Artists for Joy

This week on the podcast, Merideth answers one listener question with a WHOLE episode:  how do you cultivate a more joyful daily practice routine?   She offers five ideas for how to find joy in the creative process, even when you're faced with challenges like unproductive or frustrating practice sessions, writer's block, lack of inspiration and more.    Whether you're an artist seeking to reignite...

This week is my 41st birthday! In celebration, I've got a throwback episode featuring my favorite coaching exercise to use with artists. Grab your journal and give it a listen.  Do this exercise with me live this month in our Patreon community! Learn more here . ___ Original show notes: Whatever you are feeling about fall, bring it on over to this the podcast equivalent of a fire pit and we'll tal...

Today on the podcast: a mini-episode to keep you company during this holiday time!  Festive Focus–how to manage your time and not lose your joy during the holidays. Listen for practical tips and good questions to ponder when facing a crazy schedule laden with emotionally taxing--if joyful--time with friends and family. Stay to the end to hear an exciting announcement about a new offering in 2025....

In today's Joy Session, Merideth pulls back the curtain on creative coaching with Carrie who is longing to finish her memoir. They explore how finding the right tool at the right time is central to overcoming fears of not being good enough and making progress that feels sustainable and joyful. Carrie leaves with two new practices that will help her shift her lens around writing and surrender to th...

This week on the podcast, Ask Merideth Anything!  Merideth answers listener questions about creativity, burnout, parenting, and spirituality. You'll learn how to meet the inner artist's resistance with compassion, recognize creative burnout, and explore the intersection of artistic expression and spiritual practice. She shares insights on cultivating gratitude and creativity in children and naviga...

This week, Merideth shares a vulnerable story of a recent self-hatred spiral. She explores how and why artists are particularly hard on themselves. If you've ever wondered if your mistakes are moral failings, this one is for you. Merideth gives practical advice for when you are stuck and shares how turning up the voices of self-compassion in the face of shame is crucial for sustainable growth and...

Celebrate 200 episodes of Artist for Joy with listeners offering their best advice for artists + something they've learned from Artists for Joy.  Merideth also shares what to do when you're hesitant to celebrate, reflections on finding your voice, a surprise peek into an early recording, and more. What a joyful ride! Thank you for listening. Here's to the next 200! Support the show with your dolla...

This week on the podcast, Merideth celebrates (almost) 200 episodes by looking back on everything we've learned in joyful mashup form! Listen for a turbo-sized creative pep talk, a love letter to you, my podcast listeners.

This week on the podcast, I've got 10 things that are bringing me joy this fall. Some are deep and others may, at first glance, seem trivial, but this collection of what's bringing me joy adds up to a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts: in a profoundly simple way, these small wonders are saving my life in this season.     By consciously bringing good things to mind, we teach our brain...

This episode originally aired in October 2023. Enjoy this throwback while Merideth practices some self-care ;)  Read "Let Art Be Light," Merideth's latest substack piece  Original Show Notes: This week on the show, Merideth answers a question we all tend to ask when the world is on fire. How can I feel creative joy in the face of violence, injustice, and brokenness? She explores why art matters in...

In today's podcast, the final installment of our Joy Sessions series, Merideth chats with Christina, a musician, coach, and teacher who wants to reexamine the beliefs and negative inner dialogue she's been having about performing. They explore perfectionism, performance anxiety, how to show up authentically when we cannot stop judging ourselves, and so much more. By the end of the call, Christina...

This week's episode features a Joy Session with Mara, a writer who wants to write a novel but struggles to find the time or energy. We watch Mara identify the underlying reasons for her creative block, including fear of failure and too much focus on the product rather than the process. She names a deep desire for community and encouragement from other writers.   BONUS: At the end of this week's ep...

Continuing our new series, Joy Sessions, I chat with Jessi, a musician and educator who reflects on how, as a multipassionate artist, she could engage with music in a more meaningful way.   We explore the idea of experimentation and taking small, sustainable steps towards this goal, recognizing the need for a different kind of energy than the usual "discipline button" approach. The conversation hi...

