Big Juicy Creative

Anxiety can be a right pesky, pain-in-the-backside block to living a creative, flowing life.

Suzy wants to be clear & honest in in this episode that - while she does live a big, juicy, creative life which you might see the highlights of on social media - managing her anxiety is an ongoing process.

She shares 7 of the best ways she's found to do that (and she's, unfortunately, a bit of an expert on this topic!).

Anxiety is really common amongst creative, imaginative, empathetic people and it's also hardwired into the caveman part of our brains. Listen in for practical, tried and tested tips for how to get creative with managing anxiety so it doesn't get in the way of leading your big, juicy, creative life.

So the Big Juicy Creative people can reach and inspire as many people as possible, please share with your friends and follow on social media! Is there someone you know who would really benefit from today's episode?

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

References:

Dr Shefali broadcast daily 'Viral Wisdom' on Youtube at the beginning of lockdown and these are still freely available to watch

Kelly Pietrangeli of ProjectMe has free 'Design My Day' sheets available on www.myprojectme.com to help focus and reduce anxiety in your day

The discussion on creativity mentioned hosted by Creative Brief creative director Nicola Kemp and featuring Amazing If's Sarah Ellis is called 'Change, Creativity and Courage in a Crisis' - Part of BiteLive2020

The book and poem mentioned are by Ian Adams called Running Over Rocks; spiritual practices to transform tough times

Claire Merrick is an actress and voiceover artist and one of the most creatively brave people I know. Why? Because she ditched a very comfortable, successful career in innovation at 41, to pursue her dream of being an actress, despite people thinking she was bonkers. The thing I admire most is that she keeps putting herself out there, and being vulnerable, not letting her fear (or judgement from others) stop her.

She does this because, as she explains, knows the value of feeding her creativity, and the huge personal cost of not. She's also done a Master's in Business Creativity and Innovation. So she knows her stuff both practically and theoretically.

This episode was actually never intended to be aired. It was intended to be my practice episode where I got my head around podcasting.

We talk about permission, the definition of success, therapy… and how as adults we often become disconnected from that childlike creative joy, how we can get it back and how an essential part of enjoying creativity, and life, is to drop toxic perfectionism. Which is why I'm not going to worry too much about the fact this episode, the first I've ever made, isn't flawless.

But, as Claire will inspire you to do, the most important thing is just to create. Not to waste your life thinking about it, or worrying too much what the world thinks. On that note, please look past the imperfections and enjoy this chat with the brilliant Clare Merrick as much as I did.

If you need an injection of brave to get your creative juices flowing, this episode is definitely for you

References:

Claire's Merrick's website: https://www.voiceoversbyclaire.com

So the Big Juicy Creative people can reach and inspire as many people as possible, please share with your friends and follow on social media!

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

In this shorter solo episode, Suzy reflects on the biggest learnings from her just-finished How-to-Thrive-Winter series, in which she interviewed loads of awesome experts.

In fact, making the series led to an epiphany, which this episode is all about: connectedness is the key to the meaning of life and happiness. Big, huh?

Well, listen in and you'll get some ideas on how you can connect better to your self, others and nature in order to live a bigger, juicier, more creative life, full of sparks not zombies.

So the Big Juicy Creative people can reach and inspire as many people as possible, please share with your friends and follow on social media!

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

This episode with Lauren MacCallum, BBC TV presenter, author & general manager of charity Protect Our Winters UK, is the 14th and final episode in our series on how to thrive this coming Covid winter. We know winter can be tough at the best of times let alone during a global pandemic, but mindset is everything.

If this series has worked its magic on you, hopefully you'll be feeling warm and fuzzy about the winter season.... and, therefore, be keen to protect it, and all it brings, so future generations can enjoy it fully.

This is Lauren's passion and where she expends her energy campaigning for Protect our Winters because winter is - because of climate change - seriously under threat. Here, she talks about why she loves winter so much and why she is so keen for the world to take action now, before it's too late.

This episode with Shona Macperson, outdoor therapist and coach, is 13th in our series on how to thrive this coming Covid winter. We know winter can be tough at the best of times let alone during a global pandemic, but mindset is everything.

Suzy has rounded up a gaggle of inspirational winter-lovers to help you creatively reframe winter! Shona will get you thinking differently about how this winter - actually because of the absence of our normal whirlwind of festive parties and group celebrations - is the perfect opportunity to really connect with our loved ones, in our covid bubbles. So many of us are often so busy at this time of year that we don't have time to stop and really pick up on how the people in our life are doing, what's happening in their interior world and really listen to them to find out. She gives us plenty of tips on how to do this, ideally walking in the outdoors which is such an supportive environment, which contributes to these sometimes life-changing, and certainly life-enhancing, conversations.

This is a special episode in the How to Thrive Winter series because it's a full length one (rather than bitesize) for those of you missing the in-depth interviews that Big Juicy Creative usually puts out fortnightly on a Thursday.

It's with the fabulous, formidable award-winning chef Kirsten Gilmour (known as KJ); a straight-talking Kiwi living in the Cairngorms, in the Scottish Highlands. She founded the Mountain Café in Aviemore, which quickly became an institution in Aviemore & Scotland, with tourists flocking from all round the globe to queue on her stairs to get a seat.

