sami mckay

for the living with sami mckay

Society EN ↓ 52 episodes

welcome to a collection of writings and a podcast by Toronto-based artist and writer Sami McKay. For the Living focuses on navigating the human experience, exploring themes of life, death, coping, and using beliefs and storytelling to shift our mindsets.

Author

sami mckay

Episodes

I found god at a flipturn show | collective effervescence & the religious function of music 17.06.2026 5:22

this one is all about durkheim's concept of collective effervescence and the religious function of live music and communal connection.

on rejection & criticism (throwback from youtube) 15.06.2026 20:35

this one is all about receiving rejection & criticism as a creative

how i learned to trust my creative intuition (throwback from youtube) 01.06.2026 16:46

this one's allllll about trusting your intuition, why that's tough and how i got through it.

notes on the creative cycle (throwback from youtube) 18.05.2026 9:15

here are some field notes on the creative process and it's wider presentation as a cycle!

the 20 biggest mistakes i've made as a creative (throwback from youtube) 04.05.2026 34:09

here are the top 20 mistakes i made as a creative ranging from poor pricing to self doubt.

on planning mixed media (throwback from youtube) 20.04.2026 19:39

this one is allll about planning mixed media, what you need to know (and not know) and the way you should probably let go of the pressure to plan a full composition.

how i come up with ideas (throwback from youtube) 13.04.2026 13:54

on the process of coming up with ideas but most importantly allowing ideas to flow as they arise

not your cup of tea 30.03.2026 6:07

this one is allll about people pleasing, integrity, and finding the courage to be disliked.

on building creative rituals (throwback from youtube) 24.03.2026 14:58

this is a haphazard video full of tips and tricks for building meaningful (but simple) creative rituals that make a difference.

what if it's time for something new? 16.03.2026 3:47

this one is allll about acceptance, change and surrendering to fear full written essay on samimckay.com

on creative burnout (throwback from youtube) 10.03.2026 13:09

this one is about what creative burnout is, how you got it and tips for dealing with it

Regret-22 | on the paradox of wishing we had done things differently 02.03.2026 6:01

this one is alll ab out regret and the paradoxes that bring it to life. read the full essay on my website samimckay.com or substack https://samimckay.substack.com/ follow my socials if you haven't already IG: @samimckay TikTok @sami.mckay

on navigating doubt (throwback from youtube) 23.02.2026 5:27

this is allll about navigating doubt as a creative or just a person or maybe even a creative person

always a village, never a villager 16.02.2026 7:45

on western individualism, self-help language & sacrificing for others read the full essay on my website samimckay.com or substack https://samimckay.substack.com/ follow my socials if you haven't already IG: @samimckay TikTok @sami.mckay

on finding inspiration (throwback from youtube) 10.02.2026 4:55

this one's for the creatives out there, i'm answering my most frequently asked questions starting with the most common one: how do you find inspiration?

the only way out is within | the symbol of the labyrinth 03.02.2026 7:27

this one is allll about the symbol of the labyrinth read the full essay on my website samimckay.com or substack https://samimckay.substack.com/ follow my socials if you haven't already: IG: @samimckay TikTok @sami.mckay

the pursuit of something good | the art of showing up 19.01.2026 7:13

this one is alll about the art of showing up. read the full essay on my website samimckay.com or substack https://samimckay.substack.com/ follow my socials if you haven't already IG: @samimckay TikTok @sami.mckay

fear is a four-letter word and a four-walled room | on fear, predictability, and boredom 05.01.2026 4:58

on fear, predictability, and boredom check out my substack for exclusive content https://samimckay.substack.com also follow my socials if you don't already:tik tok / sami.mckay instagram / samimckay

use your finest china, use your favourite perfumes | preservation, waste, and opportunities for celebration 24.12.2025 5:38

this one is allll about preservation, waste, and opportunities for celebration written essay is on samimckay.com and samimckay.substack.com/ also follow my socials if you don't already: tik tok / sami.mckay instagram / samimckay

it's just an expression | muchness, smallness, being-ness, self expression and being understood 08.12.2025 5:54

this one is alllll about muchness, smallness, being-ness, self expression and being understood

it's time, goldilocks | on finding balance in the present 24.11.2025 6:20

the future is too cold, the past is too hot, but the present is just right written essay is on samimckay.com check out my substack for exclusive content, https://samimckay.substack.com/ .also follow my socials if you don't already: tik tok / sami.mckay instagram / samimckay

what do we do with tenderness? 10.11.2025 6:39

this one is allll about tenderness and making sense of it all written essay is on samimckay.com check out my substack for exclusive content, https://samimckay.substack.com/ .also follow my socials if you don't already: tik tok / sami.mckay instagram / samimckay

make yourself at home | on building comfort 06.10.2025 4:51

this one is alll about building comfort despite the fleetingness of that which passes! shit matters because we're here to say that it does. read the full essay on my website samimckay.com or substack https://samimckay.substack.com/ follow my socials if you haven't already IG: @samimckay TikTok @sami.mckay

honey, i shrunk the world 22.09.2025 4:06

this is about feeling small and making your world smaller through intentional joys written essay is on samimckay.com check out my patreon for exclusive content ⁠https://www.patreon.com/samimckay?utm..⁠ .also follow my socials if you don't already:tik tok / sami.mckay instagram / samimckay

bliss way, that way 08.09.2025 5:41

this one is allll about Joseph Campbell's concept of bliss and recognizing it's role in guiding us where we need to go. written essay is on samimckay.com check out my patreon for exclusive content https://www.patreon.com/samimckay?utm.. .also follow my socials if you don't already:tik tok / sami.mckay instagram / samimckay