Introducing: Joy Sessions. Each week I'll feature excerpts from real sessions with artists of all disciplines, pulling back the curtain on creative coaching as we focus on overcoming creative challenges and finding joy in the artistic process. This week, Merideth chats with Ericka, a writer who longs to set herself free from the shame cycle of past and current criticism. Learn more about coaching...

This week on the podcast,  the first installment of a new series started earlier this week over on Substack called "Art's Open Door," where we'll explore the profound ways creativity and spirituality intersect and how viewing art through a spiritual lens is a powerful tool for well-being, connection, and joy. Usually, these essays will only exist in blog form at  artistsforjoy.substack.com, but th...

This week on the podcast: a musical meditation for making sense of life.    In this guided reflection, explore the following: Consider your life's puzzle. Hold a couple of pieces in your hand, and consider now the growth that each piece represents. What do you see? Look for the piece(s) that don't seem to fit. What experiences or areas of growth or interest, disparate parts of your journey of life...

This week on the podcast, a new metaphor to cultivate more resilience, perspective, and joy while we work to make sense of our lives. Join the next Creative Cluster Buy Merideth's book Get your printable journal

This week on the podcast, Merideth offers a pep talk for artists and creatives who feel overwhelmed or unmotivated, particularly during transitional periods like the month of August. Grab your worksheet , so you can:  Name your season Decide if you need a new routine or rhythm (or both!) Discover the small step you'd like to take toward your goal Join the next Creative Cluster Buy Merideth's book...

This week Merideth offers some strategies to overcome procrastination to embrace a more joyful and fulfilling creative life. She offers 3 common lies we tell ourselves when we are having a hard time getting things done:  I'm lazy. I just need the right routine. I'll wait for inspiration to feel motivated.  She then translates these less-than-helpful thought patterns into questions to unlock what w...

Back from the first leg of her book tour, Merideth shares a little about how she's still learning how to celebrate in this throwback from October 2022. Original show notes: Why is it so much easier to celebrate the accomplishments of others than it is our own? Merideth shares two things she is forcing herself to celebrate these days and why she believes celebration should be a core value for every...

Catherine Ricketts, essayist, songwriter, writing instructor, and author of The Mother Artist: Portraits of Ambition, Limitation, and Creativity , is my guest today. We talk about: The historical underrepresentation of mothers in the art world and the societal factors contributing to this. The tension between caring for children and dedicating time to creative work. The importance of support syste...

In the final installment of this inspiring series, Robin White, Joshua Long, Lorrie Fredette, and Merideth Hite Estevez read their Artist's Oath. The culmination of Merideth's book, "The Artist's Joy," the Artist's Oath is a powerful coaching exercise that helps artists name how they want to show up in the world and what they believe. When we stay connected to our values, we are able to move throu...

This episode features Artist's Oaths, written and read by Elmer Perry, David Westerlund, Sara McMahon, and Sila Wolf. The culmination of Merideth's book, "The Artist's Joy," the Artist's Oath is a powerful coaching exercise that helps artists name how they want to show up in the world and what they believe. When we stay connected to our values, we are able to move through creative challenges and t...

This episode features Artist's Oath's written and read by Kelsey Bogan, David James, and Karen Rege.  The culmination of Merideth's book, "The Artist's Joy," the Artist's Oath is a powerful coaching exercise that helps artists name how they want to show up in the world and what they believe. When we stay connected to our values, we are able to move through creative challenges and tough decisions w...

In today's episode, Merideth chats with artist, composer, and songwriter Angela Sheik. Angela (whose name you may recognize from every episode's credits as our resident theme songwriter here at Artists for Joy) composed a full-length anthemic jam for Merideth's new book "The Artist's Joy." In this episode, you'll hear the complete track for the first time! They also discuss how central community i...