Creative Leap Mastermind:
Make Progress with Joyful Productivity
Tired of watching your creative dreams collect dust?
Raise your hand if …✋🏽
You want to write a book, record the album, complete the work for the exhibition, finish the pitch deck, etc., but you can’t seem to find the time.
Your talents and tools are languishing in the corner of your office or studio.
You're constantly comparing yourself to other creatives and feeling inadequate.
You’re unsure you’ll be able to sustain your joy for your craft if you keep hustling.
You've been cultivating your creativity for years, but now you want to get to work—without losing your joy.
I’ve been there.
As a seasoned artist and performer, I've navigated the challenges and triumphs of the creative world. I honed my skills in intense atmospheres like The Juilliard School and the Ivy League. I’ve landed multiple book deals, recorded a solo album, and run three marathons. I’ve made over 200+ episodes of my award-winning podcast and written hundreds of thousands of words on multiple popular blogs. Yet, I didn’t always hustle in the healthiest of ways. At one point in my life, I doubted if it was possible to work hard AND find joy.
But now, I've learned how to make progress without compromising my well-being.
I want to help you use Joyful Productivity to take the creative leap and make that dream project a reality.
The real reason you’re not making progress is that you’re doing it alone.
You don’t need another planner or timer.
You need the power of a transformational creative community.
What if there was a way for you to be productive but not sell your soul to hustle culture and unhealthy, unsustainable habits?
Introducing our (new and improved!) life-changing group coaching cohort for Joyful Productivity
Creative Leap Mastermind program elements and 2026 dates:
Weekly Group Coaching Calls: Fridays 10:00-11:30 AM EST
These calls are the heart of the program. I will assign specific modules from my online course Joyful Productivity (these will take less than 30 minutes to complete), and we will work through them together and share how we can hold each other accountable with our goals that week. (By popular demand, I have tripled the amount of group coaching time in the cohort this round!) The calls will be recorded and shared inside our private workspace, but we highly recommend you attend live (obvi!)
Week 1: January 9th, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 2: January 16, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 3: January 23, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 4: January 30th, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 5: February 6, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 6: February 13, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 7: February 20, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 8: February 27, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 9: March 6, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 10: March 13, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 11: March 20, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 12: March 27, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 13: April 3, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 14: April 10, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 15: April 17, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 16: April 24, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 17: May 1, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Week 18: May 8, 10:00-11:30 AM EST
Weekly Get-it-done time, Thursdays 12:00 noon
Beginning in Week 2 of the program, we start our weekly “get-it-done” time. Every Thursday, we open a Zoom room and work together in solidarity. Sign on and say hello, then turn your camera off and get it done!
Week 2: January 15, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Week 3: January 22, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Week 4: January 29, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Week 5: February 5, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Week 6: February 12, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Week 7: February 19, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Week 8: February 26, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Week 9: March 5, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Week 10: March 12, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Week 11: March 19, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Week 12: March 26, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Week 13: April 2, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Week 14: April 9, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Week 15: April 16, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Week 16: April 23, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Week 17: April 30, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Week 18: May 7, 12:00 -1:00 PM EST
Unlimited Voxer access, Monday-Friday 9-5 PM
Throughout the cohort, you’ll have unlimited Voxer access to me and others in the cohort. (If you are new to Voxer, it is a free voice memo app that I’ll show you how to use!)
Three 45-minute one-on-one coaching calls
You can schedule your three 45-minute one-on-one calls whenever you’d like during the 18 weeks.
Optional: Spring 2026 “The Artist’s Way” Cohort, private breakout room
An optional bonus for CLM members is to participate in the next cohort of Julia Cameron’s book, “The Artist’s Way,” on Tuesday evenings beginning February 10th. Mastermind participants get access to a private breakout room during Act II. While this work isn’t required of participants, TAW speaks to the joyful productivity of the Mastermind, and the repeat breakout rooms offer an extra weekly check-in and coaching with Merideth.
This mixture of group, one-on-one, and personal work time works!
You will make progress on that creative dream with the support of creative friends far and wide!
It's time to take the leap.
Enroll in the Creative Leap Mastermind today and transform your creative practice with Joyful Productivity.
Value breakdown:
1.5 hours per week of group coaching x 18 + 12 private breakout rooms = 33 hours of coaching: $4950 value
Weekly recorded teaching: $2500 value
Weekly Get-it-done time: $1500 value
Three One-on-One coaching sessions: $450 value
Voxer Access: $1500 value
$10,900 value
Grab your seat before December 1 at midnight EST:
$2500* (or 4 payments of $625)
That’s about $20 per day!
Register between December 2-20:
$3000 (or 4 payments of $750)
Less than $25 per day!
*Receive an additional 45-minute coaching call when you pay in full, to be used during the mastermind only.
Program Structure:
Our signature Creative Leap Mastermind (CLM) offers a blend of group and one-on-one coaching, Zoom workrooms, a weekly accountability check-in, plus direct Voxer and chat access to me for support. You’ll find a robust community with an intimate group of like-minded artists and make powerful progress on a creative project of your choice.
