Big Juicy Creative

Lea Jovy-Ford is one of the cofounders and COO of online learning programme Beyond School. She's an ex management consultant, qualified NLP Practitioner, former personal trainer and holistic health coach and pioneer of the digital nomad movement.

She has a blended, multi-racial family with 4 children – 2 sons and 2 daughters – and her wife Becky. All four are home educated. I invited her on because I'm worried I may have scarred my kids for life attempting to home school them and wanted some advice to recapture the love of family learning. But I got so much more than just this!

We cover a lot of ground: the importance of interests, why we need to be more flexible about learning, 'yes' days, how sex (everyday for her!) can help boost creativity, how you get your kids to help in the house, money..... This is definitely a woman leading a rich life in many regards who actively manages her mojo.

For more on Lea:

https://beyondschool.co/ https://www.facebook.com/beyondschool.co/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/leajovy/ https://twitter.com/BeyondSchool_Co https://www.instagram.com/beyondschool.co/

To follow Big Juicy Creative for loads of inspiration on living creatively, see:

Instagram: @bigjuicycreativeliving

Facebook @bigjuicycreativeliving

LinkedIn: @suzybashford

Twitter: @suzybashford

contact Suzy: [email protected]

Juliet Bernard is the owner of Bluebear PR & former editor of a knitting magazine. She 'pivoted' (yes, that word!) her PR business from specialising in marketing agencies to service craft-related clients.

As well as her job and her passion, knitting has also helped her through some anxious times in her life... all of which she talks about in this big juicy chat. Her 40% tip is currently helping me....

For more on Juliet:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/julietbernard/

To follow Big Juicy Creative for loads of inspiration on living creatively, see:

Instagram: @bigjuicycreativeliving

Facebook @bigjuicycreativeliving

LinkedIn: @suzybashford

Twitter: @suzybashford

contact Suzy: [email protected]

Claire is an award-winning consumer PR & brand reputation expert with oodles of experience working in top PR agencies. She also holds an MSc in Innovation, Creativity & Leadership from City University London, and she's written a book to boost your creative mojo called In Your Element. She's now founder of Now Go Create, which helps individuals, teams and leaders up the creative ante in their business.

But what I'm most drawn to about Claire, as well as her many brilliant creativity hacks, is her humour and honesty and the way she keeps it real. Last time we spoke we had a laugh about how we both felt like slugs creatively, brains to mush, not even able to read Heat magazine…

She keeps it real about trying to being creative amid a global pandemic and has loads of great advice to start getting into a state to create.

For more on Claire:

Insta @nowgocreate LI @clairebridges www.nowgocreate.co.uk - look out for her new online courses which will help you get into a state to create as we emerge from the pandemic

To follow Big Juicy Creative for loads of inspiration on living creatively, see:

Instagram: @bigjuicycreativeliving

Facebook @bigjuicycreativeliving

LinkedIn: @suzybashford

Twitter: @suzybashford

contact Suzy: [email protected]

So, if you've listened to last week's episode about my recent burnout experience (Ep 43), you'll know I've been busting my gut to bring you this Spring Series.

Now is the time you get to taste the sweet fruits of my labour! And I, ironically, have over-worked on it and made myself the perfect listener for this series - which is all about how we can get our mojo back after a tough year, without burning out (again, in my case!).

Here I explained why I've done it, outlined the main themes and introduced the main characters appearing throughout the series and why you should listen to their episodes. And you definitely should!

The Big Juicy Spring series runs from 1st April - 1st June 2021, with an average of 3 episodes per week.

To follow Big Juicy Creative for loads of inspiration on living creatively, see:

Instagram: @bigjuicycreativeliving

Facebook @bigjuicycreativeliving

LinkedIn: @suzybashford

Twitter: @suzybashford

contact Suzy: [email protected]

This episode does exactly what it says on the tin.

After Hollie Newton's brutally honest burnout story last week, this is another cautionary tale - this time, mine. It's about how I pushed myself too hard, didn't listen to my body (or anyone) and stubbornly refused to rest... and what it cost me. And what I learnt.

