Podcast appearances and mentions of Julia Cameron

What causes writer's block? According to Julia Cameron, it's not laziness—it's fear. This week's chapter of The Artist's Way goes deep on identifying what keeps writers from writing, even if the solutions are a little thin on the ground. Cameron argues that blocked writers don't need more discipline; they need more enthusiasm and to treat the work like play. And how, exactly, do we do that?She also introduces the concept of Creative U-turns, where otherwise successful artists seem to sabotage their own careers right at the threshold of success. The concepts are genuinely intriguing, enough that we stuck around to find the solutions Cameron didn't.Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.

Wenn wir die ‚Seele baumeln lassen‘, was genau baumelt denn dann da?Und wieso spüren wir in diesen Zeiten meist so einen guten Einfluss auf unseren Körper?Über diese besondere Verbindung und wie wir sogar mit unserer Seele Kontakt aufnehmen und sie zu uns sprechen lassen können, davon erzähle ich heute.Viel Freude damit und Glitterstaub zu dir, denn: Auch du machst die Welt heller⭐️!Alles Liebe,Yvonne#spiritualitätimalltag #körpergeistseele #morgenseiten #seelenplan Links zur Folge:(Alle Links zuletzt eingesehen 02.06.2026 - alles #unbezahltewerbung)Meine Solo-Folge vom 29.04.2026 auf YouTube:'Was 2002 geschah und mich seither nicht losgelassen hat'⁠https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ppEkKxVYBiZmaTpOeyjMN?si=EUnsH4W1R22QdNGI4WWSjQ⁠Erwähnte Bücher:Julia Cameron: 'Der Weg des Künstlers'Elizabeth Gilbert: 'Eat, Pray, Love'Elisabeth Gilbert: 'Big Magic'Außerdem erwähnt:'Letters from Love' mit Elizabeth Gilbert:⁠https://elizabethgilbert.substack.comIn eigener Sache✨:Hier im Podcast und auf meinem YouTube-Kanal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @auchdumachstdieweltheller ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠erscheinen regelmäßig Solofolgen und auch Gespräche mit ganz unterschiedlichen Menschen, die den Alltag anderer ein Stück heller machen. Und für kleine Impulse zwischendurch folge mir doch einfach auch auf Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/yvonnemuellerbuergel/?hl=d⁠⁠⁠

A volte possiamo sentire il bisogno di un recupero, ed è del tutto naturale e fisiologico, ma invece magari ci sentiamo in colpa.In proposito, sentiamo il parere di Julia Cameron nel suo “La via dell'artista”, edizioni Longanesi.Se ti piace questo podcast, condividilo e parlane con qualcuno a cui possa interessare. Ti auguro una buona giornata e un buon fine settimana.A presto!Alessandro#ilmondoinvisibilepodcast #respiropodcast #arte #creatività #ispirazione #podcastitaliani #respiro  

Join co-host fritz (any pronouns) along their journey with Julia Cameron's multi-million copy worldwide bestseller "⁠The Artist's Way.⁠"In this season FINALE, we cover weeks 10-12 as well as major changes, themes and takeaways of this journey. MYFEELIUM: https://myfeelium.co/?aff=35Portal access code: Opensesame20% OFF: CAZIMIQueer Retrograde is a Cazimi Collective podcast co-hosted by hobbes baya and fritz barbee. Cazimi Collective is an arts, farm and rest retreat for exceptional, but strategically under-resourced communities. ⁠Learn more about Cazimi Collective⁠ at cazimicollective.com.Support QR and Cazimi by joining our patreon at patreon.com/queerretrograde.Thank you so much for listening :) Please rate, review and subscribe to Queer Retrograde (we are on YouTube now)!cover art: Rachel Abe, ⁠@rayrayrugs⁠jingle: Ty Sorrell, ⁠@Ty_Sorrell

Por demasiado tiempo creí que no era creativa. Me comparaba con personas que dibujaban, pintaban, cantaban. Y yo sentía que no tenía ese talento. Hasta que leí un libro que me cambió la perspectiva por completo.En este episodio te cuento cómo "El Camino del Artista" de Julia Cameron despertó mi creatividad dormida, cómo empecé a escribir las páginas matutinas todos los días, cómo la cita con el artista cambió mi relación conmigo misma, y por qué el entorno que te rodea define el techo de tus estándares (en tu negocio y en tu vida).También te hablo de cómo terminé dando clases de marca personal a artistas en una universidad en Colombia, por qué empecé a escribir una novela, y cómo la creatividad se conecta directamente con la productividad y el crecimiento de tu negocio.⏰ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 — El libro que despertó mi creatividad01:00 — Por años creí que no era creativa (me comparaba)02:30 — Descubrí que era creativa de formas diferentes03:30 — Producto mínimo viable vs excelencia: mi proceso05:30 — Lanzar primero, mejorar después (y cuándo eso cambia)07:00 — El entorno eleva tus estándares (analogía del gym)09:00 — La chica que hacía push ups con peso en la espalda10:00 — ¿Qué pasa cuando eres la mejor de tu círculo?11:30 — Conversaciones que te elevan: invertir en un edificio, visa americana14:00 — El poder del networking y los podcast como entorno15:00 — El Camino del Artista de Julia Cameron16:30 — Casualmente empecé a rodearme de artistas17:00 — Fui profesora de marca personal para artistas en Colombia19:00 — 6 meses con actores, cantantes y bailarines: lo que aprendí21:00 — Las páginas matutinas: escribir cada mañana sin filtro23:00 — La cita con el artista: una cita contigo misma cada semana25:00 — Cómo empecé a escribir una novela27:00 — La creatividad no es dibujar: es cómo piensas y creas29:00 — Lo que consumimos (personas, música, libros) nos moldea31:00 — Cierre: cuídate mucho y vibra alto

This spring, we're revisiting a transformative conversation with Julia Cameron, the bestselling author who helped millions reconnect with their creativity.In this episode, Julia shares her approach to creative renewal—from morning pages and artist dates to overcoming perfectionism and quieting the inner critic she calls “Nigel.” She explains why listening is at the heart of creativity, how small daily practices can unlock momentum, and why creative recovery begins with letting go of the need to get everything right.Whether you're an artist, entrepreneur, writer, or simply feeling stuck, this conversation is a timely reminder that creativity isn't something you find—it's something you nurture.

Bestselling novelist Holly Ringland on writing from joy instead of fear, the toolkit she built to meet the inner critic with self-compassion, and finding the first true sentence of her debut after decades of silence.   We discuss Why the pain of not writing eventually outweighs the pain of writing. What grief and loss can crack open in a writer that nothing else can. How the first true line of a novel can arrive once you stop listening to the reasons you can't write it. A bullet-point approach to plotting that protects the nervous system from the blank page. What to ask for from early readers, and what to refuse. The distinction between self-doubt and the inner critic, and why it matters. Meeting the inner critic with an equal and opposite internalised force. Breaking procrastination by making the next step impossibly small. Fiction as the lie that tells the truth truest.   Resources & Links

In Part 2 of the Listen to Yourself series, Lesley Logan delivers a hands-on toolkit for hearing your intuition more clearly and telling it apart from fear. She breaks down what real intuition actually feels like in the body, why so many high achievers struggle to access it, and how to build trust in your inner voice through small, repeatable habits. The episode closes with journal prompts, simple daily practices, and one intuition-led decision that completely changed where Lesley lives today. Tune in for the practical follow-up listeners have been asking for. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:How to calm a busy mind using meditation, breathwork, or guided practice.Why true intuition feels calm and steady, not frantic or fearful.Journaling prompts that uncover patterns and reveal your gut's voice.The body sway test and other small practices that strengthen instinct.How to overcome doubt by slowing down and recalling past hunches.Episode References/Links:Breath by James Nestor – https://www.mrjamesnestor.com/breathThe Artist's Way by Julia Cameron – https://a.co/d/0ip3UjJBE-Squared by Pam Grout – https://a.co/d/07pIwZuhEp. 559 with David Corbin – https://beitpod.com/ep559Ep. 388 with Lauren Zoeller – https://beitpod.com/ep388Submit your wins or questions - https://beitpod.com/questions If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Lesley Logan 0:00  The fear. Voice is so loud because we spent so much time listening to it, we have had way more experience listening to the fear instead of listening to our intuition, and that may be because just of the life that you've had prior to this. Lesley Logan 0:17  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started. Lesley Logan 1:00  Hello, Be It babe. Hi. Welcome back to our Listen to Yourself series. I'm so happy you're here. Okay, so if you missed Tuesday's episode, you're gonna probably want to hear that one, because it does talk about what is our intuition. What is listening to ourselves? And then also, why is it so freaking hard? And by the way, after listening to all the different reasons it's hard, it's an I'm actually shocked any single one of us can listen to our intuition at all. So I also shared some stories about different times I listened to mine and didn't listen to mine. And I just want to say thank you to all of you who shared your takeaways from that episode. It really means so much to me. You know, it's I record these alone in a room and talking to myself. So I really appreciate when you all share how the episodes affected you, or takeaways and wins and things like that. So questions you have that answer those on Thursday episodes, wins and aha moments, I'll share on Friday episodes, but today we're talking about the tools to help you listen to yourself better. Listen to your intuition better. So sources for this information will be in the show notes. But I have to say, this is kind of fun. There's lots of different things. So here's the deal my, Be It babe. I know that it's easy to try to do all the things at once, and I'm gonna, I'm gonna ask you to pick a couple of these things that sound good and the ones that don't immediately sound easy for you, just ditch them. Save them for later. Give them to a friend, right? Please. My overachievers who are listening, who are in recovery, don't try to do them all. Lesley Logan 2:20  Okay? So some of these might sound redundant as we go through, but know that sometimes we hear same thing in slightly different way. It kind of makes a little more sense to us. So here we go. How do we hear our intuition better? Calm the mind? Use meditation or breathing techniques to quiet the noise. So I will say I love doing breath work, or I like a guided meditation. I know that sounds opposite of listening to yourself, but if you just have music playing for me and I have to just sit still, I'm gonna tell you right now my mind ain't quiet. I kind of need someone that's like, look at this cloud. Watch this thing, right? That's kind of my MO. So if you're like that, find guided meditations or breath work. If you haven't read the book, Breath, that is one of my favorite books of all time to recommend. So I highly recommend it. Okay, tune into the body. So pay attention to physical sensations such as a sense of lightness aligned like an alignment, or a sense of thinking or tightening feeling like not aligned. So lightness is going to fill a line, tightening is not going to fill a line. And that means you're going to have to start body scanning, right? So you might do this one time a day. Maybe you do it in the morning, or you do it at night, to start to just notice where you already feel tight or where you don't feel tight, and so you can know yourself. Because, sometimes it's like a doctor might ask, Oh, how long have you feeling like that? You're, oh, I actually don't know. So it is if you're going to tune into the body, which I highly recommend you do, finding ways to make that a habit. I use this. I use OPC to help our members with this. I use Pilates for myself. So when you do the 100 is going to feel different each and every time you do it, depending on what time of day you do it, depending on what happened the day before, how you slept, all that information, and that is a way to tune into your body. So for me, body scanning I only do when I'm trying to fall asleep, to be completely honest, or if I'm in a breath work that's guided, they're like, pay attention. I've truly used my Pilates to go because I do the same exercises. And I'm oh, I could get more out of that, right? That is a great way to feel what feels light and what doesn't feel light so that I can kind so that when I feel lightness, I know I'm in alignment when I feel tightness and making a decision, I feel like I'm not. So that can be helpful, but that takes time, so just be nice to yourself about learning how to feel alignment and business alignment in your body. Lesley Logan 4:34  Pause and reflect instead of reacting immediately to emotions. Pause to see if the feeling is a panic response or calm, enduring insight. So this is interesting, right? As an ADHD person whose brain goes 17 miles ahead of most people, I am like, let's take instant action, and then, of course, I'll regret how quickly I made a decision, not that the decision is a regret, but how I handled it. Right? So something I am trying to work on is just like, take a moment. Why am I upset? What am I wanting to have happen? What might be all the different ways I could have that happen? And then in taking that pause, it really lets me feel what my inner knowing is actually trying to tell me, which is, you're actually not upset about this thing, you're upset about this thing, and it's coming out here. I think that that takes that also just takes time. So I also wanted to find out, does intuition sound like something? Because if we're going to hear it, what does it sound like? Right? So intuition often feels like a calm, quiet and immediate inner knowing or gut feeling that provides certainty without logical explanation, which is different than anxious thoughts, which are frantic and fearful. True intuition is neutral, steady and frequently experiences a physical sensation, such as a quiet, grounded insight, a sinking feeling, or a sudden, clear, non emotional, not joy. I think it might not have an actual sound to it, but it has from all this research. It doesn't feel you don't feel uneasy when you're listening to your intuition. It feels this is so normal and natural. I think that will help if those, for those of you who are getting having a hard time differentiating between gut intuition and anxiety, right? Lesley Logan 6:20  So trusting your intuition involves cultivating inner quiet paying attention to bodily sensations. Those are somatic markers. We have some, had some great somatic guests on the show, like Lauren Zoeller, so definitely listen to her episodes. If you want to dive into somatics more, you got to practice the intuition in low stake situations. So that's going to be helpful, because we don't want to be making our first decision on a high stakes situation, you got to is it going to the gym, right? It's like a muscle. So key methods for listening to your intuition are going to be in meditation, journaling and slowing down. That's going to help you distinguish that feelings from fear by identifying physical signs like tension or calm and validating past experiences. You can build confidence in your intuition. And I, will say, you know how I get on every guest I'm like, if you're gonna tell us how to journal, what are we journaling about? And I think this is where, if you are trying to listen to your gut more, maybe the journaling is a form of question, why do I feel that way? Why is this coming up? What? How does this make me feel? Where do I feel this in my body? Then you can, you know, write it out, and that can be really helpful. So asking yourself questions based on the gut instinct that you're feeling that might help you discover if it's truly from you, if it's from fear. I can't I mean, slowing down. Oh my god, right. So as I said, there's gonna be a few more here that might sound the same, but we're talking about a different way that might help you. Lesley Logan 7:41  So widening your mind, reducing mental noise, or meditation and deep breathing, or spending time in nature to better hear your voice. So I love this suggestion, because I don't think people get on nature enough. If you've read the book The Artist's Way she has, you go on artist dates, and sometimes it's like just taking your shoes off and walking in grass, right? I think that that can be really helpful. And so if you have a hard time quieting your mind, maybe that's what you're practicing. Listening to your body. We talked about that tightness versus the ease. Journaling daily, we talked about that this is really good. Write down your thoughts and hunches to uncover patterns in your thinking and recognize your intuition has guided you correctly. So taking a legal pad of paper and just writing out what's on your mind, you'll recognize patterns quickly, because, especially if you force yourself to do three pages, here's what happens. Some of you guys are overthinking your thoughts and just gonna say, don't even try to read your writing. Just write. Right? David Corbin will say, close your eyes and just write. But, I think that some people could overthink the journaling, which means you're not quieting your mind. You're not going to get your intuition, but just writing. And what I found when I was doing The Artist's Way page is I found why I was inactive in a lot of decisions, because I was I had so much fear, but I wasn't able to articulate that. And I've been feeling that in my body, but I couldn't get it to my brain. And so it really helped me go, oh, this is what I'm afraid of. Okay, well, is that gonna happen? How could that happen? How can I avoid that happening? Okay, now I can make the decision, right? So you're gonna practice with easy decisions to build trust by following your gut on small daily choices such as, what to eat or who to reach out to. So we're not making big decisions on your job or your relationship. You're just like, hmm, I feel like having a sandwich right now. Okay, let's go have a sandwich right now. Was that? Was that your intuition, right? Like reaching out to a friend? Oh, I feel I should call this person, call them, or at least text them, right? Try that out. Lesley Logan 9:30  So this one is a little bit. Might be a little woo-woo. Okay. But if you read the book E-Squared, you'll, you won't think it. So use the body sway test. Stand up, relax and think of a decision. Feel if your body moves forward, that's a yes or backward, that's a no. My girlfriend, she wanted to see if she if I was drinking something, and she was like, oh, I wonder if that would work for me. And so she closed her eyes, she held it in her hand, and she's like, will this help me? And then her body leaned forward. I watched it happen. I swear to God, so that could be helpful, right? Some other key practices to strengthen your intuition. So, getting quiet, and this means getting in nature or quiet for 10 to 15 minutes daily. I know that's a lot, because, you know that's 1% of your day, so just keep that in mind. Notice physical sensations. I think a lot of us are really not connected to our bodies, which is why I'm such a passionate person about having a consistent Pilates practice, but noticing physical sensations, right? Being able to really notice, oh, my feet are cold right now, or you know just what's going on your body? There's things that are changing all the time.Lesley Logan 10:30  Differentiating from fear. So in Tuesday's episode, we talked about how like, fear can also say it's intuition. So intuition is generally calm and patient and persistent, whereas anxiety feels urgent and chaotic, intense, trusting, small signals. So this is really, this is where I find, like, My intuition is the most helpful. And once I start to notice these, I start to notice bigger ones, but small signals that something just something's going on. You're like, oh, you know, that's what a hunch, right? What a hunch. I'm going to follow that hunch, and then that way, with these little signals, we actually can actually lead to bigger decisions without waiting for the big gut instinct. Like, you should do this, right? Some people do a coin flip method. That's not something I would love, but, it might help you, right? Because, I think if you put a head, I'm going to do this, tails, let me do this, and then it flips. You're like, oh, it's tails. Well, that tells you what you really wanted. You wanted a head. So go to the heads. And then visualize outcomes. Imagine living with each option for a few days to see which brings a sense of peace or relief. And I think that also is helpful for understanding how you feel when your gut instinct is telling you to do something. What does ease feel like in your body? It might feel different than what it feels like for me, right? And then clean up emotions. Suppressed emotions can block intuitive signals, so acknowledge and process fear and anxiety clear the wave for clearer and quieter and more confident guidance. And so I think that that's important. I think a lot of us have a lot of bottled up emotions, which I like to do breath work because or exercise, because you can just, like, emotions just leave the body. Oh my gosh. If you were like, why did I cry in that workout today? Because it wanted to get out. It wanted to get out. And you got to stop suppressing these things because it's clogging up your channels through your intuition. Lesley Logan 12:14  So, in thinking about intuition, I was just thinking about okay, there's obviously a confidence thing here. And if you don't have confidence, you often have doubt, right? So like, how do we how do we figure out how to overcome doubt? And so I think this requires all of us, high achieving, busy people, to slow down, because your busy schedule can mask the intuition because you're not creating space to even hear it. So I'm not saying quit things. I'm not saying stop doing things. What I'm saying is how can you say no to some things, like, look at your schedules, or anything you can, like, take off of it this week. What pressures are you doing? It makes it really easy to start feeling what you're feeling, which means getting into your intuition. Also, I think another thing you can journal about that will help you overcome doubt is recalling past times your hunch was right. I think you need a little have, not a burn book, but some sort of wins hunch book where you put any hunches you followed on and then they were right. That's going to help with the confidence that you need to overcome the doubt that is this my intuition, or is this fear, right? And then being patient, developing trust in your intuition, takes time and consistency, and it is particularly going to take time if you're an overthinker, right? Just something to keep reminding yourself about, because I get it like I have so many things I want to do, I have so many things I care about. And the reality is, I'm one human being, and I can only do so much in a day. And if I'm too busy, I'm missing out on on picking up on things that might just be the best way to dial this way or that way, that can change the course of the impact I want to make. Right? Sometimes we just get on a path and we're doing the we're following the directions, this is the path I made, and I'm here, I'm going to just follow this path. And then there's like, Hey, do you want this path over here? And you're like, I'm too busy to see that ding. And it's like, hey, do you want to see this path over here? It's going to get you there fast. And you're like, Oh, this is the path. Because I'm too busy. I'm not thinking about it, right? Lesley Logan 14:13  I also wanted to give you some prompts for your journal that will help you when it comes to our intuition. So here they are, and we'll have these in the blog, in the show notes, so you can just copy and paste them. What is my body trying to tell me right now? You can even ask. I'll just give you a little second. We can hit pause. What is my body trying to tell me right now? If I were to trust myself completely, what would I do? Would you do anything differently? I would trust myself completely. What would I do? What is the gut feeling I have about blank and why? So if you're like, I don't hear my gut she's not talking to me. Well, what do you think the gut feeling is about that thing? Why do you think that what is one thing I know to be true? So even if I cannot logically explain it, what is one thing I know to be true? And I think that's helpful, it's almost like, oh, that I know that to be true, and it feels like this in my body. So if it feels like this, and this thing over here I'm thinking about feels the same, even if I don't have logic for it, then I then they can both. The feelings are the same, so they can both be true. What does my inner voice feel like? Is it a sound, a feeling or a vision? I think this is helpful, because I hear it as a voice, right? But some of you are more kinesthetic, and you feel it, or you hear some sort of sound. I know people that there's a scent that they'll smell, and then they'll literally, when they hear it, when they smell that scent, they'll stop, and they'll listen to themselves, and they'll actually hear their intuition. And then the scent doesn't fit anywhere. So for example, let's say the scent is Jasmine. There'll be no jasmine plant around, but they smelled Jasmine, and then they paid attention to what they were thinking, and that was how they did it. Or is it a vision? Can you see it happening in your brain playing out? So some more prompts. Recall a time you ignored your gut and what happened. So that helps you figure out what the signs are. Recall a time you trusted your intuition. What was that outcome? When do I most feel in touch with my inner voice? What am I doing when I feel the most in touch with my inner voice, that will help you go and find it. Maybe it's like, oh, when I walk outside, well, then that helps you, because then if you need to hear it and make a decision, and you're like, I don't want to do get the hell outside, right? What is one fear that stops me from listening to my intuition? What is one fear that stops me from listening to my intuition? Like, what are you afraid of? If you listen to it? Isn't it so interesting how when we like call out our fear and we actually say it out loud, how silly it sounds? Lesley Logan 16:47  All right, how can I honor my needs today? Another prompt for your journal. How can I honor my needs today? What does the best version of myself need to know today? That's a be it till I see it. What is the best version of myself need to know today? What feels heavy or forced right now? What feels light and flowing right now? And then you can complete the sentence I am ready for link. Lesley Logan 17:15  And then last thing I just want to leave you with is different ways to journal, because I know you. I know you, and that's why I it on our guests, like, you can't just say journal. You have to tell them what to journal about. So I gave you those prompts, but you can do free writing. I talked about that's like The Artist's Way, or what David Corbin does, just like writing. What's like just going just write your thoughts. Or you can do more of a set the scene type thing. So you create a quiet space. You take a few deep breaths, and you use your journal to remove distractions. So you're probably gonna have more of a prompt there. But you're gonna take a quiet time, ask yourself the question, take some deep breaths. But set the scene. For me, I will just write anywhere some people need to go, in their writing corner that's setting the scene, and then you have to review. So in The Artist's Way, you don't read the notes back, but if you're doing the book during one of the weeks closer to the end, you do go back, and she has you look for certain words to see what the patterns are, and that's going to help you understand the recurring themes, words or feelings. When you do that, that helps you realize your gut is talking to you and that your intuition is there, it makes it easier for you to listen to it in the future without that. Lesley Logan 18:26  So think I want to just leave you with this building trust. Building up that trust to listen to your intuition, it's necessary to pause so you can distinguish between the true intuitive calm and the loud, reactive fear. And I really do think that some of the reasons why so many of us have a hard time listening to our intuition, aside from what society's pressures are, is that the fear voice is so loud because we spent so much time listening to it, we have had way more experience Listening to the fear instead of listening to our intuition, and that that may be because just of the life that you've had prior to this. And I need you to give yourself kindness and grace, and I need you to consider getting help around that, some professional help. If journaling for you like, I've journaled all this. Lesley, this is stupid, great, then you might need some help. And if you I've had help, get different help, right? Because I can say confidently that at the times I've listened to my intuition, they've always led me, yes with obstacles, yes with some pain, yes with some frustration, but they've always led me further along and closer to the person I want to be. And I can connect the dots looking back, but I can definitely could not connect the dots when I was in it. There was no logical pattern for how he's gonna get from a point A to point B. Lesley Logan 19:44  This house that we're in, I told people I wanted to move by June 1st. I was like, oh, I live there on June 1st. And they're like, you can't buy a house in nine days. There's always 30 days of extra. Watch me do it. We found a person who wanted to rent to own. Guess what? Move in nine days. Bought the house on our contract to deed, and we did it, you know. And there were so many times when logic was going to say, that's not gonna work out. I just kept trusting, like, what feels right? When I walked in this house, I was like, I don't use any other houses. This is the house. They said. The rooms are exactly where I want them to be. Is it perfect? The outlets are fucking crooked. No, I gotta fix those. But I think that's where using your gut instinct to get yourself like when you trust it, when you can hear it, when you've got that muscle, it really helps you not focus on what logic is saying. Because if I'd focus on logic, then I would have waited probably a couple more months. Maybe we'd more taxes. Then it had been too expensive. We might have moved to Vegas. We wouldn't be able to we wouldn't, we would not be in our neighborhood. I can tell you that right now, and been priced out. We've been in a different neighborhood and have an office somewhere. Lesley Logan 20:48  So I'll just say, maybe the last thing to say is this, be mindful of whose opinions you listen to that let you let talk you in or out of what your gut instinct says. I have some people my life that when they disagree with me, I just lean heavier. I'm like, oh yeah, because you don't like this idea. I know it's a good one, but that might not be you. Maybe if someone says those things to you, you actually doubt yourself. And I would say they don't get to know the decisions that you're making, not until you get stronger at it. You're amazing. I hope that these two episodes on intuition are helpful. We have ina next week talking about listening to your body to heal yourself. And we're going to keep these amazing series going. If you have more topics, or you want me to dive in even deeper, you have a question, send it in, because that question could end up becoming a two episode series that we dive into and that could lead into a guess all that kind of stuff. Don't keep it to yourself. How can we help you be it till you see it if we don't know what you're trying to be it till right, all right. Thanks so much. And until next time, be it till you see it. Lesley Logan 21:49  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod. Brad Crowell 22:31  It's written, filmed and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan and me Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 22:36  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.coBrad Crowell 22:41  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi. Lesley Logan 22:48  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 22:51  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

