No Time to be Timid

Depending on where you were in 2018, you may or may not remember former Nashville mayor Megan Barry’s story. The Washington Post’s headline said, “Megan Barry Resigns as Nashville Mayor, Weeks After Admitting Affair with the Security Chief” and The New York Times declared, “Megan Barry, Nashville Mayor, Pleads Guilty to Theft and Agrees to Resign.” It was a monumental lapse in judgment that played...

We all first met Kim as the glowing young bride in the movie “Father of the Bride” with Steve Martin. She’s acted ever since, adding NYTimes bestselling author to her credits with her book “Where The Light Gets In," which chronicles her mother’s battle with dementia. In this episode, we dive into Kim’s own health struggle — losing her voice for nearly two years, an experience that Kim says saved h...

We’re launching Season Four this Thursday! To kick it off, I share the unforeseen complications that happened on the way to NYC to celebrate our Signal Award win. Exploding transformers, train trauma bonding, shouting expletives in a public setting, free peanut M&Ms, the love of friends, and the kindness of strangers all make an appearance. As always, what we don’t expect often leads to the most m...

In this bonus edition, we share some thrilling news! No Time to be Timid is one of eight finalists in the Arts and Culture category of the Signal Awards -- alongside notable shows like Oprah's Super Soul! Please vote for us for the Listener’s Choice award ! Voting ends October 17. I also share thoughts on my recent pilgrimage walking a portion of the Camino, particularly how walking and the creati...

Bonus Episode: Eric Masterson Tells his Story of Hawks, Near-Death, and the Best of Humanity   During this season in the United States, we’re repeatedly told about how divided we are as a nation, so I thought it was important to tell a few stories about how wonderful people can be. To illustrate the point, I interviewed my husband, Eric Masterson, who is an expert birder, author, and survivor of a...

I don't talk about politics on my show. I talk about creativity and I interview guests who can help all of us step into our creative selves. But then J.D. Vance started talking about "childless cat ladies," and as a woman without children, I have a problem with that. So I thought it was important to air a story I told on the StoryCollider stage some years ago about my ambivalence towards motherhoo...

R. Eric Thomas is a creative powerhouse. First, he’s masterful on stage not only as a storyteller, but also as the long running host of The Moth StorySlams in Philadelphia. Second, he writes for every possible medium — he’s a television writer for shows airing on Apple TV and FX; an award-winning playwright; and the author of  several books, including the national bestsellers Here For It, or How t...

My neighbors, the NYTimes bestselling author Sy Montgomery and acclaimed author Howard Mansfield, have been married for 37 years. In that time, they’ve built and sustained a writing life that’s produced about 40 books between them. And even though they’re a unit, they’ve dedicated their lives to separate creative interests. Sy writes on behalf of animals — she’s best known for her books The Good,...

You know the saying, "bloom where you're planted"? My guest, Nora Fiffer, embodies it. She’s an actor, director, and producer in both theater and film and like me, she lives in rural New Hampshire. She moved here from Chicago about eight years ago, and since she's arrived, she's co-founded the award-winning Firelight Theatre Workshop, which is now in its seventh season; produced two short films us...

There are few individuals in the world who can convince people to get out of bed and start dancing at 6:00 am completely sober. Radha Agrawal, the co-founder, CEO and Chief Community architect of Daybreaker, the global morning sober dance and wellness movement, is one of them. And for the past 10 years, a half a million people across 33 cities and five continents have joined her. And here’s the th...

At 84 years old, Laura Wilson could run circles around most of us. She throws herself into her creative projects — which often take years to complete — with high energy and optimism. She moves quickly, never dallying when pursuing her creative work (a missed opportunity to photograph John Updike still stings). And her work reveals the humanity and stories behind individuals, communities, and event...