In this episode she tells the fascinating story of how she got here, how her creative soul was nurtured in her childhood against the odds and why she is so resilient - because, boy, she's had, and continues to have, her obstacles to climb.

If you've ever felt like falling in a heap in despair at a creative, or other, endeavour (err, ☝️), then this episode will definitely inspire you to come out fighting and determined to make a positive contribution.

References:

Kirsten's website

Buy the Mountain Cafe Cook Book here

Recipe for winter warming Apple, Carrot, Red Lentil and Rosemary Soup

Winter warming granola recipe

KJ's New Venture: the Bothy Bakery

For your free wintspiration fridge poster (family friendly and grown-up versions available!) visit: www.bigjuicycreative.co.uk

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

Instagram: @bigjuicycreativeliving

Facebook @bigjuicycreativeliving

LinkedIn: @suzybashford

contact Suzy: [email protected]

This episode with Catriona Parmenter, photographer, is 11th in our series on how to thrive this coming Covid winter. We know winter can be tough at the best of times let alone during a global pandemic, but mindset is everything.

Suzy has rounded up a gaggle of inspirational winter-lovers to help you creatively reframe winter! Cat really caught Suzy's attention on Instagram (check out her account! Details below) because of her gorgeous photographs of people, usually with their loved ones, which capture simple moments with such beauty.

She has lots of advice and tips on how we, too, can do this over the winter in order to savour it and appreciate the small things (which are really the big things). A lot of what she says builds on what other interviewees have said about 'living micro' this winter and really looking closely to reframe (excuse the photography pun) winter through the camera lens.

She also has a particular challenge for those who are scared of being in front of the camera, as she was, until she herself did this.

References:

Catriona Parmenter Photography

Instagram: @catriona_parmenter_photography

For your free wintspiration fridge poster (family friendly and grown-up versions available!) visit: www.bigjuicycreative.co.uk

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

Instagram: @bigjuicycreativeliving

Facebook @bigjuicycreativeliving

LinkedIn: @suzybashford

contact Suzy: [email protected]

This episode with Chris Conroy, director of Ness District Salmon Fishery Board, is 10th in our series on how to thrive this coming Covid winter. We know winter can be tough at the best of times let alone during a global pandemic, but mindset is everything.

Suzy has rounded up a gaggle of inspirational winter-lovers to help you creatively reframe winter! Chris, a fish biologist and a regular on BBC Winter Watch, will get you thinking differently about the rain, as well as looking at rivers in a totally way.

References:

For your free wintspiration fridge poster (family friendly and grown-up versions available!) visit: www.bigjuicycreative.co.uk

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

Instagram: @bigjuicycreativeliving

Facebook @bigjuicycreativeliving

LinkedIn: @suzybashford

contact Suzy: [email protected]

This episode with astronomer Paul Haworth is the ninth in our series on how to thrive this coming Covid winter. We know winter can be tough at the best of times let alone during a global pandemic, but mindset is everything.

Suzy has rounded up a gaggle of inspirational winter-lovers and Paul's love of, and curiosity about, star gazing will rub off on you. As he says, you don't need fancy equipment or to be in a particular location in the world, you just need a clear sky and a bit of enthusiasm. As he also explains, it's one of the most wondrous, grounding things you can do to get your life back in perspective and - bonus - it's available to us all, like creativity.

References:

Magazines in the UK that are very accessible to beginners include Astronomy Now and Sky at Night

Mobile phone apps, such as SkySafari or Night Sky, have free versions to get you started and automatically detect your location, date and time to make things as easy as possible

Aurora Watch app to spot the Northern Lights

A friendly internet forum packed with amateur astronomers keen to share their expertise and help beginners is Stargazers' Lounge

For your free wintspiration fridge poster (family friendly and grown-up versions available!) visit: www.bigjuicycreative.co.uk

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

Instagram: @bigjuicycreativeliving

Facebook @bigjuicycreativeliving

LinkedIn: @suzybashford

contact Suzy: [email protected]

Today's episode, the 8th in the How to Thrive Winter series is a special one – it's not an interview, it's a guided winter visualisation to reprogramme your brain to pick up on all the positive cues about winter. We know winter can be tough at the best of times let alone during a global pandemic, and it's really important we take time to relax and restore.

This gorgeous, winter warming meditation comes to us courtesy of Shareon Gordon, who is a clinical hypnotherapist at Cairngorm Hynotherapy.

Shareon is not only qualified in hypnotherapy, motivational coaching and NLP, but she's also one of the loveliest, kindest, most generious women you will meet. Trust me, you are in good hands with her.

Which is why I'm going to leave her to take over now and I'm not going to put an annoying jingle at the end of this one… so feel free to get comfy and snuggle up, perhaps by a roaring fire cuddling your dog/child/partner/book (delete as appropriate!) and put Shareon's gentle Scottish tones in your ears. Let yourself drift off with her words that will be working their magic so you are firmly in the 'love winter' camp by the time you come round.

References:

Cairngorm Hypnotherapy

For your free wintspiration fridge poster (family friendly and grown-up versions available!) visit: www.bigjuicycreative.co.uk

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

Instagram: @bigjuicycreativeliving

Facebook @bigjuicycreativeliving

LinkedIn: @suzybashford

contact Suzy: [email protected]