A funny thing happened while we were reading the latest chapter of Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way. She actually had some good advice. That line about how making art is less about "thinking it up than getting it down" that's simple, but completely true. And her description of perfectionism as "an expensive illusion of safety" hit even harder. Unpacking that idea led us somewhere unexpected: why we cling to perfectionism even when we know it's killing our productivity, where jealousy fits in, and how jealousy might be at the root of the whole problem.Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.

Burnout seems like the biggest thing all of us have in common right now. It's hard NOT to get burnt out when the world is rife with injustice and horror and you're expected to carry on as normal. Here's the thing: you don't have to carry on as normal. But you do have to reach out and find joy – it's going to keep you alive. It's going to keep you going. It's going to remind you that you won't always feel like this. On today's episode, Nora talks to Elizabeth Kott, who inspired her to pick up The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron and “get unstuck.” Elizabeth is a founder of Club Artist's Way, where she leads people through a 13-week program to rekindle their creative spark, and host of the Too Niche podcast, where Nora first heard about The Artist's Way. If you're burnt out, stuck, and desperately searching for a way to claw your way out of the dark, this episode is for you. Read my original Substack about my experience with The Artist's Way here. Follow Club Artist's Way on Instagram and Substack Join Elizabeth's next Artist's Way Group here (code NORA50 gets you $50 off!). Listen to the Too Niche podcast here. My Brick code is NORA, and should auto-apply 10% off with this link.  Get a used copy of The Artist's Way from your thrift store, or here. You can get a new copy on Bookshop or Amazon.  Watch us on YouTube here! Get this episode ad-free here! Listen to Geoffrey's album on Spotify and Apple! You can buy Nora's books on Bookshop or Amazon, or wherever you buy books. Check out Nora's Instagram here! Check out Nora's TikTok here! Check out Nora's Facebook here! Check out Nora's LinkedIn here! Our Sponsors: ❤️ Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to ⁠Quince.com/TFA⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Go to ⁠Quince.com/TFA⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns. ⁠⁠Quince.com/TFA⁠⁠ ❤️ ⁠Shop Everyday Cotton, and all of my favorite bras and underwear, at SKIMS.com. After you place your order, be sure to let them know we sent you! Select "podcast" in the survey and be sure to select our show in the dropdown menu that follows.⁠ ❤️ Experience your juiciest and deepest sensual experience with a bottle of Foria. FORIA is offering a special deal for our listeners. Get 20% off your first order by visiting ⁠foriawellness.com/tfa⁠ OR use code TFA at checkout. That's F-O-R-I-A WELLNESS DOT COM FORWARD SLASH TFA for 20% off your first order. I recommend trying Awaken or their Pleasure Set with all three of their best sellers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can you supercharge your creativity in an age when AI is reshaping everything — including how we write, edit, and market our books? What does it look like to use AI as a genuine creative partner rather than a shortcut? And could professional speaking become an income stream that complements your writing career? With James Taylor. In the intro, Audible's new royalty model; New royalty model details [ACX; Kindlepreneur]; Public Speaking for Authors, Creatives and other Introverts; Why Indie Authors Should Ignore the Market's Mood and Focus on their Mission [Self-Publishing with ALLi]; Lichfield Cathedral; This podcast is sponsored by Kobo Writing Life, which helps authors self-publish and reach readers in global markets through the Kobo eco-system. You can also subscribe to the Kobo Writing Life podcast for interviews with successful indie authors. This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn James Taylor is a nonfiction author, professional speaker, podcaster, and entrepreneur who helps people unlock their creative potential. He hosts the SuperCreativity Podcast and his latest book is SuperCreativity: Augmenting Human Creativity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Show Notes How to define creativity and why it's becoming the most valuable skill in the age of AI The five stages of the creative process — and the stage most people skip Three types of creative purpose: play, self-expression, and legacy How James used multiple AI tools alongside human collaborators to write, edit, and market SuperCreativity Bulk book sales, industry-specific editions, and revenue models for nonfiction author-speakers Practical tips for authors who want to break into professional keynote speaking You can find James at JamesTaylor.me. Transcript of the interview with James Taylor Jo: James Taylor is a nonfiction author, professional speaker, podcaster, and entrepreneur who helps people unlock their creative potential. He hosts the SuperCreativity Podcast and his latest book is SuperCreativity: Augmenting Human Creativity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Welcome to the show, James. James: Well, thank you for having me as a guest. I'm looking forward to this conversation today. Jo: It's going to be really good. First up— Tell us a bit more about you and how you got into writing and publishing. James: Well, today I'm a professional keynote speaker, so I deliver about fifty to a hundred keynotes per year in twenty-five-plus countries. Primarily I speak on creativity, innovation, and artificial intelligence. Go back into my deepest, darkest history—I actually used to manage rock stars. That was my old job. I used to be in the music industry for many, many years. I worked with members of The Rolling Stones, and for our listeners in the UK, I managed bands like Deacon Blue. Then I went to the dark side. In 2010, I moved to California to work in Silicon Valley, to work in the world of tech. That got me involved in artificial intelligence. Right about 2017, I was speaking at an event in San Francisco and someone came up to me and said, “You realise you could probably speak for a living, you could do this for a living.” So I thought, well, how does that work? And he told me. Then I embarked on the career that I have today, which is primarily as a speaker, with writing now coming a bit more to the fore. Jo: Wow, I remember Deacon Blue. James: Yes. Jo: “Dignity.” That's crazy. Very, very cool backstory there, but we'll come back to the career side of things. Let's get into super creativity, because my listeners are certainly creatives. Most of the listeners will have a book either on the way or they might even have lots of books. So we all do want to be super creative. How do you define creativity, and why is it important to keep focusing on this even if we do identify that way? James: For me, creativity is about bringing new ideas to the mind. Innovation is about bringing new ideas to the world, but without creativity, there is no innovation. So creativity is really the engine of innovation. Whether that is designing new products, new services, or creating new works of art and new books. The reason that creativity is becoming more important is because of what we're seeing right now in terms of artificial intelligence. AI is going to replace a lot of the non-creative tasks that we currently do in our jobs. If you look at things like the World Economic Forum, there was recently a study with a thousand global business leaders, and work from companies like LinkedIn—they all highlight that creativity is going to be one of the foremost important soft skills for this new future. So creativity, strangely, will actually become more important, not less important, as we go ahead. That's the creativity side. Probably for many of the listeners here, they'll consider themselves to be creative. That is not the norm. As I mentioned, I speak in about twenty-five countries a year, and if I ask the audiences—primarily corporate audiences—to put their hands up if they consider themselves to be creative, only between ten to forty per cent of the audience will raise their hands. So part of my job is to show them why they are more creative than they think they are and why we're all born with this creative potential. Then moving into the super creativity side, it's really to show them how they can augment that creativity by collaborating more deeply with other people or machines—things like artificial intelligence. So SuperCreativity, the book that I've written and the speeches I give on it, is really about how we can augment our individual creativity by collaborating more deeply with other people or artificial intelligence. For me, that's been the thing I've been fascinated by for the past few years, and probably for many of our listeners who are now using AI in their writing, their researching, and their marketing of their books, they're probably getting into this space as well. I really wanted to dive into that—both the collaboration with other people and with machines and AI. Jo: In terms of the super creativity then, do you have any practices or ideas? Before we get into collaboration, many of us authors work alone—and of course we can come back to the AI stuff in a minute—but in terms of super creativity, are there ways that we can even supercharge what we do already? Then, of course there are people listening who might not feel creative. So give us a few tips on how we can potentially change our mindset or become even more creative. James: In the book I talk about what I call the eight Ps of super creativity, which are purpose, personality, practice, people, process, place, product, and persuasion. Persuasion is really the marketing piece at the end. Probably the one that could be most useful to many listeners today is the practice piece—the practice or the process side of things. For many of us, what that usually consists of is just having some type of daily creative practice. Different people do it in different ways. Many of your listeners will know the works of people like Julia Cameron—the morning pages style of having some type of daily practice. Other people do it in slightly different ways. The process bit is really interesting. I talk about this creative process that we all have, and I talk about these five stages of the creative process. The first stage, let's say if we're writing a book, is really that preparation stage. That is usually the stage where we are trying to absorb as much information as possible about the thing that we're going to be writing about. The topic, if it's nonfiction, or going to the places, visiting the scenes that we're going to set certain things within for the book. So that preparation stage is really about absorbing as much information as possible from the outside. It's not going to look very creative. We're just absorbing at that stage. Now the mistake that a lot of people tend to make is they immediately try to jump from that preparation stage to looking to generate ideas. But what all the studies show us is we should spend a little bit of time in what we call the incubation stage. This is where it's often very useful if we've done some research, that we put things to one side for a little while, maybe a few weeks, move on to another project, think about something completely different. Your brain will continue to work in the background. Your unconscious brain will work on that content you've been absorbing. Then what often happens as a result of that is we come to this third stage, which is that insight stage—that aha moment. That happens for various different reasons and you can seed that in slightly different ways so you're more likely to get inspiration in your day-to-day work. Then as we know—as you are a writer of many, many books—many people think, “Well, that's it. I've done it. The idea for that book or that chapter has come to me.” That is really just the first five per cent of the process. The next stage is where we look at all the different ideas we have and decide which ones we want to pursue, which ones are going to make the grade. This is what we call the evaluation stage. Once we've done that, we move to that final stage, which is the elaboration stage. If it's a startup, this is when you're building your minimum viable product. As a writer, this is where you're actually doing the work, putting those words out onto the page. It's a very iterative process, so it's not necessarily linear. You'll go back and forth. Even as you're getting input from readers and audiences in that last stage, that is then giving you the material to move back to the preparation stage and think, “Oh, I wonder if this next book in this series, maybe I go in a slightly different direction with this character.” So each of those different stages, you can do different things to increase your levels of creativity. Jo: I love all of that, but can we go back to purpose? Because you mentioned that as one of the Ps and I think this is something that a lot of us need. As we are recording this in April 2026, the world is an interesting place. There are lots of things going on that have people worried. Well, we are not talking about politics, but I think one of the things that people struggle with is, what's the point in writing this story, for example, or what's the point in trying to get my words out there when things are difficult? I feel like coming back to purpose is perhaps the thing that helps people even take it into the process as you were talking about. And then of course, just from a practical angle— Is purpose about making money or reaching people? So maybe you could talk about the purpose side of things. James: Yes. So I talk about three different purposes, and it's not that there's just one that predominates, but usually there's one that maybe predominates on different projects. The first one is creativity as play. It's what we're basically, as humans, hardwired to do—this instinctive joy that we get just for creating for its own sake. There's nothing that really sits beyond that. We just have fun. We find pleasure in creating something. That could be a musician creating a piece of music, a sculptor creating a sculpture, an entrepreneur creating a new business or product or service. There's just this sense of play. One of the things I talk about in the book is this idea of being childlike, not childish. If you look at children, you see this very instinctively. If you see a three-year-old or a five-year-old, you give them some crayons and they will just naturally create. That's part of who they are and it's pretty abstract. Then what happens is they go to school and they're taught useful conventions—”this is how you should do it.” You even see their work start to change. You start to see them move from abstract paintings to more formal structures. Then you get your peer group, then you go to college or university and the world of work, and you're taught all these useful conventions. That's fine, but as adults, it is our responsibility to become what we call post-conventional, where we see these conventions as a useful signpost but we're willing to challenge them. We're willing to have a playfulness in what we do. So the first one is just this hardwired thing—creativity as play. The second one, and this is maybe for a lot of your listeners the reason that they are writers, is self-expression. It's a way of placing something out into the world. I was actually just in France recently, and I was talking to a young visual artist, a painter from Hungary, and she had to go up and give a speech. She really hated doing it. She was having to talk about her work and she was really uncomfortable. I could see the discomfort and my heart went out for her, because that is not the way she primarily expresses herself. She expresses herself through her art form, which is painting. For many of us, we might struggle to get on a stage, but we can express ourselves in the written word. We have something we want to say, a position we want to have, and we want to express that and get that out into the world. The final one is just this idea of legacy. That is not going to be for everyone. I can tell you, for me personally, legacy is not the reason that I write and do a lot of the stuff that I do. Maybe that changes—maybe as we get a bit older, we want to leave a body of work. So those are the three main purposes that we tend to see. Then you mentioned the financial side of what we do as well. This starts to come into that self-expression, because we need to be able to get people to buy our books or download our books and read our books in order to give us the ability to write new works and create new things. The financial side is an important component of it, but it is not the only one. I think there's a great question any writer should ask themselves. One of the first questions that I asked myself as a relatively new nonfiction writer is: why am I writing this book? What is the purpose of this book? For me, primarily it is a form of self-expression, and then you have to go, “Well, that's fine, but I also need it to have some type of financial basis for it.” It doesn't need to be the main driver of my income, but I need to have some type of revenue model. I'm happy to talk about revenue models, because probably the type of revenue model that I have as a writer is going to be different from other listeners. I tend to focus more on bulk selling of books rather than individual selling of books. Jo: Yes, I definitely want to come back to revenue models and business, but a few other things first. I want to circle back to collaboration, because I've certainly co-written with some humans, and I know a lot of listeners either have co-written or collaborated with other humans—and some of it works and some of it doesn't. You have some great information on human-plus-human creativity and collaboration. So maybe you could give us some tips on how we can be more effective collaborators with other humans. James: So there's a whole section about this idea of creative pairs. Often if you look at great creative work or innovative companies, very often when you strip it all back, you'll find at the core lots and lots of creative pairings. That is usually two different but complementary personalities who are willing to develop and challenge and improve each other's ideas. We think of Jobs and Wozniak in the world of business, or Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger. For authors, often that relationship is the work with their editor. There was a documentary I saw—I think it was a New Yorker documentary that came out a while ago—talking with a writer of history books about his relationship with his editor. It was a really beautiful relationship. These were two very different personalities, but what worked was the fact that they were different. A core component of having these creative pairings is a sense of trust—or what some people today would call psychological safety—that you are willing to challenge someone's ideas, but in a space of trust. The Germans have a great phrase for it. In English it translates as “someone to steal horses with,” which I love. Hopefully our listeners have that person where you can go to them and say, “I had this idea for a book or a chapter or a character,” and that person is a “yes, and.” Like, “Yes, and have you thought about doing it this way?” or “What would happen if you did this?” They stress test your ideas. They make your ideas better. For many of us, maybe it's our husbands or wives, our partners. Some of us are lucky enough to have editors. When I started rewriting this latest book, I actually had someone like that—a human, not an AI—that I worked with, especially on taking all these random thoughts and ideas I've been expressing in keynotes and putting them into more of a book form. The format and the structures that we use for telling stories in a speech are quite different from the structure that we would use for a nonfiction book. I didn't have as much experience there, so I wanted someone who could say, “Have you thought about structuring it this way?” or “This is a great story arc you might want to think about.” So I don't know, for you, who is your creative pairing? Who is your “someone to steal horses with”? Jo: Well, it's funny. I really think since the arrival of Claude Opus 4.6, it is absolutely Claude. James: Yes, yes. Jo: All the way. I mean, so we could come onto that next in terms of how AI has changed, because I do still work with a professional editor for both fiction and nonfiction, but it is very much in the “make my finished work better” stage. It is not in the exploratory phase. I find particularly the latest reasoning models to just be fantastic at this. And my Claude is not sycophantic. The Opus 4.6—I'm sure you've been using it too—it just doesn't behave in the way that a lot of people think these AIs did. They did behave like that, and now it's changed. So let's talk about that. What are your thoughts on collaborating more effectively with AI tools, especially as they become more and more powerful? As we record this, Claude Mythos has not come out, but it's certainly rumoured to arrive. I'm pretty excited. James: So because I've been doing this AI thing for a little while, it's given me the ability to experiment with things—the early versions of what many people are using today. I'll give you an example. Even before I started writing the book, I decided to write a book proposal. Even though I could pretty much sense I wanted to independently publish this book through my own publishing company, I thought it's a good practice to put it down into a proposal form, even though I don't go to a traditional publisher or a hybrid publisher. One of the things I did within that was get a sense of who my ideal readers are. I used a very early version—this was a few years ago—of an IBM AI tool, creating what we call a psychometric map of my ideal reader. This basically tells me, over about seventy-two different factors, how this person thinks, how they feel, what their value system is, very broadly for my