The happy accident of being such a numpty (Scottish word for plonker) is that I have now, fortuitously, made myself the ideal listener to benefit from my forthcoming Spring series on how to restore your mojo after a tough year and get back into the state to create and be inspired, sustainably, again. Starts next week - April 1st.

Look after yourself, folks, and listen to your body (and this podcast episode, for my 4 top learnings about the signs you're heading towards burn out...). Ah, isn't hindsight a wonderful thing? Hopefully this podcast will save you from getting near your edge and falling in that hole I am now getting out of.

To follow Big Juicy Creative for loads of inspiration on living creatively, see:

Instagram: @bigjuicycreativeliving

Facebook @bigjuicycreativeliving

LinkedIn: @suzybashford

Twitter: @suzybashford

contact Suzy: [email protected]

And remember, you can still get your free wintspiration fridge poster (family friendly and grown-up versions available! Soon this won't be available!) visit: www.bigjuicycreative.co.uk

Hollie Newton was one of Europe's youngest executive creative directors, a feat she achieved in a very male dominated industry. But then she 'ran away' from advertising in London to live by the sea, where she writes books, scripts and wild swims.

This the tale of why she did that (clue in the title: her creative soul had withered) and all the many learnings about the importance of nurturing our creativity she's gleaned.

It's a cautionary tale - yes - but ultimately uplifting because it shows the human capacity for resilience and growth. It also shows that no matter how broken you feel, you can recapture your joy and thrive professionally and personally again.

If you feel like your soul is being sucked by your job/life, or you feel burnt out and disconnected from your creativity, this episode is for you. It's also for you if you manage creatives, or run a business reliant on creativity, and want inspiration on how to really get the best out of creative people.

Please note this episode talks about severe pre and post natal depression.

This episode inspired the idea of doing a dedicated Spring Series, which starts on April 1st and runs for 30 days, on getting our collective mojo back – and pushing for change in our places of work, so that our creative souls don't 'fall out our ears', in Hollie's words.

Please listen and pass this on! To your partners, friends and - perhaps most importantly - your boss...

References:

For more about Hollie Newton: http://hollienewton.com

Buy her 'How To Grow' book here

Follow her on Instagram @hollienuisance

To follow Big Juicy Creative for loads of inspiration on living creatively, see:

Instagram: @bigjuicycreativeliving

Facebook @bigjuicycreativeliving

LinkedIn: @suzybashford

Twitter: @suzybashford

contact Suzy: [email protected]

And remember, you can still get your free wintspiration fridge poster (family friendly and grown-up versions available! Soon this won't be available!) visit: www.bigjuicycreative.co.uk

We live in a world where everyone is telling stories, whether it be brands trying to sell us stuff, entrepreneurs trying to get their new product off the ground or individuals documenting their lives to friends and family on Facebook. That's how humans connect.

But it's actually really scary (certainly at first) putting yourself out there. However, while it may feel more comfortable being silent in the shadows, it's much bigger and juicier to take ownership of your story, rather than letting other people tell it or make assumptions, or never telling it at all. Even if people don't like it.

Or, as Brene Brown puts it much better: "You either walk inside your story and own it, or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness".

In this episode I (Suzy) share the good, the bad and the very ugly that I've learnt about telling my story, and putting myself out there, since I started this podcast 6 months ago, in 10 top tips. The list works up to the biggie that I'm most frequently asked about: what to when people don't like what you put out there.

This episode will inspire you to get your voice out there and tell your story as a way to connect with the people that matter and live a bigger, juicier, more creative life.

To follow Big Juicy Creative for loads of inspiration on living creatively, see:

Instagram: @bigjuicycreativeliving

Facebook @bigjuicycreativeliving

LinkedIn: @suzybashford

contact Suzy: [email protected]

And remember, you can still get your free wintspiration fridge poster (family friendly and grown-up versions available! Not for much longer though!) visit: www.bigjuicycreative.co.uk

If you have a tendency to faff around and wait for the muse or the mood (err, me!) before you start a project, then Alison Jones, and this episode are for you.

With a rich career in publishing behind her, latterly in innovation roles, she now runs her own consultancy. She's coached hundreds of people to write books, as well as having written her own bestseller and hosts her own podcast, too.

