Podcast appearances and mentions of youngman brown

Youngman Brown is the creator of Your Creative Push Podcast, where he interviews artists from all walks of life to tell their story and how they pursue the art they love. He has aired 350 episodes since the culmination of his project and has motivated hundreds of individuals to be creative in their own way. Youngman hopes to create an environment where artists can grow and connect with their fellow creatives. In this episode… The art we choose to pursue has a way of breaking down walls and creating opportunities to connect with others. Art connects our community, and in the midst of a pandemic, we realize that taking the time to learn new things and building a community is an important part of being human existence. And Youngman Brown has made it his duty to help artists connect with each other, to build a community, and he wants to share inspiring stories of the many different artists who make up the vibrant world of art. Join Mitch Bowler in this episode of the Pencil King Show as he talks with Youngman Brown, the host of Your Creative Push Podcast, about the various artists he has had the privilege of speaking with, the importance of community in the art space, and the most common struggles of artists on a daily basis. They also talk about Youngman’s podcast, his journey back to writing, and why he decided to embrace Youtube as a new platform for his passion and advocacies. Stay tuned.

We were tagged by John LeBoeuf from the Creative Coping podcast. He references Youngman Brown's show notes from Your Creative Push podcast - he says, "We are going explore the fact that your story doesn't have to reach a completion for you to start sharing it. You simply have to share what's inside of you. The closer you can get to that message, the better it will be…not necessarily in quality, but in the weight that it carries for you and for others." We're tagging Chris and Courtney from Uncomfortably Yours to do the same - share your story as it is right now - with the incomplete unresolved pieces. past let god die episodes - letgoddie.com Creative Coping podcast - anchor.fm/creativecopingpod/ Uncomfortably Yours podcast -podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/uncomfortably-yours/id1455532114 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/letgoddie/message

In the ever-evolving landscape of today's music industry, Nashville-based independent artist Ron Pope has plotted his own course. Uncompromising and relentless, Pope has evolved into one of the top grossing independent acts in the business while garnering a legion of devoted fans the world over. Taking the industry-road-less-traveled and holding fiercely to his independence has proven fruitful for Pope; to date, he has sold out shows on three continents and in more than 20 countries, sold over 2 million digital tracks, had over 290 million streams on Spotify, 700 million plays on Pandora, 150 million views on Youtube, and has more generally crushed every metric used to measure what is possible for independent artists. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/bestof13 In this episode, Ron discusses: -His creative origins and how he got to the point he is today as a songwriter and musician. -His involvement at the inception of “The District.” -How he writes such a large quantity of songs because he knows that not all of them will be good enough to make a record. -The belief that if you want to be a songwriter, you just have to sit down, shut up, and write songs. -How he doesn’t really believe in writer’s block.  It is just accepting that some of the stuff you write will be garbage. -The importance of working harder than everyone else if you want to excel to the highest level of your creative field. -One of the times that he was having a very difficult time writing a song, and then all of the sudden he was struck with the song in its entirety. -How doing the hard work every day and getting used to what the work feels like puts you in a better position to capture inspiration and put it into its “physical” form, even in just one take. -The role that music played in his life when he was younger to make him feel more connected and less alone. -The profound connection that comes when people play his music during special events. -How his song “I Do Not Love You” played a special role in Youngman Brown’s life as his first dance at his wedding. -How art is subjective and it doesn’t matter what the artist thinks about it once the viewer or listener has given it his or her own meaning. -How hard it is to comprehend large numbers of listenership, and the power that comes from one-on-one connections. -What he has been up to creating and touring his new album Ron Pope & the Nighthawks. Ron's Final Push will inspire you to choose to do the thing you love! Quotes: “That songwriting circle was really the difference for me.  If I hadn’t joined that group, I don’t know if I would have been able to become a professional songwriter.” “I just feel like I’m not good enough to sit down and write ten songs and have all ten of those songs be bangers and have that be the record.” “For my last album, Ron Pope and the Nighthawks  I wrote 150 songs.  We recorded 40 of them or so to get to the 11 that we have on the record.” “Really almost everything is like this.  If you want to do it, and you want to do it at a high level, you’re going to have to work harder than everybody else.” “It was like I got hit by lightning.  It was into my brain immediately.  The song in my bones just existed.  The whole thing.  The melody, the lyrics, the chords, the whole thing.” “You put yourself in a much better position to have chance favor you if you do the right kind of work.” “It made me excited when I stumbled upon music that made me feel something.  It made me feel much less alone.” “I very rarely share the stories behind my songs because I want you to take them home and make them your stories.” “It’s still a really powerful feeling to know that whatever you’re creating is a part of people’s lives.” “For me it’s the singular achievement of my life as an artist.” “You’re going to have to work hard on something eventually whether it’s something you choose or something that people make you do, so if you have to pick, you might as well work hard at something that you love.” “It’s worth it to work hard on things that you love.” Links mentioned: Buy Ron Pope & The Nighthawks East Nashville Spice Company Connect with Ron: Website / iTunes / Spotify / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / YouTube On the next episode: John Wentz : Website / Instagram Join the discussion in the Facebook group!

