Exploring Creativity: Threads & Bones

In this episode, I dive into The House That Joy Built by Holly Ringland - a powerful book on creativity, courage, and re-finding the joy of making.

I explore the prologue, introduction, and epilogue, and for each of the eight chapters, I begin by reflecting on what the title alone sparked in me. I also take on one of Ringland’s thought-provoking “Provocations” at the end of each chapter, sharing my personal response.

Along the way, we’ll touch on the fears that rear up to keep us from our creative practices. We’ll look at themes of artistic vulnerability, imposter syndrome, and critics, both inner and outer.

If you’ve created before, you long to create, or you’ve ever struggled with self-doubt or hesitated to call yourself an artist, this episode is for you.

We Shake With Joy – by Mary Oliver

We shake with joy, we shake with grief.What a time they have, these twohoused as they are in the same body.

Books & Resources Mentioned:

📖 The House That Joy Built by Holly Ringland

📘 Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon

📙 Atomic Habits by James Clear

🧘‍♀️ Ziva Meditation Online Course - this is my affiliate link - you’ll pay the same but I’ll receive a small commission

📔 The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

🔬 Info on the 1978 Study Defining Imposter Syndrome by Pauline Rose Clance & Suzanne Imes

💬 What did this book stir in you? Let’s continue the conversation!

⭐ Enjoyed the episode? Don’t forget to follow, leave a review, or share it with a friend who needs reminding of their creative birthright.

This week, we’re talking about creativity in repetitive tasks - can they coexist? (Spoiler: YES!) But how do you make the things you’ve done a bazillion times feel fresh and engaging?

Think repetitive tasks are boring? Think again! Whether it’s Pilates, mowing the lawn, or cleaning the shower, adding a little creativity can transform even the most mundane routines. In this episode, I’m sharing how I keep teaching the same 34 Pilates exercises fresh after 24 years, plus some fun ways to reimagine daily chores and stay present.

If you’re feeling stuck in routine, this one’s for you! Tune in for practical tips, playful ideas, and a fresh perspective on creativity in everyday life.

I’m looking at it in two ways:

1️⃣ Pilates & March MATness – How I’ve been teaching the same 34 exercises for over 24 years and still find new ways to keep it exciting. (Hint: Foam rollers & skeleton dioramas!)

2️⃣ Everyday Chores & Routines – Whether it’s mowing the lawn, driving, or cleaning the shower, small creative tweaks can keep you present and even make these tasks fun!

🤩 Want to join my March MATness Celebration 2025? Every day in March, I’ll send out an email with a Pilates exercise, a video, and a deep dive link.

👉If you’re not on my email list Sign up HERE you’ll be prompted to add “March MATness Celebration 2025”

👉Already on my list? Toggle it on in your settings

📸Crop circles photos are HERE on The Vibrancy Society crossover post

Don’t go yet…

💬 I’d love to hear from you! What’s one repetitive task you’re making more creative? Reply to my newsletter or email me at [email protected] let’s chat!

🚀 Enjoyed this episode? Please help the show grow by:✔ Following the podcast so you never miss an episode.⭐ Reviewing & Rating - your feedback helps others find the show!📢 Sharing with a friend who could use a little creativity boost.

🎧 Listen now and start bringing more creativity into your day!

🚗 New segment alert! Welcome to I Dibs The Front - a fresh, raw, and unfiltered style of episode where you ride shotgun with me as I chat from the car. In this first edition, I’m diving into four podcasts that have deeply inspired my own, sparking ideas and deepening my appreciation for storytelling. Expect reflections, recommendations, and maybe even a little bit of roadside philosophy - all in about 10 minutes.

🎙 The four podcasts that shaped my approach:

1️⃣ Magic Lessons by Elizabeth Gilbert – Creativity, inspiration, and breaking through creative blocks.

2️⃣ Dolly Parton’s America – A deep dive into Dolly’s influence on culture, history, and America itself.

3️⃣ Table Manners – A warm, funny, and food-filled look at how food shapes our lives and relationships.

4️⃣ The Imperfects – Real conversations about mental health, vulnerability, and resilience sprinkled with a dash a lot of humour.

📝 Plus, a special shoutout to Ryan Shelton of The Imperfects, whose playful approach to intros inspired the opening of I Dibs The Front!

🔗 Links to the podcasts & book mentioned:

🎧 Magic Lessons

🎧 Dolly Parton’s America

🎧 Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware

🎧 The Imperfects

📖 The Resilience Project by Hugh van Cuylenburg

If you love this new episode format, let me know! And if you’re looking for more creativity, movement, and mindset inspiration, check out my blog at The Vibrancy Society.

🤎 Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review—and share this episode with a fellow podcast lover!

Unlocking Creativity Through Self Reflection, Connection & Intuition

In this episode of Threads & Bones, I sit down with my friend Kathy Cecile Graham - life coach, Director of Operations, and soon-to-be podcaster - to explore creativity through the lens of intuition, connection, and personal growth. There are some great nuggets inside our convo that made me look at my ideas surrounding creativity through a different lens.

📌Show Notes

* You might not have felt creative as a kid, but you can grow into seeing yourself that way as you age.

