In this episode I take stock of where I am in my creative journey as I contemplate what lies beyond... more

Notice: The Kishōtenketsu Workshop I am doing with Andy Mort is coming up next week! You can find more info... more

I recently discovered a notebook filled with poetry I wrote thirty (!) years ago, and in one fell swoop it... more

In summer I like to mix it up on this podcast, so I decided to share some of my... more

Last episode I discussed the "conflict free" Japanese Kishotenketsu storytelling framework as a gentler alternative to the Western-style Hero's Journey.... more

I'm dealing with some personal life stuff right now and so dug into my Patreon archive for an episode for... more

Last week I made the trek down to Tampa to attend a writer's conference and live pitch my novel... more

Rejection sensitivity is one of the primary challenges neurodiverse and highly sensitive creatives face in reaching for their dreams. It... more

This episode begins with an update on my preparations for the writers' conference I'm attending in Tampa on April 12.... more

At loooooooong last, I am (nearly! almost!) ready to start querying my novel to agents, so I decided it was... more

Most timelines of the creative process depict it as linear and progressive, an "up and to the right" trajectory (like... more

My sister is a competitive cyclist, and we enjoy discussing the similarities between athletic practice and creative practice. The other... more

I credit my creative practice with helping me recover from my life-altering burnout at the end of my PhD. I've... more

Have you ever noticed that successful artists' backstories often sound like destined paths or hero's journeys? Learning how to tell... more

I am a lifelong magical thinker, but in recent years have rejected it in favor of a more realistic (read:... more

There's no question that setting and achieving goals is beneficial...right? But what about when it's not? Creativity requires us to... 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.... 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

Happy New Year! In this first episode of 2022 I'm doing things a bit different. As I evolve as a... more

My wish for all of us going into the new year is to NOT clutter our brains up with goals,... more

You've heard of the circadian rhythm, I'm sure, but did you know there are others that govern our daily functioning?... more

This special holiday season episode is part of the bonus content from my Patreon. In it I talk about the... more