest   Dr. Harold Hardaway is a speaker and thought leader on corporate communications and culture. He believes that everyone should “Chase the Good” and centers his work on helping organizations create spaces wherever possible. Today, he serves as Co-Founder and CEO of Cardigan—an internal communications and employer branding firm—and he was previously the Director of Corporate Communications and Culture for H-E-B. Harold has been featured in San Antonio Magazine and Business.com, and his writings have been featured in the Austin Business Journal, SHRM’s People & Strategy Blog, and Recruiter.com. He was recently recognized as a Finalist for the 2019 Austin Under 40 Awards, and he is on the Board of Directors for Leadership Austin, Creative Action, and Equality Texas.  About Voltage Control Voltage Control is a facilitation agency that helps teams work better together with custom-designed meetings and workshops, both in-person and virtual. Our master facilitators offer trusted guidance and custom coaching to companies who want to transform ineffective meetings, reignite stalled projects, and cut through assumptions. Based in Austin, Voltage Control designs and leads public and private workshops that range from small meetings to large conference-style gatherings.  Share An Episode of Control The Room Apple Podcasts Spotify Android Stitcher Engage Control The Room Voltage Control on the Web Contact Voltage Control   Intro: Welcome to the Control the Room Podcast, a series devoted to the exploration of meeting culture and uncovering cures for the common meeting. Some meetings have tight control, and others are loose. To control the room means achieving outcomes while striking a balance between imposing and removing structure, asserting and distributing power, leaning in and leaning out, all in the service of having a truly magical meeting. Douglas: Today I’m with Harold Hardaway, CEO of Cardigan, where they’re cultivating brands that inspire employees. Welcome to the show, Harold. Harold: Thank you for having me. I’m excited to be here. Douglas: Excellent. Well, I wanted to start off by hearing a little bit about your history. I’m always fascinated by how facilitators find their way to their roles, because, let's just face it, there's no degree at any college where you go to become a facilitator, so there’s always a fascinating journey. And especially when we're looking at all these different silos and different methodologies, people come from totally different worlds. So I'm really curious to hear how you got here. Harold: Yeah. I probably stumbled into it like most people, like you're saying. So no degrees here to kind of get there. So when I first started out in my career, I worked at a mortgage bank, and they didn't have a training department. It was a new division, and so in the absence, with no one raising their hand, to develop training, I raised my hand, and I was the trainer for that particular group. And so I think through that I kind of learned how to explain things two, three different ways to someone. And at the same time, I was in a group with business analysts, and through that process, they were working on developing systems, and then I would have to sort of train the system. But I would be in the room when they would start working on what that was going to look like, how it was going to operate, and so being able to really translate how the business was using the tool versus how they were designing it. So between the business and I.T. and translating there and being able to speak both languages really helped a lot.  After that, I worked at a large grocery retailer here in Texas—so I’m sure everyone can probably guess who that is—in the I.T. department, and H.R. was my customer. So you can imagine with developing technology with them, there was a lot of translation needed. Like, “I want this.” And then I.T. saying, “Well, we can't necessarily do that.” And it’s like, “Well, what they're really asking for is this. And can you live with this, because I think it'll still get you the business outcomes that you want.” And so being able to hear both sides and translate and help them negotiate an 80 or 90 percent solution was really important.  And then, once I got taken off of H.R. technology, H.R. just kind of hired me to go work in that department. And through the rest of my career, there was a lot of translating and taking big ideas, which is how I ended up in communications, taking big ideas and being able to kind of translate that down and then navigate people through a process to get to a business outcome. So honestly, most of the times it's because someone didn't raise their hand, and in that space, I did, and figured I'd give it a shot. And I learned a lot, and I ended up facilitating.  I also am a little bit of a ham and an extrovert, and I don't mind being upfront. Douglas: We talked about that a little bit, the importance of being this unbiased third party that’s kind of coming in and helping the team be the heroes. But there is still an element of performance you have to prepare, be on your game, get up there, and even if you’re kind of stepping off to the side a bit at times or a lot of times, there is still that moment of, hey, the show’s on, and I’ve got to be there. And before we started recording, you were mentioning that you had some experience in standup comedy, etc. And so just curious to hear how those experiences related, if you've actually dipped into any of that when you’ve been planning sessions. Harold: Yeah. You know, a lot of times when you're up there, no one wants a boring facilitator, right? It's about being effective. It's about getting their goals accomplished. But if someone's going to be in a room with you for four to eight hours, to an extent it would be nice if you can entertain.  So, way back when I kind of was living in Dallas, it was this mortgage banking crisis, and they laid off all support functions. So, like, 600 of us kind of in one day. And in that space, I was like, “What are some things I've always wanted to try?” And it was standup comedy. So I did that. Actually got paid to do it, so I am a paid standup comedian. It was just 100 bucks, but I'll take it and I'll claim it any day of the week.  But I think what that really allows me to do is pay attention to what's happening. Timing is important to kind of like lay down the joke. And I think timing is also really important when it comes to facilitation, right? So when are you quiet? When do you give space? When do you step in and say something? Also, listening to what other people are saying, and how do you bring things back around? So part of a comedy, right, you'll say something, and then you'll navigate people through a process, and then, you bring the joke back around, and then it hits harder the second time because people kind of feel it. So with facilitation, you'll set something up at the beginning, and then you’ll kind of have, hopefully, this full-circle moment where the light bulb goes off for everyone.  So I think not being afraid to be in front of people, some comedic timing, understanding sort of that cycle of bringing things back and helping people kind of understand and the light bulb goes off helps a lot when it comes to facilitating. Douglas: So I want to double stitch on that bringing things back, because you talked about in the preshow kind of prep conversation, you talked about this notion of cultural inside jokes or the words they use or getting to know them. And so I thought that was really, really neat, and how can I not only come in as an unbiased outsider and be that person that doesn't necessarily have any stake in this decision so that I'm not going to influence it, but at the same time, how can I be a friend, an ally to, then, so that everyone feels comfortable and vulnerable? So how much does that bringing it back, the timing, the improv comedy stuff, align with that ability to kind of like dissect the culture and then imbibe that into the experience? Harold: Yeah. I think it's really important. I think they're equally important. So timing is huge, but also, if you're an outsider, you need people to trust you, to your point. You need them to open up. You need them to be vulnerable. So ingratiation is actually kind of an impression-management technique. So part of it is—I’m also a teacher at some of the universities, so you'll hear some nerdy stuff come out of my mouth every once in a while. But how can I ingratiate myself to someone quickly? So I can do it with a smile. I might be able to say, “Oh, look, I've done this for so many people,” but at the same time to say, “Hey, I did my homework, and I know a little bit about you. I know the words that you use. I know what's important to you.” Makes people think, “Oh, wow,” and you can see it in their face, where they start paying a little bit more attention.  So an example of that. I had a facilitation. I was actually speaking, just speaking. But it was a little bit like some workshop fun activities in there. And so I was like, “Well, give me three—” we were talking about personal brand. “Give me three words that you would say describe who you are, or someone would say, ‘That Harold. He’s blank, blank, and blank. How would you want them to fill that in in terms of personal brand?’” And they had this whole thing called “more.” They were like, “Well, if we were to do more,” you know. And so I said, “I'm asking you for three. But if you'd like to do more, you could do four.” And everyone in the room burst out laughing and thought it was the funniest thing ever. But it's just because I asked, “What are some things you say culturally? What are some things that you do? What are the inside jokes? What are you working on? What's important in terms of an initiative? If you’ll share some of the last emails that have gone out, if you want to, then I can kind of work all that in.” And so it doesn't feel so much like an outsider, but a continuation of where their organization is really headed. And so that was just kind of a fun example that always sticks out in my head. Douglas: Yeah. I love this notion of not only adding levity to the situation, but also getting people to really resonate with these broader themes and these broader objectives, or how does it tie back to whatever the business outcomes are? And you mentioned the importance of that in this notion of planning. And the purpose of the planning is to have the plan, but we want to be skilled enough that we can deviate from that.  So we often talk about antifragile agendas. We want to build our agenda so that we can blow them up if we need to. And I strongly believe that if you're not focused on the outcomes, you can't do that. So that got me really excited when you were talking about those things. So I'm curious to hear how you think about plans, how you think about outcomes, and as that relates to just having a great facilitation. Harold: Yeah. So, from a client perspective, I will always say, like, “What are one or two things that, at the end, if we accomplish this, you would be like, ‘Wow, I didn't waste my money on this guy’?” Right? Or if it’s my partner, Shannon on Cardigan. And be very clear about those and come up with the plan about how we're specifically going to get there. And what that really does is, I think as a facilitator, allows you to number one, not get frazzled and know that you have a path to get there. And I'm going to say a path because you know what I'm going to bring up in a second. You have a path to get there. And if there's a process and you've planned for it, I always say, if something goes wrong, if I planned enough, plan A, plan B, then it's going to be easy for me to pivot. And so I've also been responsible for corporate events with 2,000 people in a room. And so I'm like, “We are going to kill ourselves to try to make this ‘perfect.’” And I always say, “It doesn't need to be perfect. It just needs to have the appearance of perfection.” But once we got started, I was like, “If the roof falls in, oh well. At least we exhausted every opportunity.” So to me, the plan is an outline, is a structure. You have to be able to—like we talked about comedy—read the room. What's going to work? What's not working? And be willing to say, “It's not going to work.”  