How does the spirit with which we approach things change our experience? How can we learn to cultivate a mindset of growth and gentleness in our creative work, especially as we are trying new things? Merideth shares the story of how she learned the answer to these questions from a certain toddler this week. She also shares insights of Psychologist Carol S. Dweck, specifically how mindset can contribute to success. Watercolor art used this week by MB Whitaker. Find her work on instagram @mbwhitakerrr.
40: Friendship
What stops us from cultivating deep friendships, especially with other artists? This week on the show, Merideth explores how friendship can be a powerful tool in the creative process, offering us not only companionship, but also self-knowledge, inspiration, perspective and healing.
39: Just. Start.
On this week's show, Merideth explores why we are so reluctant to take that initial step towards a creative goal and how we might follow Nike’s call to "just do it." She'll share a story from her marathoning days and offer a deep insight she learned from a successful entrepreneur recently about the relationship between things that are scary and/or dangerous.
38: An Artist's Search for Why
In this episode, Merideth takes on the ever-important topic for artists--naming and claiming your “why.” What benefit is there in this singularity of purpose, of making meaning in work and life? She'll share three concrete practices/questions/ways of thinking to help you name yours, plus offer insights from two major thought leaders on the subject.
37: Competition
This week we talk competition, how comparing ourselves to others can drain us and lead to creative drought. Merideth will offer a metaphor for scarcity mindset that will probably make you hungry. Plus she’ll share some tips for choosing abundance and gratitude over jealousy and fear in your creative practice.
Learn more about The Artist’s Way Creative Cluster starting soon
36: Anxiety
This week on the podcast, Merideth explores a topic she and so many artists struggle with: anxiety. She’ll share info from two studies on how anxiety affects our brain health and offer some insights into managing the stress that she found in the most unexpected place.
Study “Positive attitudes reduce dementia risk”
35: Artist as Empath
This week on the podcast Merideth explores the strength of being a deep feeler, how artists can use their sensitivity to nurture empathy in others. She'll also discuss the important distinction between being an empath and suffering from clinical depression; how we all might see our potential for deep empathy as a strength, while setting healthy boundaries around our mental health.
Check out these mental health resources on our website.
Read the article from The Atlantic about spiders taking flight
Submit a creative conundrum to the show.
Watch and listen to more Todd Groves
33: Talent + Hardwork = ?
This week on the podcast Merideth examines the popular mantra: talent + hard work= success. How much do our unique and innate gifts contribute to our success as an artist? Are those two parts of the equation all there is to a satisfactory life as a creative person? Merideth shares a story of how a complete stranger once called out an unexpected talent that would became a calling. She’ll explore a not so commonly considered third element to that equation which she believes could help all artists along their journey to joy.
32: Repeat the Sounding Joy
What *is* joy, how is it different from regular old happiness, why is choosing joy an important practice to cultivate as an artist, anyway? This week, Merideth shares some ideas on what to do in between joyful memories on stage, plus more on what is behind the podcast’s name.
31: People Pleasing
Should artists be people pleasers? Is it possible (or wise) to stop caring what people think? This week Merideth shares a personal story about a big decision that helped her stop her people pleasing habit, plus she’ll explore how the work of sociologist and writer Martha Beck impacted her perception of her “generalized other” and led to a more joyful life as a musician.
30: Faith
This week we are talking faith...faith in the creative process, faith in ourselves and each other, and the very light and non-controversial topic of how our concept of a higher power can harm or expand our creative lives.
29: Bonus Content: Mindfulness Meditation
Meditation is proven to relieve stress and improve overall health. Join Merideth for a bonus episode featuring a special guided mindfulness meditation. It features music of marimba player/composer Chris Leich. The Artists for Joy theme song is by Angela Sheik.
28: Mindfulness
This week join Merideth as she explores mindfulness: why she was so resistant to a mindfulness practice at first, how and why she eventually came around, and what our work in the arts can teach us about living in the now.
27: Change
Change—even when it’s for the best—is hard. Merideth shares a time when she was surprisingly resistant to change and offers one way of viewing our creative work as an offering and invitation into hope. She’ll answer a listener’s creative conundrum about creative blocks, plus share a special announcement.
26: The Purpose in Play
This week on the podcast Merideth explores the purpose we may find in play, how making space for unstructured, unproductive, purely playful activities can lead us all to deeper creative joy and might even help us uncover our next step or truer purpose.
25: Letting Go
This week, Merideth explores the art of letting go. Is it beautiful or just plain painful? She’ll share her thoughts on how it can be an expected part of the creative process and a road to healing.
This week’s artwork is by Emie Hughes of Blue Jar, LLC. To read more about the cyanotype process and purchase her work click here, view her instagram here, or her etsy shop here.
Learn more about the Pixis piano quartet here.
Submit a creative conundrum here.
24: Failure
This week Merideth takes on the tough topic of failure. She’ll offer 3 tips for processing, bouncing back, and cultivating a healthy sense of self outside of our art form or roles in life.
Hear the full recording of Beethoven’s Sonatina for Mandolin here.
23: Artist with a capital A
Hands down the most common statement in Merideth's inbox about the show is--"I love your show but I am not an artist!" This week Merideth explores this conundrum...who gets to call themselves an Artist with a capital A? She'll share a quote from an inspiring book about creativity, plus offer some insights on how to unclip the wings of your inner artist and perhaps find healing in the process.
22: Rest
Do you know how to rest? This week Merideth explores the full spectrum of rest from an artist's perspective-- from mind-numbing TV to the REM cycles of the coveted 8 hours of sleep. She explores one writer's idea on how to do nothing, how we might translate our knack for creativity into a practice of restorative rest, and how this idea is built right into the creative process itself.
Read more about Jenny Odell's book here.
Listen to Jessica X. Osborne here.
Download Jason Blythe's music here.
21: Some Dreams Take a Lifetime
This week, in our 20th episode, Merideth looks at the themes within the theme. Ever feel like you are losing hope in the face of disappointments or detours? Merideth will share her experience of those feelings, plus something we all have in common with child prodigies. She'll help us all celebrate the twists and turns of the long game that an artist's life often involves.
Listen to Angela Sheik's full version of the theme song here.
Help us celebrate the 20th episode milestone by leaving us a review.