Christina Moyer is an elementary art teacher from Pennsylvania.  Her personal work includes oil painting, watercolor and paper art. She is also Youngman Brown's sister and the illustrator of their collaborative children's book, The Adventures of Tidy, Messy & VeryMessy, a project that has been in the works for a decade. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/christinamoyer In this episode, Christina discusses: -How she became interested in art. -Starting out as an Art Therapy major in college and the decision to become a Fine Art major. -What led her to decide to become an art teacher. -Not getting to her personal work for a long period of time because she was so focused on developing her skills as an art teacher. -The “false starts” that occurred while creating the illustrations for The Adventures of Tidy, Messy & VeryMessy. -How to determine whether you are dissatisfied with your progress because it isn’t right or because you are a perfectionist. -Her breakthrough in illustrating The Adventures of Tidy, Messy & VeryMessy in which she completely changed things up and worked with a new medium. -What was different about one particular summer in which she and her husband created more than any summer before. -The creative inspiration that she gets from her husband. -Dealing with a lack of confidence, especially after a long period of not creating. Christina's Final Push will inspire you to put a little bit of time each day into your art, especially if it is something that is fun and makes you feel good. Quotes: “I had at least seven or eight false starts.” “You’ve got to find something that makes you feel good while you do it.” “I give teaching 100% of me so I don’t allow as much time for myself in my own creating.” “During that period of not creating, you lose confidence, big time.” Links mentioned: The Adventures of Tidy, Messy and VeryMessy by Michael R. Young (Youngman Brown) and Christina Moyer Yupo Paper Cassie Stephens on Your Creative Push Connect with Christina: Etsy / Instagram / Classroom Instagram On the next episode: Sara Fabel : Website / Instagram Join the discussion in the Facebook group!

Aliza Einhorn is a writer, an astrologer and a tarot reader. Her first book, The Little Book of Saturn, is a smart, friendly introduction to the astrological Saturn.  It is a book for curious readers who know there is more to astrology than their sun signs. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/alizaeinhorn In this episode, Aliza discusses: -How her first book ended up not being a poetry book even though she thought it would. -Why she stopped writing poems while in her thirties. -Identity and whether or not we can define ourselves by something we no longer do (or haven’t done for a while). -A crash course of Tarot and how it can help people with their creative blocks. -Having a dual-identity, where one-half of you is focused on a day job and making money while the other half is focused on your creative passion and doing what you truly love. -How astrology is a tool for self-awareness and self-discovery. -The validation that creative people can get when they are (finally) told that they might be meant to do the thing that they’ve always known that they are supposed to do. -Why Saturn is so important. -Working with Tom Hart and the Sequential Artists Workshop. -How creating art and finding your audience is like internet dating. -The experience of writing and publishing her first book. Aliza's Final Push will inspire you to keep going, and be willing to move into a new creative passion!   Quotes: “I remember thinking ‘I’m not going to write anything anymore unless it is directly related to my income, which I want now to be astrology.’” “It’s not one-size-fits-all.  You can create your work and create your life.  You just have to do it.  You can’t wait for someone else to do it for you.” “People are afraid.  They’re afraid of others seeing their insides.” “If you don’t expose yourself, people aren’t going to care.” Links mentioned: Youngman Brown's astrology reading The Little Book of Saturn: Astrological Gifts, Challenges, and Returns by Aliza Einhorn Sequential Artists Workshop Tom Hart on Your Creative Push Astrology and Tarot Readings by Aliza Connect with Aliza: Website / Facebook / Patreon / Twitter Join the discussion in the Facebook group!

This week we are delighted to have a guest on the show and that's Mike Young, better known as Youngman Brown creator of the popular podcast Your Creative Push. Now Mike has a lot to answer for, in fact, he is the reason that this podcast even exists. He's the one to blame when Sandra and I are warbling on in your ear, as we met via Mike's Creative Push Facebook Group.  Mike originally started his podcast because he was looking for a podcast about pushing yourself to be more creative, but he couldn't find one. Mike is a great writer but he found he wasn't motivating himself to write as much as he wanted to. Originally Mike was putting out one episode of the show a day, which is quite an achievement. Finding guests, interviewing and editing a podcast takes a huge amount of time and Mike was doing all that alongside his job of being a poker dealer. Mike shares how he managed his time and got so much done. Mike shares some of the creative projects he is working on including Words plus music http://wordsplusmusic.com/ and Creative Push. He also speaks about some of the challenges he's taken part in. One was NaNoWriMo - a writing challenge, but Mike put his own twist on the Challenge. Cramuary was another challenge that Mike invented himself. The idea was that he would "cram"/do as much work on a creative project (his book) during January as he could. However, it didn't work out quite as planned which Mike explains more about in the podcast. Mike offers his tips for anyone else who is considering taking part in a creative challenge.