The other thing, though, with the plan—and I love this concept that I learned in school called equifinality, and there can be infinite ways to get to the same ending. So just because I had this one particular way I thought we can navigate people through the process, if I've done a good job creating space, if I've done a good job aligning people, getting people to open up and speak up, then maybe someone else is going to throw something out, it's going to spark some sort of creativity, and my plan is no longer the best one. But just recognizing and realizing that there's multiple ways to get there. The plan is a framework to kind of keep you on track, and, also, to get your customer to understand where you're going as well. But throw it away if it doesn't work. So don't stick to it, and don't feel like you have to cleave to it, because I've seen so many facilitators do that, and then at the end, you didn't accomplish anything you want to accomplish, but you stuck to your plan. And that's not what you were really getting paid to do. Douglas: When you started talking about equifinality earlier, my brain started doing this thing because it's kind of meta, if you think about it, because when we're planning, we want to make sure that we don't have this fixed mindset, that we can be adaptable and willing to adjust on the fly as needed. But also, all of these facilitation approaches, no matter if you're in design land or liberating-structures land or wherever, they're kind of based off this concept of equifinality, right, because you want to make sure we bring everyone to the table, and what happens in the room happens. So there's these emergent qualities that we're there to seek out. And so if we come in with this fixed mindset around what the outcomes going to be specifically, then the session’s not going to be very valuable. Or the deep work doesn't happen that we’re kind of seeking for. So I thought it's really interesting that that concept works on multiple levels. It’s, like, at the participant level, it's at the facilitator level, and we all have to embrace that if we want to really get the interstellar outcomes. Harold: Yeah. And I think that comes from, to your point, the process. I think it also comes from language. And I'll give you an example. You know, we've recently done a lot of webinars on navigating through crises, etc., because there are multiple going on at one time now. And then we're like, “How do you talk to your people that relates to your brand?” And so one example we'll use is, “Do you talk to them like a cheerleader? Do you talk to them, like, familial?” But that was when we were talking to H.R. leaders. When we were speaking to people maybe in oil and gas, we were like, “Do you talk to people like a coach?” You know what I mean? When you start changing language, because words matter and people can receive them. So are they all men? Are they primarily women? Are they CPAs? Are they advertising people? And kind of getting that understanding that the exercise changes the words, the language that you use changes, so it can be received well by the receiver, because that's the point, right? You don't want to alienate someone with language as well. So language, also, is a big part. Douglas: It also, I was beginning to think about, like, not only what's happening in the room, what's happening to your agenda, to how you're just even approaching the facilitation, what's happening in the room with the participants, but also what's happening to all the participants outside the room. So all the stuff that they're dealing with and the baggage they bring in, the trauma, the stress, etc. And I think that has an element of equifinality to it as well, because, those things are going to have a way of resolving themselves, and all this lives in this ecosystem. It’s like Russian nested dolls or something, right?  Harold: Yeah.  Douglas: And so it brings me back to this thing you mentioned around acknowledging and creating space for these things that everyone's dealing with, whether it be racial unrest or whether it be some bomb just blew up at work. Like, there's a production outage. People are bringing stuff into the room, emotions into the room. I loved your word acknowledge because I think a lot of facilitators will say holding space. And that's kind of a very facilitator-centric term, whereas, acknowledge, that’s a term everyone can understand. And we just want to take some time and honor it and let people have that transition moment, because we can’t expect them to flip a switch and just throw this stuff to the side.  So, I know you had a recent moment that felt kind of special around giving people the ability to acknowledge. Harold: Yeah. I was in a meeting—and I borrowed this from someone, so it’s not a Harold Hardaway original, as I like to say—everyone was, I realized, feeling some type of way about something, with all the racial unrest. And knowing you have introverts and extroverts, and maybe some people want to talk; some people don't want to talk. And it was on a Zoom meeting, and we've been on so many of those recently. The thing was, “Hey, think of one, maybe two words that describe how you feel, and type it into the chat. And you don't have to say it,” but as the facilitator, she read them out loud. And when I did it and borrowed it from her, I read it out loud. And people were like, “tired,” “exhausted,” “hopeful.” And there's just something really powerful about reading those things out loud, acknowledging where people are in the space, and so you as a facilitator kind of know what people are bringing with them. And at the same time, I'm opening it up and thanking everyone, acknowledging where people are, and then saying, if there is someone who wants to expand on how they're feeling, give them the opportunity and invite them to do so. Some people, at one meeting, a few people really chose to do that, to the point of tears. And another meeting, no one did, but they were saying, “Thank you for at least allowing us to say this and acknowledge where we are,” and how that really is kind of the lens and the emotions that people are kind of bringing to the work, “Even though we're all there for the same purpose, this is where we are and how we feel.” And sometimes just the act of acknowledging something is really powerful and gets it out there. Douglas: You know, it's like recently ran into this concept of silence breakers. And I instantly fell in love with it because it's so easy to be silent because it's the safe thing to do. And also, I think in, definitely in my career, just this reinforcement of what professionalism is and professionalism became this thing that was so inhuman. Like, we weren’t supposed to bear our feelings or touch on some of these sensitive issues. And I think we do our best work when we're the most human we can be, and, to your point, creating these moments of acknowledgment can get us there.  And I wanted to just observe something that I've been tracking on, whether it's appreciative inquiry, or there's a really great Liberating Structure called seen, heard, and respected, and this moment of reading those feelings out loud means that the people that wrote those, they're feeling heard. And I was recently in an alternate relating workshop, and a gentleman pointed out how emotional it was to hear his story repeated back. And really struck me because I do a lot of this work, and so I'm around this type of stuff a lot, and went back to that moment. And I put myself in that gentleman’s shoes and thought, “Wow, if that is an emotional moment, the reason that's emotional is that it doesn't happen much. So that means that he’s experiencing hearing someone really empathize, really unders—there's evidence that he was heard, and that was touching.” And if we can create more moments like that, I think we can drive much more business value. But the problem is everyone focuses so much on the business value, they can't set the initial conditions to where that stuff can thrive and become outside. Love this notion of acknowledgment. Harold: It doesn't 100 percent relate to business facilitation, but I went through a leadership development sort of class process. And there was this moment where it was like, “What's one thing that you would like someone to acknowledge you for,” or something. And so you write it on a sheet of paper. And you didn't even know why you were writing it, right? “Who would you want that person to be?” And so I remember I wrote down that I was a good dog dad because my dog had passed away. And I would want it to be my pet, right? Douglas: Sure. Harold: And the interesting thing was, hours later, she picked them up and she read them, and then I had to choose someone to play the role of my pet and acknowledge me for being a good parent, a good pet parent. To him—because I was carrying a lot of guilt. Don't get me wrong. We went to all the vets. I got all the medication. I did everything. But I couldn't change this outcome. And, you know, it's like a type A person, who is so used to making things happen for everybody, for companies, I couldn't save, you know. And so someone acknowledging me like they were my pet broke me down, you know? But it was the most healing thing I think I had experienced in so long. I slept like a baby. I forgave myself. So that idea of acknowledging and kind of hearing things back—I know it's a little bit off topic from business work, but there is a lot of power in that. And I think even from an employee perspective, you want to be acknowledged for certain things from certain people. I mean, how do we allow that to be expressed in some sort of way? So sorry for making a baby left turn there, but it was really powerful. Douglas: I agree. And these powerful moments are critical if we're going to build really resilient and really strong teams. And that's the kind of stuff that I think that I'm willing to invest in my team. The trust falls and the rope courses, yeah, whatever. But if we can authentically come together and be there for each other, if there is some weight on your shoulders about the end of life around the dog, them taking the 30 seconds over the—or the two minutes or whatever it took to say that—it’s, like, a very small investment that could have huge ramifications on your ability to work more closely together and drive those outcomes. And so if we focus on the health of the team first, we can have these profound impacts versus just trying to utilization, like treating everyone like a factory and just like, go, go, go, go. And so I think that, in a lot of ways, this is the best stuff we could be doing for business outcomes. Harold: I think so. No one in the room picked anything business related. Douglas: Right. Harold: Not a single person. It was like, “I said this to my grandmother, and I didn't have a chance to say something else before she died.” This is, like, where people were going, and this was like a three-month process, two weeks but three months apart. But that's kind of, to your point, what people were bringing in, right? What they were carrying. What needed to be acknowledged. And then after that—I'll speak for myself. I can't speak for everybody—but I know I felt dramatically better, and I felt sort of like healed, and I wasn't, to your point, carrying that around with me all day and trying to do that and still facilitate for other people. Douglas: You know, it brings me back to this notion of human connection. And when we held the big workshop, right at the beginning of the lockdown, for facilitators to kind of have a conversation on the future of facilitation, the one big, big thing was human connection. It was interesting that on the spectrum, some folks were really concerned about losing it to the in-person human connection. Like, “We're really good at this digital stuff. Will we ever be able to come and have these moments we love?” And so it was kind of like this fear of this dystopian future. Then, the other side was just this notion of like, “Well, are we actually going to be able to do it? Can these tools support real human connection?”  