Get ready to be inspired (and possibly cry). Richard Casper, co-founder of Creativets, shares his journey from combat Marine to champion of the arts. A wounded veteran — Richard’s Humvee was blown up four times in Iraq and he watched his dear friend die — Richard credits art and songwriting with saving his life. To help other veterans heal as he did, Richard co-founded Creativets, an organization...

Singer/songwriter Lila Forde stands at a launch point in her career. She’s a self-sustaining, working musician, who’s been at it for years. And if you’re a fan of The Voice, you know that in Season 24 last fall, Lila earned a coveted 4-chair turn and went from a gigging girl in LA to one of the show’s top vocalists with adoring fans nationwide. Finishing among the five finalists, Lila continues to...

Dava Whisenant, founder and president of Cactus Flower Films, is a master storyteller who has stories to tell, and she tells them with honesty and humor.  For more than 20 years, she’s worked in narrative and nonfiction film as an editor — from The Late Show with David Letterman to the Emmy-winning and Oscar- short-listed documentary short The Flagmakers — and now as a director. The award-winning...

Becca Stevens, the founder and president of Thistle Farms, shares her journey from starting a 5-bed home for women survivors of trafficking, addiction, and prostitution to creating a global movement for women’s freedom. Born at the crossroads of where arts and crafts meets justice, Becca talks about how creativity has transformed the lives of women in her programs, the importance of a walk in the...

We're starting Season Three with the most incredible duo, The War and Treaty, also known as the husband and wife team of Michael and Tanya Trotter, who are making some of the most exciting music today. Michael and Tanya have overcome hardships that would have flattened most of us. But they persevered and this year, they were nominated for two Grammy Awards. They’re currently featured in exhibition...

In celebration of International Women's Day, we're going to air one of my favorite stories I ever told on The Moth stage -- How to Act Like a Lady. You can see me perform the story here ! And this is our last mini episode before we launch Season 3 on March 21 -- we've got a terrific lineup. If you don't have your No Time to be Timid Manifesto yet, download it here !

My producer Adam and I recorded the first interview for Season Three! And even though we were both feeling a little puny before the show, when we started making art -- making something out of nothing -- it put a skip into our step like few things can. And a quote from Neil Gaiman helps explain why.  https://triciaroseburt.com/ https://www.instagram.com/triciaroseburt/  Mixed and scored by Echo Fin...

Dinner with friends, a hit TV show, and a new stove ignite my creativity and inspire a new way for me to replenish it. Plus, the great Maya Angelou reminds us that the more you use your creativity, the more there is to go around.     https://triciaroseburt.com/ https://www.instagram.com/triciaroseburt/  Mixed and scored by Echo Finch www.echofinch.com

If you've been wanting to start a project but can't seem to make it happen, then this episode is for you. We talk about the power of deadlines and cite the work of  Season Two's guests Shannon Cason  ( Episode 2 ) and David Crabb  ( Episode 7 ).    

I started off the new year re-reading a great creative resource, The Genius Zone by Gay Hendricks. In this mini-episode, we talk about Hendricks' advice to woo our creativity like a beloved and to ask ourselves the question, do you appreciate your creativity? Learn more here .

One of the highlights of this past year for me was seeing the Nick Cave exhibition at the Guggenheim, especially his Sound Suits. In this mini episode, we talk about why he makes them, and how his work can inspire all of us in 2024. Check out his work here and  here ! And Happy New Year everybody!

Our holiday special! A story I crafted for a small town Christmas special makes it to The Moth Radio Hour and I'm reminded of how we never know how our creative ideas will grow. Plus, check out rock star choral director Jody Simpson .

A glaring mistake reminds me to slow down, pay attention, and notice my surroundings, because those details inform my art. I also take cues from several of Season Two's guests. Check them out:   Steve Young Shannon Cason David Crabb

In the first of our mini episodes, we talk about the benefits of making our work space hospitable, continuing a daily practice, and how art brings us both hope and sanity.   Check out this book: Art is the Highest Form of Hope, Phaidon Editors   And order it from our sponsor, Interabang Books !