carrie schmitt is one of the most devoted humans i know to living with creativity as a living, breathing presence. her entire life is an altar to this relationship. from the way she paints and prays by the sea, to the way she listens for guidance in the smallest moments of her day.

she is a painter, teacher, and author of three books, including Awakening Creativity: A Sacred Journey to Reclaim Your Inner Artist. she “began painting in 2009, while bedridden after being diagnosed with a life-threatening allergy to heat. what began as a lifeline has since become a path of devotion. today, carrie paints, writes, teaches online classes, hosts art retreats, and mentors women who long for a joyful, intimate relationship with Creativity.”

in this conversation, we explore creativity not as a talent or skill, but as a beloved. a divine, animating force that moves through every aspect of our lives. guided by the “temples” in her book: reverence, beauty, devotion, and more, carrie shares how she relates to creativity as a sacred presence, how she dissolved the idea of the inner critic, and what it means to live a life shaped by signs, synchronicity, and trust in the unseen.

may this conversation invite you to rethink what creativity really is, remember your own devotion, and consider the possibility that you, too, are already in a living relationship with something vast, mysterious, and profoundly kind.

some things we talk about:
letting go of a good, steady offering (and reliable income) to follow a deeper spiritual calling in her work

creativity as a living, breathing presence rather than a skill or talent

why carrie doesn’t believe in the inner critic and how changing our framework dissolves it

the questions to ask instead of “Is this good or bad?” to discover what’s most alive in your creativity

devotion and reverence as daily practices, including carrie’s painting ritual of bowing, blessing her hands, and promising to love each painting no matter what

how to discover what you are truly devoted to (including the “one word in your journal” practice)

living guided by spirit in very ordinary decisions and the question carrie asks each morning.

why our culture’s fixation on productivity, numbers, and validation can drown out our creative spirit

carrie’s perspective on AI, creativity, and why no machine can touch the soul of our relationship with the unseen

how devotion “doesn’t just free us from what doesn’t serve our creativity; it also frees us from ourselves”

listen to this episode and all past episodes at daphnecohn.com