It's interesting. We talked about this acknowledging and unburdening and supporting each other. But it really does come down to this human connection, and that's where we are most creative. That's how we solve stuff together, is when the connections exist. And so I’m curious to hear about your journey through the virtual space and how you've been able to maintain human connection. And do you have any tricks up your sleeve? Are you still experimenting with things? Just kind of what's there for you as far as human connection in this virtual world? Harold: Yeah. So, I mean, I'll be honest with you, personally. So all my friends will do Zoom things multiple times a week. But then I actually saw one of my friends and got a hug. And I was like, “Oh, my gosh, I haven't had a hug in eight weeks.” And I freaked out at first because just not used to it. So I don't think there's necessarily a substitute. But one of the things we've been doing is, from a facilitation standpoint, trying to mix it up. So there’re random breakout rooms and maybe prompts that you can send people and bring them back in. There's videos. There's shorter timeframes. All of that stuff has been working, but you're still sitting there, behind your computer. So those things have kept it more interesting for people. Also, limiting the size of groups. So I know there are the webinars, but also being able to see someone's face. And I know one of your articles that I think you just posted to LinkedIn, I read it earlier. It was, like, cameras have to be on. If your camera's not going to be on, then you don't need to be on the call for certain things. But usually we try to limit—because we do focus groups and research as well, and it actually has worked out pretty well to make them engaging, but I can't say that there's necessarily the human connection.  I think part of it is that thing about being an invitation, looking for the connection that I have with someone. So whenever I have an interview for a focus group or research, do a little bit of what I call appropriate stalking, meaning I went to LinkedIn, I read some articles on folks, and they try to figure out, did we go to similar schools or do we have… and try to make that connection and really talk about all of that first. So you know how sometimes at work, what would happen in a meeting is everyone talked about their weekends and all the things that had nothing to do with the meeting because everyone needed that. On Zoom calls, I try to facilitate that, and I’ll do my homework, even if it’s someone I don’t know for sure, do my homework and figure out, well, how can we make that connection, and how can I recreate that sort of experience where we waste the first 10 minutes? It just—it's not a waste, right? It really does establish that human connection, and we laugh and we joke. And then we're able to easily transition into work because I know something about you, you know something about me, and it kind of gets back to sort of ingratiating yourself to someone else. So I just try to think, how can I recreate that first 10 minutes of every meeting that we all sit through, over Zoom? And that requires a little bit of homework, and I’m okay with that. Douglas: Yeah. It kind of parallels this kind of researching their cultural norms, the words they use, so that if you can relate to them and make them feel like you care and you spent some time, that's a great way to open. Really love it. And I agree, having that time up front, whether it's the weather report or some sort of way for them to transition in, sometimes people just need boot-up time. They’ve been running from meeting to meeting, and just kind of just jumping straight into it, that's not always the best place to be. Harold: And I will say, the extrovert in me will write down, and someone, one of my coaches—I feel like I've had a lot of coaches in my life, Douglas—but one of my coaches would say write “Wait” on a sheet of paper. It stands for Why Am I Talking? I don’t know if you’ve heard this or not. I will usually write that, Wait. Why am I talking? And it's another way of saying hold space for people. But I don't have a problem talking, so if I just, like, shut up for a minute, usually someone's going to speak, or they'll keep talking, or so... Yeah. Wait. That's another little technique that I have. Douglas: You know, it's such a powerful facilitation technique just to use silence. And I was recently facilitating one of our weekly facilitation practices. So we'll host a free event every Thursday, where facilitators can come in and just try stuff out. We used to do it once a month, but now that everyone's virtual and trying to figure out this virtual stuff, we just started doing it every week. It's been really fun because we’ve got a global audience and everything. But I was facilitating something, and while I had folks doing solo work and adding stickies to this MURAL, I was telling some stories just to kind of entertain folks. And then, when we did the critique, because we always do a critique. After people go, we’ll do a Rose, Thorn, Bud, just so that people can kind of learn because that's the whole point: come, practice, learn. One lady's feedback was, “Your stories were so interesting that I couldn’t think of what I wanted to write.” And I thought, oh of course, I should shut up.  Harold: Well, but you have great stories. And nothing else, she’ll remember the stories, right?  Douglas: That’s right.  But, yeah. I love this acronym, WAIT. This sounds so important. I haven’t heard that one before.  So other tips? I guess from just navigating this crazy virtual world and launching out on your own, building your own company, what advice might you have for the facilitators out there that are following in your footsteps? Harold: You know, I always try to think of any meeting as an experience. And so to me that's really important, whether it's the music that's playing when someone comes in. I mean, even when we've hosted webinars, we'll have music playing to kind of like set the tone and let people know we're about to have a good time today. Some of the questions at the beginning. So I think if anyone can think about it as an experience and walk people through it and navigate them through the process, that would be my first tip for anyone getting into this space.  Number two, I would say think of yourself as a quarterback. For our company, we do a lot of work with culture as well, branding, etc., and we're always like, hey, we’re a quarterback. We need a team, and nothing's going to get done without the people in the room. So even if you're at the front, reading the room, reading the defense, calling the next play is really important. And so those two things, you know.  And I would also say—oh, gosh. Well, where I said knowledge feelings, but also kind of getting people centered is another thing, in terms of the podcast. Not podcast, but meeting. Get people moving. If you can get people moving, that's fun. And so, I mean, we've done things by daring people to stand up, because most people have on random shorts, even though you’re business on the top and, like, party on the bottom. Well, work-appropriate party on the bottom. But, you know, like what kind of PJs are you wearing? And to your point, I mean, in the practice that you all they're doing and getting together with ideas. I've had friends who've done things from, like, quarantine kitchen, and it's like a random kind of a game.  So like, I think this idea of prototyping. I think that's what I want to settle on. I’ve probably rambled. So prototyping is the one thing that one of my friends mentioned to me, and he's the person I call all the time. You know, he's very good at games and gamification. And we brought him in on projects. And the idea of thinking, just try it and prototype something and see if it works, and if it doesn't work, scrap it. But sometimes perfect just gets in the way of progress. And for me, I want things to be perfect. But once I just tell myself, “It's just a prototype,” then, I'm able to move quickly and get feedback on it. And then, I have the next iteration. And so for me, I think that's really important. And in this space, and I know my company and my business partner, what we've done is, let's try this, let's try this, let's try this. And I just tell myself, “It's just a prototype. It's just a prototype. It doesn't have to be perfect,” because that has been the enemy of progress, for me personally, in a space where you have to respond quickly. So that would be my one big thing that I’ve learned in the middle of COVID, specifically, in transitioning to virtual is prototyping. Douglas: Awesome. I love it. As you know, I'm a big fan of prototypes.  Harold: Yes.  Douglas: And so I will double down on that answer. Absolutely. If you're curious about something, afraid of something, a prototype can be really powerful because it can give you the confidence to go give it a spin and see what works, see what doesn't work. Definitely, perfection can be paralyzing and prevent it from trying and making that first step.  So, Harold, it's been a pleasure chatting with you today and hearing about the importance of timing, acknowledging, ingratiating your participants. Such an awesome concept. And then, equifininity, equifinality— Harold: Equifinality, yeah. Douglas: —is now in my vocabulary. I love the word. It is a— it is something that explains something that I've known to be true, but in a way that packages, I think, it up in a really nice little box. I love it.  And so, just in closing, how can folks find you? How can they get in contact and potentially work with you? Harold: Thank you for that. So Harold Hardaway on LinkedIn. I'm pretty active on there. I work at Cardigan, so you can find us at cardigancg.com. We help organizations with branding; internal communications, whether that's campaigns, change management, been getting a lot of calls, obviously, for the DEI space. You know as well. Find us there. You can email me at harold@cardigancg.com. And so, yeah, find me in all of those places.  Thank you so much for having me on the show. I was excited and honored when you reached out, wanted to know what little ole me had to say about anything, so thank you for that. Douglas: Yeah, absolutely. It's been a pleasure chatting today, Harald, and I look forward to talking more soon. Harold: Yes, we will. Thank you. Outro: Thanks for joining me for another episode of Control the Room. Don't forget to subscribe to receive updates when new episodes are released. If you want more, head over to our blog, where I post weekly articles and resources about working better together, voltagecontrol.com.

