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Courageous Creativity
Courageous Creativity episodes
- What do you see when you look in the Mirror? I share what I see when I see it.
We all have a familiar experience, one we share countless times a day. We stand before a mirror. In my case glance at it when I’m on my way to the you-know-where. Sometimes it's a glance, checking our hair or outfit. Other times, it's a more deliberate moment, taking stock of ourselves. When you look at the mirrors what is one thing you usually notice
But have you ever stopped to think about what a mirror truly reflects? It shows us not just our physical appearance, but also our emotional state, our energy, and perhaps most importantly – our choices. In my case it lets me know I probably shouldn’t have had that desert. The truth is, we constantly reflect on the world around us. i will share with you what I see, what I do , and hopefully what we can all do.
Now, I know for myself, living with MS, those reflections can sometimes be challenging. There are days when symptoms attempt to dim my usual spark. The limitations of the disease can be frustrating. But here's the thing, the mirror doesn't lie, and that's a good thing. It's a constant reminder to prioritize self-care.
My mornings now begin with twenty minutes of gentle exercise. It might not seem like much, but it sets the tone for the day. Just like a mirror reflects the light we shine on it, prioritizing my health allows me to shine brighter for myself and my loved ones.
Speaking of loved ones, spending time with family is a non-negotiable. My Mom turns 88 in a month and my Dad is 83 in a few weeks. Their love and story fuels me. Their laughter, their support – those are the true reflections of a life well-lived. They inspire me to fight, to keep pushing forward, and to use the challenges I face to build a better life, not just for myself, but for them.
The future can feel daunting sometimes, but the mirror offers a powerful tool – perspective. It allows me to see how far I've come, and how much I've overcome. That perspective fuels my hope for the days ahead.
So, take a moment the next time you stand before a mirror. Reflect not just on your appearance, but on your life. Are you prioritizing your well-being? Are you nurturing your relationships? Are you building a future you can be proud of?
Today, I challenge you to use that reflection as a call to action. Make a change, big or small, that will positively impact your life. For those of us living with chronic illness, let's use our challenges as inspiration to live even fuller lives. Let's become reflections of resilience, of strength, and hope.
6 min - How do I craft and think about characters?
I know there are many thoughts and practices out there about creating characters. The way I think creating characters may be different than some others. I hope you find value in this quick message.
Website:
https://winstonawilson.com
Get tickets to the latest play:
https://lyricstheplay.com
7 min - How do we grow as an Actor? Angel L. Henderson gives powerful guidance.
Angel returns to share her story about how we continue to grow and connect as Actors.
Thank you Angel for returning to the podcast.
https://www.instagram.com/iamangelhenderson/
https://www.threads.net/@iamangelhenderson
1 hr 3 min - Di Thomas shares how to be authentic as a film maker and creator.
Join Di Thomas as Di shares guidance on being focused as a creator. Di's film career is growing and expanding in many wonderful directions. You will love this conversation.
Thank you so much, Di!
https://instagram.com/dthomaspictures
https://risingtidescharity.org
https://winstonawilson.com
44 min - What do I use to be productive and creative?
What do I use to be creative?
I use several things, but the main thing I use is a place to store my ideas.
You've heard me talk about Notion recently, and that is a place where I have an idea, and then I put it in there.
But I also create a roadmap, so if I have an idea for a blog or a podcast, I use a template that says, this is an idea stage, and then I go from there.
The cool thing, for everyone listening, there are multiple ways to do this.
You can do this with a tool like Notion, but you can also use it with other planning tools.
So if you have an iOS device, you can use reminders where you can set it up in a Kanban style, where you have one thing to the left that says, this is something that's in the queue,
10 min - Snowflake Productivity part 1. We are all different
I love productivity, not because of apps but because it helps me creatively. I'm hopeful this may give you some insight into my process. Please let me know if you have any questions. Also if you have any ideas for topics please let me know.
https://winstonawilson.com
16 min - How Wolverine helped my childhood and informs my personal productivity.
