Hypermemoir

A couple of months ago, I moved from California to Croatia. The change in scene offered me a chance to reevaluate creativity and how a slower approach to letting creative work unfold often produces better results. I share what I learned about the creative process and slow productivity in an episode that will be useful for you even if you don't choose to move halfway around the world. Takeaways Mov...

In this episode, I discuss my foster care experience in the early 1980s when I lived with an Italian-American family in Somerville, Massachusetts. Aside from the searing terror and existential dread I felt as a six-year-old separated from his family, I had a great time with my foster family. Even if you have never experienced foster care or anything like that, this story touches on some universal...

Great creative results come when we detach from the outcomes. It's tempting to force our creative work to achieve some end, and while there are moments when that might make sense, the best creative work comes when we release those ends and let our creativity go where it may. This episode discusses creating without holding too tightly to a prescribed outcome and how that can lead to greater impact...

I share lessons learned after doing Hypermemoir for nearly a year.  I hope this episode helps those struggling to get a creative project out into the world or who have taken steps but wonder what the point of all of it is. In the episode, I share how releasing over 30 podcast episodes has helped my creativity and created opportunities for deeper connections with others despite supposed imperf...

Can loneliness provide fuel for your creativity? It can, and that’s what I discuss in this podcast episode. I share with you how I learned to convert my persistent loneliness into fuel for creative growth and expression. Along the way, we touch on learning to be grounded, how play supports that practice, and how it all ties into the idea of leaning into loneliness instead of resisting it so that w...

In this episode, I discuss my feelings about uncovering some old art in a storage unit that I was clearing out. Uncovering this art became an emotional bombshell because, for a long time, I felt it represented artistic failure. In this episode, I talk about how I shifted that perspective and realized that old art is never abandoned but can take on a life of its own much later.  I hope that wh...

Chris Valdheims shares his experience of getting back into DJing and how it reminded him of play's importance. He defines play as doing something without any goal - purely for enjoyment. Chris emphasizes the significance of play in developing one's creative voice and storytelling abilities. He discusses the challenges of losing sight of play and its impact on creativity. Chris also explores the ro...

We discuss the relationship between art, commerce, and self-promotion. We explore the importance of building and leveraging a platform for commercial viability, emphasizing the need for artists to prioritize art while managing the business side. We talk about the creative expression and enjoyment that can come from building a platform. Takeaways Building a platform is crucial for artists to achiev...

We discuss the importance of prioritizing big goals and long-term creative projects over short-term tasks that seem to eat up the day. Chris shares his personal experience of how prioritizing his creative work has led to significant changes in his life. He encourages listeners to make time for their creative goals and not wait for someday. Chris also highlights the importance of consistency, overc...

Chris contrasts his currently comfortable existence with the contents of his grandfather's journals from the refugee camp after World War II. He explores the weirdness of history and the differences between generations. Chris discusses the importance of understanding history to gain perspective on the future. He shares his connection to his family's refugee history and the theme of displacement an...

Writing about your life has incredible power. In this episode, Chris Valdheims shares his experiences of writing a memoir. He describes the process of collecting material, shaping it, and receiving feedback. Writing about your life means taking ownership of one's story and finding meaning in what feels like confusing and disconnecting events. Finally, we talk about how writing about your life help...

We explore the concept of the void, a place where information and insight are missing or lost.  I share my personal experience of encountering the void while researching his family history and discuss how to move from a situation of not knowing to making sense of things.  This episode offers strategies for coping with the loss of information, such as accepting it as a reality of the huma...

In this episode, Chris Valdheims discusses the process of creative iteration and how it applies to his podcast. He shares his experience of starting the podcast and writing a book and how he had to adjust along the way. Chris emphasizes the importance of feedback and how it can help refine and improve creative projects. He also talks about the need for patience and the evolution of his podcast's c...

In this episode, Chris Valdheims shares the story of his grandfather, Zanis Waldheims, a geometric abstract artist he only learned about in 2009. Chris explains how he discovered his grandfather's artwork and its impact on his life. He also discusses his search for family history and his connection with Yves, a friend of his grandfather who preserved his legacy. Chris delves into his grandfather's...

The essential role of a human is to create; that’s how I look at it, at least. While you might disagree with that statement, it’s hard to deny that creating something new offers a sense of fulfillment that few other things can. Everyone should step into the creator role, but internal and external constraints often conspire against that. In this episode, I discuss finding yourself as a creator desp...

I had a weird hang-up about family trees. In this episode, I discuss how, as an adult, I rebuilt my family tree. This came after growing up confused as I wondered whether my adoptive family’s family tree was mine or whether I could still use my birth family’s. Rebuilding my family tree meant reconnecting with my ancestors and developing a sense of place again. --- Join the mailing list or follow m...

If you have perfect information, it’s too late. Too many creative projects die because we plan and think them to death. We can feel that if we read one more book or do one more tutorial, we will finally be “ready.” But our creative projects die while we await a state of readiness that never arrives. This episode discusses how overthinking and overplanning are just a mask for fear. And given that,...

In this episode, I tell a story from my high school years about when a friend and I got the cops called on us for a zine we made. This happened over 30 years ago, but it hurt my creativity until I learned to explore the emotions around it all. I share this story to show how episodes like these can shatter our creative spirit and how we can confront them and reverse the damage. --- Join the mailing...

In 2016, I went to Latvia for the first time. I had been the first person in my family to return since they fled the country in 1945. Going back there seemed like a way to complete a circle, especially since my main reason for going was to see my grandfather's artwork on display in his home country. Even if he couldn't be there, some part of him could. In this episode, I talk about a deeply person...

I love to write but will do whatever it takes to avoid it. If you have a creative calling, you may also know that starting can be a real drag and super-hard. In this episode, I discuss why we avoid creative work, and I also share some tips for how to break through that initial resistance. [00:01:41] Prioritizing tasks can hinder creative endeavors. [00:03:50] Avoiding writing, find what you love....

Right off the bat, 50% of the people out there won’t be interested in what you’re putting out. That number will include friends, family, colleagues, and others. And it’s actually okay that they’re not interested. Part of the creative process involves finding your “tribe” of folks who genuinely resonate with the work that you’re doing. In this episode, I discuss not letting people’s seeming indiffe...

Creativity for the sake of creating something new differs from creativity done in service of external goals like money or esteem. Often, the latter goals lead to compulsive creative behavior. In this episode, I discuss the difference between creating from compulsion and how creating from compulsion lessens our creative impact. I also discuss how we can identify compulsions that dilute our creative...

It often feels like we’re too old to start a creative pursuit. But that limiting belief keeps us from fully engaging our creative voice. Learn why thinking you’re too old to be creative is likely BS and how age and experience can be an asset to creative pursuits. [00:01:55] Fear masks limiting stories, preventing creativity. [00:06:36] Most successful startup founders are in their 40s. [00:08:44]...

Have you ever suffered from Shiny Object Syndrome? It’s so easy to get overwhelmed by possibilities, leading to creative gridlock.  In this episode, I talk about how to overcome Shiny Object Syndrome and the feeling of being overwhelmed by creative possibilities. I introduce a simple system to find focus, filter out distractions, and focus on what’s actually important to me. [00:01:59] System...

Too many creative projects die because we don't stay with them long enough. We quit when it gets hard or when confronted with difficulty or friction. But creative success demands a level of consistently showing up and putting in the work - often over a long time before we see any results. This episode talks about how we can embrace the process and learn to stick with our creative projects so that...