Interdisciplinary artist and activist Nicole Garneau discusses her work as a maker of site-specific, critically conscious, and participatory creative actions. In this conversation, she discusses her book Performing Revolutionary and her current project supporting the persecuted Russian feminist artist Yulia Tsetkova. Learn more and find her book at nicolegarneau.com, and join #500Solidarity at freetsvet.net

LEARN - (Chapter 19) - God's Creative Action: You Have Free Will Gotama Buddha's goal was not to prove or disprove God's existence, because Gotama Buddha only taught “truth” that could be independently realized or understood by you through your own practice and that which leads to Nibbana. This is how you gain “wisdom”. But, during the lifetime of Gotama Buddha, there was belief in many different Gods. Gotama Buddha never denied the existence of God. In this Podcast, David will help you understand how to learn and practice Gotama Buddha's teachings with or without an understanding of God. ——- Daily Wisdom - Walking The Path with The Buddha Dedicated to the education of Gotama Buddha's teachings to attain Enlightenment. https://www.BuddhaDailyWisdom.com (See our website for online learning, courses, and retreats.) Group Learning Program - LIVE Interactive Online Classes, Book, Videos, Podcast and Personal Guidance https://tinyurl.com/OnlineLearning-REGISTER FREE Book - Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Nibbana https://tinyurl.com/FreeBuddhaBook-NEW-Edition-7 Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/DailyWisdom-Facebook YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/DailyWisdom-YouTube Podcast: https://tinyurl.com/DailyWisdom-Podcast Support our efforts to share the teachings of Gotama Buddha with you and world-wide for all people. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SupportBuddha Paypal: http://paypal.me/SupportBuddha999