In this episode, Youngman explains why he decided not to do the #Cramuary challenge.  Yes, the very challenge that he created.  Was it fear?  Self-sabotage?  Laziness?  Burnout?  Bitcoin, even? He's not sure, and he's been too ashamed to talk about it, but by the end of the episode he gets a much better understanding of why, even after two years of constantly thinking and talking about it, Resistance can still hit you with fists of fury.  And that's nothing to be ashamed of. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/287 Quotes: "I was thinking about doing all of that work and putting in all that time, and I was just dreading it." "It's not a big deal if you push off your big project.  You shouldn't feel shame about realizing that it's not the right time or you're not in the right mindset or place in your life to be able to do something that you care very deeply about.  You can always do it later, you can always do it better.  As long as you do it." "I don't know why I felt for so long that I should be invulnerable to creative blocks and burnout." "I promise to you that I will open up my heart and soul to you and share all of the creative blocks that I am going through myself." "It's okay to do other projects.  It's okay to take breaks.  And it's okay to say 'no' to something that you said 'yes' to earlier." Links mentioned: Youngman Brown on The Blue Magic Podcast Casey Neistat (Video about starting 368)

Youngman Brown and Catherine O’Brien are our talented guests today. Youngman Brown is a writer, artist, and host of the Your Creative Push podcast. He shares how to overcome obstacles in the creative journey, and how his dog Sadie helped him find love! Catherine O’Brien is the incredible host of the Pawcast, and we meet up in Anaheim, California to discuss podcasting and animal rescue. Your Creative Push http://yourcreativepush.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/yourcreativepush/ Words Plus Music by Youngman Brown http://wordsplusmusic.com http://youngmanbrown.com Your Creative Push is the podcast that pushes YOU to pursue your creative passion, whatever that passion may be. Youngman Brown interviews talented artists, musicians, writers, photographers, graphic designers, and other creative individuals in an attempt to get them to inspire you to put aside your fears and excuses and START DOING WORK. Thank you Youngman! Pawcast Podcast http://pawcast.libsyn.com Friends of the Animals Baton Rouge http://friendsoftheanimalsbr.org Branch Out Programs, Catherine’s company http://www.branchoutprograms.com It's the Pawcast! The Friends of the Animals Baton Rouge podcast. Meet the dogs, hear the adoption report, learn about opportunities to help FOTA. Hosted by Catherine O’Brien, the Pawcast will help you connect with our organization and support our mission of saving as many dogs and puppies as possible from the East Baton Rouge municipal shelter. Happy tails! Thank you Catherine! The Bay Area Pet Fair, hosted by Pet Food Express, is on Saturday and Sunday, September 16 & 17, from 10:00am to 5:00pm. http://www.bayareapetfair.org Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bayareapetfair Harold and Nancy will be at the Bay Area Pet Fair conducting interviews! Make sure to visit our booth and say hello. About Nancy and Harold Rhee We have been married over 20 years, fostered over 60 dogs in the past four years, and we love animal rescue and the amazing people who dedicate their lives. And of course, the dogs and cats! If you want to learn more about Nancy and Harold, go to our About Us page at http://thisispawprint.com/about or listen to our introductory podcast episode, "Fifty Puppies and a Podcast." http://thisispawprint.com/000 About Pawprint Pawprint (or Paw Print) is a weekly podcast dedicated to animal rescue, adoption, and the heroes who make it happen. Volunteer, walk, adopt, or foster a dog, cat, rabbit, or other wonderful pet through your local shelter, humane society, SPCA, pound, and animal control. Stop abuse, and help increase animal protection, welfare, and rights.  http://thisispawprint.com http://animalrescuepodcast.com Don’t miss any new episodes. Sign up for our email list. If you want to join our animal rescue community and receive two free bonus dog-training resources from Irith Bloom, positive reinforcement dog trainer, go to http://thisispawprint.com/ask. Irith can be found at http://www.thesophisticateddog.com/ About Pawprint’s Music All of Pawprint's music is composed by Luke Gartner-Brereton. Luke is based in Brisbane, Australia, and he composes a wide variety of songs and musical loops http://info.vanillagroovemedia.com http://vanillagroovestudios.com http://soundcloud.com/luke-gartnerbrereton

Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/investment What can we, as creative people, learn from millionaires? In this episode, Youngman Brown cherry picks five of the best investment tips given by millionaires and financial gurus, and applies them to the creative process and your creative journey. All of these tips are simple mindset shifts that will drastically affect the way that you see the time, pain, and daily effort that you put into your creative passion, and how it will exponentially benefit you in the future. The goal is to see that you are going along an exponential creative curve, and the more daily deposits you make to that account, the quicker your gains will be multiplied. Here are the five ways that you can exponentially increase your creativity: Invest in yourself FIRST. Utilize compound interest. Stop checking your accounts/stats. Make multiple income streams. Invest in your mind. Quotes: "What are those projects that you want to get to some day?  Ask yourself how many days have you been putting them off?" "Invest in your creative muscles." "Don't trust yourself to have time at the end of the month.  Do that thing right now." Links mentioned: Acorns! Youngman Brown on The Idea Medic Podcast Tony Robbins Warns "The Crash is Coming" Compound Interest Explained Art, Money & Success by Maria Brophy Links mentioned: Joby Harris: Website / Instagram

