Are you struggling to focus and create when the world feels chaotic? This week: a much-needed pep talk. Four vital reasons why making art is not a luxury, but an essential act of perseverance, resilience, and hope.

Links:

Beauty will save the world: Substack Essay

Burnout Book

Burnout Podcast Episode

Become a Joyster and join February 13th's Filling the Well Workshop

Join The Artist's Way Creative Cluster

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We're back with our first new episode of 2026! I'm sharing a pep talk for anyone (including myself!) who is stepping into the new year with trepidation. This episode is especially for you if you're in the process of submitting your work to be judged or critiqued. Inspired by the "whiplash" I felt after submitting a major grant application this week, I encourage you to shift your focus from the outcome (the product) to the sheer effort and the vulnerable act of trying.

Links and Calls to Action Mentioned:

• Support the Show: Become a Joyster on my Patreon for hours of creative discovery and recovery content.
• Joyster Monthly Meet Up: Learn more and register for our next meeting on February 13th at noon EST to chat about inspiration and "filling the well."
• New Book Pre-order: My newest book, Art is How God Loves Us, is available for pre-order now.
• Art's Open Door, Substack Subscription: I'm moving to bi-monthly podcast episodes, and on the "off weeks," I'll be publishing some writing over on Substack. You can subscribe to that separate email list to get my voice and words in your inbox each Friday.
• Connect Online:
  • Instagram: @artistsforjoy
  • Email: [email protected]

Links:

Join our Word-of-the-year Art Party (or watch the replay!)

Join the next Artist's Way Creative Cluster

Pre-order Art Is How God Loves Us

Original show notes:

Any other artists out there tired of thinking/talking/obsessing about marketing? This week, Merideth shares the first of a three-part series based on her words of the year. The first word—anti-hustle—calls her to a simpler, quieter, more harmonious way of life. She also answers a question about morning pages, all to the beautiful music of Debussy, Beethoven, and Brahms performed by Marnie Laird of Brooklyn Classical.

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Podcast Transcript

In this deep and delightful conversation, Merideth and Christine Paintner explore the ancient practice of breath prayer and how it can be a transformative tool for contemplation, creativity, and navigating moments of transition. Listen to the end for a blessing for 2026!

Links:

Guest: Christine Valters Paintner, Online Abbess of Abbey of the Arts (a virtual monastery and global community celebrating its 20th year).

Book: Give Me a Word: The Promise of Ancient Practice to Guide Your Year

Become a Joyster and join us for the January "Word of the Year Art Party" on January 9th.

This week, I speak with Christine Valter Paintner about the contemplative practice of "receiving a word" for the year, an alternative to traditional New Year's resolutions and goal setting.

• The Ancient Practice: The "Give Me a Word" practice is inspired by the Desert Mothers and Fathers (monks of the 2nd–4th centuries), who would offer a word of wisdom—sometimes a single word, a phrase, or a scripture line—to seekers. The word is meant to be wrestled with and explored for a long time, not a quick fix.

• Receiving vs. Striving: The core of the practice is about opening the heart to receive wisdom from a source greater than oneself, rather than trying to find or force a word (the "try hard" or "productivity hack" approach).

• The Listening Process: Listening for the word can be integrated into everyday life—through silence, noticing synchronicities in books, shows, or nature, or even by asking a trusted friend for a word of wisdom.

• Working with Dissonance: They discuss how to work with a word that might feel "bristly" or difficult, exploring the idea that resistance and dissonance can touch on "shadow" aspects of the self (perfectionism, fear of visibility) that hold the deepest creative gifts.

• Embodying the Word: Suggestions for keeping the word present all year include creatively embodying it through:

  • Creating a collage or visual art.

  • Making a playlist of inspired songs.

  • Writing an acrostic poem.

  • Journaling a narrative explanation of the word's arrival.

Links:

Guest: Christine Valters Paintner, Online Abbess of Abbey of the Arts (a virtual monastery and global community celebrating its 20th year).

Book: Give Me a Word: The Promise of Ancient Practice to Guide Your Year

Become a Joyster and join us for the January "Word of the Year Art Party" on January 9th.

Today's podcast is the penultimate installment of our Advent Songbook series, and I've decided to keep it real. 🫠 For your listening pleasure-- three creative mishaps: Christmas edition. Not only the bloopers themselves, but the three epiphanies I'm learning from these instances of things not going perfectly. (Understatement!)

Listen for the mystery of the lost reeds, a humiliating high note situation, and the surprising history of one of our most beloved carols.