In addition to these elements, you’ll get full access to Joyful Productivity, a new e-course to finish at your own pace and use even after the mastermind ends. This 18-module resource helps you learn to coach yourself through whatever you’re facing and is full of creative recovery tools that meet you where you are.
Joyful Productivity is founded on….
Process over Product: The person you are becoming in the process of creating is more important than any art you make. I’ll help you create processes with small steps to reduce discouragement and overwhelm to make your progress sustainable. You’re in this for the long haul, and so am I.
Community: I’ve got your back. Artists for Joy is my favorite place on the internet, and your fellow Mastermind Artists and I will inspire you to keep going when you want to quit. Knowing you’re not alone when you face setbacks or obstacles is critical to staying on course. We can’t wait to cheer you on.
Radical Self-Care: Joy is a feeling with all the colors in it, and when we are doing hard things around here, we know to double down on self-care. Learning to take care of yourself, to complete the stress cycle, and listen to your body, these practices ensure you aren’t becoming an art-making robot headed for injury or burnout.
Rhythms over Routines: KC Davis said, “With routines, you are either on track or not. With rhythm, you can skip a beat and still get back in the groove.” I will help you craft a schedule for your season of life, but more importantly, I’ll teach you how to get back in the groove when you skip a beat (or two).
Celebration: Joy is made complete when it is shared. We will practice learning the art of celebration together through personal rituals, gratitude circles, and other coaching activities that help you appreciate each step you’ve taken, no matter how small.
Hi, I’m Merideth.
I am an oboist by training (Juilliard, Yale), author (The Artist’s Joy), coach, and speaker who has helped thousands of artists recover and rediscover creative joy. My work has been featured at places like Google, the Production Music Association, Elephant Journal, and more, and I am passionate about helping you create the most important thing we make: a joy-filled life.
Mid-creative-leap myself (launching my next book), I keep hearing coaching clients say, “I just wish I had your discipline” or “I want to finish it, but I can’t.” I know how much accountability and coaching can transform the creative process, so I decided to open up the doors to a new program and offer you just that and more. I hope you'll join us.
Imagine having a creative coach in your pocket all year long.
This self-paced content will meet you where you are and support you as you need it throughout the cohort.
I’ll assign certain content before our group calls, but you’ll have access to all these time-tested tools for joyful progress for a year after the cohort ends.
As a Creative Leap Mastermind (CLM) member, you will benefit from:
18 recorded teachings on Merideth’s Joyful Productivity System
We’ll help you C.R.A.F.T. goals that align with your values, make a plan that works for your season of life, create self-care guardrails, troubleshoot obstacles and blocks, and more.
17 co-working Zoom rooms for get-it-done time every Thursday Noon-1 PM EST
A weekly power hour (co-working space) so you can schedule time to get down to it. We’ll greet each other briefly, turn off our cameras, and get to work on whatever the next step for our project is.
18 1.5-hour group coaching calls every Friday 10-11:30 AM EST
The heart of the program, we will meet weekly for 1.5 hours to share our progress, overcome challenges, and review the week’s teaching.
We’ll hold each other accountable by reporting our C.R.A.F.T goals and move forward together with joy.
3 one-to-one coaching calls with Merideth to overcome your unique challenges
Three 45-minute coaching calls with Merideth to use anytime from January 11th to May 8th.*
Unlimited Voxer access to Merideth to get your questions answered
I will respond to your questions within 24 hours, M-F, 9-5 EST.
Optional CLM Breakout Room in The Artist’s Way Creative Cluster, Tuesdays 7-8:30 PM
Starting February 10th, you’ll get twelve Creative Cluster meetings with the larger Artists for Joy community working through Julia Cameron’s seminal text on creativity, “The Artist’s Way.” During the Creative Cluster, CLM members get their own private breakout room exclusively for mastermind members. These meetings are 7:00-8:30 PM EST from February 10th to May 5th. (Private breakout rooms are 7:30-8:00 PM.)
*The coaching calls are most valuable when distributed equally throughout the cohort, and they don’t carry over once the mastermind ends. If you’re unavailable during my regular coaching hours (T, W, F, 9-3 EST), I’ll work to accommodate early morning or evening sessions whenever possible.
In the words of former mastermind participants…
Joan Fopma-Loy , Visual Artist
When Merideth announced the first offering of the Mastermind, I knew immediately that I wanted to be part of this group. But I hesitated, the doubting voices saying, “I won’t fit in; I’m not writing a book or anything like that, I’m not advanced enough; what could I offer that would be of any value to others?” and on and on. But I took the leap with Merideth’s encouragement. She created the climate that helped us to grow, emphasizing that what is most important is the process and who we are becoming, not the outcomes of what we are creating. Now, I know I am more confident in what I have to offer, in the value of my own voice, and I am becoming more the person my Creator created me to be. I am certain that if I had not been a member of CLM, I would have given up on my art-making when life got hard. CLM helped to foster my grounding and continued healing. I encourage you to listen to that still, small voice inside of you, have faith, and take the leap with Merideth.