In this episode of The Creative Introvert podcast I interview Youngman Brown of Your Creative Push. I'll admit it. For the last couple of weeks I've been going through a real slump in motivation. May be it's the change of season - there's something about being by the sea - even in England - that when the sun comes out, it becomes intensely hard to think of anything other than grabbing a beer and taking the afternoon off. Just me? Hope not. This is why I'm so grateful for people like today's guest whose podcast Your Creative Push is there for me to give me a much needed dose of motivation and inspiration. Really - the conversations and topics that Youngman Brown covers on his podcast have been a real source of creative fuel for me. It's so comforting to know that - as much as I love being alone - I'm not alone in this creative journey. If you've ever felt that slump in your creative drive or just need a kick up the bum to get that project finished - or started - then I think you'll get a LOT out of today's guest interview.   We discuss: Why Youngman encourages people to pay attention to their creative drive and just start Overcoming the resistance to creating My favourite motivational quote When we should incubate an idea and when we need to get it out Is having multiple creative outlets a good thing? Why goals aren't everything (and can be harmful) What 200+ guests on Your Creative Push have in common The dreaded... imposter syndrome Why it's OK to have the fear Nervous farts!   Links mentioned:   YCP's 200th episode How to Thrive as a Creative Introvert Words Plus Music Meg Kissack's interview Dream journalling Waking Life Inception The Meetup group I started Ira Glass on 'The Gap' Inner Enemies to Creativity (free eBook) The Introvert's Superpowers We Are Upfront Martin Stellar interview Youngman's Youtube channel

Aunia Kahn is figurative artist, photographer, creative entrepreneur and inspirational speaker. She has created a hybrid art form combining many disciplines. She designs, builds, and executes characters, non-existent places, dreams, illusions, fears and fables into creations, melding elements of classical and contemporary art. Aunia also runs/hosts the Create & Inspire Blog & Podcast where she helps and inspires creatives to follow their dreams! Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/auniakahnreplay In this episode, Aunia discusses: -How and why she started the "Create and Inspire" blog and podcast. -How John Lee Dumas of "Entrepreneur on Fire" inspired her to start a podcast (just like Youngman Brown with "Your Creative Push"). -How most artists don't realize that their art can be a business and many of the mistakes they make when trying to sell their work. -Her first creative moments with a Kodak Fisher Price camera as a child. -How even though we are the most photographed era in time, we are going to be left with no actual photos. -Her journey through various forms of art, and how she wanted to be a painter, and a surgeon, and a veterinarian, amongst many other things. -How health issues inhibited her from being able to sing, and how that led to her beginnings as an artist. -How art was therapeutic to her and gave her the feeling of having a purpose. -The story of what made her start to share her work and the unlikely person who encouraged her to do so. -Her advice for people who might be afraid to share their work because they are embarrassed or shy about the content or subject matter that they create. -The importance of just messing around and experimenting, not worrying if it is good or bad, and just learning from it. -How you shouldn't base your progress on the amount of Facebook likes that you get. -The value in aiming to affect one person as opposed to appealing to a broad audience. -Details about her gallery Aunia's Final Push will inspire you to keep getting up and never giving up. Quotes: "Music is where I cultivated a spiritual and artistic vibe within myself." "The art itself was never supposed to be shown to anybody.  It was, "I am suffering so tremendously that if I don't do something, I don't know how much longer I am going to be here." "When you are sick and you are bedridden and you can't leave your house, you feel like you don't have a purpose." "For some reason, I felt like the camera was a sketchbook for me." "Everything feeds itself.  It is like a self-generating greenhouse of creativity." "I went to the show and I actually saw a woman cry in front of my work.  After that, I had to go home and think about this." "Maybe this is how I'm supposed to help people, by using my own creativity to help myself and indirectly helping someone else without getting too close." "You don't need to make this for anybody but yourself." "For one person who tells you that they like what you're doing or appreciates you, there's a dozen more that are maybe too shy to say anything." "We can literally do anything that we put our minds to.  Our minds are amazing.  They are so strong and vast." "Life is too damn short not to go for everything you've ever wanted, even if it seems ridiculous." "If you can see what you want to do and it seems like you could reach that, you're not reaching far enough.  If you want to do something and its ridiculous and crazy and amazing and "I can't believe I could ever do that," then you need to go for that." Links mentioned: Aunia's gallery The Artist's Way Workbook by Julia Cameron The Best Motivational Video Speeches Compilation - Youtube Jim Carrey's Secret of Life - Youtube Connect with Aunia: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Create & Inspire / Alexi Era Gallery On the next episode: Martha Beck : Website / Write into Light Share what you've been creating this week on the Facebook group!   