When I was growing up, the character Wolverine from the X-Men resonated with me. I like many growing up was filled with rage. I was bullied incessantly and at any moment felt like I could burst and go berserk (Wolverine's greatest fear). I know this episode is a departure from my typical topics, but I wish to give you some insight into why productivity and having a modicum of self-discipline are important for my life.
5 min - Caesar Wilson’s monologue
In 2023 Caesar Winston Wilson performed "The Broken Wings of Young Black Male" by Winsphere Jones. At the Atlanta Black Theatre Festival. This was for the annual Doctor Doris Derby Monologue Competition. He did this while serving as an intern at this year's festival.
We are so proud of him.
To learn more about the festival, please check:
https://Atlantabtf.org
and
https://winstonawilson.com
6 min - Jeneen shares how she and we can continue on our creative ”Journey”.
It is such a pleasure to have Jeneen Hammond join us on the CCshow. I've had the pleasure of experiencing her show "Journey" on more than one occasion. Her spirit and love for us will be an inspiration to everyone. Don't forget to become a member of the site for the full video version as well as many cool creative content,
https://www.jeneenhammond.com/
My Website:
https://winstonawilson.com
53 min - The Making of Lyrics, part one. The music.
I created a song to represent the first episode in my making of the "Lyrics" series. In the video, I share that I begin with what is the "Inciting Incident" that drives the story,
Check out the video and subscribe for more.
https://youtu.be/XCAsBoqH6bE
4 min
About Courageous Creativity
From the publisher's feed
Creators on "The Courageous Creativity Show" redefine success and purpose not merely by traditional metrics like applause or fame, but through a deeper commitment to authenticity, impact, and personal growth, especially when navigating life's challenges.
Here's how they express this:
Redefining Success
• Provoking Thought and Resonating with Audiences: For playwright Jeanette Hill, a play is successful if it makes people think or provokes discussion, even if they don't agree with the content. Similarly, if a character resonates with even one person, it's a success. The goal is for people to leave thinking, even if they don't have a good time. Jeanette believes that if the audience "got it" when they leave, that's what she's striving for. She recalls a time when people in a restaurant were arguing about characters and events from her play, indicating its success in sparking discussion and relating to their lives.
• Inspiring, Healing, and Transforming: Jeneen Hammond's motivation is to tell stories that inspire, heal, and transform, emphasizing the power of one's own story and voice. This mission to help communities tell their stories, as seen in her nine-month project in Pennsylvania, highlights success through collective impact and revival. Jeneen views herself as a "steward" of stories that come from "Divine orchestration," highlighting a purpose beyond personal gain.
• Authenticity and Vulnerability: The show emphasizes that genuine conversations and authentic work are key to impactful connections with the audience. Tarnisha Small, for example, found her voice and confidence through acting by embracing vulnerability and letting go of the fear of failure. Jeneen Hammond notes that writing from an authentic space, truly reflecting oneself, can be scary but leads to impactful stories.
• Emotional Connection: Success is often measured by the emotional connection a story creates, whether through laughter or tears. Jeneen Hammond herself knows a story is on an emotional track if it makes her cry or laugh.
Finding Purpose Amidst Challenges
• Drawing on Personal Experiences: Many guests transform personal challenges into their purpose.
◦ Grief and Navigation: Angel L. Henderson shares that navigating life after losing both parents requires immense courage, making her journey of building her own voice and seeking counseling a display of strength.
◦ Overcoming Self-Doubt and Trauma: Tarnisha Small's journey into acting was sparked by a friend's perception of her potential, helping her overcome low self-worth and shyness. Tamina Ward uses her experiences with childhood teasing, abandonment, and generational trauma to inspire young adults to break free from their past burdens. She intentionally "dropped the pack" of past hurts. Jason C. Louder's stories, like the one about "Baba Tunde the Grio," often focus on themes of love, hope, faith, and overcoming self-doubt and trauma.
