A Mighty Practice

In this episode, we'll talk about how to take charge of your creative life (i.e. how to stop being a PASSENGER and start being the DRIVER of your life!). We'll talk about the concept of reacting vs. responding to the world around us, particularly when it comes to creative opportunities for our work. We'll talk about our baggage around asking for what we want and our challenges with valuing our lab...

In this episode we talk about VANITY GOALS. It's the start of a new year and you might be in a goal-setting mindset. While planning for the year ahead is important, there are many goal-setting pitfalls. One of these is setting vanity goals. A vanity goal is a goal that is led by a focus on surface level metrics. It is centered around status and appearances vs. the results you actually want. In thi...

In this episode, I talk with artist and coach STEPHANIE de COUTO COSTA about getting blocked in your 20's vs. getting blocked in your 30's. We talk about things that blocked us in our 20's (ex: doing it "right," other people's opinions, status symbols) and the things that block us in our 30's (time! energy! security!). We talk about what ENERGIZES us in our 30's and what we're happy to be leaving...

In this episode we'll talk about a common fear: "I have too many creative interests!" When we say "I have too many interests" what are we worried is the problem? How does that thought become a block? In this episode we'll talk about 4 common fears behind that statement: 1. I'm not an expert at any one thing. 2. All my work is disconnected. 3. I'm scared to choose a focus. 4. I'm scared I'm not goi...

In this episode, we talk about how to leverage John Cleese's concept of the Open Mode and the Closed Mode in our creative practices. The Open Mode is when you're experimenting, exploring, creating, and saying "yes" to possibilities. The Closed Mode is when you're being critical, strategic, time-sensitive, and outcomes-driven. We need both modes to thrive as creative people, but often times we depe...

In this episode, we talk about the 6th stage of the creative process: sharing! After we've completed a body of work, we usually want to share it. It feels good to share! But how do we do more than just send an image into the instagram void? What's a meaningful way to connect with our audience? In this episode, we'll consider WHY you want to share and how that motivation can match your method of di...

In this episode we talk about making money and making art with Canadian Painter, Lesley Anderson! Topics we cover in this conversation: The transition out of art school, using various creative skills to make a living, the possibility of satisfying day jobs, and why Lesley did not choose "the teaching path." Listen in to this episode to hear how Lesley makes her living as an artist and how she lean...

In this short and sweet episode, I talk about an important part of manifesting your most ambitious projects: sketching. Sketching is the process of gathering the raw material of your idea into its simplest most coherent form. The Sketch is the bridge between your play stage (experimentation) and your generate stage (making a bunch of stuff). Our sketches help other people understand the early stag...

In this episode we'll talk to three very different artists that have taken our 12-week coaching program. You'll hear about their struggles, their backgrounds (some who went to art school, and some who didn't) and what brought them to this program. You'll hear what they got out of this work, and how it transformed their practices. Tune into this episode if you want to learn what you can expect from...

In this episode, I'll talk about creative self-sabotage. Do you feel close to reaching a goal but something keeps getting in your way? Maybe you don't even realize it's happening. Self-sabotage looks different for everyone. I define creative self-sabotage as a habit or behavior that prevents you from creating the things you want to create. In this episode, I'll talk about 5 types of self-sabotage:...

Have you been thinking about joining A Mighty Practice School but not sure if it's for you? In this episode I'll talk more about the school - what kind of students join, what our coaching calls are like, and more. We're running a summer membership sale, so join the school by Sunday July 10th and you get a free 20 minute coaching call with Christine!  Ready to sign up? Go to www.amightypractic...

It's a dark fucking time. I think many of us feel this way. And when you're making art during a dark period, it's easy to question why you're doing it. What is the value of this work? How is it having an impact? In this episode, I offer a different way to think about the importance of making art during times of darkness.