The three wonderful words this week are provided by Youngman Brown - host of Your Creative Push: Space travel, dreams, and creativity. Three words that could easily be used in describing so many aspects of life, love, and today. Have quick a listen and get a little motivational push to kick off your weekend. Listen in and enjoy being a creative space traveler who will travers the dreams of yesterday, today, and beyond. Click to view: show page on Awesound

Alex Cherry is an LA-based digital artist who blurs the lines between art and design.  He draws his inspiration from film, music, and pop culture to make stunning images that will always make you think. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/alexcherryagain In this episode, Alex discusses: -The story behind his piece, "Starman" a tribute to David Bowie. -Art versus design, and how we don't watch design the way we watch art. -How to pursue your creativity by leaning on what you know, and for him that started with music. -His first creative moments and his creative journey from there. -How incredibly amazing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Nintendo are. -How we are lucky to live in the time of the internet, and we should immerse ourselves in how easy it is to share and find new things. -Kanye West and his polarizing character. -Bret Easton Ellis's idea of "Post Empire." -How many people have separate selves that they put forth on the internet. -How having a character or a persona can give you a confidence you don't have with your actual identity. -The issue of copying and how we have to get over it. -The importance of thinking about new things every day. -A recent negative experience he had and how it led to an "artistic PTSD." -The story about how he met his fiance through his art. -A rapper suggestion for Youngman Brown to help him with his insecurities about his own monotone voice. -The last words his grandmother said to him, and the impact that it has on his life. Alex's Final Push will grant you permission to create! Quotes: "It's always these pictures that take the least amount of effort that resonate the most with me, and other people." "I love music, and for me it was an easy thing to do, to piece something together and to find a song to connect that to." "We have the Internet and tumblr.  Just immerse yourself in it and don't be afraid to take inspiration from it.  Be ruthless about that." "The creative world is the exact opposite of the real world." "I heard that 90% of communication is non-verbal, and it's so true.  We put too much value in words." "It's not the what.  It's the how." "You never know in which ways you influence people or potentially change someones life.  You may never find out about that." "You have to be lovingly detached from the ego." "The best way to not produce any work is to think about the identity of that work." "Just create what you think the world needs." "Celebrate the difference." "So much of creativity is like capturing lightning in a bottle.  You can't really control the lightning, so you have to create an environment to capture the lightning." "You don't tell a tree how to grow.  You just water it and then it grows.  That's how creativity is." Links mentioned: The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast Gang Starr Connect with Alex: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter  

Youngman Brown is angry.  Angry enough to go solo in this episode to try to get you to forget those negative comments you received about your creative outlet that have kept you from really pursuing it with confidence.  This episode is all about remembering your unique taste and forgetting any harsh criticisms that you might still be holding onto. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/133 In this episode: -We hear Ronnie Allen (from Episode 29) tell us about a teacher who publicly ridiculed her writing abilities and how it stuck with her throughout her entire career. -JT Ellison (from Episode 53) recounts her thesis advisor telling her that she will never make it as a writer, which caused her to not write for eight years. -Christina Bothwell (from Episode 131) shares how her parents told her that she was not good enough to make it as an artist. -Youngman Brown shares what gave him the confidence to start to take writing seriously. -Laura Baumeister (from Episode 129) offers her opinion that you have to be your own motivation if you don't have a supportive teacher or mentor. -We discuss the idea of feeling what is right and wrong with your art and how that intuition is your signal that you have a unique voice. -We discover that your unique style is correct for you, so it doesn't matter if one of your teachers, parents, or peers deems it to be "incorrect" -- it simply doesn't match their style. -We remember that it is important to still determine the areas in which you genuinely need to improve, while making sure to never let go of your unique voice and style. Quotes: "Progress comes from practice." "You need to keep grinding.  You need to keep practicing.  You need to keep fucking up.  But you always need to stay true to yourself, and what feels right to you." "Pursuing your creative passion is what life is all about."  

Youngman Brown is fast on his way to having interviewed more than 100 creatives from all walks of life, and it was great to have a chance to get him to pass on some of the wisdom he's gained from all those interviews. You will learn how to get past creative block, how to balance your day job with following your creative passion, and the single most important decision that you absolutely must make when you decide to 'go for it.'  

Joanna Sternberg is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist living in New York City.  She primarily plays the double bass, but also plays electric bass, guitar, and piano.  Joanna sings and writes songs, and regularly performs her original music.  She plays folk, country, blues, rock, ragtime, classical, gospel, funk, rhythm and blues, klezmer, and jazz (ranging from the style of the 1920's to the present day.)  Joanna is also currently in a band called "Fraydele" as well as a talented visual artist. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/joanna In this episode, Joanna discusses: -How and why she chooses to write, sing, and play so many different styles of music. -That the inspiration for the songs usually comes from personal experiences that she needs to get out into the world. -Her band "Fraydele" that plays music that her grandmother, Fraydele Oysher, sang in the Yiddish Theater. -How it is sometimes necessary to take a break and "fill the tank." -How drawing and visual art is less draining and taxing on her than songwriting. -How she has only been singing for two years (which is one of the most shocking things that Youngman Brown has learned on the show). -When she first started to sing, how she sang in a lower voice because she thought it would be harder for people to make fun of. -Her advice for everyone to get singing lessons to have someone help them find their voice. -The importance of being able to have someone to help you with honest feedback, but who will also be supportive. -Her struggles with self-image. -How performing the songs aren't nerve-wracking to her, and how she is grateful that she doesn't write complicated lyrics. -Even though her songs have a very specific meaning to her, how music and art are a way for people to communicate universal truths to one another. -How she uses calendars to help her balance her time. -Joanna's upcoming residency at Sunny's Bar on June 2, June 9, and June 16, 2016. -Her biggest inspirations, Roz Chast and Randy Newman. Joanna's Final Push will inspire you to pursue your creative passions and put it out there because you never know who it might affect.   Quotes: "Not to be cheesy, but I just really feel the music I play.  So it didn't really take that much learning as opposed to just doing it and having fun." "It usually is just something in my life I need to get out." "It was definitely something I always wanted to do but I just never thought I could." "Find people you trust who could help you.  Because it's hard to do it all alone." "Sometimes I'm proud that I can take stuff in my life that's negative and write a song about it." Links mentioned: Dr. Katz Professional Therapist (YouTube) Connect with Joanna: Website / Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Facebook / Art / Art Facebook