ideal reader. I pulled in different sources. I knew the kind of magazines and books they were reading and what their general worldview was. So I created this—going one step beyond just creating your ideal reader to really understanding their psychometrics. I do this in my keynotes too. Before I ever give a keynote or an important pitch or a presentation, I use AI to analyse the psychometrics of the audience I'm going to be speaking to. This might tell me, for example, this audience values humour a little bit more, or this audience values a bit more practicality so they want actionable next steps, or this audience is going to be a little bit authority-challenging so they're going to push back. So even in those very early stages, just starting to think about the book—who was I writing this book for, what was the purpose of the book—I was using AI to understand the psychometrics of my absolutely perfect, ideal reader. I gave her a name. It was a female reader. There was someone similar to her that I already knew. Probably for some of your listeners, they do this instinctively anyway. They maybe have a person or a few different people they think of in their head. Then from that stage, because I've been delivering lots and lots of keynotes—and this may be an important distinction in the way that I have decided to write books as opposed to how other people write books—my family were all jazz musicians. The difference between a rock musician or a pop musician and a jazz musician is this: a rock or pop musician will go into the studio, create this opus, this work, and then tour that for the next two years. A jazz musician, on the other hand, goes out and performs the songs and the things from the album that they're eventually going to create hundreds of times, thousands of times, to find out what works with audiences, and then they go into the studio and record the stuff that works best. So I created a book more like a jazz musician. I'd delivered keynote versions of the book hundreds of times before I ever decided to actually write the book. So it had been stress-tested with real people to a certain extent. Then, getting into it, I thought—well, what works as a keynote is not necessarily going to work as a structure for a book. So what I did was start using ChatGPT models at that point to think about the structural edit of the book. What was the structure going to be? What was great is you can basically feed it every single keynote you've given over the years, all the notes, everything you've done, and it could start to give me something to riff with and really get into thinking about how I was going to create this. I was using it a little like that creative pairing we spoke about earlier. Then once I'd done that—so I've now got an idea of a structural edit essentially—I then go back and speak to some humans about it. “What do you think about this?” “What do you think about that?” And try some things out over dinner conversations. “I'm thinking about doing this—what do you think?” Then once I did that, I just did the thing that I really didn't want to do, but I guess you absolutely have to do: sit in a seat for multiple weeks and just get that crappy first draft done. That was just me writing, from my voice, in my way of doing things. Every so often I would use an AI to research a particular thing, but I didn't want to slow down the pace too much. I was focused on getting that word count done. Once I had the first draft, I then brought the AI back in. In this case, I was still using OpenAI at this stage, to act more like an editor. To tell me what was weak about the book. At this point I was starting to give it the overall framing. What was weak, what chapters needed to be improved. I then went back, started reworking each of the chapters, and worked chapter by chapter using that AI as a sparring partner. But once again, the AI is not really writing my words for me. It's maybe saying, “This part could be said better. You might want to think about doing it this way,” or “You are missing a really powerful case study or example here,” or at the very end of each chapter, I have actionable next steps, and “You're missing some things here.” So I've gone through that entire process of writing, and now I'm essentially at the second draft. At this point, what I'm doing is using another AI tool—Claude, in this case—to have a different perspective on it. I gave it the work. I mentioned a couple of editors that I really respect and different writers I respect and said, “I'm going to create a virtual beta readers group. Give me feedback on this now.” For someone that's listening to this, and we're recording this in April 2026, here's some good news for you. There are now a bunch of tools out there that use AI swarms, as we call them. You can basically feed it your book and it will create synthetic readers—thousands and thousands of synthetic readers that read your kind of style of book—and it will then give you feedback from these synthetic readers. Essentially, I was just doing an early version of that. So I got the feedback from the synthetic readers, the AI readers, and then reworked a little bit. Some of the stuff I just decided not to do because it didn't align with what I was trying to say in the book. Then the next stage was I had a beta reader group of about thirty human beta readers—my ideal readers. I sent the book to them, they gave me feedback. I then used AI to give me an overview report of all their feedback, and then I was able to go back into reworking the book. That's still really just draft three of the book, not the final book at this stage. But just to give everyone a sense of opening up the process: you could see how the human and machine were working together. Jo: Yes, I love that. I also often say to people who are speakers first that you can, if you have recordings of your talks or if you use your slide decks to record them as MP3s and then just use that transcript as the basis of a draft. Obviously it's not the book or a chapter, but it can actually preserve your voice—your speaking voice—which I think can be really effective for speakers. I like your multi-step process there. And then of course, if you have audience avatars in AI, that can help you design your book marketing. So take this into book marketing and how you're doing that. James: So I still decided to go old school with a human editor—a book editor that someone had recommended to me. I used that human book editor just to go through the book. At that point we're talking about style, some stylistic things that we wanted to do, and they can pick up other things as well. So I've got that book, and then I'm obviously starting to use AI to understand what tags, what kind of copy do I want to have in terms of putting it onto Amazon, putting it onto IngramSpark, and all these other platforms I want to put it out into. I'm using Claude here in particular—and with Claude, you have something called Cowork. It wasn't quite fully happening at that point, but there were early versions of it and Claude Code—to almost start working with and creating a virtual marketing team. I give it the book and then they could start thinking about: what is the marketing strategy for this book? What does the campaign look like? What are the things that we need to do? That was then starting to break it down. We're now three months out or so before the book is due to get released, and I'm starting to deploy that particular campaign. So for example, I'm on a podcast right now, and we try different versions. We have a human going out and reaching out to potential shows for me to be a guest on, but I also have an agent. There's also one going out and finding and researching podcasts and reaching out to those podcast hosts to have me as a potential guest. So they're doing some of the tactical work there at the same time. One mistake I made—and I don't know if you've experienced this as well—if I was to go back, one thing I would do differently is this: I decided to record the audiobook version after the physical book was already committed and ready to go out. Jo: Mm-hmm. James: And I noticed so many small errors or things I would change after having spent two days in a studio recording the voice for the entire book—changes I would have made. This is something other people did ask me: why are you not using ElevenLabs or an AI clone of your voice to read the script? There are some things I feel quite personal about, and my voice is one of those things. As a professional keynote speaker, I decided I wanted to keep that and have it in there. So it's going to be different for everyone which things they decide to offload to AI, which things they decide to give to a human member of their team, and what they decide to keep to themselves. Jo: Yes, I mean, I human-record my nonfiction, but I have an AI voice clone with ElevenLabs for my fiction now. But obviously, for people listening, you can't put an ElevenLabs voice-cloned audiobook on Audible, and a lot of your sales will be on Audible, especially for a book like this. So I think that's also important. I agree with you on doing the audio edit. There's always things you want to change. But as you mentioned, you're self-publishing this, so you can just go in and change your files. James: Yes, and that was the other reason, and this was part of the marketing—now we're moving into the marketing and the business model behind the book. For me, the book doesn't have to be a financial driver in its own sense. The way that I sell books, and usually people like myself—professional speakers—is we bulk sell books to our clients. Let's say I'm speaking at four different events this month. Each has about a thousand people at them. Those organisers will buy, say, a thousand copies of the book. So at the end of that month, you might have sold four thousand copies—not individual copies. Anything that sells on Amazon or in other places is almost like a positioning piece. Obviously you want people to buy the book and learn things from the book, but in terms of the distribution model, it's slightly different because I'm primarily selling through bulk sales. Now, here's a little twist you can do on this, and this is a decision I made even before we released this version of the book. I speak to lots of different industries. There was a speaker and author—I've forgotten his name now, I think he was from Florida—and what he decided to do was to write a slightly different version of his main book every year, but for a different industry. So what this allows him to do is, let's say in my case, I'm doing a version of the SuperCreativity book just for legal professionals because I speak to a lot of law firms and legal groups. I've already started working on a version of the book which is a little bit more attuned to that audience. As a speaker, it allows me to go to all these law firms and legal associations and bar associations and say, “Hey, I've just written the book on creativity and artificial intelligence for the legal industry.” That makes you a very bookable proposition for a client. And then obviously you can sell books from that as well. And that's before we get into the foreign language versions. That's just a model that happens to work pretty well for my part of the industry, but obviously it's going to be very different for other types of authors. Jo: No, I think that's great. For nonfiction authors, as you say, there are different revenue models. Your income, I guess, would be what, eighty, ninety per cent speaking revenue? Or do you have other things as well? James: Yes, primarily it's the keynote speaking, and anything that comes from the back of that. Sometimes it's boardroom advisory work that I do as well. But primarily it's the speaking side. So really the book is just the simplest form to get my ideas out and the most affordable form. Jo: Mm-hmm. James: Because the other thing is, you want as many people getting your ideas as possible, and there is no better, more affordable way of getting someone's ideas out there than in the form of a book. I think it's just the most unbelievable transmitter of knowledge—a book. That's why I love to write the book as well. A lot of my friends say, “Listen, books are old hat. You don't need to do a book any more. You can do these other things, other forms, online courses.” I've done lots of online courses in the past and membership sites and all those things, but there's just something that is great about a book—to be able to summarise your ideas at a particular point in time. It's also a great transmitter of value to other people. And it is affordable. Any book, someone can download a book on Audible or wherever they want—that's just an affordable way of absorbing that content. Jo: Yes. Well, of course we are all fans of books here. I do speak—I don't tend to do keynote speaking. I do more content speaking at conferences. For people listening, keynote speaking is where you tend to get the higher revenue. So if people listening have books already—let's say they have nonfiction books or even fiction books that could be turned somehow into different topics—if people want to get booked for speaking gigs, preferably ones that pay— How would you recommend authors think about moving into speaking if that's something they want to do? James: So obviously it's much easier for nonfiction authors to do that. I mean, I'll give you an example. I was speaking at an event last week in New York for L'Oréal, the hair care and cosmetics company. They had six different speakers. One of them was a speaker on macroeconomics and geopolitics. Another was an expert on communications. Another was an expert on AI. Another was an expert on storytelling. So you have to think: does my topic have value for that type of audience—that corporate audience? An easy way of finding that is if you just go onto any of the speaker bureau websites, type in “speaker bureaus,” look for the speaker bureaus, and then type in your topic area—emotional intelligence or whatever the topic area is—and look at the other speakers. See if there is obviously a number of speakers talking on this area. Importantly, look at how busy they are and look at their fee levels as well. I did an online summit a few years ago called the International Speakers Summit, where I interviewed a hundred and fifty of the world's best professional keynote speakers. I interviewed Sally Hogshead, who's an author and a speaker, and she said to me, “James, you're going out speaking about creativity, but if you just twisted it a little bit and spoke more in terms of innovation rather than creativity, you would earn an extra five thousand dollars per keynote.” So creativity and innovation—an extra five thousand dollars. That's just a simple thing that, as you get to understand the industry, you learn. Then once you do that, it's like any business—you have to treat it like a business, obviously. What makes someone a great storyteller on stages is not the same as what makes a great storyteller on the written word. So depending on where you're at, you might need certain training and skills development. If you are listening to this from America, there are things like the National Speakers Association, the NSA. If you're living in the UK, the Professional Speakers Association. These are great ways just to develop your skill set and learn from other professional speakers. Here's the good news, I didn't know anything about professional speaking until 2017–18, and it was only from having a conversation with someone who said, “Listen, you have some original thoughts. You can get paid to speak about this on stage.” Then I spent the next year really researching and understanding and looking at how to do it and creating a minimum viable product—a speech—that was a very short period of time, a year. Most of the listeners here have gone through that process of writing a book, which takes many, many months. So you have the stamina to do this type of work. You just need to find out where you fit. I thought I was going to be a speaker in marketing. I thought that was going to be my thing. And it turns out that's not what the market wanted from me. They wanted me to talk about creativity and artificial intelligence. So you have to listen to the market, like you have to listen to your readers. Jo: Yes, I think that's really interesting. I was also a member of the PSA here, and I learned in Australia with the NSAA as it was. James: Yes. Jo: And that thing about who you speak to—I mainly speak to author conferences, who, I just want to be frank, don't pay very well, if at all. So exactly what you said there— If you want to be a highly paid speaker, you have to pick the audience who's going to pay, as well as a topic that works with them. It is a very different thing to writing a book, I think. James: It is a different model. This is what was interesting when I interviewed those hundred and fifty professional speakers—the thing that came back loud and clear is there is a model to suit everyone. Jo: Mm. James: So the model that works for me—getting paid high fees to go and travel around the world, speaking on stages to primarily corporate audiences—that is not the only model. There is another model, which is called the “sell from the stage” model, where you maybe don't get paid anything to go and speak on the stage, or very little, but what you're doing is you're selling your consulting, your online course, your books, your other products from the back of the stage. That's another model as well. I have friends who have young families and they are writers and they don't want to schlep on planes like I do. I know one speaker in particular who never leaves his own city. He is a very successful professional speaker. He happens to live in Orlando, Florida, which is one of the busiest cities for conferences. So literally, he's home with his kids every night. He gets to do all this cool stuff he wants. He never has to step on a plane if he doesn't want to. That just shows you the range. I remember I once interviewed a person whose title was a Buddhist monk, French speaker, and author. He figured out he could live very affordably by living in Thailand. So he lives in Thailand for part of the year and he's very into meditation, mindfulness, yoga, and writing. He figured out he only had to give two keynotes per year to pay for his entire lifestyle. That was it. So that gives him a lot of freedom. He does those two corporate keynotes a year and for the rest of the year he's doing his yoga, his meditation, his writing, and surfboarding, whatever he's into as well. So you can see there's a whole range of different ways you can design that life. Jo: Yes, we talk a lot about definition of success and it's great to hear those different examples. So before we finish up, I just want to come back to your journey into the writing side, into books and self-publishing. We all understand, me and the listeners, how hard it is to write a book and also to market a book, but we've got the bug. So we wonder: how much have you got the bug? Do you plan on doing more writing, more books, or do you still want to lean more heavily into speaking? James: Primarily the income for me will still come from speaking. I remember listening to Elizabeth Gilbert once when she talked about her writing. She said she always wanted to have other things, so she never had to push onto her writing that it had to be the income stream for her. If it was successful, great, that's fantastic. So I have a little bit of a similar view to that. In terms of my own writing, I've got about five different nonfiction book ideas I'm now looking at. Some of them relate to speeches that I already do. Some don't. I'm looking at different versions of the SuperCreativity book, so there'll be other versions coming out—different industries, different languages. That gives you a few years of work. The other side that I want to develop is the fiction writing side. I'm already starting to work on a fiction book at the moment—a little bit like this idea of one for them, one for me. Jo: Mm-hmm. James: So one for them is for the corporate audience, that world that I live in, and the other one is for me, for my own creativity. My hope—and I don't know, maybe we need to speak in a year's time when I've written and published it—is that by doing the fiction side, it will make me a better storyteller on stages as well for my corporate audience. It will help me understand story arcs, slightly different ways of expressing stories, building emotion, building the anti-hero characters within a book, for example. So I'm hoping that they both feed off each other. But we will see. Jo: Yes, we will. All the best with that. So where can people find you and your books and everything you do online? James: The easiest place to go is JamesTaylor.me, and you can find the book, which is called SuperCreativity, there. Or just go to wherever you buy your books—your local independent bookstore—and get a copy of SuperCreativity. The audiobook may already be out by the time you're listening to this as well. If you want to learn a little bit more, we also have a podcast called the SuperCreativity Podcast, where I interview lots of wonderful guests talking about this area of super creativity. Jo: Well, thanks so much for your time, James. That was brilliant. James: Thank you, Joanna. Thanks for having me as a guest on the show.The post SuperCreativity And KeyNote Speaking With A Non-Fiction Book With James Taylor first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Join co-host fritz (any pronouns) along their journey with Julia Cameron's multi-million copy worldwide bestseller "⁠The Artist's Way.⁠"Our final episode of this series covering Weeks 10-12 will be published on Wednesday, May 27th! Queer Retrograde is a Cazimi Collective podcast co-hosted by hobbes baya and fritz barbee. Cazimi Collective is an arts, farm and rest retreat for exceptional, but strategically under-resourced communities. ⁠Learn more about Cazimi Collective⁠ at cazimicollective.com.Support QR and Cazimi by joining our patreon at patreon.com/queerretrograde.Thank you so much for listening :) Please rate, review and subscribe to Queer Retrograde (we are on YouTube now)!cover art: Rachel Abe, ⁠@rayrayrugs⁠jingle: Ty Sorrell, ⁠@Ty_Sorrell