She's also just finished a 1,000 day running streak (she gets her best ideas running) for the Literary Trust, so she is a woman who knows how to get things done.

She's full of practical inspiration that will motivate you to get your bum down on the seat. And, as an added bonus, she has got a voice perfect for podcasting....

References:

You can find Alison Jones here:

Facebook: @theextraordinarybusinessbookclub

(Alison hosts regular co-writing sessions, for free, via her Facebook feed - follow for more info)

Instagram: @bookstothesky_ @pip_talking Twitter: @bookstothesky @PIPtalking @extrabizbooks LinkedIn: @AlisonJones

To follow Big Juicy Creative for loads of inspiration on living creatively, see:

Instagram: @bigjuicycreativeliving

Facebook @bigjuicycreativeliving

LinkedIn: @suzybashford

contact Suzy: [email protected]

And remember, you can still get your free wintspiration fridge poster (family friendly and grown-up versions available! Soon this won't be available!) visit: www.bigjuicycreative.co.uk

This week I (Suzy) go to extreme creative lengths to get some headspace in lockdown round 3 in the UK....

In a desperate bid to hear my own thoughts again, I pack my suitcase with goodies and I drive 2 minutes around the corner, to the edge of the forest. These goodies include, of course, lots of creative materials to get my mojo going again - including pink gin, tiffin, random make up, a boom box, a massive pad, glue and sexy underwear.

Missing my girls night outs, here I share my top 6 learnings from my Girl Night In (a Campervan), just in case you're inspired to do the same (obviously Lad Night In totally possible too, and Girl Night In A Car...).

Able to hear myself think I also had some revelatory insights - like the fact that the psychological phenomenon of 'hedonic adaptation' is happening to me right now... and I need to get back to hairy hostels as soon as possible to combat this... Tune in for this, and other epiphanies.

And, if anyone you know is struggling to find headspace right now, why not kindly share this episode with them?

References:

The article I wrote for Psychologies magazine on the hedonic mill is here

Hugless Douglas is this book

To follow Big Juicy Creative for loads of inspiration on living creatively, see:

Instagram: @bigjuicycreativeliving

Facebook @bigjuicycreativeliving

LinkedIn: @suzybashford

contact Suzy: [email protected]

And remember, you can still get your free wintspiration fridge poster (family friendly and grown-up versions available!) visit: www.bigjuicycreative.co.uk

Today's guest is the indomitable chronic pain sufferer, writer, artist and activist, Amani.

This is a very real, very raw conversation where both of us are in pain as we podcast; Amani due to severe physical symptoms and me (your host, Suzy Bashford) due to the emotional pain of just losing my beloved dog Bramble (episode 37 is on that).

Nevertheless, true to form, Amani is able to find the fun and feistiness in the present moment, no matter what she is feeling. Creating through pain is the norm for her... as is smashing taboos.

And there are SO many taboos covered in this episode. Trigger warning: invisible illness; suicide; estrangement; having therapy; loneliness; childhood abuse/acute childhood experiences; not having children, mental health.

There's quite a bit of swearing, too.

If you want inspiration on, err, how NOT to wait for inspiration or perfection before you create, this episode is for you. If a you're curious type and would like to know what it's like to live with constant, severe pain, then this episode is also for you and it will change your perspective on your own pain.

Amani daily reframes her purpose in life, recreates her dreams, re-finds ways of finding beauty in the small things. She credits her creative practice with keeping her alive.

This is such an important conversation to lift the lid, and judgement, on what it's like to live with an invisible illness. Do you know someone who might benefit from hearing it? Please share with anyone who might also enjoy it.

References:

The best place to follow Amani is on Instagram, where she has two accounts:

@amani_writes - dedicated to talking about the stuff we don't talk about enough

@theemptyuterusclub

- a space for people who don't have kids, for any reason

To follow Big Juicy Creative for loads of inspiration on living creatively, see:

Instagram: @bigjuicycreativeliving

Facebook @bigjuicycreativeliving

LinkedIn: @suzybashford

contact Suzy: [email protected]

And remember, you can still get your free wintspiration fridge poster (family friendly and grown-up versions available!) visit: www.bigjuicycreative.co.uk