#030: To put inspiration into practical use as a creative, you really have to get at the WHY behind that spark of inspiration. I’m walking you through three important questions to ask every time you’re out looking for new sources of inspiration because they’ll help you go from, "ohhhhh, hummm…" to "Ah-ha! Yes!" and send you running for your camera.You'll Learn: The difference between inspiration and creativityHow to understand the what, why and how behind inspiration so you can develop ideas and put them into creative actionTwo underutilized yet totally useful sources for inspirationGet the full show notes at JaymiH.com/30Never miss an episode by signing up at JaymiH.com/ImpactAre you subscribed to the podcast? If not, I’m excited to invite you to subscribe today. Not only do I unroll new episodes weekly, but I also add in a ton of bonus episodes (which you will likely miss out on if you aren't subscribed! Oh no!)If you love listening to the podcast, I’ll be so grateful if you leave me a review on iTunes. The reviews help others find me, and I also just love to hear from you! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” Then, you’re off to the races! Let me know what it is you like best about the podcast. Thank you so much!

Fears have an amazing way of sometimes hiding themselves in tasks we may see as productive.... at the time.  In this SoloShow I speak about this and how sometimes you can find yourself procrastinating productively. #nourishlifeshow #podcast #inspire See more and follow on socials for more doses of inspiration and actionable tips.  Website - https://www.simonhall.global/ Pod: https://www.simonhall.global/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonhallbc/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonhallbc Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/simonhallbc

