115: Listen to this when you feel blocked

Self-coaching questions to work with your resistance:

  1. When you look at the distance between who you are today and your dreams or goals, what would it take to get you where you want to go? What stands in your way? Write down a few goals and the resistance that shows up when you take steps in that direction.

  2. Take one or two of the obstacles you are experiencing as resistance, lift them up, and look under them with curiosity. What feelings, fears, or resentments do you find there?

  3. How are you benefiting from staying blocked? (That question is inspired by Julia Cameron). How are your blocks serving you? How does the resistance benefit you?

Podcast Transcripts

114: Resonance & Resistance

This week on the podcast, the second of our three-part words of the year series: resonance & resistance. Merideth explores an exciting reason why resonance is a word of the year, plus she’ll offer some concrete takeaways for how to find your voice and get unstuck. 

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113: Listen to this when you need to slow down

This week: a musical meditation BONUS, featuring music of Debussy and Brahms, played by Marnie Laird of Brooklyn Classical. 

Self-Coaching Questions: 

  1. What is the current balance between your push to succeed and climb the ladder, with rest, recalibration, and restorative solitude? What needs to shift for you to feel more harmony, peace, and deep creative joy?

  2. What do you want those who see, hear, or experience your work to feel or know? Do you feel or know those things yourself?

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Podcast Transcripts

 

112: Harmony vs. Hustle

Any other artists out there tired of thinking/talking/obsessing about marketing? This week, Merideth shares the first of a three-part series based on her words of the year. The first word—anti-hustle—calls her to a simpler, quieter, more harmonious way of life. She also answers a question about morning pages, all to the beautiful music of Debussy, Beethoven, and Brahms performed by Marnie Laird of Brooklyn Classical. 

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111: Your word(s) of the year

This week on the podcast, Merideth leads you through the process to find your own word(s) of the year. Grab your journal and earbuds and explore the prompts paired with meditative music to craft an intentional, creative year with joy.

Reflecting back: Browse the photos of your phone from the last year. What do you wish there had been more of? Regardless of whether you had word(s) of the year, what would you say your word of the year might have been, based on how you lived and what you did?

Looking forward:

  1. Answer this question with stream-of-consciousness writing– “This year, regardless of my circumstances, I want to feel….“ Write as many words as you can about how you want to show up in the year ahead.

  2. Now go back through those words you wrote and circle the ones that resonate most. Look especially for verbs or action words. Take the list of circled words and make a fresh list.

  3. Lastly, sit with this longer list of words for a few days. Talk to a loved one about it. What activities, deadlines, trips, events are coming up in the next year and which of these words will help you show up as you most want to, regardless of the outcomes or circumstances? Try to narrow the list down to the few that matter most. Share your word(s) with me on IG so I can cheer you on.

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110: Listen to this when you need joy

This week on the podcast Merideth offers a musical meditation for when you need joy. Listen for the coaching prompts and use your journal to explore each one.

Pick a work of art (perhaps one that is not in your usual art form) and as you listen, consider the three G’s of finding joy:

  1. Gratitude: What are you most grateful for? What is most precious and important to you right now?

  2. Grief: Right next to your gratitude, you might find feelings of disappointment, pain, loss…in one hand hold the gratitude and in the other grief.  What needs to be grieved?

  3. Goodness: What goodness do you believe to be true? Regardless of your faith background or religious affiliation, preach the truths you believe to yourself. Whatever is good, whatever is noble, whatever is TRUE, remind yourself of all of that now.

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109: All I want for Christmas in joy (and a book deal)

This week in our annual holiday episode, Merideth discusses the waiting and wanting stage of the creative life, how she's managing the hurry-up-and-wait phenomenon of trying to get traditionally published, and all she's learning this advent. Plus, listen for tips for managing those holiday questions from well-meaning loved ones we all dread. 

Sarah Brooks Christmas piano

Melinda DeRocker Christmas album

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108: Listen to this when you feel burnt out

In this week's bonus self-coaching episode, consider the following as you listen: 

1. What are your expectations for your work, your family, your creative life? Take a few moments and write down what you expect of others and yourself. Where and to whom do you need to communicate those expectations?

2. What boundaries need to be set? Write a few statements that begin with "I" to claim your space and directly name what you need.

3. Where in your schedule can you fit in some rest? Set a boundary and keep the appointment with yourself.

Today's music features Andrys Basten performing Amy Beach, Roxana Pavel Goldstein playing Dvorak, and Merideth Hite Estevez and Sookkyung Cho playing Schubert.

107: Burnout

This week on the podcast, a frequently requested topic: burnout. What is it? How do you keep it from happening? And how do you bounce back? Merideth shares a story of the biggest burn out moment in her career, plus 3 tools or frameworks to consider for reducing or recovering from burnout, with a fun twist.

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Podcast Transcript

101: Listen to this when you need a mindset shift

Self-coaching questions: 

  1. How are you benefiting from *not* celebrating? What is your current mindset and how is it serving you?

  2. What benefits could a mindset of celebration, joy, and abundance offer?

  3. Make a list of as many things as you can that are cause for celebration today. What can you cheers to right this very minute, without lifting a finger?

    Podcast transcripts

99: Musical Meditation: Inner Team Huddle

This week on the podcast, Merideth offers a musical meditation with some reflection questions around the idea of an Inner Team (an exercise from Episode 2, Season 3.)

While you listen reflect on the following:

  1. Who are your inner team members? Where do they sit in your car in any given moment? What activities bring out which parts of your team?

  2. What resources do the negative-presenting members have to offer you? Ex: executive function, protection, safety, boundaries, etc.

  3. Show a close friend or loved one your inner team list and ask if you missed anyone. Just because one or two of your team members are the loudest, doesn’t mean there aren’t others who are just as valuable and central to the team, waiting to be attended to.

    Today’s music features Marnie Laird performing a movement from Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.

Podcast transcript

98: How to be you

Whatever you are feeling about fall, bring it on over to this the podcast equivalent of a fire pit and we’ll talk it out. This week Merideth shares a coaching exercise that will help you name your inner team members, resource their skills, and cultivate a sense of self-compassion for the multitudes you contain. 

Graydin

Who do you create for episode

Beethoven's Heiligenstadt Testament

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Transcript

96: How to talk to creative people

Season 3 debut! Merideth shares what she's been learning from chatting with artists of all disciplines on social media and in her coaching practice: specifically about how to talk to creators about their work—what comments feels good and why. Plus: the number one thing she believe creatives long to hear in their most vulnerable moments. 

Saxophonist Kirsten Edkins

Composer Angela Sheik

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