In today's episode, I am telling you about my experiences with the book „The Artist's Way“ by Julia Cameron, which is a course meant to guide you to higher creativity in a spiritual way. I hope you enjoy this. Next week, the salt will kick in more, I promise.

Can you make money from your creativity? Of course. But does capitalism get in the way of your creativity? Also, I will argue, yes. On today’s episode I take up a conversation that has been going on for centuries: a conversation about the tension between art and commerce. Or as I will call it: creativity and capitalism. Except this time I take the conversation beyond how to create a beautiful thing detached from revenue to discuss how to live a life from a place of utter truth and authenticity, which is the ultimate pillar of creativity. In a world obsessed with the bottom line, this isn’t easy but it’s more important than ever. Link to Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way HERE! Send Ally an email: mystory@writeyourstory.com Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vi è mai capitato di pensare a un progetto e ripensarci e pensare a come farlo e perderci giornate settimane e mesi solo pensandoci?Oggi ascoltiamo che ne pensa Julia Cameron, leggendo il suo “La via dell'artista”, edizioni Longanesi.Se ti piace questo podcast, parlane con qualcuno a cui possa interessare.Ti auguro una buona giornata.A presto! Alessandro#ilmondoinvisibilepodcast #respiropodcast #arte #creatività #ispirazione #podcastitaliani #respiro 

What if the biggest thing holding you back is waiting for someone else to say yes? In this powerful solo episode, Lesley Logan continues her permission series and unpacks why so many people second-guess their desires, choices, and next moves. She shares how childhood conditioning, perfectionism, and the need for approval keep people stuck far longer than they realize. From Brené Brown permission slips to boundaries, intuition, and radical responsibility, Lesley offers practical ways to trust in your own intuition. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:Why asking permission becomes a hidden habit.Lesley's Pilates journey challenged needing approval.How Brené Brown uses written permission slips.Difference between seeking feedback versus validation.Recognize that personal growth involves change.Episode References/Links:The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron - https://a.co/d/02rkqdgrDare to Lead By Brené Brown - https://a.co/d/04SQU1mLEp. 15 with Erika Quest - https://beitpod.com/ep15Ep. 319 with Nikole Mitchell - https://beitpod.com/ep319Ep. 400 Gay Hendricks - https://beitpod.com/ep400Habit Series - https://lesleylogan.co/?s=habitReal Brave & Unstoppable - https://beitpod.com/source1The Art of Giving Yourself Permission - https://beitpod.com/source26 Ways to Give Yourself Permission - https://beitpod.com/source3Submit your wins or questions - https://beitpod.com/questions If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Lesley Logan 0:00  According to wonder within the path to permission is not an easy one. It's rocky, complicated and cold, and can even be confusing because we have to unlearn and untangle. Lesley Logan 0:10  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started. Lesley Logan 0:52  Hello, be it, babe. Well, welcome back to our series on permission. On our Tuesday episode. If you missed it, we were talking about like, what is asking for permission? Look like, where does it come from? Why do we do this? I shared some stories. Some of you had sent me some great stories of your own. I love that you're loving that I'm doing this solo episode on this. And please keep sending your questions in your topic requests in, be it pod.com/questions you can also send your wins in there as well. Maybe you have a win that you stopped asking for permission. I'd love to know that. But be it pod.com/questions, is where you can send in all those things. I'm hopeful to have some more different topics. We could do a couple episodes on, just to kind of go deeper on some of these things. I'm hearing our amazing guests give us, BE IT action items on they're like, don't ask permission. Just do it. It's like, well, what the fuck did like you mean, just do it easy. Easy for them to say they weren't raised to put other people's needs before their own. They weren't raised to go, like, to not seek approval from others. They weren't raised to not like, look crazy, right? So they aren't constantly hearing just different things, where people go, oh, you believe she did that? She's so greedy. I mean, they gave, they've they gave the team a locker room on Tuesdays and Thursdays now, they went on Saturdays too? Like, those are things we pick up when we're children and teenagers and young adults. We pick up on these things where people are saying things mostly about women, about when they step outside those traditional roles when they do something against the grain. And I'm not saying you have to go be against the grain. What I am saying is you can't be it till you see it. If you're waiting for someone else's permission to start being it, you have to give it to yourself. But how do we do that? So let me go to my notes, and in my research, I have sources, so we put those in the show notes as well. There's some really great reading in Psychology Today and all these different things, so it's pretty great. Lesley Logan 2:44  Okay, so now we know we are often conditioned to ask for permission, and in the last episode, I do want to highlight, we did talk about the permission gap. We also talked about the signs to close it. So the gap is basically the gap between, like, what we want and what we think people's needs are, and then putting their needs in front of our own. And so we're kind of all and so we're kind of always in the negative for what we need, and then we're asking for permission to give ourselves what those needs are. So, according to Wonder Within, the path to permission is not an easy one. It's rocky, complicated and cold, and can even be confusing because we have to unlearn and untangle. So on Tuesday, I challenged you, I gave you a bunch of different signs, feelings, examples of like, what like, what permission looks like, asking permission looks like. And so hopefully able to explore that and now means we have to unlearn and untangle. If you listen to the series that came out starting in December of 2025 we did a whole habit series we talked about in one of the episodes, all about unraveling a bad habit, and that is in air quotes, and it's really, truly unraveling. It's not breaking it. I was very specific on that, because we do have to unravel. We have to understand, like, what's the prompt? And I will say this unraveling, untangling the habit of asking for permission is advanced habit making, because you have to be aware of yourself asking for permission. It's not the same as I want to build a habit of running around the block in the morning that is very tangible. It's easier for your brain to go, oh, I went around the block this morning, versus catching yourself asking for permission or filling the need to ask for permission, because that's a psychological habit, and you'll have to have that self awareness. So I just want to say it might take longer than you think, okay, but definitely check out that episode. So permission to become to be till you see, it might be the biggest work that we have to do. That's what I believe. After doing all this research, I'm like, oh my God, I feel like I need a permission slip expert. It may include working with a trauma informed therapist, a somatic worker. So even with all the suggestions that I'm about to give you, I want you to understand that if you need extra support, that is okay, okay. It is really, really okay. And I need you to know that it's okay and you're not asking for permission when you hire an expert in trauma or like somatic work or therapy or any kind because. That's actually saying, hi, I need help. That's not you asking for permission, right? Lesley Logan 5:04  Hey, so I told you in the last episode about when I wanted to I thought about becoming a Pilates instructor. Like, I was like, I had this thing, this thought, and I recognize now that I was kind of asking for permission to belong, for permission to fit into the Pilates role. Because, to be honest, at the time, there was not Pilates instructors who did not discover Pilates from dancing. So that felt so weird. Also, I knew I couldn't afford the comprehensive training, so I was gonna start the mat training then save up my money for comprehensive training, which I did a year later. And I remember thinking like, Oh, my God, maybe I can't do it because, like, I can't do the whole thing at the same time. And so I do recall asking for permission, right? I remember being in vintage and basically just saying, Well, tell me what to do. I'll just do whatever you want me to do, which is just me asking for permission so that I can do be the thing that belongs. Because we all want to belong. Sometimes we're just like, hey, just how do I be perfect so I can not get kicked out of this group because we just want to belong. But really, and what they challenged me with is like, Oh no, we're not going to tell you what to do. You're going to figure you've got to feel what you need to do. It's got to be intuitive. It's got to be something that you understand for your body. And oh, my god, that is permission from them to be in my body, which is not something any teacher had given me. All the teachers before had been like, do it like this. You do it like this. And just telling me what to do, and that was kind of my whole life, right, covering perfectious over achiever, lots of people telling me the right thing to do, and just following the checklist and following the path. And so I had a whole adult life. Thank God for Pilates and the curiosity that gave me start going, oh, look at me. Like not checking a box here with a smile on my face. So think about one thing that you have been wanting could be as small as a food craving for today's lunch, or as big as an idea you want to take action on. So you're thinking about it. Got it in your head, what is keeping you from taking the next step?Lesley Logan 6:57  How much permission do you feel you have or don't have. Who decides how much permission you do or don't have? Is it possible that they are irrelevant? In my case, the people that I thought I needed permission from was the world of Pilates, they didn't even know me. They're so irrelevant. They didn't even know me, right? I was giving so much power to a bunch of people I didn't even know existed. So can you give yourself permission? Take a deep breath, right? A deep breath, if you've listened to episode 400 about upper limiting sometimes we get outside of our comfort zone, and then wild things come through worry. Do you feel some worry right now? Worry is a sign of upper limiting to pull you back into your comfort zone, right? Self-deprecating can be so I'll just want to, like go through those questions one more time. So what's something you want to be taking action on or wanting or desiring, no matter how small it is. Okay? So what's keeping you from taking that step or trying that thing or ordering that thing? How much permission do you feel you need you have or don't have for that who decides how much permission you do or don't have, and is it possible that they are relevant. Can you give yourself permission? So Brené Brown gives herself permission slips. It's actually in her book, dare to lead. She said, I give myself permission slips. And they say, I give myself permission to blank. So to make mistakes, to rest. I love this. I think this is a really great way to close that gap and to get rid of the habit of asking for permission is just to give, like literally write yourself permission slips. So if you remember my dear friend Nikole, whose last name is escaping me, sorry, team, she said two episodes, oh my god. Why is it not coming up anyway? So she talked about, in the first episode about all the different post it notes that she put around her house affirmations, and then she'd take them down because people are coming over, because she didn't want any single person to be able to give her any nagging thing that would remove the permission she'd given herself. So maybe you need to put little permission slips everywhere. I give myself permission to try a new outfit today. I give myself permission to make a mistake. I give myself permission to go a different route. I would give myself permission to ask that person for that thing. I give myself permission to rest. I give myself permission to turn off my phone. I give myself permission to not respond. Lesley Logan 9:31  So use clear and powerful language to empower yourself. That's really, really important. Affirmations are really helpful. So this one will start kind of the same way. I give myself permission to be successful. I give myself permission to be authentic. I give myself permission to pursue my dreams, right? So affirmations can also be helpful in also going with what Brené Brown's mission slips are. You can do a meditation. So this meditation is really easy one. You can take your hands, put them on your heart, close your eyes and say, I've got this or you've got this beautiful right, hands on the heart, eyes closed, you've got this beautiful. It's one of Fridays. The episodes I give you as an affirmation, I say it three times. I'm hoping you're saying it out loud with me. I'm giving you a second to do that. I want you to give yourself permission to have that affirmation to be it till you see it. And of course, journaling. Journaling is always a great thing. Look like you'd be surprised what comes out of your head when you journal. I like free writing. If you haven't done the book The Artist's Way, it's 12 weeks of journaling prompts and really will help you peel back the onion of why you're asking for permission in the first place, especially if you go into the book with that in mind, you're going to start to like, answer those questions with those thoughts, and it's going to give you a whole host of information. It's such a great thing to do. You can do it annually. You can do it more often than once, but it's really, really great. I highly recommend it. Lesley Logan 10:59  Okay, so tips for cultivating self-permission. So here's some other tips and tools you can use. So accept 100% responsibility. This is very difficult for some people, because that means responsibility for your own mistakes as well, but acknowledge that you are responsible for your own life, actions and responses. This shifts you from a victim mindset to one of empowerment, removing the blame, shame and guilt game. So what happens when you accept responsibility? It means you cannot you're not asking for cannot. You're not asking permission for people. It also means you can't say, oh, my kids wouldn't let me do Pilates today. Gotta accept 100 responsibility, right, radical responsibility,Lesley Logan 11:31  Another thing. Let go of the need for external approval. Recognize that relying on others for validation can prevent you from trusting your own judgment. I think that's really, really true. I got a medical diagnosis that isn't bad, don't freak out, but it's, it's not great either. And I'm a verbal processor, so I I like to talk about it to kind of, like, understand how I'm feeling, and it's interesting. Like, what I talked about with, like, some people my wife, are like, well, whatever you need, you can recover here. You could do this thing. Brad's like, so you're thinking about doing this. Like, it wasn't, I wasn't asking for permission. I was just, like, talking about it, right? And then I had another friend I was sharing it with, and they were almost talking me out of the thing. I remember going, what the fuck, right? So it made me go, ugh, because I was a little annoyed that she wasn't like, like everybody else. But then I was like, Wait, why do I care what she thinks, right? So it's interesting thing. There's like, just start to recognize when you're relying on the validations of other people and that, and then their lack of validation that causes you to think differently. Now, by the way, it's okay that she has me think differently. It really made me go back and kind of research what she was saying and making sure that, like, I almost got more secure in my decision because of it. So it's also fine to talk things out, but just notice, or maybe what she said could have got me to go, oh, maybe I don't need to do that. Those are all fine things, but just it's a very different thing from getting feedback versus validation. There are two different things. Lesley Logan 12:51  Embrace imperfection and mistakes, so give yourself permission to be human, to be wrong and to learn from what doesn't work. Viewing failures as lessons, not torture, is crucial for growth, and I think this is really, really important. Really important in my journey of just like become a recovering perfectionist and overachiever, it's really helped me to not need permission, because I'm not trying to be perfect to the thing, and I'm allowing myself to learn and ask questions and be a human being who doesn't fail, but actually learns and then makes adjustments along the way. It's kind of like a route right when you're driving, and the map is like, go here. And then it's like, oh, we found a faster route. You didn't go, ugh, MapQuest. You're an asshole. You fucked up the last one. No, you just go, wow, thanks for getting better at what you do. You're just like, look at this app. So great. Like, we don't go, oh, my God, they got it wrong. No, we go, oh, they're like improving every time. Lesley Logan 13:44  Set boundaries. Is vital to give yourself permission to say no to things that don't serve you, even if it makes others uncomfortable, this protects your time and energy for what truly matters to you. Erika Quest, she's been on the pod, we were talking the other day about, like, when people invite us to different things, like, we ask ourselves, is this more, or is it better? But more? Is it better? And if it's just more, then it's probably no, it's better. Gonna make my impact better? Gonna make me a better person? Then, yeah, I'll look into it. Lesley Logan 14:10  Okay, listen to your own intuition. So reconnect with your inner voice and trust your gut feelings. The more you exercise permission muscle, the louder and clearer becomes. I am going to have a whole series on how to listen to your inner voice, so I'm not going to go deeper on that that will be coming up in a few weeks. Hey, be curious, not judgmental. So approach your feelings and experiences with curiosity rather than fear or judgment. Label your emotions to understand them better, which is a gateway to healing and growth. Lesley Logan 14:41  Prioritize self-care and rest. Oh, hi, hello. Give yourself permission to rest, to recharge and enjoy life without guilt. Integrating self-care rituals into your daily routine helps make it a habit. Listen to the habit series so you have even better chance of doing that. But my goodness, you've got to prioritize your self-care so you get rid of that permission gap. And it's not that I'm like, You're not going to help other people or you're not going to care about them. It's just that, like, you can't care about them before your own air mask is on first. Hello. Lesley Logan 15:07  Allow yourself to pivot. Recognize that personal growth involves change. Give yourself permission to change your mind, career or life direction if an old path no longer aligns with your evolving self. I mean, heck, you might have asked for permission to do something and someone talked you out of it, the thing you want to do, and now you're doing the thing that they gave you permission to do. So you're probably going to have to evolve, pivot, change things. And I would say, be nice to yourself. Have grace and space for recognizing that because, my goodness, everything you learn on that path is what's going to make you even better on the path that you're on now. So please be kind. Lesley Logan 15:38  Another way to give yourself permission is, what's the cost of your inaction? What is the cost of doing nothing? What is the cost of not doing the thing you want to do? I want to dive deeper into that, into next week's episode with Dr. Corey. So, definitely be watching out for that interview, because I promise you, it's going to be so good. But I was like, oh my God. Yes, and I'm so glad that we talked about that in her episode. And keep in mind, after years of second guessing, after years of asking permission, for permission, it can be hard to trust yourself and believe you've got this. Lesley Logan 16:10  So consider this permission to be you to be it till you see it. No one but you defines the scope of what's possible, and no one but you can dare to believe that you can be it till you see it. No one but you can define the scope of what's possible, and no one but you can dare to believe that you can be it till you see it. I promise you that you are amazing. You don't need my permission to be it till you see it, but you might need my reminder that you can. And I hope each and every week, you say that to yourself as well. All right, babe, until next time, be it till you see it. Lesley Logan 16:41  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod. Brad Crowell 17:24  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell. Lesley Logan 17:28  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co. Brad Crowell 17:33  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.  Lesley Logan 17:40  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals. Brad Crowell 17:45  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Join co-host fritz (any pronouns) along their journey with Julia Cameron's multi-million copy worldwide bestseller "⁠The Artist's Way.⁠"In week nine, we discussed tactics for combating fear to encourage the artist child within to blast through creative blocks, avoiding self-sabotage along the way. MYFEELIUM: https://myfeelium.co/?aff=35Portal access code: Opensesame20% OFF: CAZIMIQueer Retrograde is a Cazimi Collective podcast co-hosted by hobbes baya and fritz barbee. Cazimi Collective is an arts, farm and rest retreat for exceptional, but strategically under-resourced communities. ⁠Learn more about Cazimi Collective⁠ at cazimicollective.com.Support QR and Cazimi by joining our patreon at patreon.com/queerretrograde.Thank you so much for listening :) Please rate, review and subscribe to Queer Retrograde (we are on YouTube now)!cover art: Rachel Abe, ⁠@rayrayrugs⁠jingle: Ty Sorrell, ⁠@Ty_Sorrell

