Artists for Joy

In the penultimate installment of our interview series, Merideth chats with jazz pianist and photographer Karen Rege. Merideth and Karen discuss academia, perfectionism, and everything Karen's been learning riding the river of creative flow. She'll share an inspiring Artist's Oath and reveal an amazing not-to-be-missed summer opportunity for artists of all disciplines and experience levels. Connec...

This week, Merideth chats with upright and electric bassist, author, and software engineer, David James. As a multi-genre freelance musician around the Colorado Front Range, David spends most of his time performing in musical theater productions. Between sitting in small, dark orchestra pits with too many people and instruments, David resides in Broomfield, CO, with his wife, two kids, and entirel...

This week, Merideth chats with a coaching client, musician Joshua Long. Josh is a songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist with a passion for creating music that moves the soul and inspires change. With almost 20 years in the industry, he has honed his skills in a variety of genres, ranging from hip-hop, soul, pop, and contemporary Christian & gospel music. Josh is also a dedicated faith-ba...

This week on the podcast, Merideth chats with Sara McMahon. Sara is a classically trained actress with tendencies to fly by the seat of her pants.  She is an improv instructor and performer who teaches others how to enhance listening skills, playfulness, empathy, connectedness, and liberation from fear of failure.  She performs and teaches at Unexpected Productions in Seattle and is an emerging pa...

This week on the podcast, we begin a new series featuring the topic of one of our most downloaded episodes from Season 2: The Artist's Oath. What is your relationship like with your creative impulse? How do you feel when you show up to the blinking cursor, the studio, and the rehearsal? Have you ever wondered if it's possible to change the patterns in your mindset, the inner chatter, the lens thro...

Self-Coaching Questions: 1. Name your "why." What do you most dream of doing? What do you want your life to be like? How can your greatest gifts meet one of the world's greatest needs?  2. What is your current creative routine like now? Are you able to find a rhythm of consistent small acts of creative devotion? What obstacles are getting in the way of you practicing your art form with joyful cons...

How do we cultivate more courage? Why is it an essential attribute for the artist? How do we become more assertive and brave in the face of hard things? Merideth shares one of the moments of her career as an oboist that required some significant courage, plus inspiring results of a listener poll. Listen to learn three concrete ways to be more creatively courageous. Emily A. Pastor IG Emily A. Past...

This week on the podcast, a creative pep talk for when you feel shame. Find a quiet place and some earbuds. Listen as you reflect + cultivate self-compassion and shame resilience.  Our Spotify playlist Podcast transcripts  

This week on the podcast, the final installment of the words-of-the-year series. Merideth explores how shame affects artists specifically and lays out the four steps to becoming shame-resilient according to Brené Brown's research.  Leave us a voicemail: 302-415-3407 Brené Brown's Atlas of the Heart  Buy Merideth a coffee Connect with Merideth on IG Learn more about the next Creative Cluster Podcas...

Self-coaching questions to work with your resistance: 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. Take one or two of the obstacles you are experiencing as resistance, lift them up, and look...

This week on the podcast, the second of our three-part words of the year series: r esonance & 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.  Leave us a voicemail: 302-415-3407 Submit a question to the podcast  Join our mailing list Buy Merideth a coffee Sign up for the enn...

Musical meditation BONUS, featuring music of Debussy and Brahms played by Marnie Laird of Brooklyn Classical.  Self-Coaching Questions:  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? What do you want those who see, hear, and experience...

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...

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 a word(s) of the year, wh...

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/view, consider the three G's of finding joy: Gratitude : What are you most grateful for? What is most precious and important to you right now? Grief: Right...

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...

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 an...

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. Submit a question to Merideth Join the next Artist's Way Creative Cluster Leave a birthday r...

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. (This episode was originally published in 2021.) Listen to Merideth and Jani's album Support the Show

Brené Brown said, "Unused creativity is not benign. It metastasizes. It turns into grief, rage, judgment, sorrow, shame." How is that for a mic drop? In this episode, Merideth explores how to use your creativity even when you are scared.  Leave a question for Merideth by calling 302-415-3407  or emailing artistsforjoypod@gmail.com Submit Mail to the Podcast Buy Merideth a coffee Register for the n...

Some questions for daydreaming.... What do you need? What do you want? What do you dream of experiencing, being, doing, having?  Share your thoughts with me on IG here: https://bit.ly/3tEI1DU  

This week on the podcast Merideth shares some tips and tricks for how to best manage your creative time. (Spoiler alert: the first step is to stop using those words.) Energy episode: Season 2, Episode 9: https://bit.ly/3ND2D8j Paul Graham's article: https://bit.ly/3UpRXMx Submit Mail to the Podcast: https://bit.ly/38bKMSF Buy Merideth a coffee: https://bit.ly/3vdDjeN Register for the next Artist's...

Meet Ariel K. Curry: a book coach, editor, writer, and pianist who helps creatives cultivate self-efficacy. Ariel discusses how she learned to celebrate along the journey and balance enjoying the creative process with creating marketable offerings. Ariel and Jeff Goins coaching group: https://bit.ly/3SC7SpK   Ariel's website:  https://bit.ly/3FnDah3   Respond to the episode in the comments here: h...

Self-coaching questions:  How are you benefiting from *not* celebrating? What is your current mindset and how is it serving you? What benefits could a mindset of celebration, joy, and abundance offer? Make a list of as many things as you can that are cause for celebration today, this minute. What can you cheers to right now, without lifting a finger?

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 artist. Support the podcast: https://bit.ly/3vdDjeN   Celebrate with us by leaving us a review: https://apple.co/3j2ufUm    Write to Merideth: https://bit.ly/38bKMSF