Photo by Seth Schaeffer Click here to download.You're an artist--that is until you have kids and you no longer have time for art. Right? Is there a way to create while still holding on to who you were before having kids?In our Season 2 opener, I talk about how to approach creativity while still being a parent. Listen to my interview with Youngman Brown of YourCreativePush.com.Click here to listen to the interview. Music:"Batty McFaddin" by Kevin MacLeod"Filaments" by Podington Bear"Just Watching" by Podington Bear"Biplane" by Podington Bear

Ron has stood at the crossroads where so many musicians find themselves – at the intersection of record label and independence.  In an ever-evolving industry filled with rejection and compromise, he has plotted a new course for his music to reach loyal listeners, taking the industry-road-less-traveled in exchange for the ultimate payback, a league of devoted fans the world over (and I am one of them). He has sold over 2 million singles to date, he averages 15 million spins a MONTH on Pandora, and his songs have been streamed over 120 million times.  His songs have been featured on “The Voice,” “Vampire Diaries,” 90210” and “So You Think You Can Dance.” His latest album “Ron Pope & the Nighthawks,” is available everywhere music is sold. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/ronpope In this episode, Ron discusses: -His creative origins and how he got to the point he is today as a songwriter and musician. -His involvement at the inception of “The District.” -How he writes such a large quantity of songs because he knows that not all of them will be good enough to make a record. -The belief that if you want to be a songwriter, you just have to sit down, shut up, and write songs. -How he doesn’t really believe in writer’s block.  It is just accepting that some of the stuff you write will be garbage. -The importance of working harder than everyone else if you want to excel to the highest level of your creative field. -One of the times that he was having a very difficult time writing a song, and then all of the sudden he was struck with the song in its entirety. -How doing the hard work every day and getting used to what the work feels like puts you in a better position to capture inspiration and put it into its “physical” form, even in just one take. -The role that music played in his life when he was younger to make him feel more connected and less alone. -The profound connection that comes when people play his music during special events. -How his song "I Do Not Love You" played a special role in Youngman Brown's life as his first dance at his wedding. -How art is subjective and it doesn’t matter what the artist thinks about it once the viewer or listener has given it his or her own meaning. -How hard it is to comprehend large numbers of listenership, and the power that comes from one-on-one connections. -What he has been up to creating and touring his new album Ron Pope & the Nighthawks. Ron's Final Push will inspire you to choose to do the thing you love   Quotes: “That songwriting circle was really the difference for me.  If I hadn’t joined that group, I don’t know if I would have been able to become a professional songwriter.” “I just feel like I’m not good enough to sit down and write ten songs and have all ten of those songs be bangers and have that be the record.” “For my last album, Ron Pope and the Nighthawks  I wrote 150 songs.  We recorded 40 of them or so to get to the 11 that we have on the record.” “Really almost everything is like this.  If you want to do it, and you want to do it at a high level, you’re going to have to work harder than everybody else.” “It was like I got hit by lightning.  It was into my brain immediately.  The song in my bones just existed.  The whole thing.  The melody, the lyrics, the chords, the whole thing.” “You put yourself in a much better position to have chance favor you if you do the right kind of work.” “It made me excited when I stumbled upon music that made me feel something.  It made me feel much less alone.” “I very rarely share the stories behind my songs because I want you to take them home and make them your stories.” “It’s still a really powerful feeling to know that whatever you’re creating is a part of people’s lives.” “For me it’s the singular achievement of my life as an artist.” “You’re going to have to work hard on something eventually whether it’s something you choose or something that people make you do, so if you have to pick, you might as well work hard at something that you love.” "It's worth it to work hard on things that you love." Links mentioned: Buy Ron Pope & The Nighthawks East Nashville Spice Company Connect with Ron: Website / iTunes / Spotify / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / YouTube

Brian D'Ostilio is a two-time Sports Emmy award winning associate producer for ESPN Films. His work includes documentaries like 30 for 30, 30 for 30 Shorts and SEC Storied as well as The ESPY Award Show each year. Brian recently produced "Believeland," a 30 for 30 that will premiere at the Cleveland Film Festival. Brian also happens to be one of Youngman Brown's best friends and former college roommate. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/brian In this episode, Brian discusses: -His experience at a camp in which he first learned the basic skills to shoot, edit, and produce short films. -How making his lacrosse team's highlight reels every year really jump-started his creative motivation. -How the skills that he learned at that camp and in college have translated into his work at ESPN Films. -The importance of being able to work in a collaborative effort. -The things that go along with working for a corporation. -How only you are the one who is going to know about the hardships that go into your creative work. -The importance of being able to multitask and to take on new jobs or tasks as they come. -The importance of being 100% accurate as a documentary filmmaker. -His greatest inspirations are other filmmakers, especially the other filmmakers that he works with at ESPN. Brian's Final Push will inspire you to just do it, no matter how many people are going to see it.   Quotes: "That's what's great about filmmaking.  It's a collaborative effort.  You're able to bring your friends in and get ideas from them." "That was really when I got into that creative mode.  I just stayed up late because I wanted to work on these things." "Only 3o or 40 people saw them in the end but it was something I cared about and something I wanted to make great." "I think those same core principles apply to what I do every day at ESPN." "Even if it doesn't come out so well, you're going to learn from it.