This one will (hopefully) make you laugh and feel *just* a little less alone as you navigate your own festive fiascos this holiday season.

Links:

Silly Affirmation Stickers

Read the Advent Songbook installments on Substack

What did you think of the Advent Songbook series? Hit reply [email protected] or comment on this post on IG.

Join the Artist's Oath workshop on Patreon on December 19th, 2025, at 12:00 PM EST (or check back in the show notes for the recording link a day or two later!)

Today on the show, we dive into the unreliable nature of memory—inspired by my daughter's new favorite show, Brainchild—and how our identity is not something we make, but something revealed and cultivated. Against the backdrop of a return to New York City and Juilliard, I reflect on old memories of shame and self-doubt, contrasting them with the searching question of the Christmas carol, "What Child Is This?" ultimately proposing a spiritual practice of self-compassion: that, like a 400-year-old melody, our memories can be recast in the spirit of redemption and grace.

• Buy Merideth's first book: Click here to read more about "The Artist's Joy."

• Read the series: The Advent Songbook devotional series began last week over at Art's Open Door, Merideth's Substack newsletter. Monday's installments are on Substack, and Fridays are on the pod. Click here to see what you've missed on Substack.

• Connect: Share how this series is landing for you by writing to [email protected] or via the Instagram post for the episode at @artistsforjoy.

• Support the work: This podcast is made possible by generous paid supporters on Patreon. Our next Joyster monthly meet up is December 19th at 12:00 PM noon EST to explore and edit our Artist's Oaths. Visit patreon.com/artistsforjoy to learn more. Or purchase this workshop only for $5 here.

This week, Merideth records live from New York City (!) and continues the new Advent Songbook series. The series, which goes live on Mondays on Substack and Fridays on the podcast through the rest of the year, pairs rich examples of Christmas art with devotional reflections and practical spiritual postures to shape this season of waiting and wonder.

Today's installment, "Major prophets and minor chords," explores Handel's Messiah, specifically the very first aria, "Comfort Ye," based on Isaiah 40:1-4. Merideth shares a powerful, personal reflection on how this music broke through a time of professional striving and spiritual distance, reminding her that what makes music great is the same thing that makes God great: persistent nearness, or "Withness." It's an invitation to surrender, not strive, and to listen with the heart.

Links:

• Buy Merideth's first book: Click here to read more about "The Artist's Joy."
• Read the series: The Advent Songbook devotional series began on Monday over at Art's Open Door, Merideth's Substack newsletter. Click here to see what you've missed.
• Listen to the music: Full essay from today's show on Substack, including another recording of Handel's "Comfort Ye" here.
• Connect: Share how this series is landing for you by writing to [email protected] or via the Instagram post for the episode at @artistsforjoy.
• Support the work: This podcast is made possible by generous paid supporters on Patreon. Our next Joyster monthly meet up is December 19th at 12:00 PM noon EST to explore and edit our Artist's Oaths. Visit patreon.com/artistsforjoy to learn more. Or purchase this workshop only for $5 here.

Today on the podcast, Merideth chats with Seattle-based writer Sara Billups, who explores faith and culture in her new book, Nervous Systems. They discuss the connection between anxiety and creative drive, and Sara shares a powerful spiritual practice called "holy indifference," which can free artists from the tyranny of outcome. They chat about sharing work when you're an Enneagram 4 and also offer practical steps for setting boundaries with social media to protect your most vulnerable work.

Get Nervous Systems

Read more about Sara

Download the Curtain Call Questions

Learn more about the Creative Leap Mastermind

Grab your free discovery call with Merideth

Join the next Artist's Way Creative Cluster

Support the podcast by becoming a Joyster on Patreon

Happy 250th episode of Artists for Joy! This week, just in time for your Thanksgiving commute, I have a brand-new Holiday Survival Guide —one of our most popular episodes every year. I even made up a holiday-appropriate acronym to help us remember the three-part strategy to navigating the chaos and stress of the holiday season without losing creative joy: E.L.F. Learn how to "E.L.F." your holiday and listen to the end for an extra special Ars Nova, inspired by the work of George Seurat. What's helping you survive the holidays this year? Hit reply or tell me on the post for this episode on IG. Links: Read (and add your own) Holiday Gig Fails from IG and Facebook Get the Advent Songbook Monday posts in your inbox Subscribe to the podcast: Apple, Spotify, or get the episodes sent to your inbox each Friday Support the podcast on Patreon Grab the link to our next Joyster monthly meet-up--Stress Cycle Completion Clinic on Friday, November 21st. Grab your seat in the 2026 Mastermind