Andy Crouch interviews Donna Harris, Founder of Builders + Backers, a movement of community-focused entrepreneurs. They discuss the biblical practice of lament as an essential step to deal faithfully and productively with the uncertainty and loss that all of us face in a worldwide pandemic.  Lament is an encounter with God that precedes redemptive action. In lament we approach God in a way that “enfolds complaint with trust” in his sovereignty and goodness. Donna discusses a six-part flow of lament: 1. Crying out to God2. Affirming trust in God3. Petitioning God to restore 4. Making additional arguments5. Expressing rage against loss and injustice6. Praising God in assurance of his promises to hear us Donna's main thesis is that lament is not only essential for processing our grief, but also for effective problem-solving and creative action in the face of crisis. She reveals how lament has fueled the Be a Neighbor Campaign, which mobilizes volunteers and entrepreneurs to serve needs and solve problems created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode I interview Lisa Hickey who is co-founder of Panacea Collective, a 360-degree event production and experiential marketing firm with an expansive boutique furniture rental, environmental styling and staging operation in-house. Prior to co-founding Panacea in 2015, Lisa served as Festival Marketing Director with C3 Presents, the third largest concert promoter in the United States, and the producer of Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits Music Festival, and Austin Food & Wine Festival, among others. She is also the Co-founder of Do312, a Chicago-based media property focused on helping a culture-forward audience find concerts and events. Lisa brings 20 years of experience in marketing, idea development, growth strategy, sponsorship acquisition and management of large scale festivals and events including Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits Music Festival. She is highly involved in the Austin community, and currently serves on the boards of Austin Film Society and Saint Gabriel’s Catholic School.  Previous service includes Governor of the Texas Chapter of The Recording Academy from 2004 until 2008, Commissioner of Austin Music Commission from 2003 until 2006, Board Member of Heath Alliance for Austin Musicians from 2009-2018 and Creative Action 2016-2018. Connect with Lisa - www.thepanaceaco.com On Instagram - @lisahickeyatx @panaceacollective Connect with Me! Instagram  @ambitioussoulpodcast https://www.instagram.com/ambitioussoulpodcast/ @christylepley https://www.instagram.com/christylepley/ Free Facebook Group - Ambitious Soul Sisterhoodhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/2229420643845537/ Don't forget to subscribe to receive next week's episode! 

This part of your brain could be costing you thousands of dollars and you didn’t even know you had it! Learn about the third part of your mindset that hangs out with the cognitive and affective parts of your brain. See how it is attached to your creativity and how to strengthen it to improve your financial abundance and life experience. We share a story of a student winning thousands of dollars because of improving this part of her thinking!