Joel is a 31 conceptual and fine art photographer from Canada, currently living in the United Kingdom.  He has been creating and sharing his conceptual portraiture work for the last 7 years, and his interest in storytelling and self-expression through art is what motivates him to create and share his work with people around the world. Through his photography workshops, he has instructed over 200 students in 7 countries to build their creative portfolios and also set up a photography business and social media presence. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/joel In this episode, Joel discusses: -How he fell into photography as a hobby and then went along for the ride in the last seven years. -His experience working for Coca-Cola and FIFA for the Wold Cup Trophy tour, and how he got to fly around the world taking photographs of celebrities and football players. -How when he started taking his conceptual photographs, it was like a secret hobby. -The reason why he is the subject of many of his photographs. -How self-portraiture was and still is very therapeutic for him and has taught him so much about himself that he might not have learned any other way. -How he, like Youngman Brown, gets flustered when someone watches him doing work or when he thinks about the amount of people that see his work. -His advice for artists or creative people who freeze up when they think about the number of people who are looking at their work. -How important it is to find your specific audience. -To find your voice that is different than everyone else. -To utilize social media to communicate back and forth with your audience as opposed to just at them. -One of this earliest memories as a kid when he wanted to be an animator for Disney. -How an experiment with an image of him being lifted up by balloons brought him back to the feelings of excitement he had when he was creating as a kid. -His recommendation of doing a 365-day project, not only to force you to do the work, but to create bad work and understand why you think it is bad. -How to deal with the imaginary naysayers.  -How opening yourself up emotionally can allow your viewers/listeners/readers to tap into themselves in a way that they never imagined. Quotes: "It was never my goal when I started to turn it into a business." "I just try to enjoy what I have in the moment and share it with the people around me." "It just changed my whole life." "I could never have dreamed up a better job." "When I first started taking photos it was like a secret hobby of mine." "It's almost like a secret identity." "You have to do it for yourself before anyone else.  You can make the most amazing cake in the whole-wide-world, and you can give it to ten people and they might just hate chocolate cake.  There's nothing you could have done any different.  You're just giving it to the wrong crowd of people." "Social media can never be a great barometer for talent." "Find what voice you have that is different from everyone else." "If I do this every day, I have no option but to get better somehow." Links mentioned: Create Your Self - A Creative Work Book by Joel Robison Connect with Joel: Website / Blog / Facebook  

Aunia Kahn is figurative artist, photographer, creative entrepreneur and inspirational speaker. She has created a hybrid art form combining many disciplines. She designs, builds, and executes characters, non-existent places, dreams, illusions, fears and fables into creations, melding elements of classical and contemporary art. Aunia also runs/hosts the Create & Inspire Blog & Podcast where she helps and inspires creatives to follow their dreams! Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/auniakahn In this episode, Aunia discusses: -How and why she started the "Create and Inspire" blog and podcast. -How John Lee Dumas of "Entrepreneur on Fire" inspired her to start a podcast (just like Youngman Brown with "Your Creative Push"). -How most artists don't realize that their art can be a business and many of the mistakes they make when trying to sell their work. -Her first creative moments with a Kodak Fisher Price camera as a child. -How even though we are the most photographed era in time, we are going to be left with no actual photos. -Her journey through various forms of art, and how she wanted to be a painter, and a surgeon, and a veterinarian, amongst many other things. -How health issues inhibited her from being able to sing, and how that led to her beginnings as an artist. -How art was therapeutic to her and gave her the feeling of having a purpose. -The story of what made her start to share her work and the unlikely person who encouraged her to do so. -Her advice for people who might be afraid to share their work because they are embarrassed or shy about the content or subject matter that they create. -The importance of just messing around and experimenting, not worrying if it is good or bad, and just learning from it. -How you shouldn't base your progress on the amount of Facebook likes that you get. -The value in aiming to affect one person as opposed to appealing to a broad audience. -Details about her gallery Aunia's Final Push will inspire you to keep getting up and never giving up.   Quotes: "Music is where I cultivated a spiritual and artistic vibe within myself." "The art itself was never supposed to be shown to anybody.  It was, "I am suffering so tremendously that if I don't do something, I don't know how much longer I am going to be here." "When you are sick and you are bedridden and you can't leave your house, you feel like you don't have a purpose." "For some reason, I felt like the camera was a sketchbook for me." "Everything feeds itself.  It is like a self-generating greenhouse of creativity." "I went to the show and I actually saw a woman cry in front of my work.  After that, I had to go home and think about this." "Maybe this is how I'm supposed to help people, by using my own creativity to help myself and indirectly helping someone else without getting too close." "You don't need to make this for anybody but yourself." "For one person who tells you that they like what you're doing or appreciates you, there's a dozen more that are maybe too shy to say anything." "We can literally do anything that we put our minds to.  Our minds are amazing.  They are so strong and vast." "Life is too damn short not to go for everything you've ever wanted, even if it seems ridiculous." "If you can see what you want to do and it seems like you could reach that, you're not reaching far enough.  If you want to do something and its ridiculous and crazy and amazing and "I can't believe I could ever do that," then you need to go for that." Links mentioned: Aunia's gallery The Artist's Way Workbook by Julia Cameron The Best Motivational Video Speeches Compilation - Youtube Jim Carrey's Secret of Life - Youtube Connect with Aunia: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Create & Inspire / Alexi Era Gallery  

