Artists for Joy

Being a joyful artist means cultivating an attitude of gratitude. What art or artist(s) are you most grateful for? Merideth shares a brief gratitude meditation for exploring that question and more. Listen to Merideth and Jani's album: https://spoti.fi/2IxrGfz Support the show: https://bit.ly/3vdDjeN  

Process: naming, working, trusting it….is this week's focus. When we take a moment to examine the roller coaster that the creative process can be, we can gain key information and wisdom about our creative needs. Merideth offers some tips on how we can get more familiar with our unique creative rhythms, how to care for ourselves well throughout the process, and get better at trusting the ebb and fl...

On today's show: energy. What the research says about the most important resource for productivity… and no, it isn't time. Creative energy doesn't come in just one color or flavor— listen to learn a practical coaching tool for uncovering exactly what puts a "pep in your step" creatively. Submit a question: https://bit.ly/38bKMSF Support the Show: https://bit.ly/3vdDjeN Rate and Review us: https://...

On today's show, devotion... or practice as a spiritual practice . How the discipline of daily artistic fundamental practice can connect us to something larger than ourselves and help us sustain a joyful creative life. Submit a question: https://bit.ly/38bKMSF Support the Show: https://bit.ly/3vdDjeN Rate and Review us: https://apple.co/3j2ufUm

This week on the podcast, a long awaited update to the Creative Block series from Season 1. Merideth shares something she learned about creative block from a cranky massage therapist in Chicago. She'll answer a listener question about future thinking and give you some math to consider this week. Enneagram Orientation to time: https://bit.ly/30Ex35G   BE Curious Workshop: https://bit.ly/3DGZo9J Sup...

This week on the podcast: curiosity. What purpose does it play in our creative lives? What one of Merideth's favorite writers says to do when you do not feel passion for your art in a particular moment. She'll also share info about an exciting new offering coming up next month you don't want to miss! Elizabeth Gilbert talk on Curiosity https://apple.co/2YUSGy0 BE Curious Workshop: https://bit.ly/3...

This week on the podcast, after the truth-talk about self-sabotage last week—an episode devoted to self-sabotage's first cousin….regret. What can our biggest regrets teach us about who we are and what we want, in our creative life and beyond? Henri Nouwen: https://amzn.to/3AnzyFQ Support the Show: https://bit.ly/3vdDjeN Submit a Question: https://bit.ly/38bKMSF    

Have you ever had an amazing opportunity and just watched it pass you by? Have your once-beloved creative projects suffered a demise at your very own hand? Why do artists self-sabotage? Merideth shares a story about a time she sabotaged herself, she'll answer a listener question about post-pandemic performance anxiety, and give us something to consider this week. Submit mail: https://bit.ly/38bKMS...

On the podcast this week, Merideth does her best to put coaches (herself included) out of business. She'll offer you some questions to help you get to the bottom of how you really feel and what you really want, to aid in finding more joy in your creative life. Submit mail: https://bit.ly/38bKMSF Coach with Merideth: https://bit.ly/3CGuUUN Compose your career: https://bit.ly/3ldBIlB Support the sho...

This week Merideth discusses the harmful "tortured artist" stereotype that plagues artists everywhere. Must we be sad, depressive, melancholy individuals in order to make great art? Spoiler alert—nope :) Submit mail: https://bit.ly/38bKMSF Compose your Career: https://bit.ly/3ldBIlB Mental Health Resources for Artists: https://bit.ly/2LR45YW Support the Show: https://bit.ly/3vdDjeN  

What better way to begin Season 2 than with stories of artists starting over! Merideth shares the most important question to consider during a restart and offers some thoughts on coping in uncertain times. If you're standing at the beginning of a new season, this one's for you. Support the show: https://bit.ly/3vdDjeN Compose Your Career Course: https://bit.ly/3ldBIlB Submit a Creative Conundrum:...

In the Season Finale, Merideth explores how the creative process can transform us from the inside out, if we just ask the right questions. She'll answer a special lightning round of listener q's and offer you something to consider this week before signing off for the summer. Watercolors and Mindfulness: https://bit.ly/3dJZtzy The Artist's Way: https://bit.ly/32pPZE8 Support the show: https://bit.l...

How do you answer that pesky, well-meaning question strangers ask: "What do you do?" This week a debunking of a lie creatives tell--"My work is my worth." If you aren't performing well in any given moment, does it affect your self-worth? Merideth explores ways to replace that belief with truth that can help you separate your value from your performance. Sookkyung Cho's Schubert album: https://spot...

How does unstructured alone time affect our creativity? Where is the line between healthy solitude, which can promote important reflection and growth— and social isolation, which may cause loneliness? Merideth shares a little of what science has to say about the difference and explores the importance of restorative solitude for artists and creatives. Study on the healthy aspects of social withdraw...

After the popularity of the anxiety episode, a follow up—this time anxiety's legitimate, responsible, older cousin: worry. How are worry and anxiety different? What does the science say about worrying? Can it be helpful/useful? Merideth will share the results of a recent social media poll about artists' worries, plus some things that are helping her cope with it lately. Frederick Buechner's book C...

This week on the podcast, the first in a series of new bonus episodes entitled "Meet an Artist Who," where we invite artists to share their stories in their own voice. This week Merideth chats with painter Jaye Schlesinger about her show "Possessed," a collection of 380 oil paintings depicting every item she owned after a two-year decluttering process.  Jaye's website: http://bit.ly/38WJbQP Purcha...

How does what we own affect our creative life? Why is it so hard to let physical things go? This week Merideth offers three mantras she's using to spark joy during the packing/moving process, thoughts on how clutter can slow us down, keep us scared, and even show us all that we have. Jaye Schlesinger's "Possessed": http://bit.ly/3eFtPUL Anna Steinhoff, cello and viola da gamba: http://bit.ly/2OI0a...

This week on the podcast: Mindset. 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,...

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. https://artistsforjoy.org/connect Transactive Memory Systems, The Atlantic: http://bit.ly/3klRdr2  

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.  Coach with Merideth: https://bit.ly/2R...

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.  Simon Sinek's Ted Talk http://bit.ly/3pSM4sl Joi...

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. Artist's Way Creative Cluster: https://bit.ly/32pPZE8  

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": http://bit.ly/35Znyy0 Study: "PTSD doubles dementia risk": http://bit.ly/3ce99Sz...

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.  Mental Health R...

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...