The starving artist isn't a cliché for nothing — we've long assumed that art requires sacrifice, usually financial. But according to Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way, a little pampering is actually good for the artist's soul. And while we won't disagree that small luxuries like fresh raspberries, high-grade butter, and the occasional thrift store impulse buy can warm the heart and bring some much-needed hope to your creative life, we do take issue with Cameron's breezy assumption that a benevolent Creator will simply buffer artists through life's financial ups and downs. Yes, there is definitely some ranting in today's episode — including why this advice hits a little differently in a post-internet world.Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.

La rabbia può essere canalizzata per essere trasformata in una forza positiva.Ne parla Julia Cameron in “La via dell'artista”, edizioni Longanesi.Se ti piace questo podcast, condividilo e parlane con qualcuno a cui possa interessare. Ti auguro una buona giornata e una buona settimana.A presto! Alessandro#ilmondoinvisibilepodcast #respiropodcast #arte #creatività #ispirazione #podcastitaliani #respiro  

Join co-host fritz (any pronouns) along their journey with Julia Cameron's multi-million copy worldwide bestseller "⁠The Artist's Way.⁠"How do we continue to survive as artists that are constantly facing rejection and loss? Week eight discussed how we grieve and continue onward (from the comfort of the hammock of course).MYFEELIUM: https://myfeelium.co/?aff=35Portal access code: Opensesame20% OFF: CAZIMIQueer Retrograde is a Cazimi Collective podcast co-hosted by hobbes baya and fritz barbee. Cazimi Collective is an arts, farm and rest retreat for exceptional, but strategically under-resourced communities. ⁠Learn more about Cazimi Collective⁠ at cazimicollective.com.Support QR and Cazimi by joining our patreon at patreon.com/queerretrograde.Thank you so much for listening :) Please rate, review and subscribe to Queer Retrograde (we are on YouTube now)!cover art: Rachel Abe, ⁠@rayrayrugs⁠jingle: Ty Sorrell, ⁠@Ty_Sorrell

If you've ever turned to creativity to make sense of loss, episode 422 of the Grief and Happiness podcast is for you. Author and grief specialist Laing F. Rikkers shares how losing her sister during the pandemic led her to a simple but powerful healing framework: walk it, talk it, write it. Through morning pages and botanical poetry, she transformed her grief into an award-winning book — and shows how even the most personal pain can carry something universal.In This Episode, You Will Learn:(00:53) Introducing Laing Rikkers and her book Morning Leaves(03:17) How losing her sister and the pandemic sparked a creative awakening(06:08) Poem reading: "Cactus" — on loneliness and self-protection(07:16) Why loneliness is the grief emotion nobody warns you about(07:58) Poem reading: "Lemon Tree" — on generosity and resilience(09:00) How nature became the language of her healing(13:42) Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way and the power of morning pages(16:27) Walk it, talk it, write it: a three-step framework for healing(17:41) How creativity switches off the inner critic and restores rest(25:19) Why natural sunlight is the most powerful antidepressant(26:17) How stargazing can restore your sense of meaning and purposeLaing F. Rikkers is a business advisor, executive coach, award-winning author, and certified Grief Support Specialist based in Southern California. After 30 years in corporate leadership — spanning human resources at Hess and Walt Disney, and two decades in private equity at HealthpointCapital — she channeled personal loss into a profound creative journey. Her book Morning Leaves: Cultivating a Life of Beauty, Meaning, and Joy, a collection of botanical poetry and original paintings born from grief, won multiple awards in its first edition and is now out in an expanded second edition featuring nearly 100 original paintings.In this episode, Laing shares how the sudden loss of her younger sister in 2019, compounded by pandemic isolation, became the catalyst for that awakening. Drawing on Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way, she began practicing morning pages, allowing grief, loneliness, and reflection to surface through writing — eventually shaping into botanical poems that use nature as metaphor for loss. She reads two of those poems and offers a simple framework for navigating grief: walk it, talk it, write it. She and Emily also explore how deeply personal writing can carry unexpected universality, with readers often finding their own stories reflected in Laing's words.Connect with Laing F. Rikkers:WebsiteInstagramSubstackLinkedInGet Laing F. Rikkers books!Let's Connect: WebsiteLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterPinterestThe Grief and Happiness AllianceBook: Emily Thiroux Threatt - Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join co-host fritz (any pronouns) along their journey with Julia Cameron's multi-million copy worldwide bestseller "⁠The Artist's Way.⁠"Week seven was jealousy, fear and risk oh my! MYFEELIUM: https://myfeelium.co/?aff=35Portal access code: Opensesame20% OFF: CAZIMIQueer Retrograde is a Cazimi Collective podcast co-hosted by hobbes baya and fritz barbee. Cazimi Collective is an arts, farm and rest retreat for exceptional, but strategically under-resourced communities. ⁠Learn more about Cazimi Collective⁠ at cazimicollective.com.Support QR and Cazimi by joining our patreon at patreon.com/queerretrograde.Thank you so much for listening :) Please rate, review and subscribe to Queer Retrograde (we are on YouTube now)!cover art: Rachel Abe, ⁠@rayrayrugs⁠jingle: Ty Sorrell, ⁠@Ty_Sorrell

Kitap kulübümüzün 63'üncü buluşmasında Julia Cameron'ın Sanatçının Yolu adlı kitabını konuştuk.1992'de yayımlanan ve dünya genelinde milyonlarca okura ulaşmış olan bu kitap, yaratıcılığı bir yetenek meselesi olarak değil, hepimizin içinde zaten var olan ama zamanla tıkanan bir güç olarak ele alıyor. Cameron, on iki haftalık yapılandırılmış bir program aracılığıyla okuyucuyu bu gücü yeniden keşfetmeye davet ediyor. Programın iki temel pratiği var: her sabah üç sayfa serbest yazı yazmak — "sabah sayfaları" — ve haftada bir kez kendinize yönelik küçük bir "sanatçı buluşması" düzenlemek.Bu kitap kulübümüzde yeni bir sayfa açtı. Sevgili Mürsel Çavuş'un tavsiyesi ve Sevgili Yasemin Karakaya'nın inisiyatifiyle kitabı yalnızca okumakla yetinmeyip, yaklaşık üç ay boyunca kitabın kendi önerdiği yapıyı izleyerek bir atölye çalışması yaptık. Bu nedenle tartışmamız hem kitap hem de bu deneyim üzerine şekillendi.der ya'da veya kitap kulübünde bunca yıldır birbirimizin gelişimine katkı sunmaya çalışıyoruz. Ama hiçbir dönemde bu kadar yoğun ve destekli bir süreç yaşamamıştık. Bu her ne kadar bireysel bir tecrübe de olsa, birbirimizden güç ve ilham aldığımız bir süreç oldu. Burada Yasemin'in yönlendirmeleri, değerlendirmeleri, büyük özveriyle 12 hafta boyunca Pazar günleri hem sabah hem akşam en az ikişer saatini ayırması, eşi Sezgin'in kurguladığı yapay zeka destekli platform eşsiz bir ortam sağladı.Grup, kitabı tek başına okumanın çok ötesinde bir şey yaşadığı konusunda büyük ölçüde hemfikirdi. Pek çok katılımcı daha önce bu kitabı almış, hatta okumaya başlamış; ama bırakmış. Atölye ortamı, yani birlikte yürünen bu yol, sürekliliği mümkün kılan şey oldu. Sabah sayfalarını düzenli tutmak tek başına zorken, grubun varlığı, kolaylaştırıcının rehberliği ve tabii dijital platform bu pratiği somut ve sürdürülebilir hale getirdi.Kitabın özünde ise bildiğimiz ama baş edemediğimiz iki temel kavram olduğunu söyleyebiliriz. İlki "erdem tuzağı" kavramı; yani toplumsal beklentilere göre şekillenmiş, içimizden gelmeyen davranışlarla örülü bir hayat sürmek, diğeri de öz şefkat meselesi. Kendimize, bir çocuğa göstereceğimiz nezaketi, anlayışı gösterememek; kendimizi sürekli acımasızca eleştirmek. Bunlara ek olarak platformdaki "gölge ayna" uygulaması da pek çok katılımcı için zorlu ama dönüştürücü bir yüzleşme aracı oldu.Atölyeye 130 kişi başlamıştı, herkes sürdüremedi haliyle ama bir arkadaşımız da “buna nasıl cesaret ettiniz” diye sordu. Ona çok güzel yanıtlar geldi. Bu düşüncelere de bir blok halinde yer verdim, özellikle harekete geçmeye veya içindeki yaratıcıyı aramaya veya yüzleşmeye tereddüt edenler için rehber niteliğinde, dinlemenizi tavsiye ederim.Bu bölümde bir çok arkadaşım söz alıp bizlere teşekkür ettiler ama pek azının özellikle kitap hakkındaki görüşlerine yer verebildim; sırasıyla: (03:24) Elif Ceylan, (04:53) Bengü İlhan, (05:59) Cem Serhat Musabeyoğlu, (07:25) Belgin Elmas, (10:42) Ahmet Bütüner, (12:50) Sabah Yılmaz, (15:21) Elif Ceylan, (18:24) Şule Sönmez, (21:38) Filiz Kartal, (24:11) Elif Çetin, (26:48) Betül Akan, (27:58) Hatice Ergüven Doydum, (30:21) Ahmet Bütüner-(31:05) Şule Sönmez-(31:41) Elif Çetin-(33:13) İpek Altuner, ve (34:27) Yasemin KarakayaSupport the show

Sunflowers by Elizabeth Arden (1993) + The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron (1992) with Josie Yeager 4/9/26 S8E22 To hear the complete continuing story of The Perfume Nationalist please subscribe on Patreon. 

Fan Mail: Tell Wendy how you're saying yes to yourself!Say YES to Edinburgh: A fully curated, all-inclusive journey through the gardens and castles of Edinburgh, paired with exceptional dining, private tours, and unforgettable moments woven seamlessly together. July 6-10, 2026Reserve your spot here: https://www.phineaswrighthouse.com/the-shop/p/edinburghIn this episode, Wendy sits down with Dr. Deb Butler, former chiropractor turned mindset and weight coach who helps women understand why they overeat and teaches them to feel their feelings instead of filling them with food. After 30 years working on people's bodies, Dr. Deb realized she was better at getting into their heads, so she pivoted to brain-based eating and emotional work.They explore:Why overeating isn't self-sabotage (it's your brain trying to take care of you)The difference between filling your feelings and feeling your feelingsWhy enjoying food mindfully is beautiful when you're not using it to avoid what you're feelingThis is a conversation about agency, permission, and the messy middle of transformation. This episode invites you to consider: What if you're not broken? What if your brain is just trying to help? And what if the only permission you're waiting for is your own?Connect with Dr. Deb:Instagram @drdebbutlerHer Podcast, Thinner Peace in Menopause and Beyond: https://podcasts.apple.com/do/podcast/thinner-peace-in-menopause/id1097852666?l=en-GBWebsite: DrDebButler.comQuiz: https://drdebbutler.com/foodquizReferenced in this Episode:Coffee Chat with Dr. Deb: https://youtu.be/en1B3hQq3Tk?si=zxnfVnjp_9l7x4yqThe Artist's Way by Julia Cameron: https://a.co/d/03H4uKIR________________________________________________________________________________________Connect with Wendy:LinkedinInstagram: @wendy.harropFacebook: Phineas Wright HouseWebsite: Phineas Wright House PWH Farm StaysPWH Curated Experience and TravelInterested in being a guest on the show? Send your pitch to podcast@phineaswrighthouse.comPodcast Production By Shannon Warner of Resonant Collective Want to start your own podcast? Let's chat!If this episode resonated, follow Say YES to Yourself! and leave a  5-star review. It helps more women in midlife discover the tools, stories, and community that make saying YES not only possible, but powerful.