This week’s Yes But Why episode showcases Austin-based filmmaker Mei Makino.Mei is currently in production on Inbetween Girl, a feature film that she has written and will be directing and producing this summer! Mei is a graduate of the University of Texas RTF program and she has been working consistently in film since she graduated! Amy and Mei recently connected at the Transform Film Fest where Mei was speaking on a panel about women in film!In this episode, Mei tells Amy about her first film, a horror movie called “The Crittles” that she made on the family camcorder as a kid. We also talk about the “life-changing” Film Camp for Girls that she went to with Michelle Voss, the amazing internship she did at Apatow Productions, and the hard work she is doing right now with Creative Action to teach filmmaking to the next generation!Support Mei Makino by seeing her feature film, Inbetween Girl, as soon as it is available to you AND by supporting all women in film! https://www.facebook.com/inbetweengirlfilm/Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Download the FREE HC Universal Network app for Android and iDevices or visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com and join the fun.This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This week’s Yes But Why episode showcases Austin-based filmmaker Mei Makino. Mei is currently in production on Inbetween Girl, a feature film that she has written and will be directing and producing this summer! Mei is a graduate of the University of Texas RTF program and she has been working consistently in film since she graduated! Amy and Mei recently connected at the Transform Film Fest where Mei was speaking on a panel about women in film! In this episode, Mei tells Amy about her first film, a horror movie called “The Crittles” that she made on the family camcorder as a kid. We also talk about the “life-changing” Film Camp for Girls that she went to with Michelle Voss, the amazing internship she did at Apatow Productions, and the hard work she is doing right now with Creative Action to teach filmmaking to the next generation! Support Mei Makino by seeing her feature film, Inbetween Girl, as soon as it is available to you AND by supporting all women in film! https://www.facebook.com/inbetweengirlfilm/ Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Download the FREE HC Universal Network app for Android and iDevices or visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com and join the fun. This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This week’s Yes But Why episode showcases Austin-based filmmaker Mei Makino.Mei is currently in production on Inbetween Girl, a feature film that she has written and will be directing and producing this summer! Mei is a graduate of the University of Texas RTF program and she has been working consistently in film since she graduated! Amy and Mei recently connected at the Transform Film Fest where Mei was speaking on a panel about women in film!In this episode, Mei tells Amy about her first film, a horror movie called “The Crittles” that she made on the family camcorder as a kid. We also talk about the “life-changing” Film Camp for Girls that she went to with Michelle Voss, the amazing internship she did at Apatow Productions, and the hard work she is doing right now with Creative Action to teach filmmaking to the next generation!Support Mei Makino by seeing her feature film, Inbetween Girl, as soon as it is available to you AND by supporting all women in film! https://www.facebook.com/inbetweengirlfilm/Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Download the FREE HC Universal Network app for Android and iDevices or visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com and join the fun.This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

This week’s Yes But Why episode showcases Austin-based filmmaker Mei Makino. Mei is currently in production on Inbetween Girl, a feature film that she has written and will be directing and producing this summer! Mei is a graduate of the University of Texas RTF program and she has been working consistently in film since she graduated! Amy and Mei recently connected at the Transform Film Fest where Mei was speaking on a panel about women in film! In this episode, Mei tells Amy about her first film, a horror movie called “The Crittles” that she made on the family camcorder as a kid. We also talk about the “life-changing” Film Camp for Girls that she went to with Michelle Voss, the amazing internship she did at Apatow Productions, and the hard work she is doing right now with Creative Action to teach filmmaking to the next generation! Support Mei Makino by seeing her feature film, Inbetween Girl, as soon as it is available to you AND by supporting all women in film! https://www.facebook.com/inbetweengirlfilm/ Yes But Why Podcast is a proud member of the HC Universal Network family of podcasts. Download the FREE HC Universal Network app for Android and iDevices or visit us at HCUniversalNetwork.com and join the fun. This episode of Yes But Why podcast is sponsored by audible - get your FREE audiobook download and your 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/YESBUTWHY.

Host Kevin Willett is joined by Clare Dowd of Creative Action Institute. Creative Action Institute works at the intersection of creativity and social change. They empower individuals and organizations to realize their full potential as critical agents of change. ListenNowClareDowd.mp3 Find out more about Creative Action Institute by visiting their website at http://creativeactioninstitute.org/ To learn more about the Friends of Kevin Networking Group, go to https://friendsofkevin.com/ Audio file:  Clare Dowd.mp3

Tune in to find out more about this week's astro climate, tarot cards, and animal ambassador.... along with my special guest: astrologer, tarot reader and avid traveller, Aquila! Guest topic of the week: “Creative Action: First Quarter Moon in Scorpio“ - where we chat about the past eclipse energies and how the First Quarter moon will push things into action. We also discuss what the Scorpio vibration feels like, and our personal experiences with having it prominent in our natal charts. Note: Mercury RX was playing his tricks while we were recording so bear with the audio difficulties during the interview! Visit Aquila: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsleyJQfojIBYMuKAkb3KQg IG @aquilamoon Mel & Energetic Principles: https://www.energeticprinciples.com/ https://www.patreon.com/energeticprinciples/ IG @energeticprinciples

A recap of episode 87 of the Cracking Creativity podcast. If you liked it, check out the full episode with Derek Miller where he talks about why you need to keep your creative momentum, the power of a positive mindset, and not getting down on yourself, among many other things.