Yolanda Chetwynd, visual artist and graphic novelist
Merideth is truly inspirational and a joy to work with. Her guidance has been invaluable, and I genuinely believe that my project would not be as magnificent without the support of this community. This experience has not only made me more creative, but has also brought so much ease and joy to what could have been a complicated process. I am extremely grateful that I joined.
Carrie Jo Bradley, memoirist
Finally, I’ve made significant and joyful progress!
After joining the Creative Leap Mastermind, I can now say with joy and confidence: I’m no longer stuck! I hoped to maybe make headway on a few chapters, but during the mastermind course, I completed the entire first draft of my memoir—more than I ever dreamed was possible.
When obstacles came up, I didn’t stay stuck for long. I could reach out via Voxer, and Merideth—with her steady, soothing coaching voice—would gently remind me of what’s true in a way that helped me reset and keep going.
I also loved being part of a warm, creative, and courageous community. During our weekly calls, we truly got to know one another. That sense of connection reminded me I wasn’t alone—and that my work matters.
I wholeheartedly recommend Merideth’s coaching to anyone feeling stuck, and the Creative Leap Mastermind to anyone ready to make meaningful progress on a creative dream.
Do you want to make joyful progress with a small, intimate group of like-minded artists?
Come work with me.
I’ll be writing my latest book project along with the cohort, reporting my progress, and working to find the space to create a dream project just like you. I’m so excited to share this time. It’s not too late. You are worth this investment. I cannot wait to see what you create.
Don't let another month pass by.
It's time to take the leap.
Sign up today. There are only 10 spots available, and they may go fast!
Doors close on December 20th.
Some FAQs
How do I know if this is right for me? How do I set myself up for success?
CLM (Creative Leap Mastermind) helps you make progress on a large project you may have had on the back burner: a book, an album, a portfolio, etc. You can have some existing material for the project completed, or you can start from scratch; though, it’s a good idea when you sign up to have a large project in mind and have a general idea of the length and scope of what it will take to complete it. There isn’t a place in the curriculum to explore your identity as an artist or brainstorm which medium or discipline you’d like to work in, for example. That said, it does help if you’ve had some creative recovery work under your belt with Artists for Joy or otherwise. This mastermind is for folks who have been exploring creative recovery over the years, are now ready to get to work and be held accountable for their progress (but with less hustle and more joy!)
Will the meetings be recorded?
The group coaching calls will be recorded and shared to the online workspace we share. We recommend you attend live, but if you can’t, the recording will be waiting for you!
How big will the cohort be?
I am keeping it intentionally small so that everyone can get the attention and air time they need in the group calls. There are 10 spots, and once they fill up, I’ll create a wait list.
How does the course work of Joyful Productivity fit in? How long will it take to complete?
Joyful Productivity is an interactive online course we will use to shape our group coaching time. I will assign specific modules weekly and we’ll discuss them together during our group calls. This work should take you less than 30 minutes outside of our class meetings. I want you to spend as much time as possible on your project, so I won’t be adding much additional work to your plate. You will have access to the entire collection for a year following the cohort. Think of it as a creative block triage, a creative coach in your pocket!
What if I can’t make progress as fast as I need to?
What makes this program unique is how it is tailored to fit the needs of your project and your season of life. If you’re working a full-time job or have littles at home, don't worry. I have helped thousands of artists overcome their unique challenges and make progress with joy. The first week of the program will help you name what matters now, explore where you can make time for the work, and find the processes you will create to support yourself. If you’re worried about your progress and need some individualized attention, you can always Vox me or schedule one of the three coaching calls you get during the mastermind.
Is this a critique group? Will I get any feedback on my work?
No, and no. There will be opportunities to share progress and generally show/share our work in group coaching calls, but we will not be offering critical feedback, editing, or unsolicited advice about how to improve. We will, however, help you brainstorm how and where to find help if you do need a critique partner or editor.
What is Voxer?
Voxer is a voice memo app where you can chat with the CLM group and one-on-one with Merideth M-F 9-5. If you don’t wish to participate in this feature of the cohort, you can easily turn off notifications. All essential mastermind communications will come via email, but reminders and other in-the-moment info will be discussed on Voxer. I commit to answering one-on-one Voxer messages within 24 hours, except over the weekend. This video provides a helpful tutorial on how to set up Voxer, too.
I’m not in a position to commit to this right now. Will you be offering it again?
This one is specifically for those who are ready to take the leap and put in the time to make the big dream a reality. Maybe you’re not there this time. That’s ok! I highly recommend you try out our FREE multi-week creative recovery groups that meet from Feb-May (The Artist’s Way) and Sept-Dec (The Artist’s Joy); click here to learn more and register. I also offer one-to-one coaching on a sliding scale. I hope to offer another round at some point, but nothing beyond this cohort is scheduled yet.
What’s the refund policy?
I understand that things come up and life can be unpredictable. I offer a 50% refund before January 1st. Refunds are not available after January 1st. I am happy to set up a one-on-one call to answer any questions you have about the program, the refund, or payment plan policies. Click here to find a time to connect.
If you have additional questions, email hello@artistsforjoy.org for help!