We step away from the sutras for a moment to discuss The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

Una vita creativa richiede una gran quantità di attenzione.Ascoltiamo questo respiro tratto da in “La via dell'artista” di Julia Cameron, edizioni Longanesi."RESPIRO" è la striscia quotidiana del podcast "Il Mondo Invisibile" dedicata ad artisti, creativi e non solo.Se ti piace questo podcast, condividilo e parlane con qualcuno a cui possa interessare.Ti auguro una buona giornata e un buon fine settimana.A presto!Alessandro#ilmondoinvisibilepodcast #respiropodcast #arte #creatività #ispirazione #podcastitaliani #respiro 

(Watch on YouTube or read on my site ») I've been going on something called an "Artist Date": a solo outing, once a week with your "Inner Artist," to something that feeds you creatively. The idea comes from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way, a book that's been sitting on my shelf for a year. I finally decided to go through with it. A few links I mentioned, all in one place: The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron (get the hard copy) » Blackwing video by The Wall St. Journal (great storytelling) » Blackwing's site (you can't get these on Amazon) » Doug's Comic, Wait it Gets Worse » Lauren's site, laurendaviscreative.com » Rich Relationships: Create a Million-Dollar Network for Your Business by Selena Soo »

Are you feeling creatively blocked, stuck, or disconnected from your purpose?In this episode of Just Ask the G.O.A.T., Neira dives into the powerful introduction of The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron and explores how creativity is more than talent—it's a spiritual pathway to higher expression.We break down the core principles of the book, including the idea that creativity is a natural life force and a direct connection to a higher power—whether you call it God, the Universe, Source, or something else entirely. This episode isn't about religion—it's about removing the mental and emotional blocks that keep you from creating.Neira shares personal insights from her own journey through The Artist's Way, including the breakthroughs that helped her reconnect with her creativity and overcome self-doubt, perfectionism, and fear of judgment.You'll also learn the two foundational tools for creative recovery:Morning Pages (daily brain dumping to clear your mind)The Artist Date (weekly solo time to nurture your inner creative)If you've ever told yourself “it's too late,” “I don't have time,” or “I'm not creative,” this episode will challenge those beliefs and help you start creating again.✨ "Your creativity is God's gift to you, the use of your creativity is your gift back to God. " - Julia Cameron

Today's guest has shaped the creative lives of millions. Julia Cameron has been called “The Queen of Change” by The New York Times, and whether you've done Morning Pages for decades or only heard of The Artist's Way in passing, you've felt her influence ripple through contemporary culture. What struck me most in this conversation was her devotion to simplicity and trying. Her tools are not complicated. They are repetitive. Ordinary. Almost deceptively so. Three pages. A walk. A date with yourself. And yet — they ask for something many creatives resist: discipline without drama. Practice without novelty. Showing up without fireworks. We like complexity. We like newness. We like to overthink. Julia invites us back to something far braver - consistency. We talk about trusting internal wisdom, or what she describes as seeking guidance both inwardly and outwardly. We explore the stream of consciousness as something different from a diary, different from a sketchbook — a way of accessing the subcutaneous layers of knowing that we've often been trained to ignore. Decades on, she is still delighted. Still open. Still curious. Still learning from the community her work has helped to grow. She does not cling to authorship as ownership. She sees herself as a vehicle. The work belongs to the people who practise it. There is something quietly radical about that. This conversation is an invitation to return to the basics. To stop waiting for the breakthrough and instead build the ritual. To trust that the simplest tools, repeated, can change a life. KEY TAKEAWAYS Morning pages, walks, and artist dates aren't self-help chores; they're how you quietly outlast trends, algorithms, and your own boredom. Those simple tools become radically effective, especially when you are using them decades in. Julia Cameron doesn't banish her critic. She calls him Nigel. Thanks him. And keeps creating anyway. Trust your inner wisdom, even when it´s messy. If you've been waiting for a breakthrough, maybe the breakthrough is repetition. BEST MOMENTS “I think procrastination is actually fear in a fancy dress.” “A believing mirror is somebody who reflects back to your strength and your promise.” “Fear can be present, and we continue. Criticism can speak, and we continue. Doubt can whisper, and we continue. Not because we've eliminated those voices. But because we've built a practice strong enough to hold them.” EPISODE RESOURCES https://juliacameronlive.com HOST BIO With over 35 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She has sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals. ** Ceri Hand Coaching Membership: Group coaching, live art surgeries, exclusive masterclasses, portfolio reviews, weekly challenges. Access our library of content and resource hub anytime and enjoy special discounts within a vibrant community of peers and professionals. Ready to transform your art career? Join today! https://cerihand.com/membership/ ** Unlock Your Artworld Network Self Study Course Our self-study video course, "Unlock Your Artworld Network," offers a straightforward 5-step framework to help you build valuable relationships effortlessly. Gain the tools and confidence you need to create new opportunities and thrive in the art world today. https://cerihand.com/courses/unlock_your_artworld_network/ **** Book a Discovery Call Today To schedule a personalised 1-2-1 coaching session with Ceri or explore our group coaching options, simply email us at hello@cerihand.com This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

This week is a special one because we're celebrating 100 EPISODES OF QUEER RETROGRADE! Co-hosts hobbes and fritz reminisce over QR's most popular episodes, and how far this lil pod has come! fritz continues their journey with Julia Cameron's multi-million copy worldwide bestseller "⁠The Artist's Way" with week 6 -- Recovering a Sense of Abundance. MYFEELIUM: https://myfeelium.co/?aff=35Portal access code: Opensesame20% OFF: CAZIMIQueer Retrograde is a Cazimi Collective podcast co-hosted by hobbes baya and fritz barbee. Cazimi Collective is an arts, farm and rest retreat for exceptional, but strategically under-resourced communities. ⁠Learn more about Cazimi Collective⁠ at cazimicollective.com.Support QR and Cazimi by joining our patreon at patreon.com/queerretrograde.Thank you so much for listening :) Please rate, review and subscribe to Queer Retrograde (we are on YouTube now)!cover art: Rachel Abe, ⁠@rayrayrugs⁠jingle: Ty Sorrell, ⁠@Ty_Sorrell

