Stepping Off Now is a podcast for creative and sensitive thinkers. If you're feeling creatively stuck, burned out, or like you're not... more
In these final difficult months of getting my novel ready for agent submissions, thinking about my art's greater purpose is... more
When life gets messy, it's tempting to put our creative work aside until we have the space and energy for... more
Sorry for the lateness of this episode, I'm dealing with some very noisy construction at my house that is interfering... more
What happens when someone who hates deadlines decides to try one out? Listen to hear all about my recent experience... more
Why is it that after all the work you've put into your creative project you hit your biggest resistance when... more
This is my final update on this strange summer that was full of change, growth, and pure panic, if I'm... more
I finally have some excellent news to share! I've had a creative breakthrough on my novel and am on track... more
This is a grab bag of an episode in which I tell a long and rambling story about what getting... more
In which I talk about how I'm working through my current writer's block and the importance of surrendering to the... more
In which I discuss some recent developments in my life and the steps I am taking to deal with the... more
Many creatives and artists have a bit of the lone wolf in them. But generally speaking, being a lone wolf... more
What do you do when you lose steam with your creative projects or practice? Nothing will block you faster than... more
I've never been able to figure out if I'm a highly ambitious person or not ambitious enough. What I've settled... more
Will AI-created art change the way we view art and our relationship with it as consumers and creators? I contemplate... more
Following your intuition when you are being nudged off course is a vital creative skill, but many of us are... more
Lately I've been struggling with a growing awareness of pessimism and negativity around me in the world. It seems we... more
When we get stuck in life we can easily find reasons why we can't make the changes we need to... more
Do you ever feel like you have lost your creative inspiration, or worse, that you don't have enough to begin... more
It's a common assumption that highly creative people are more prone to mental illness. Van Gogh is perhaps one of... more
I recently saw a play called Women Playing Hamlet (by William Missouri Downs) that explores the idea of playing roles... more
Creatives are often told they need to take risks in order to reach their full potential, but what does that... more
There is no question that we are now in the era of AI, and everyone is talking about what AI-generated... more
Why does the magic disappear from our lives as we grow up and mature, and how can we get it... more
For my birthday weekend I decided to re-release one of my favorite previous episodes as a way of giving myself... more
How do we know when we've finished a creative project? Sometimes we know because we have deadlines or explicit, concrete... more
Creative breakthroughs can't be ordered up like a menu item, but there are things you can do to facilitate them.... more
Recently a number of comeback stories have emerged from Hollywood, and in this episode I talk about four that have... more
In this episode I discuss how to deal with a motivation killer that can take you by surprise, because it's... more
Do you ever feel like no matter how hard you try to find clarity around your art and what you're... more
Have you ever noticed that you get anxious when things are going well? It feels like we're always waiting for... more
In December I release some of my previously recorded Patreon bonus episodes as a treat for myself and my listeners.... more
Stressed out or feeling lonely this holiday season? Angsty about yet another year gone and little progress to show for... more
This week I'm releasing one of my Patreon bonus episodes as part of my December special content! I discuss the... more
Lindsay is a thirty-eight year old creative, artist, medium and mother of two young boys, living in Burlington, VT. After... more
We usually think of courage as associated with taking big actions and big risks for that big payoff. That's certainly... more
Last year I inaugurated a tradition of taking Thanksgiving week off from podcasting, but I forgot to announce that last... more
We all know that engaging with art, either as a creator or a consumer, can be healing, but what does... more
As I continue on my creative journey of revising my novel, I'm intentionally editing with the perspective of making it... more
If you are an HSP, INFJ, INFP, or other type of gentle/sensitive soul, you have probably had people respond to... more
When I came across director/producer/actor/writer Elia Kazan's Actor's Vow a few months ago, I couldn't believe what I was reading.... more
There's no question midlife brings with it both surprises and challenges...but does the change we go through in this period... more
One of the most challenging things for creatives and artists to learn is how to maintain a strong creative practice,... more
Every creative will encounter boredom with their work and life at some point, and it can wreak havoc on our... more
We have a hurricane coming to Florida, so I'm taking this week off from producing a podcast episode to give... more
Last week I looked at how suffering relates to creativity. This week I discuss how creativity can improve our lives!... more
I've had clients say to me that they feel they can't be "real" artists because they don't suffer enough. They... more
I thought it was time to revisit mind-wandering and daydreaming and their role in creativity. In this episode I delve... more
Has this happened to you? You're on a roll with your creative project, getting stuff done, you feel enthusiastic and... more
This is my yearly episode on trying to earn a living as a working creative, where I talk about all... more
I have two main pieces of advice when it comes to asking for and dealing with feedback. First, you don't... more
I recently underwent a major change in my plans for my novel due to some feedback I received, and in... more
The reason we creatives and artists fail to reach goals and achieve dreams is because we misunderstand what kind of... more
My sister is back! Jill Patterson, a competitive cyclist, is having a great year after experiencing a not-so-great one last... more
If you've ever felt insecure or angry about the fact that putting your creative work out into the world often... more
You've probably heard somewhere along the way that what really holds us back is fear of success, not failure. I've... more
In the creative life you must learn to be your own biggest fan: that's what's required to come through the... more
You've probably heard it before, this admonition to trust the process. It's one of those things that's easy to say,... more
In this episode I'm experimenting with something new: I've devised an exercise to help you figure out how to enjoy... more
Summer is a special time, and it calls for some special activities. In this episode I discuss why and how... more
Our societal systems, including the public school system, are built to counteract subversive forces such as (too much) intellectual curiosity... more
How much time should you take to rest and digest, recover from stress, and adjust to loss? As much time... more
As I process the passing of my cat, Lucy, I contemplate why we so often fail to make the changes... more
A little about my cat Lucy, who has reached the end of her life.
I used to think the creative life was only for "real" creatives or artists, the lucky few who are able... more
Have you ever felt like you're living at a distance from your own life, not really immersed in it in... more
In this episode I tell you what writing my novel, The Gentle History, has looked like. I am an intuitive... more
Pete is the Author of The Art of Shouting Quietly (2015) and A Quiet Person's Guide to Life+Work (due May... more
I get meta in this episode by sharing about my creative practice of writing an ebook about creative practice. I... more
In this wide-ranging conversation, artist and fellow PhD Sophia van Hees and I parse the difference between terms such as... more
Does writer's block exist? Yes it does. In this episode I challenge those who say it's not a real thing... more
What do you do when the path ahead seems hopeless, and you feel resignation coming over you? I contemplate this... more
I had a discouraging week, and so to cheer myself up I decided to give myself a break from doing... more
It is notoriously difficult for creatives and artists to judge their own work. We cycle through extremes: one day we... more
I've never been the type of person who has one feeling about anything. As an Enneagram 4, I put equal... more
In this episode Matthew Bellringer and I flip the script on neurodiversity, exploring it from a generative and validating perspective.... more
Is being performative always bad? Not when it functions to give you a better understanding of your true nature. In... more
What happens when you've been living to-do list free and decide to make one? Listen to find out! You'll hear... more
I sought out regular treatments for decades to help me manage my depression, and nothing worked until I finally decided... more
Does this sound familiar? You start off a creative project full of enthusiasm, and in the beginning you're able to... more
Frances Khalastchi runs Better Bolder Braver (along with her partner Simon Batchelar), an online community for coaches that helps them... more
Frances Khalastchi runs Better Bolder Braver (along with her partner Simon Batchelar), an online community for coaches that helps them learn how... more