It's time to hear from some working artists in this Making Money + Making Art series! Today I chat with Detroit-based fibers artist, Katie Shulman. In our conversation we talk about Katie's trajectory as an artist and how she's dealt with the big questions of "How do I make a living? and how do I make my art?" She'll share the various ways she's answered these questions. She'll talk about her feel...

In the second episode of our money series, we're talking about your RULES. For most artists, their creative lives and their financial lives are tangled in a very messy way. In this episode we're asking a different set of questions: What does your creative life need to thrive? What does your financial life need to thrive? We'll talk about how you can separate these two areas of your life so it empo...

Making money and making art. These two things have become intertwined for contemporary artists in such a messy way. In this mini series on money, I'm going to talk about our relationship to money as artists, specifically looking at MONEY AS A BLOCK . How do our core-negative beliefs around money prevent us from building a meaningful and financially sustainable creative life? How does our thinking...

Are you feeling bored with your creative work? Maybe you're not excited about what you're making. When we get bored with our creative work it's because we have lost the sense of MYSTERY in our process. In this episode, I'll talk about the role of mystery in the creative process and how, if you've lost it, you can get it back. Want to get some accountability and support in your creative practice th...

In this episode I'll introduce the idea of your play strategy - the way you naturally like to explore new ideas. This is a key piece of our coaching program work. How do you like to investigate new ideas as an artist? What approaches can you use to get started that don't feel like WORK? I'll offer an exercise to help you uncover your play strategy. +++ Join our workshop membership + sign up for ou...

In this episode, we'll talk about taking action in our creative lives. What is something you want to create? What is an outcome you want to work toward? I'll introduce James Clear's concept of MOTION vs. ACTION. Motion is about learning, preparing, and strategizing while action is an effort that directly produces a result. When we're stuck, we spend most of our time in motion vs. taking action. In...

In this episode, I talk with Madeleine Dore, a writer and interviewer based in Melbourne, Australia. Madeleine's work explores how we can broaden the definition of a day well spent. As a labour of love, Madeleine spent over five years asking creative thinkers how they navigate their days on her popular blog  Extraordinary Routines  and podcast Routines & Ruts. In this episo...

What would happen if you had 50% more confidence in your creative work? What would you be doing differently? Sharing more? Applying to bigger, scarier opportunities? Trying new mediums? In this episode I'll talk about what confidence is, and give you an exercise you can practice to build more confidence in your creative work. ++++ Join our workshop membership here!

It's year 3 of a pandemic and most of us are not feeling motivated. What do we need to build resilience in our creative practices? How do we experience setbacks, rejection, or low energy and decide to keep going? In this episode, I'll talk about 3 things to do to help build your creative resilience. +++ ENROLL NOW in our 12-week coaching program for artists! Or j oin our info session on Saturday,...

In this episode I'll talk about the 5 creative archetypes that I've discovered in my work as a coach. These types include the DREAMER, the SEEKER, the STRIVER, the ANALYST, and the GOOD STUDENT. I'll talk about the strengths and struggles for each of these artists. I'll break down the strategies that each type uses in their practice and how these strategies sometimes get them stuck. Listen to this...

Do you struggle with following through on your ideas? Perhaps you pivot from idea to idea in hopes of finding the "golden idea" that finally gets you to sit down and work? If this is your struggle, this episode is for you. I'll talk about common roadblocks around committing to a project and how you can overcome them.  Want some accountability to help develop your work this season? Sign up for...

Why is talking about our art so hard? If our art was easy to "explain" it would likely take the form of a descriptive text or marketing statement vs. a work of art. Great art brings complexity to ideas vs. over-simplifies them. In this episode I'll talk about some do's and don't when talking about your work. I'll also give you an exercise that will help you reflect on the ideas in your work. If yo...

In this (re-released!) episode I'll talk about how to generate focus, or how to "build clarity and purpose in your day." We'll hear from three past workshop attendees about their current challenges with focus, and I'll offer some solutions.  If you liked this episode or others, please consider giving me a review on iTunes! Thanks y'all. Also, come to our workshop on Talking and Writing About...