Derek Miller has always had a creative side to his life. As a kid he wanted to be a cartoonist, and little did he know, he would become deeply entrenched in that world as an adult through the web comic Cyanide and Happiness. While he was in college, and a few years afterward, Derek was part of a small metal band and also ran a small music blog. He was also a part of a non-profit to help artists turn their passion into full-time jobs. All that experience in the art world helped Derek run three successful Kickstarter campaigns at Cyanide and Happiness. Instead of treating Kickstarter like another crowdfunding tool, he treated each campaign like its own event. After three successful Kicstarter campaigns and constantly being approached by creatives about crowdfunding, Derek decided to write a book on the topic. This led to the creation of his book Six Figure Crowdfunding. In this episode, Derek talks about why you need to keep your creative momentum, the power of a positive mindset, and not getting down on yourself, among many other things. Here are three lesson you can learn from Derek: The Importance of Acting on Your Creativity As someone interested in creativity, you have probably felt the urge to do something, anything, to get your idea out there. The problem is, a lot of times, we feel that creative urge, but never take action on it. Derek believes movement is the most important thing about creation. Creative people suffer when they stop creating. So remember to always leave time for your own creative projects. “The act of creation is very important for intellectual growth and happiness. I really think the most important thing about creation is movement. And the movement of creating it forces you to make decisions, figure out what’s important to you and what’s not, and what kind of emotion, what kind of world you’re trying to create. So any time I’d be overwhelmed with too many projects or something, it came down to I had to drop a project to give myself breathing room to create, because… the process of creation improves all other aspects of your life because it teaches you to generate ideas.” The problem many of us have is, we bog ourselves down with too many projects. We feel the need to occupy all our time to stay busy, but we don’t leave enough time to work on creative projects of our own. That’s why Derek advocates for coming up with, and more importantly, executing your ideas. “Everything you do is ideas and executing ideas. That’s the basic equation for getting anything done… It’s been very important, and any time I’ve jumped in the deep end too much with too many projects, it made my performance suffer and everything, if I didn’t have time to be creative.” Just remember creativity is not a binary thing. There’s no such thing as being creative or not creative. Creativity is a process. “It seems a lot of people view creativity like you are or you are not. That’s a weird way to do it. Oh, you’re either healthy or you’re not. No. It is a process. It’s a process of self-care. It is a process of development. It’s a process of just using your brain and stretching it. It’s not something you are or are not. It’s either you are behaving in creative ways or not creating. It’s not a binary thing. It’s not just Oh I’m creative so that part of my life is handled.” The Power of a Positive Mindset Many of us believe talent and luck are the things holding us back from finding success. Luckily for us, that usually isn’t the case. The thing that most holds us back is our mindset. You can have all the talent in the world and still find failure if you have the wrong mindset. That’s why Derek believes in the power of a positive mindset. “The biggest thing holding most anyone back, myself included, it’s mindset, it’s behaviors, it’s the strategies you use. Those are the thing that hold you back more than in-born talent or whatever aptitude you’re born with. It’s the mindsets and strategies you use and the way you’re able to push past the uncomfort that makes you good.” One of the most helpful mindsets you can develop is one of an experimenter. Don’t let the fear of failure prevent you from trying things out. After all, trial and error is one of the best teachers you can have. “I like the test and failing mindset because again, that gives you the right mindset to focus on the fact that, yes some things you do are going to suck, no matter what. There’s no artist that I can think of, regardless of context, that has not put out one or two bombs… That’s the process of learning and figuring out what your art is. You’re going to bomb. Just learn. Every time you bomb, learn from it.” Just remember that failure isn’t final. It is is our ability to dust ourselves off after failures that allows us to grow and become better. “A failure now doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t turn out being something fantastic a couple years down the line.” Don’t Get Too Down on Yourself No matter how much success we have, we will inevitably face some failure. That’s why you should never let yourself get too wrapped up in your own success or failure. Celebrate your success, but also keep in mind failure could be just around the corner. “Even when there’s a lot of public facing ‘Oh, this is going great.’ Again, struggle, and difficulty, and uncomfortableness, it’s a constant in life.” The thing to remember is to not let your struggles get to you. Most people don’t see your struggles. If you are creating great work, most people will actually like your work. Don’t let negativity drag you down. Know that there are people who will be behind you, no matter how much you don’t like it yourself. “It’s very easy to get down on yourself and focused on the moment of ‘This thing is bad right now.’ But when it comes down to it, the majority of people watching anything or any piece of art you do are not going to know and see all the struggle… A majority of the audience won’t notice that, and the few of them that do, that’s fine. You put a piece of art out there. Nothing’s perfect, but you put a piece of art out there that makes people happy.”

This week the ladies chat with actress, comedian, stylist, singer, and fellow podcaster Nathalie Holmes. In other words, the ultimate Showbiz Darling. She’s worked with Camille Styles, Esther’s Follies, Creative Action, PBS, and Huffington Post. She does voice, costumes, YouTube videos, live one-woman shows (Young, Scripted, and Black), the works. It’s pretty incredible. Tune in!

Do you ever wonder how impactful your design creation is for those that you create it for? And have you ever thought of engaging your design's viewers, participants, or inhabitants in new and innovative ways? In this episode, Maria Lorena Lehman explores the ever-evolving role of the artist and designer — particularly in terms of how engaging, personalized, and beneficial their design is for those that experience it. Explore the critical questions that guide you toward better design creation and collaboration in this forward-thinking episode of Design Futurecast. To see more of the design discussed in this episode, visit DesignFuturecast.com/Episode4 ― and for more inspiration and education on creativity and design, visit MariaLorenaLehman.coman.com

Our creative development is interdependent and interconnected to all various factors in our lives and especially to our teachers. Music by Bryan Hayslett: bryanhayslett.com

Tim Wilson is a Creative Action Man. Amongst his roles right now, he works as a regional coordinator for Code Club, a network of coding clubs for kids aged 9-11. The role is the marriage of many things he loves - as a community manager communicator, facilitator and project manager. He is passionate for working on things that stimulate creativity and helping folks of all ages to unleash their super powers on the universe. He is also a musician with a passion for drumming, singing and composing with my bands Under A Banner and Progoctopus. He wants to pack in as much joy into life as possible and to drink lots of fantastic coffee. Forget work/life balance! How about fun/fun and for working for the things that you truly believe in.

Are we bound by our conditioning, or does the possibility of freedom, spontaneity, creativity exist? Where does true spontaneity come from and what is its relationship to practice?

A couple of the fine people at Creative Action Network stop by to talk about crowdsourcing art, scaling, and socially conscious business

The book War of Art is really insightful and like the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull, both books focus on reaching your higher potential. Just a chat on a bench over looking Locke Lake using the #SoundProfessional #Binaural #Mics and the #ZoomH1 Handi-recorder.

Dr. Kumar Prashant of Christian Aid partner VICALP (Visionaries of Creative Action for Liberation and Progress) gives a first-hand account of the extent of damage in Gopalpur, Odisha the centre of the Cyclone Phailin. #cyclonephailin #India #Odisha

Brian Mayer talks about Creative Actioon Network.