◦ Healing from Pain: Jeanette Hill discusses how her play "Clean Sheets," which garnered a perfect score but theaters were afraid to produce, addresses cultural hurts, aiming to move from a "scab to a scar" for societal healing. She emphasizes that there's "no honor in pain" and that unresolved hurts can manifest as anger or other negative behaviors.
• Embracing a Divine Calling and Stewardship: Jeneen Hammond believes her writing comes from a "Divine orchestration" and views herself as a "steward" of these stories, emphasizing a purpose beyond personal gain. This resonates with the idea that every person has a "Divine calling and assignment and purpose."
• Proactive Creation and Entrepreneurship: Instead of waiting for opportunities, creators like Tarnisha Small choose to write and produce their own films to create roles for themselves and others, recognizing the need to be entrepreneurial. Jeneen Hammond developed "The Dreamer's Village" to help people revive their creative dreams and learn to monetize their gifts, emphasizing taking ownership of one's God-given dream and not waiting for external validation.
• Mindset and Resilience:
◦ Learning from Setbacks: Jason C. Louder views challenges as "learning opportunities" that can push one forward. He uses financial challenges in the acting industry as a motivator for learning and growth.
◦ "Just Do It": Portia Cue and Winston Wilson encourage creators to "just start" their projects, regardless of how big or small, and not wait for perfection or validation. Portia gives the example of Lita Renee Brown and Dour Ashwood producing their own micro-miniseries, "Pressure."
◦ Consistency and Persistence: Jeanette Hill, a prolific playwright with over 100 plays, exemplifies consistency, writing "all of the time." She advises writers to keep notes, save all writing, and not let "writer's block" stop them, encouraging "what if" exercises and knowing that "there's no such thing as useless writing." She also notes that her stride was not hit until she was 72, emphasizing the importance of showing up every day, authentically, and doing what you're supposed to do, regardless of external validation.
◦ Daily Practices: Guests maintain well-being through practices like gratitude journaling, meditation, exercise, and daily creative activities. Tarnisha Small starts her day with prayer, meditation, and gratitude journaling. Winston Wilson practices daily gratitude, focuses on top priorities, and engages in creative activities. Tamina Ward emphasizes that mindset fuels courage and resilience, and that even when physically limited (like her knees for running a marathon), mental focus can drive capability.
◦ Allowing for Breaks: Tarnisha Small advises taking breaks when feeling frustrated, as the industry isn't going anywhere, allowing for a fresh perspective. She also learned to not fear failure, which had held her back.
◦ Borrowing Belief: Tomina Ward suggests that when an individual's belief system is low, they can "borrow that belief" from good people in their circle.
• Community and Giving Back:
◦ Sharing Resources and Wisdom: Jason C. Louder stresses the importance of sharing resources within the creative community, noting that "we cannot exist without one another." Tamina Ward is compelled to "speak life" into young adults and educators, sharing her "wealth of knowledge" to help them avoid past mistakes and break generational trauma. She believes human beings are "the original AI" through storytelling.
◦ Pouring into Others: Winston Wilson, the host, expresses that his core value is helping others succeed and that talking to people and connecting with them is a key motivator. He daily calls someone he hasn't talked to in a while to offer support. The show itself aims to inspire at least one person to expand their path. Jeneen Hammond's "Dreamer's Village" provides a supportive community for individuals to revive and monetize their creative dreams. John C. Smith, a lifelong friend of the host, exemplifies how strong, long-lasting friendships provide unwavering support and positive influence in life and creative pursuits.
In essence, creators on "The Courageous Creativity Show" believe that true success stems from creating work that is authentic, impacts others positively, and allows for continuous personal growth and healing, driven by a deep sense of purpose that often transforms personal adversity into a powerful mission to serve and inspire their communities.
https://winstonawilson.com