What if the source of your best writing isn't something you control — but something you learn to collaborate with? How can ancient ideas about the muse, the daimon, and creative genius transform the way you approach your work? And what might happen if you stopped fighting the silence and let it become your greatest creative ally? With Matt Cardin, author of Writing at the Wellspring. In the intro, thoughts on bookstores and Toppings; 20 ways authors can signal humanity and build reader trust [Wish I'd Known Then]; Learning from Silence – Pico Iyer; ProWritingAid spring sale; Bones of the Deep – J.F. Penn. Today's show is sponsored by Draft2Digital, self-publishing with support, where you can get free formatting, free distribution to multiple stores, and a host of other benefits. Just go to www.draft2digital.com to get started. This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn Matt Cardin is the multi-award-nominated author of eight books at the convergence of horror, religion, and creativity. His latest book is Writing at the Wellspring: Tapping the Source of Your Inner Genius, which is fantastic. I actually blurbed it as follows: “A guide for writers who welcome the dark and hunger for meaning. . . . If the page is a threshold, this book will show you how to cross.” You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Show Notes How Matt balances a full-time academic career with his creative writing life The ancient concept of the genius, the muse, and the daimon, and why creativity is about collaboration with something beyond yourself Why the silences that come into our creative lives, including writer's block and inertia, might actually be gifts rather than obstacles The stages of the creative process Living into the dark, and embracing uncertainty How Substack and blogging can organically grow into books You can find Matt at MattCardin.com or www.livingdark.net. Transcript of the interview with Matt Cardin Joanna: Matt Cardin is the multi-award-nominated author of eight books at the convergence of horror, religion, and creativity. His latest book is Writing at the Wellspring: Tapping the Source of Your Inner Genius, which is fantastic. I actually blurbed it as follows: “A guide for writers who welcome the dark and hunger for meaning. . . . If the page is a threshold, this book will show you how to cross.” It is a great book. So welcome to the show, Matt. Matt: Well, thank you, Jo. It's really a pleasure to be here, especially since, as you and I were briefly acknowledging before we started recording, we have overlapping interests to a great degree. So it's really great to make official contact with you. Joanna: Indeed. So, first up, before we get into the book itself— Tell us a bit more about you and how you got into writing. Matt: Well, I'm one of those people whose story is probably typical in some ways, in that I really wanted to do it from the time I was a child. My father was a great writer, although he was an attorney. He wasn't a professional writer. Something about books and reading when I was a child really seriously enchanted me. I was very frustrated when I was so young—and I vividly remember this—that I couldn't read, because I loved the books that were read to me. I craved being able to read them for myself. So as soon as I gained that ability in school, it was off to the races, so to speak, and for some reason, a desire to tell stories myself came along with that. Being a “writer” was one of the earliest life desires, job or career desires, that I expressed. I was one of those young people really into fantasy, horror, and science fiction. So I was reading a lot of it and trying to emulate it and write a lot of it. There was a cinematic component—I was a movie fanatic as well. I won a local Authors' Guild short story writing contest when I was a senior in high school and began trying to write stories seriously in college. Then my interest in horror and religion became dominant over time, and that's what I ended up writing about. Joanna: Has your interest turned into paid work? That's the other thing, because there's an interest and then there's making writing more of your income and your business. Matt: Right. Well, actually, although I have made and do make money from my writing, it has always, always, always remained on the side. My main career, as far as my moneymaking life, first started off in video and media production, which is formally what I got my undergraduate college degree in. Then I switched into education. I taught high school for some years, and then now for the past, good Lord, 18 years, I have been in higher education. First as English faculty who also taught some religion courses, and then now for the past several years in the administration. I'm Vice President of Academic Affairs at a college. My writing has been something that I pursued as an avocation. As far as earning money from it, that didn't happen even with my first publication, which happened on the internet in 1998, I believe, with a horror story titled “Teeth.” It was just free—I didn't get paid. That led to paid publication of that story three or four years later, when it appeared as my very first print publication in a Lovecraftian horror anthology from Del Rey titled The Children of Cthulhu. It appeared as the final story, and that was the first time I had received a paycheck. It was a professional per-word rate. Since then I've had several books published and more stories and essays and that kind of thing. I've had income sometimes from writing and sometimes I haven't. My first book came out of that story. I attended the World Horror Convention in 2001, actually before that Lovecraftian anthology was published, but it had been placed. At the World Horror Convention, which was in Seattle that year, I met one of the two editors of that book, and that led to me having my first short story collection, Divinations of the Deep, which was not for much money, but it attracted a lot of good attention and some good reviews. So it's been like that all along. I mean, I've made a couple of runs at saying I would love to just be an author, as it were, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards for me. And honestly, I'm glad it's not. I have made the most money from some academic editing projects that I've done. I created and edited a two-volume encyclopedia of the history of horror literature, for instance, for a big academic publisher. Those are work-for-hire projects that I get paid for. Making money on my own creative vision and my own creative work has been intermittent. It really has proven over time that not having my primary creative, spiritual, and philosophical drive hooked to what I earn my bread by has been a blessing. I don't want to take this thing I love and make it be how I have to grind to earn my money. I want to keep it in a protected space. That has been spontaneously what's happened with my writing career. Joanna: Yes. I think as you say, there are a lot of benefits of that, especially where you are writing at this convergence of horror, religion, and creativity. Your writing is very deep. I would say it's on the edge of academic. I don't want to say it's completely academic, because a lot of people will find that difficult. But I think Writing at the Wellspring goes very deep while still being open to non-academic readers. As you say, I think if you had wanted to make a living with your books, you would've had to have gone in at a lighter level, perhaps. Do you think that makes sense? Matt: Yes, I know what you mean. I want to specify, I know that neither you nor I are saying anything about this as any kind of criticism or condescension to anyone who does make their living as a writer. I mean, I believe you do. Joanna: Yes, exactly. Matt: And that's fine. There really are people who have had significant commercial success from books or other things they've written that don't appear to be making huge concessions to being commercial. You can make a living as a writer, I think, and really follow your muse and not feel like you have to pander or cater or cheapen it. Then there are people who have perfectly happily decided to commercialise their work and tune it in whatever way is currently popular. That's fine. Every writer, every creative person should do what is right for him or her, in my opinion. In my particular case, I think what you said is right. I do think that I might have needed to change some things, to back off, to word them differently. Whenever I've tried to exert deliberate control like that, it just turns out that it's not something that my creative spirit wants to do. I don't really feel like I'm in contact with the work anymore. I'm fine with that. I don't think I'm doing a sweet lemons type thing. It really is the way it just needs to be. If it ever proves that me doing it strictly the way I want to do it, going however deep I want regardless of trying to appeal to a paying readership—if it turns out that at some point aligns with boatloads of money coming in, that's fine. That's perfectly fine. I'd be open to that. Joanna: Yes. Matt: I would be open to that. Joanna: You mentioned muse there, and with Writing at the Wellspring, the subtitle is “Tapping the Source of Your Inner Genius.” So I think this is a good place to talk about it. As you mentioned, you are leaning into your muse and your inner genius, and you use other terms—daemon or daimon. I think sometimes people find the word “genius” particularly very difficult because it has the connotation of brilliance in some form. So how can people think about this? How can we lean into this [genius] side of ourselves? Matt: Honestly, one thing that I would suggest people do is I would refer them to the TED Talk that Elizabeth Gilbert gave some years ago—was it 2009, 2010, 2011? It's one of the more popular TED Talks. Elizabeth Gilbert spoke about. I think it's sometimes given the title “Your Elusive Creative Genius” or something like that. Her whole talk is about the way in her own creative life, and as she recommends to others, it has been very important for her to seize on the older model that we're talking about. The most clear articulation of it is that it used to be the case—and we're talking about in ancient Western history, back to the Romans and even earlier to the Greeks—that genius was not something that you identified a person as being. It was something that a person had. And I would also say importantly, maybe had them too. In ancient Roman culture surrounding art and poetry and that kind of thing, the genius was the spirit that might, say, live in an artist's studio and would provide the same service to that artist as the Greek muses provided to someone who was writing epic poetry or history or something like that. That understanding of it has continued in various ways down through history. But there was a fateful transition as Western culture went through what we commonly call the Enlightenment and the Renaissance as well. This was where the term “genius,” while it didn't lose all those connotations of being an inspiring spirit—something that a person both has and maybe has hold of them—did become internalised to the point where we speak of people as being geniuses., which is exactly what you're talking about. I agree, some people listening to this probably have some reservations about this. They don't want to call themselves a genius because we tend to mean that's a super brilliant person, some kind of prodigy who is possessed of amazing artistic, creative, or intellectual skills. Again, that is the result of a cultural, philosophical, psychological, historical transition that occurred several centuries ago. And you still see the older meaning of it being attached sometimes. You think of people who we call geniuses being touched by something. Well, the older version—where you think of the genius, which in the way I use it in this book and also in my first book on creativity, A Course in Demonic Creativity—the genius is equivalent to the muse, which is equivalent to that other figure that you mentioned, the daemon or the daimon. It refers to a separate—what seems for all the world to be a separate—centre of intelligence or entity or influence. The thing that gives you both your creative drive and also your ideas, and serves as the source of what comes to you naturally to write. It's more than just ideas. When you talk about the ancient Greek daimon, there was a whole well-developed tradition of that in ancient Greek philosophy and religion. A daimon was, in one famous sense, a spirit that you were born with, that the gods had given you. It was like your double, your higher self. It was the thing that represented your character, your interests, the blueprint and the outline that your life was supposed to follow. There are great books written about that. There's a book by the psychologist James Hillman titled The Soul's Code. A lot of people have read it. It lays out the daimon theory and gives it application to modern instances. The idea is that everybody has a genius or has a muse or has a daimon. For writers, my recommendation is to say, whether you believe it or not, whether you take it as a metaphor—which is fine—or whether you want to get somewhat mystical and delve into the idea that maybe there's really a spirit or something, it doesn't matter. Productively, with practical, measurable results, you can learn to relate to your creative impulse as if you are collaborating internally with someone else. It's the centre of why you're interested in writing what you want to write, why you want to write the way you want to write, and even the types of things that unfold in the course of your career—both your creative career and the rest of your life, in the mould of the ancient daimon. I have found that to be a vein of great power and meaning in my own life. I do it exactly the way I'm describing. I don't actually believe it, but I don't disbelieve it. I find that in experience, it really doesn't matter. It works and it may as well be true. Joanna: I mean, obviously the book has a whole load of ways we can tap into that, but I did like that you talk about stillness and silence, because I feel like that is actually increasingly difficult as authors. Obviously it's noisy online and we're meant to be doing things like social media or interacting with people online. And then the world is just noisy. The news is noisy. There's lots of things. How can we use this idea of stillness and silence? Also, any other ways we can practically tap into this side? Matt: Sure. One thing that wanted to say itself in this book was some things I had been thinking and feeling about silence for a long time. As you say, it can be difficult these days to find what feels like the silence that we need to even get our work done. We're talking about the muse or the genius. How can we even hear it when it seems like the clamour of all the pulls that we have on our outward attention has become truly a cacophony? We have opted for this in many ways through our engagement with social media or other things, but in other ways seems like it's been thrust upon us. What I want to point out, that has been of extreme importance to me, is that many silences come into our lives as creatives that we resist. It's not just that we can't find the silence and the space that we feel like we need so as not to drown out our creativity. It's that we have unwanted silences come in, like writer's block. Or even if it doesn't feel like a block, just inertia. Just stasis. I don't know about you, but I have many, many times found myself grappling with what, for all the world, feels like a totally natural, organic sense of wanting to slip into complete inertia, just total stillness. And that feels like it has been in conflict with my creative drive. It's like I have this residual desire and also a sense of duty that I really should be writing. Maybe I have an idea in mind and I'm just not working on it. Or maybe I'm in the middle of a project and I feel like I'm abandoning it. Or maybe nothing's coming up, but I feel like it should be. I'm pushing myself, but there's a division in me where I also just want to leave it alone. Whether that means actually just sitting there silently at my writing table or in meditation, or maybe just going about regular daily life and forgetting about trying to fulfil this creative calling. I really think there's a vein of gold to be tapped in the silences that come to all of us. Because as I said, that can be in the middle of daily activity. We have this kind of franticness, some of us, about our creativity. We get wrapped up in it. We feel bound to it. The thing that so much of the time we want to think is a gift—we're proud of it, we cherish it, we like our writing—also becomes a burden. This fantasy of just chucking it all, of just saying, “I would love to be free of it. It's like something that's weighing me down. I'm sorry that I roped myself into it. I would love to just sink into complete silence.” This sort of meditative thing, or just muteness—hey, that is valid to hear. That's valid to heed when it comes up. I mean, sometimes we have gotten ourselves into situations where we have external responsibilities and deadlines, and it's important to try and honour those and not be a bad person on the level of just fulfilling practical obligations. It's also important to recognise you've got silence offering itself to you in all kinds of ways. The more important silence is paradoxically the one that we so often resist if we're creative people and feel like we have to be making. The more important silence is not whether or not your outward conditions seem like they're a clamour and they're chaotic and they're distracting and they're full of pressure. It's that inner silence. So I recommend paying attention to when it comes up. And for practical ways—they are endless. Take advantage of early mornings. A lot of people have found great value in getting up earlier than they are used to and making a practice of that, and either just meditating or free writing. Maybe using, for example, Julia Cameron's famous practice of morning pages, which has been valuable to me sometimes. Or doing things like—as I've said about the muse and the genius and the daimon—personify your unconscious mind and maybe write down a dialogue between yourself and your creative spirit, whether about your current project or just about your life and your creativity as a whole. There are various tricks to get in touch with this unconscious part of you, and I really am convinced out of practical personal experience that it's not necessary to have outer silence and outer spaciousness when you can find it within yourself. You can find it through some of these exercises for getting in alignment with what your creativity wants to do. You can get in touch with it if you're paying attention to what you might not recognise as a gift—offering it to yourself. If things go quiet and you think, “Oh no, I should be doing something”—why not let that be a place where things can germinate? Why not let that be the silence that you might not be able to find on the outside? Joanna: Yes, and I'm feeling guilty here because of course we are producing a podcast episode for people to listen to. I find personally that one of the places I can find silence is when I walk. It's not obviously silent outside, but I am definitely guilty of always listening to podcasts, often at very fast speed as well. Sometimes when I go for a walk, I just deliberately do not listen to anything—don't listen to an audiobook, don't listen to a podcast—and a lot comes up there. I have my phone with me, and when I get back from those walks and jot down things that come up in my mind, I will have so many notes of things that have come up in my brain during the walk. It's really difficult, isn't it? Because I know you also love input. You do a lot of research. As I said, your books have a lot of research in them, and so we both like doing the research. But also I definitely find that has to be balanced with the time for letting it come out again in some form, with that mental silence. You also talk about being uncomfortable, and I feel like sometimes that silence can be uncomfortable as well. Matt: Yes, it can be. There's no telling what might come up when you are faced with silence. Again, it's one of those things—even the outer kind that we think we crave. Sometimes it's a bit frightening when it comes up, which is why we try to fill it with things, like this podcast episode for example. There's a threshold that you can notice you cross sometimes, where what was a natural desire to connect with something that you heard about and found interesting becomes a bit frantic. Where now, really, what might be good is if you shut off—didn't go for the next podcast episode or didn't go for the next click to the website—if you just shut the browser and just sat there and did something else. You're kind of, with a little desperateness, trying to fill the void. What you described about needing to get quiet and let things happen—yes. I love reading and research, but the classic stages of the creative process—first codified, I think, by Graham Wallas, if I remember correctly—they still work. It's really good sometimes to have a model and understand how it works. You have what's sometimes called the preparation stage. All the input, all the research, all the brainstorming, all that kind of thing. Then the incubation stage can be vastly important. That can get frightening, both because the silence seems somehow threatening, like something about you is going to be exposed. Or maybe that you're going to lose the thread of whatever it was and it's never going to come out. But really, if you just stop and let your muse, let your genius do its thing, let your unconscious do its thing, it will suggest itself again. It will come up on its own. Ideas will come back. You'll realise, “Oh, I didn't know what I was going to do with that character. I didn't know how these ideas were going to come together. I didn't even know what this idea for a story, a book, or an essay was going to be.” It comes back up, and with you working with it, it shows what it wanted to be all along. This whole thing about doing the preparation and then allowing it to incubate and germinate and then sprout when it wants to, that still works. Part of the reason that we're scared of the silence, I'm convinced, is because each of us operates in our psychological selves as a closed system. It's like we each comprise our own cosmos, so to speak. I know you know that I have worked in horror literature, the literature of cosmic fear. In cosmic horror, as laid out by the likes of Lovecraft and others, the basic effect has been analysed as constituting a disturbance of the universe. That's the horror of cosmic horror—the world is transformed into this nightmarish thing in a cosmic horror story, where there's a haunting, threatening presence that's out of the ordinary and it's somehow bound up with the narrator's interior world. Life reveals itself as supernaturally or ontologically something nightmarish—there are awful forces that are about to erupt all the time. And whether anybody's into cosmic horror or not, I think it's pretty accurate to say that we each constitute our own world, our own cosmos. A lot of the noise that we make—the mental noise and the complications we introduce into our own lives—is, usually unconsciously, trying to stave off confrontation with the otherness that is outside the barrier of our personal sense of self. The weird thing is that that otherness is actually in us, and in fact, we can approach it in the figure of the daemon or the daimon or the muse. So creativity is fraught. You're dealing with something that you might want to think, “Oh, this is great, it's going to be the source of my ideas, it's going to fulfil my creativity.” Well, yes, but it is frightening to think about the fact of something about yourself being beyond yourself and perhaps being out of your conscious control and somehow guiding your destiny. A lot of people have trouble getting along with their own unconscious, which is another way to put it. There's a horror, a fear, a dread effect that comes when we feel like we are out of control. We all face that ultimately—when it comes to our death, for example. There are some spiritual traditions that talk about dying before you die, that being basically the way to enlightenment in those traditions. Recognising and coming to terms with the fact that this thing that is you, that you call yourself, is transitory. It is only there by being enclosed within and swamped from without by this thing that is not you, which is a sort of void to which you'll return. In the book, I deal with some of that, and I talk about it from a non-dual spiritual viewpoint, because ultimately for me, these creative questions have become inseparable from spiritual questions. Joanna: Yes. And obviously people know about my book Writing the Shadow, which is how we really connected around this Jungian idea of the shadow and the darkness. I agree with you—there's some really interesting things at the juxtaposition of all of these topics, which we could talk about for a long time. I do want to ask you around your idea of “living into the dark.” Because I feel like you do take things beyond just the writing into this idea of living into it. So maybe talk a bit about that. And obviously synchronicity, which is a Jungian psychology concept. Matt: Living into the dark is the thing that forms the overarching ethos or perspective for me of all this. I got the term from “writing into the dark,” which actually comes from the American science fiction and fantasy author Dean Wesley Smith. He wrote a book titled Writing Into the Dark, subtitled “Writing Without an Outline.” It's a great book. I recommend it to anyone. It is about forsaking and foregoing the felt need to outline writing in advance and trusting your creative mind to be able to make up a story in real time. That draws on the deep nature of storytelling to come out right. Therefore you write into the dark, as if you're walking down a road where you have a lantern and you can only see one step ahead. You haven't mapped out the territory. It was a great metaphor. I had already been thinking in that direction about life and about creativity for some time when I first came across that book. I devoured it and recognised it described how I had already been writing anyway, which is one reason it was so powerful for me. Then it edged out into a broader understanding for me that I had also been coming up with, that I just ended up calling “living into the dark.” None of us knows where anything is going, that much is obvious. But living into the dark goes farther than that, to embrace this understanding. I think of this in connection with what so many people, either personally or because of jobs they have where they're required to think like this. I think of this in terms of the famous five-year plan that so many of us want to draw up. There's nothing wrong with a five-year plan or a ten-year plan or a one-year plan. You can come up with that for practical purposes and try and chart where you're going, but we too often forget that that's just a fantasy exercise. We are not actually thinking into the future, nor are we ever actually thinking into the past. Remembering the past, predicting or projecting the future—both are events that are happening right now, in this moment, which is always now. It's no less now than it was when you and I first started this conversation. Past and future are projections—mental projections right now. And everything is unfolding in the present in real time, which effectively means what's going to come next is coming out of—well, we don't know where it's coming out of. Darkness. Living into the dark is living with full-on contact with, and awareness of, and embrace of this fact that we don't know what's coming up. That encompasses all of life and all of creativity. That same darkness, if it's helpful for you to take on this emotional tenor—which it is for me—can relate to the darkness in cosmic horror fiction, or to some of the rich traditions of darkness, like in Daoism with the yin contrasted with yang. Yin is the dark, moon, feminine aspect of things—the receptive source of the universe. This idea of living into the dark, of just accepting that we're all on this journey on a path where we can only see one step ahead, even if that far, has been meaningful to me. It's been meaningful to my creativity, and I recommend it to anybody to whom it appeals. It takes a lot of pressure off. I think that's a guiding meta-theme for me—trying to take the pressure off us from trying to control things that can't be controlled, and more stepping into that flow of understanding: what's going to come to me is going to come to me, and my posture toward it, whether I align with it or not, is what's going to determine my experience of it. You mentioned synchronicity. It's interesting. It's verifiable. I know a lot of people have verified it for themselves. Maybe some people listening to this have too. It's verifiable that when you really get in tune with this present-moment thing and get in tune with your creativity—and you can tell when you're aligned and not, when you feel blocked or when you feel resistance or not—when these things align on their own sometimes, strange coincidences do happen. Jung talked about synchronicity as an acausal connecting principle. That was probably due to the fact that the psyche is not separate from the fabric of the world that gives rise to it, so that we might have subjective things—impressions, fantasies, dreams—that we rather uncannily see mirrored in objective events. Like the famous thing that clarified and coalesced that for him: a psychotherapy session with a patient who was describing a dream she'd been having about a scarab beetle. Then he heard a tapping at the window of his office and he went there and opened it, and there was a European beetle—a kind of scarab beetle, much like the Egyptian scarab—that was there. He held it up and said to the woman, “Is this your beetle? Here is your beetle.” It just blew her mind. It opened new levels of the therapy that she was receiving. Those kinds of things happen. I've had them happen. Joanna: Me too. Matt: If you're a long-time writer or reader, you're familiar with the library genie—the library daemon, we sometimes refer to it as—the book that, just at the moment you think of it and realise, “Oh yes…” You're doing your study, and it doesn't have to be a library, it could be on the web or whatever. You finally realise what it is that you need, what you've been looking for, and in some cases it literally falls off the shelf onto someone's head. What do you make of those when they happen? At the very least, it rattles your cage. You might enter a state of suspended judgement about whether we really are living in a kind of magical cosmos full of real correspondences. It's a bit like the daimon or the muse: is it a metaphor? Is it just an interpretation, or is it something real? Probably the best place is one of profoundly, actively embraced agnosticism, and just take it for what it is. Joanna: Yes, and leaning more into your intuition. I think you definitely demonstrate that in the book as well, really exploring a lot of very interesting topics. Now, we are almost out of time, but you do have a Substack, The Living Dark, where you publish essays, and you've also got all kinds of really interesting books. I want people to go have a look at some of the other stuff you've written, especially if you enjoy horror and religion and all of that kind of thing. So just to ask, how do you decide when something is an essay on The Living Dark, and how do you decide when you are going to put it in a book or in some other way? I feel like a lot of authors are thinking about Substack but don't necessarily know what to put on it. I think I first connected with you on your Substack, where I was like, “Oh, this guy's writing interesting, weird stuff.” How do you use Substack as opposed to writing for your books? Matt: Sure. Let me answer by first talking about what happened previously with that first book on creativity that I mentioned, A Course in Demonic Creativity. I had all kinds of thoughts and ideas coming up, seeded over many years of practice and reading about the daimon and the daemon and the genius and the muse. In 2009 I founded a blog—it was just a WordPress blog—and I titled it Daemon Muse. I attended to it for two to three years. A lot of people ended up reading it. I really did not have any plans, not even any back-burner plans, of taking the material that I published in posts there about this way of creativity and making it a book. I did realise about a year and a half in that essentially I had a book I had already written in those posts. So it took some work, and I spent six months making it all into a coherent book. By the way, that book was only ever published as a PDF, which is still free on my website, MattCardin.com—although plans for the first-ever print edition of it are in motion right now. That was published in 2011. When I went to Substack and started my newsletter there in 2022—and by the way, it wasn't originally called The Living Dark; my first title was “Living Into the Dark,” and then I changed it about a year, year and a half in—I kind of am doing the same thing. It's been a while since I took anything and thought, “I'm writing a book with it.” I write what comes to me to write. You know how Substack Notes is Substack's own version of social media, kind of like Twitter used to be or like X kind of is now. It happens all the time that I write things that just stay in contact with people as a Substack Note—some short thing. And then I realise I wanted to say more about that. Or you have what happened just this morning. Three or four hours before you and I were talking, I started writing a Substack Note and it got so long I realised I had something that could be a post to The Living Dark. So I switched over and finished it that way. The book Writing at the Wellspring came together after I had written things for a couple of years at The Living Dark and realised that I could trace a path through about a third of the posts that I had ever published there, and had the makings of a book. So that, plus other material from earlier in my life—there are things from my private journals from years ago in Writing at the Wellspring—plus some new material, ended up turning into that book. So I'm not thinking about the difference, is what I'm saying. I find writing at my Living Dark newsletter to be a needful and enjoyable creative outlet, partly because I have some 3,800 readers now and it feels good to be in contact with them and to have that audience and to know that there's that eye on what I'm writing. That's partly because I just have the freedom to work it out to my satisfaction and publish it there. I'm already halfway forming another book that will be of a different focus, to come from things that I have published there. So for me, there's an organic relationship between Substack writing, or any kind of blogging, and the writing of books. If people haven't thought about that, they might want to consider it. If you have one already or if you're thinking of starting a blog on Substack or anywhere else, maybe you have things that can guide you to a book that already exists and you just haven't realised it. Joanna: So where can people find you and your books and everything you do online? Matt: Well, The Living Dark that we're talking about is at www.livingdark.net—and it does require the three Ws at the beginning to get there. Then my author website is MattCardin.com, and you can go to the books page there to get a link to all the books I've published and read about them. Joanna: Great. Well, thanks so much for your time, Matt. That was fantastic. Matt: Thank you, Jo. I really appreciate the invitation.The post Writing At The Wellspring: Tapping The Source Of Your Inner Genius With Matt Cardin first appeared on The Creative Penn.

After a powerful hiatus since early 2025, Neira the G.O.A.T. is back—and this isn't just a return, it's a resurrection.In this comeback episode of Just Ask the G.O.A.T., Neira kicks things off by spotlighting her cousin Kr3wcial as the GOAT Artist of the Week, celebrating his latest single “Magnolia Bouquet (Remix)” featuring Keedy Black, now streaming on all platforms.

