Your Next Chapter

Have you ever received feedback on something you've created and suddenly started questioning the whole thing? Whether you're writing a novel, making art, or working on something that matters to you, criticism can be hard to hear. And even well-intentioned advice isn't always good advice. In this episode of Your Next Chapter , I'm talking about how to receive feedback without lo...

Season 5, Episode 3 Creative people collect things: ideas, drafts, supplies, research, screenshots, half-finished projects and plans for things we might make someday. Some of that is generative. Some of it quietly becomes another list of things we haven’t done. In this episode, I explore the difference between creative mess and creative clutter, what research suggests about cognitive load and how...

Season 5, Episode 2 We’re often encouraged to find our "thing:" the career, calling, passion or identity that defines us. But real life tends to be more expansive. In this episode, I dig into what it means to have multiple roles, interests and pursuits that genuinely matter to us, and the very real challenge of fitting them into a life with limited time and energy.  I give you a peek ins...

Season 5, Episode 1 Where is the line between being inspired by someone else’s work and allowing it to shape too much of your own? To open Season 5, I'm exploring inspiration, creative fixation, idolatry and plagiarism. Listen in to hear why influence is an essential part of creativity, how studying one artist too closely can actually narrow our ideas and why plagiarism has become even more c...

Season 4, Episode 12 Life has a way of testing us. People disappoint us, we experience loss, our work is criticized, relationships end. Dreams don't unfold the way we imagined they would. Little by little, it's easy to become more guarded, more skeptical and more cynical than we ever intended. In this final episode of Season 4, I'm talking about what it means to keep a soft heart in...

Season 4, Episode 11 Why do we want the things we want? It sounds like a simple question, but I don't think it always has a simple answer. In this episode, I'm digging beneath some of the goals I've carried for years and asking what I'm really looking for underneath them. Publication, recognition, financial freedom, meaningful work—those are all worthwhile things to pursue. But...

Season 4, Episode 10  This season's Book Club Special is about one of the best novels I've read in years: The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff. I wanted to talk about this book because it found me during a season when I was thinking deeply about addiction, family and change. Reading it didn't just move me; it helped me understand some things I hadn't been able to put words to befor...

Season 4, Episode 9  Why do we love cozy things? Whether it's a favorite sweater, a candle burning in the background, a well-loved novel or the comfort of watching a familiar movie, coziness has a way of making us slow down and breathe a little deeper. But as it turns out, it's about much more than comfort. In this episode, I'm exploring the psychology of coziness, why our brains ar...

Season 4, Episode 8 What does it actually mean to live honestly? It's more than telling the truth. It's living in alignment with your values, owning your mistakes, creating work that's true to your voice and becoming someone you trust. In this episode, I'm exploring why a clear conscience is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves, not because we never mess up, but beca...

Season 4, Episode 7 How do you know when it's time to quit? It's one of the hardest questions we face when we're pursuing something that matters. In this episode, I'm sharing my own experience of pursuing a lifelong dream of becoming a traditionally published novelist, what years of writing and rejection have taught me and why external validation isn't always the best meas...

Season 4, Episode 6 What if the qualities you've spent your life trying to change are the very ones the world needs most? Society often admires the loudest voice in the room or the biggest personality. But some of the most meaningful work, deepest relationships and most enduring creativity come from qualities that don't always get immediate recognition.  In this episode, I'm explori...

Season 4, Episode 5 When did caring become something to be ashamed of? Somewhere along the way, we started acting like the coolest people were the ones who cared the least. We downplay our effort, pretend success came naturally and sometimes hide the things that matter most to us because we're afraid of looking too invested. In this episode, I'm exploring why that mindset is so common, w...

Season 4, Episode 4 Most of us organize our lives around milestones. Vacations, holidays, promotions, weddings, graduations, book launches. They matter, and they deserve to be celebrated. But they aren't where most of life happens. In this episode, I'm thinking about the "ordinary" days in between. The mornings that begin like every other morning. The conversations around the d...

Season 4, Episode 3 When was the last time something beautiful made you stop in your tracks? Not because it was expensive or impressive, but because it simply made you notice. In this episode, we're exploring what neuroscience tells us about beauty, why experiences of awe can change the way we see the world and how beauty does something remarkable for creative people: it inspires us to make b...

Season 4, Episode 2 We often think creativity arrives like lightning—that one perfect idea suddenly appears and the work flows effortlessly. But in my experience, that's rarely how it happens. More often, creativity begins with something much quieter: a small ritual that tells your brain it's time to begin. In this episode, I'm sharing the writing routine I've developed over th...

Season 4, Episode 1 We spend so much of our lives trying not to feel difficult emotions. We stay busy. We distract ourselves. Sometimes we numb these feelings altogether. But what if avoiding pain also keeps us from experiencing joy, creativity and genuine connection? In this episode, I explore why emotional honesty is one of the greatest strengths a creative person can develop. Listen in to hear...

Season 3, Episode 12 In the final episode of Season 3, I'm digging into one of the biggest and most complicated conversations facing creatives today: AI and creativity. This episode is not about fear-mongering or rejecting technology altogether. Instead, it’s an honest, nuanced conversation about intentionality, brain health, critical thinking, originality, and what it means to remain deeply...

Season 3, Episode 11 What if a lot of creative suffering comes not from the work itself, but from the stories we tell ourselves about the work?  In this episode, I'm covering The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz through a creative lens and discussing how the principles can help you protect your peace and your creativity, too.  If you've ever overanalyzed feedback, spiraled after critic...

Season 3, Episode 10 In this episode of Your Next Chapter, we’re diving into the fascinating neuroscience behind reading fiction and why books may be one of the healthiest things we can do for our nervous systems. Listen in to hear about: • The link between reading, stress reduction, and nervous system regulation • How fiction strengthens social reasoning • What happens in the brain while reading...

Season 3, Episode 9 In this episode of Your Next Chapter, I’m exploring the deeper purpose of stories through two incredible novels: Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller and The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes. We’re talking about: • Why fiction matters so much • How stories shape empathy • Why books are often feared throughout history • Access to stories and censorship • The...

Why do some books, songs, and artists take off… while others don’t? It’s easy to assume it comes down to talent or quality, but that’s only part of the story. In this episode, I’m breaking down the real drivers behind popularity in art, from exposure and promotion to timing, luck, and privilege. Because understanding this changes how you see both your own work—and everyone else’s.

Season 3, Episode 7 Why do we like what we like? It’s easy to write something off as “not for me.” But if you look a little closer, there’s often something deeper underneath. In this episode, I’m unpacking the idea that our taste in art isn’t always objective—and sometimes, our reactions say more about us than the work itself. From personal insecurities to creative comparison, this is a conversati...

Season 3, Episode 6 What if overthinking is the very thing blocking your creativity?  In this episode, I'm exploring the connection between your body and your creative process, and why trying to think your way into better work can actually make things worse.  From piano to yoga to writing, I've noticed the same pattern: the moment I overanalyze, I lose the flow.  Listen in to hear about...

Season 3, Episode 5 You don't have a discipline problem; you have an environment problem.  In today's episode, I'm breaking down how technology is designed to fragment your focus, and what you can actually do about it.  From phone habits to notifications to deep work (concept coined by the book Deep Work by Cal Newport), this is a practical guide to protecting your attention so you...

Season 3, Episode 4 In this episode, I'm breaking down the four types of boundaries that every creative person needs: mental, emotional, relational, and time.  Because most people don't lose their creativity due to a lack of talent; they lose it when everything else takes priority.  If you've been feeling scattered, drained, or pulled in too many directions, this episode will help y...