Brett Gajda has launched two multi-million dollar businesses, studied with some of the world’s leading self-development teachers, visited 40 countries, released an album, starred in a stage musical, got married, escaped from Alcatraz, became a father, and he currently trains and coaches professionals at Fortune 1000 companies globally.  He is also the host of "Where There's Smoke" -- an amazing self-help podcast that is one of the major inspirations for Youngman Brown to start "Your Creative Push." Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/brettgajda In this episode, Brett discusses: -A recent review of his podcast "Where There's Smoke" that defined it as "genre-defying" and how that sentiment struck a chord with him. -The concept of "The Gap" (introduced by Ira Glass) and how to get over it. -How the only way to get to the level you want to be at with your art is to actually put the time and work into the craft that you want to master. -His advice for moving past the fact that the first thing that you create is not very good. -How there isn't a single person in the world that just started walking without taking a first step (usually falling right after). -How setting a long-term goal of not paying attention to short-term results really helped him to continue. -The importance of talking to people who have been through the journey you want to go on. -How working for other people and helping to tell their stories made it clear to him that he wanted to tell his story.  He just needed to find the medium. -How he tried many times to figure out how to get his voice out in the world, but it still didn't feel right... but at least he was trying. -How one of the themes of "Where There's Smoke" is the idea that you just have to put in the work. -Let the journey to the top of the mountain be the most important part of your trip to the top of the mountain... not your few moments standing on the top. -How his best moments are those where he actually creates something. -If you have multiple ideas, to put all of your fuel into making one of them launch. -Even if your #1 goal is to do something like write a novel, there might be smaller goals that you should accomplish first. -How creativity is in EVERYTHING you do. Brett's Final Push will inspire you to NOT HATE YOURSELF right before you die because you didn't do it.   Quotes: "Just look at today.  What's the next step?  What's one thing that you can do today?" "Find five people who have done what you want to do, and ask them to tell you about what their journey was like when they started." "The good news was that I was trying.  I was swinging the bat.  I wasn't just sitting in my room trying to figure it out.  I was trying to figure it out through action." "If I find 10 things I don't want to do, I'm still closer to what I DO want to do." "There was all these questions.  And instead of just sitting there stuck in the questions, I just took a step." "Find a way for the journey and the experience to be the TOP of the mountain." "The regrets I have in my life that have haunted me are all the times I didn't do something." "Failing is not that big of a deal.  The thing about failure is that you get to be proud of the fact that you tried and you learned from it." "I want people to live the full expression of their life." Links mentioned: "The Gap" by Ira Glass Where There's Smoke: "Work it! (Creativity)" The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Mr. Nice Dancing Spiderman matches up with any song you play Connect with Brett: Twitter / Linkedin Where There's Smoke Website / Twitter / iTunes / Stitcher / Soundcloud  

Alex Cherry is an LA-based digital artist who blurs the lines between art and design.  He draws his inspiration from film, music, and pop culture to make stunning images that will always make you think. Full shownotes: http://yourcreativepush.com/alexcherry2 In this episode, Alex discusses: -The issue of copying and how we have to get over it. -The importance of thinking about new things every day. -A recent negative experience he had and how it led to an "artistic PTSD." -The story about how he met his fiance through his art. -A rapper suggestion for Youngman Brown to help him with his insecurities about his own monotone voice. -The last words his grandmother said to him, and the impact that it has on his life. Alex's Final Push will grant you permission to create!   Quotes: "I heard that 90% of communication is non-verbal, and it's so true.  We put too much value in words." "It's not the what.  It's the how." "You never know in which ways you influence people or potentially change someones life.  You may never find out about that." "You have to be lovingly detached from the ego." "The best way to not produce any work is to think about the identity of that work." "Just create what you think the world needs." "Celebrate the difference." "So much of creativity is like capturing lightning in a bottle.  You can't really control the lightning, so you have to create an environment to capture the lightning." "You don't tell a tree how to grow.  You just water it and then it grows.  That's how creativity is." Links mentioned: The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast Gang Starr Connect with Alex: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter

In this episode, Youngman Brown picks up the microphone for the first time to tell you a little about himself and why he is starting "Your Creative Push." It is a podcast for you as much as it is for him.  He needs that inspiration as much as you do in order to get stuff done… and since he couldn’t find a daily podcast that gave him what he needed… he decided to make his own.