Artists for Joy

Continuing our new series, Joy Sessions, I chat with Jessi, a musician and educator who reflects on how, as a multipassionate artist, she could engage with music in a more meaningful way.   We explore the idea of experimentation and taking small, sustainable steps towards this goal, recognizing the need for a different kind of energy than the usual "discipline button" approach. The conversation highlights the importance of keeping the thread of musical engagement alive through exploration and connection, allowing for a more fulfilling and sustainable relationship with the art form.     If you are interested in doing a coaching call for a future Joy Sessions episode, click here. Links from the show notes: Subscribe to Merideth's email list  Learn more about coaching Join Patreon Buy Merideth’s book Tell us what resonated about the episode on IG

Introducing: Joy Sessions. Each week I'll feature excerpts from real sessions with artists of all disciplines, pulling back the curtain on creative coaching as we focus on overcoming creative challenges and finding joy in the artistic process.

This week, Merideth chats with Ericka, a writer who longs to set herself free from the shame cycle of past and current criticism.

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This week on the podcast,  the first installment of a new series started earlier this week over on Substack called “Art’s Open Door,” where we’ll explore the profound ways creativity and spirituality intersect and how viewing art through a spiritual lens is a powerful tool for well-being, connection, and joy.

Usually, these essays will only exist in blog form at artistsforjoy.substack.com, but this week, I am giving you a sneak peek into this new content. 

If you enjoy these more spiritual writings, subscribe to Substack here.

 The Common Heart: An Experience of Interreligious Dialogue

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This week on the podcast: a musical meditation for making sense of life.    In this guided reflection, explore the following:

1. Consider your life’s puzzle. Hold a couple of pieces in your hand, and consider now the growth that each piece represents. What do you see?
2. Look for the piece(s) that don’t seem to fit. What experiences or areas of growth or interest, disparate parts of your journey of life–good or hard—have you yet to accept as your own? Even though you may not yet be able to make sense of certain pieces, ask: what might they be teaching me?
3. Find the jagged edge of the puzzle, and consider the ways you are growing, the piece you are filling in now. How can you love yourself as you are becoming? What do you want yourself to remember now, in this season?

Links from the show notes: Join the next Creative Cluster Buy Merideth's book Get your printable journal Register for the Creative Enneagram 2.0 Workshop

This week on the podcast, a new metaphor to cultivate more resilience, perspective, and joy while we work to make sense of our lives.

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This week on the podcast, Merideth offers a pep talk for artists and creatives who feel overwhelmed or unmotivated, particularly during transitional periods like the month of August.

Grab your worksheet, so you can: 

• Name your season
• Decide if you need a new routine or rhythm (or both!)
• Discover the small step you'd like to take toward your goal

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Watch the replay of the Procrastination Workshop by becoming a paid supporter on Patreon

This week Merideth offers some strategies to overcome procrastination to embrace a more joyful and fulfilling creative life. She offers 3 common lies we tell ourselves when we are having a hard time getting things done: 

1. I'm lazy.
2. I just need the right routine.
3. I'll wait for inspiration to feel motivated. 

She then translates these less-than-helpful thought patterns into questions to unlock what we really need to keep moving. 

Buy Merideth's book The Artist's Joy

Check out K.C. Davis' book "How to Keep House While Drowning"

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Get your printable journal:

Join Merideth for a Procrastination Workshop (or watch the replay) by becoming a paid supporter on Patreon

Stream "Oath to Joy" by Angela Sheik (The Artist's Joy theme song!)

Back from the first leg of her book tour, Merideth shares a little about how she’s still learning how to celebrate in this throwback from October 2022.

Original show notes:

Why is it so much easier to celebrate the accomplishments of others than it is our own? Merideth shares two things she is forcing herself to celebrate these days and why she believes celebration should be a core value for every artist.

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Catherine Ricketts, essayist, songwriter, writing instructor, and author of The Mother Artist: Portraits of Ambition, Limitation, and Creativity, is my guest today.

We talk about:

• The historical underrepresentation of mothers in the art world and the societal factors contributing to this.

• The tension between caring for children and dedicating time to creative work.

• The importance of support systems, self-belief, and a sense of purpose for mothers. 

• The value of art created by mothers and how we can all support all caregivers in their creative pursuits.

Connect with Catherine on IG

Catherinedanaricketts.com

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Find Merideth on her book tour

Order “The Artist’s Joy”

In the final installment of this inspiring series, Robin White, Joshua Long, Lorrie Fredette, and Merideth Hite Estevez read their Artist's Oath.

The culmination of Merideth's book, "The Artist's Joy," the Artist's Oath is a powerful coaching exercise that helps artists name how they want to show up in the world and what they believe. When we stay connected to our values, we are able to move through creative challenges and tough decisions with confidence and grace for ourselves and others.

In this episode:

Robin White

Joshua Long

Lorrie Fredette (photo cred Deborah DeGraffenreid)

Merideth Hite Estevez

Connect with Merideth on her book tour