Before The Voice, before three chairs turned, before Team Kelly — we sat down with Abigayle Oakley on the gulf coast at the 30A Songwriters Festival and talked about what it actually feels like to build a life in music when you're still figuring out who you are.Abigayle calls her sound "existential indie folk," and it fits. She writes about not having answers — about being her own worst gaslighter, about the gap between ambition and presence, about writing 100 songs in a year just to stop being precious about the process. We talked co-writing, Julia Cameron, the pressure of social media on her generation, and why a love song about a thrifted Patagonia fleece might be the most honest thing she's written.From Las Vegas, Nevada. Based in Nashville. Currently on NBC's The Voice, Team Kelly Clarkson. This is Abigayle Oakley before the world caught on.00:00 Cold Open00:38 Podcast Intro01:11 Guest Introduction03:33 Interview Begins04:58 Touring & Venues07:00 New Music & EP Release07:35 100 Songs a Year08:41 Existential Indie Folk09:37 Worst Gaslighter11:36 Social Media & Anxiety12:28 Music as Therapy14:03 Co-Writing & The Creative Process16:04 The Artist's Way & Showing Up17:09 Making the Leap18:01 Career Goals & Creative Freedom20:16 Hazel Eyed Lover in Patagonia (Story)21:53 What Are You Most Curious About?24:25 Closing & Goodbye24:44 Song: Hazel Eyed Lover in Patagonia28:29 Song: Press Three

Join co-host fritz (any pronouns) along their journey with Julia Cameron's multi-million copy worldwide bestseller "⁠The Artist's Way.⁠"Week five assessed what the benefits of staying creatively blocked really are, and who we've been blaming all this time for it.MYFEELIUM: https://myfeelium.co/?aff=35Portal access code: Opensesame20% OFF: CAZIMIQueer Retrograde is a Cazimi Collective podcast co-hosted by hobbes baya and fritz barbee. Cazimi Collective is an arts, farm and rest retreat for exceptional, but strategically under-resourced communities. ⁠Learn more about Cazimi Collective⁠ at cazimicollective.com.Support QR and Cazimi by joining our patreon at patreon.com/queerretrograde.Thank you so much for listening :) Please rate, review and subscribe to Queer Retrograde (we are on YouTube now)!cover art: Rachel Abe, ⁠@rayrayrugs⁠jingle: Ty Sorrell, ⁠@Ty_Sorrell

Join co-host fritz (any pronouns) along their journey with Julia Cameron's multi-million copy worldwide bestseller "⁠The Artist's Way.⁠"Week four uncovered buried dreams and the grief that comes along with facing yourself forreal. MYFEELIUM: https://myfeelium.co/?aff=35Portal access code: Opensesame20% OFF: CAZIMIQueer Retrograde is a Cazimi Collective podcast co-hosted by hobbes baya and fritz barbee. Cazimi Collective is an arts, farm and rest retreat for exceptional, but strategically under-resourced communities. ⁠Learn more about Cazimi Collective⁠ at cazimicollective.com.Support QR and Cazimi by joining our patreon at patreon.com/queerretrograde.Thank you so much for listening :) Please rate, review and subscribe to Queer Retrograde (we are on YouTube now)!cover art: Rachel Abe, ⁠@rayrayrugs⁠jingle: Ty Sorrell, ⁠@Ty_Sorrell

What gives? We hate this book but love talking about it.Week 5 of Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way returns to her insistence that belief in a Great Creator unlocks opportunities and success—which we're still not buying. But it does spark a conversation about self-belief: that unshakeable certainty successful artists have that their work matters and will be recognized. That conviction helps them treat setbacks as part of the process, not proof they're not good enough. Cameron also introduces the Virtue Trap, where we sabotage our own creative needs by being "too responsible"—though she offers zero advice for escaping it. We wrap up with her exercises and Cameron's very 1990s view of the world.Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.

Join co-host fritz (any pronouns) along their journey with Julia Cameron's multi-million copy worldwide bestseller "⁠The Artist's Way.⁠"Week three dove into shame, synchronicities and a short guide for receiving criticism. MYFEELIUM: https://myfeelium.co/?aff=35Portal access code: Opensesame20% OFF: CAZIMIQueer Retrograde is a Cazimi Collective podcast co-hosted by hobbes baya and fritz barbee. Cazimi Collective is an arts, farm and rest retreat for exceptional, but strategically under-resourced communities. ⁠Learn more about Cazimi Collective⁠ at cazimicollective.com.Support QR and Cazimi by joining our patreon at patreon.com/queerretrograde.Thank you so much for listening :) Please rate, review and subscribe to Queer Retrograde (we are on YouTube now)!cover art: Rachel Abe, ⁠@rayrayrugs⁠jingle: Ty Sorrell, ⁠@Ty_Sorrell

Julia Carmen, a curandera lineage-holder, joins us to explore healing through both the physical and spiritual realms. We discuss soul listening, energetic boundaries, and quieting mental noise to hear inner guidance. Julia also reflects on our shared need to feel seen and loved, and how reconnecting with your soul can transform healing.Connect with Julia Cameron: ⁠https://www.theschoolwithoutwalls.netVisit Laura Haraka's website: ⁠https://www.feeltoheal.live⁠Join the Pelvic Healing Circle: ⁠https://www.feeltoheal.live/the-pelvic-healing-circle

This episode dives into Leslie Youngblood's journey as the founder of Youngblood MMC, co-founder of TableTag, and host of the Serious Lady Business podcast. She shares her path from early experiences in marketing and advertising to stepping out of the corporate world to create a business that aligns with her passions and family life. Leslie explains how The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron helped her embrace her creativity and "own her magic," fueling both her agency work and her mission to empower female entrepreneurs. Leslie also breaks down how Youngblood MMC supports small-to-medium B2B businesses with marketing clarity, systems, and consistent content creation to drive revenue growth. She discusses her new platform, TableTag, which centralizes communication between marketers and restaurants, and how it's poised to transform the hospitality tech space. Packed with actionable insights, inspiring advice, and empowering words for women in business, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to harness their creativity, structure their business, and step fully into their own magic. Connect with Leslie:Website: www.youngbloodmmc.com | www.seriousladybusiness.com | www.tabletag.io LinkedIn: Leslie (Bailey) Youngblood Instagram: @seriousladybusiness | @leslie2400     Let's keep the conversation going!Website: www.martaspirk.com Instagram: @martaspirk Facebook: Marta Spirk Want to be my next guest on The Empowered Woman Podcast?Apply here: www.martaspirk.com/podcastguest  Watch my TEDx talk: www.martaspirk.com/keynoteconcerts      If you're a cultural catalyst, what got you here won't get you there. Cultural change happens through peers at your level — not through previous cycles of friends, mentees, or employees. Join our free masterclass: The Science-Backed Secrets to Activate Your Legacy as a Cultural Catalyst Without Burnout Register at activateherlegacy.com   

In this episode, I welcome back Julia Cameron, author of The Artist's Way, for our sixth conversation on Unleash Your Inner Creative. We talk about the enduring power of Morning Pages, how to silence the inner critic, and what creativity needs now in the age of AI.Julia's work has helped millions of people reconnect with their creativity and art, and in this conversation we go deeper into the tools that actually sustain a creative life. We talk about why Morning Pages remain one of the most powerful practices for creativity, how to work with your inner critic (Julia calls hers “Nigel”), and why play is essential for creative breakthroughs.We also explore creativity during uncertain times, writing through fear and self-doubt, and how creativity evolves through major life transitions. Along the way, I share some personal news: that I'm pregnant and expecting my first child… and Julia offers beautiful wisdom about Motherhood and creativity.If you've ever struggled with creative blocks or wondered how to stay creative through ALL of life, you'll find Julia's perspective is both grounding and inspiring.In this episode we discuss:• The real purpose of Morning Pages • How to silence your inner critic • Why creativity thrives through play and curiosity • Julia Cameron's thoughts on AI and creativity • Writing through fear and self-doubt • Creativity and motherhood • The importance of “believing mirrors”Check out ALL of Julia's art and writing: https://juliacameronlive.com/ 

Join co-host fritz (any pronouns) along their journey with Julia Cameron's multi-million copy worldwide bestseller "⁠The Artist's Way.⁠"Week two reflected on "crazymakers" (or the lack there of) in fritz's life, as well as shifting the inner skeptic to a place of open-mindedness. MYFEELIUM: https://myfeelium.co/?aff=35Portal access code: Opensesame20% OFF: CAZIMIQueer Retrograde is a Cazimi Collective podcast co-hosted by hobbes baya and fritz barbee. Cazimi Collective is an arts, farm and rest retreat for exceptional, but strategically under-resourced communities. ⁠Learn more about Cazimi Collective⁠ at cazimicollective.com.Support QR and Cazimi by joining our patreon at patreon.com/queerretrograde. Thank you so much for listening :) Please rate, review and subscribe to Queer Retrograde (we are on YouTube now)! cover art: Rachel Abe, ⁠@rayrayrugs⁠jingle: Ty Sorrell, ⁠@Ty_Sorrell

Regarded as a master of suspense, Lisa Unger stops by the Writing Table to talk to Kris about her writing career and how she channels inspiration into suspense-packed novels. Lisa Unger is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of twenty-three novels. Her books have been published in thirty-three languages with millions of copies sold worldwide Unger's critically acclaimed novels have been featured on “Best Book” lists from the Today Show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, People, Amazon, Goodreads, L.A. Times, The Boston Globe, Sun Sentinel, Tampa Bay Times and many others. She has been nominated for, or won, numerous awards including the Strand Critics, Audie, Hammett, Macavity, ITW Thriller, and Goodreads Choice. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations in the same year, an honor held by only a few authors including Agatha Christie. Her short fiction has been anthologized in The Best American Mystery and Suspense, and her non-fiction has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Daily Telegraph, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. Lisa is the current co-President of the International Thriller Writers organization. She lives on the west coast of Florida with her family. Her latest novel is Served Him Right. Lisa mentioned Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way during this episode. Learn more at lisaunger.comSpecial thanks to NetGalley for an early peek at Served Him Right. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

What if your business could actually support you in your hardest seasons instead of draining you even more? In this episode, I'm sharing what I'm leaning on this year to show up, get paid, and stop feeling like I'm constantly on the struggle bus.After having my third baby, I've had to find new rhythms in both life and business. Instead of trying to force my old routines to work, I've simplified, clarified, and doubled down on what truly moves the needle. Listen in as I walk you through my current non-negotiables and the daily habits that are helping me feel energized, focused, and profitable in a season where my time is more limited than ever.Find It Quickly:02:45 - Finding New Rhythms04:18 - Non-Negotiable Basics07:51 - Mindset And Metrics11:52 - Four Cs Revenue Focus13:25 - Long Form Over Scrolling16:59 - Planner Meets NotionMentioned in this Episode:Mary Ruth's Vitamins: maryruthorganics.comZen & Flow Wellbeing and Productivity Planner: amzn.to/4tGOtrmThe Artist's Way by Julia Cameron: amzn.to/400DhINPens: amzn.to/4kCqOnUWalking PadStanding DeskMore Amazon Favorites: joymichelle.co/amazonIf you're enjoying the content we're creating on the podcast and want to connect with others who are called to both, make sure you come join us in the PhotoBoss® with Joy Michelle Facebook Group! Join Now >>

Join co-host fritz (any pronouns) along their journey with Julia Cameron's multi-million copy worldwide bestseller "The Artist's Way."Week one exposed fritz's inner critic and the "blurts" that maintain a critical inner dialogue, while starting the routine weekly exercises of morning pages and artist dates. Queer Retrograde is a Cazimi Collective podcast co-hosted by hobbes baya and fritz barbee. Cazimi Collective is an arts, farm and rest retreat for exceptional, but strategically under-resourced communities. Learn more about Cazimi Collective.Please rate, review and subscribe to Queer Retrograde!cover art: Rachel Abe, @rayrayrugsjingle: Ty Sorrell, @Ty_Sorrell

— Morning Pages, Sacred Practices, and Making Space for JoyIn this episode, I'm sharing what's been filling my days in the in-between season of late winter and early spring — from winter camping in the woods to planning a rustic cabin adventure with my 10-year-old, hauling gear a mile and a half through the snow.I open up about the creative tension of not sewing as much as I'd like, and how building furniture and developing my Embodied Joy workbook have become the creative outlets calling me right now. (Sound familiar? You can't do all the things — just not all at once.)The heart of this episode is about bringing sacredness into your everyday life. I talk about my morning ritual practice — including my experience with Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way and how the concept of truly disposable morning pages changed everything for me. No preciousness. No posterity. Just a beautiful, honest conversation with yourself that you can burn in a celebratory fire when the notebook is full.I also share a simple but powerful idea: giving yourself a creative practice that is completely throw-away — whether that's a wonky quilt square, a sample stitch, or three pages of stream-of-consciousness — and how that kind of creative freedom can actually deepen the work that does matter.Plus: dancing to three songs every morning, the sacred act of shoveling a path, and the small practices that connect us to what matters.

Your brain isn't broken... it's just full.Most women think they have a discipline problem. Or a motivation problem. Or a TIME problem.But what's actually happening?Your brain has become a storage unit instead of a workspace.In this video, Macy walks you through:Why your thoughts “leak” when they're unprocessedThe difference between a brain drain and a brain dumpHow Morning Pages (from The Artist's Way) quiet your inner criticHow to use journaling as a leadership tool, not a self-care ritualSpecific prompts inspired by Dickie Bush and Matthew DicksHow to create directed prompts using AI in a way that's actually personalYour brain was never meant to hold your entire life.It was meant to think! Imagine! Lead!If you feel scattered, irritated, overstimulated, or stuck… This might be the most practical reset you implement all year.

Finding Balance and Embracing Change: A Reframe on Taking ActionIn this episode, I explore how perfectionism, self-doubt, and the fear of Ripple effects hold us back from taking action. Through stories about a Chia pet, a Japanese cafe, and insights from psychology and architecture, I share practical ways to shift our mindset and embrace the unpredictable outcomes of our efforts.Key topics:The importance of seeing actions as stones thrown into the water, without obsessing over ripplesHow a simple Chia pet became a symbol of balance, adaptability, and humor in lifeJulia Cameron's view of perfectionism as a fear-based habit that focuses on what's wrongThe concept from Ellen Langer that regrets are pointless because we can't know what alternative choices would have broughtStrategies for acting without over-control, trusting the process, and measuring success by effort, not outcomeThe idea of "throwing the stone" as a commitment to progress rather than perfectionRecognizing the small ripple effects of everyday actions, inspired by a Japanese cafe storyEncouragement to act regardless of perceived outcomes and to find beauty and humor in changeTimestamps: 00:00 - Welcome and episode overview: overcoming self-doubt and perfectionism 00:31 - The circuitous journey of rewriting and refining ideas 01:28 - The inner critic and working through self-doubt 02:28 - The story of the architect's dead plants and the Chia pet symbolism 03:24 - The importance of balance and the visual metaphor of dead plants 04:21 - The simplicity of Chia pets and their role in creating life balance 05:48 - The architect's Chia bunny as a reminder to not take life too seriously 07:14 - How perfectionism paralyzes us and the value of taking small actions 08:11 - Julia Cameron's view of perfectionism as destructive, fear-based habit 09:38 - Predicting ripples and trusting the unpredictable impact of actions 10:33 - The metaphor of throwing stones and letting ripples be 11:31 - The influence of small literary acts and the ripple effect 12:26 - The Japanese cafe story illustrating unseen ripple effects 13:54 - The philosophy that small acts can make a big difference 14:23 - Ellen Langer on making decisions right instead of worrying about the "right" decision 15:21 - Listening to your inner whispers and embracing uncertainty 16:21 - Act without measuring outcomes, focusing on the effort 16:49 - Reflective prompts: Where can you "throw the stone" in your life? 17:17 - Closing thoughts: trusting the process and embracing changeResources & Links:Julia Cameron - The Artist's WayEllen Langer - Mindfulness and Decision MakingHot Chocolate on Thursdays - Book (Note: exact link may vary)The Power of Ripples - Article on Ripple Effects

Guest Hurley Winkler is a writer and editor from Jacksonville, FL. Her newsletter, "Lonely Victories," is among the top Substack publications in the Literature category. She teaches creative writing at Flagler College.  Summary In this episode, I speak with writer and teacher Hurley Winkler about journaling, creative practice, and building a sustainable writing life. Hurley traces her path to writing back to childhood anxiety and early journaling inspired by Harriet the Spy, and describes how writing eventually became her preferred independent art form after early interests in theater. She discusses her work as a writing teacher and how her philosophy balances encouragement with challenge while meeting students where they are. A central focus of the conversation is Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way, Hurley once interviewed Julia Cameron, including morning pages, artist dates, and creative accountability. Hurley shares how working through the program — especially with partners — helped her cultivate courage, clarify goals, and move forward with major creative and life decisions. The discussion also explores resistance, practical strategies for writing through it, and the value of containers like timed sessions and word counts. Finally, Hurley also reflects on leaving social media due to its addictive nature, how that decision led to an ADHD diagnosis and treatment, and how reclaiming attention is an ongoing process. Throughout, she emphasizes writing community, "lonely victories," and the importance of writer friendships in making the creative journey less solitary. The critical takeaway Writing may produce "lonely victories," but building writer friendships and community makes the creative journey more resilient and sustainable. Referenced The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron Website: https://hurleywinkler.com/ Substack: https://lonelyvictories.substack.com/ The language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie

On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: experimenting with our reading and taking on choker books Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: answering the questions of how or why we rate our books The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site). .  .  .  2:39 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week 3:01- The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor 3:05 - Bookshelf Thomasville 3:07 - From the Front Porch podcast 3:31 - It by Stephen King 4:53 - Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (#1 in the Cromwell series) 5:30 - Footnotes and Tangents on Instagram 6:45 - The Stand by Stephen King 6:47 - Laura Tremaine on Substack 8:52 - Our Current Reads 9:00 - Matched by Ally Condie (Kaytee) 9:32 - The Giver by Lois Lowry 11:26 - The Selection by Kiera Cass 11:30 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 13:04 - Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop (Meredith) 14:45 - The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett 18:15 - Cultish by Amanda Montell (Kaytee) 18:21 - Wordslut by Amanda Montell 21:52 - Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain (Meredith) 23:00 - The Secret by Rhonda Byrne 23:35 - The Painted Porch 23:40 - The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holliday 26:05 - The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron 27:37 - When the Tides Held the Moon by Vanessa Vida Kelley (Kaytee) 30:43 - CAWPILE 31:38 - The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark (Meredith) 35:51 - The God of the Woods by Liz Moore 36:28 - The Last Flight by Julie Clark 36:50 - Deep Dive: How And Why We Rate Our Reads 37:53 - A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson 37:59 - Dante and Aristotle Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz 38:04 - Wives Like Us by Plum Sykes 38:14 - Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito  49:41 - CAWPILE system 51:53 - Meet Us At The Fountain 52:41 - I wish that we would all pick one small way to challenge our reading this year. (Kaytee) 54:23 - I wish you would sign up for our newsletter! (Meredith) 54:25 - Sign up for the newsletter on our website  Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. January's IPL is our annual visit to Fabled Bookshop in Waco, Texas. Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.  All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!