* A traditional definition of creativity can feel limiting. Let your creativity be less about a product and more about how you see the world and what you appreciate in it.

* Getting older gives you perspective and is a fabulous time to go inwards. All your trials and tribulations, if you're willing to deeply look at them, ground you so your creativity can come forth in a way that can help someone else. Slow down and know yourself first before you offer assistance to somebody else.

* Creativity is a spiritual experience and is a connection to something beyond you, so open yourself up. We all have a channel, so find yours. Everybody has creativity—you just have to try different things.

* Kathy's approach to her life coaching and her day job is based around holding space for someone to have their own experience. It’s a beautiful thing and requires a big-hearted, loving coach (or Director of Operations). There's no projecting on what someone quote-unquote, “should do,” and connection is key.

* The best quote of the whole interview: "Intimacy is the Juice of Life."

💫 Loved this episode? Follow Threads & Bones and leave a 5-star rating or a glowing review on Apple Podcasts😉 Your support helps more people find creative inspiration! 🎙️✨

Follow Kathy on Insta: Her Time To Elevate

To connect with her for (amazing) Life Coaching email her: [email protected]

Subscribe to Bec’s Blog: The Vibrancy Society

Creativity Without Limits: Finding Flow in Work and Life

Can creativity and career truly coexist? In this episode, graphic designer, mum, and mindfulness advocate Allison Lambert shares her journey of building a successful creative business and staying inspired, all while trying to embrace creativity in everyday life. Among other things we explore how collaboration fuels the creative process, the importance of movement and mindfulness, and why imparting creativity to your kids by example is an easy thing to do.

Whether you're a self-starter, a parent, or just someone looking to infuse more creativity into your life, this episode is packed with inspiring insights.

📌 Show Notes:

* Creativity as a career: balancing passion with problem-solving

* No straight paths: how past experiences shape creative success

* Why creativity benefits from research, collaboration, and structure

* Imposter syndrome: why it lingers and never fully disappears

* The importance of staying inspired as a solopreneur

* Encouraging creativity in kids so it becomes second nature

* Rediscovering play and creativity without pressure

* Balancing passion with the reality of hard work

* How mindfulness and movement fuel creative flow

* Finding joy in creativity—without needing to monetize it

Listen now and get inspired to weave creativity into your own life and don’t forget to follow, rate or leave a review!

Find Allison at her website Alla Designs and on Instagram

More info on your host Bec, at The Vibrancy Society

Okee Dokee, this is the first book review and it’s rough as guts. Basically it’s me flapping my gums for 1/2 hour. You’ve been forewarned!

In this episode of Threads & Bones, I dive into Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert - a book that explores the mysteries of creativity, inspiration, and overcoming fear. This book was one of the inspirations for the podcast. After a bit of story time you can expect a rambling review of the book’s six sections ending with a quick re-cap. These takeaways will remind you to embrace creativity with more freedom and joy. Whether you’ve read the book or are just curious, this episode will give you all the permission you need to start or continue on in your creative process.

📸If you’re reading this from a podcast feed Check out the photo here: If you’re reading this in Substack then just keep reading because clicking on the link will send you right back here - this is my hack to show a photo in the show notes.

This is the first painting that my dad gave me. It’s of my cat, her name was Pearly, hence the Pearly Gates in the background. This does not resemble my cat in the least. She didn’t have a beard and actually her face looks a bit like my dad’s!

Links and Resources:

🔗 Subscribe to my Substack, The Vibrancy Society: The Vibrancy Society

📖 Again, read the book!! Get Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert: Big Magic on Amazon

Stay Connected:

Follow the podcast for new episodes every week, and if you enjoy the show, please rate and review - it really helps!

Show Notes: Episode 1 – What Is Creativity?

Welcome to the very first episode of Threads & Bones! In this episode, I explore the concept of creativity:

* Three unique definitions of creativity.

* Three personal reasons I launched this podcast.

* A glimpse into what’s ahead—solo episodes, interviews, including discussions on creativity’s health benefits and book reviews.

Whether you feel creative or not, if you’ve ever wondered what creativity means, why it matters, or how to nurture it in your life, this is the perfect place to start.

Links and Resources Mentioned:

* Subscribe to my Substack, The Vibrancy Society: The Vibrancy Society

* Get Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert: Big Magic on Amazon

Stay Connected:Follow the podcast for new episodes every week, and don’t forget to rate and review if you enjoy the show. Your support means the world!

cover photo by Julia Maior on Unsplash

Hey there,

Scarily (for me), my podcast trailer is here (well it is a few days out from Halloween). This is something completely new for me, hence the fear.

There are all those sayings, “feel the fear and do it anyway”, “all it takes is 20 seconds of courage”, “doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will”, you get the gist and that’s what I’m hanging on to - that hitting publish on this trailer will give me the courage (and let’s face it, the accountability) to keep going.

You too can do your part to keep me accountable. Check out the three minute trailer to hear what I’m thinking. For the nutshell version here’s my official podcast description:

What’s your story around creativity? What does it mean to be creative - and do we all have that spark within us? Host Bec Forde draws from books, research, and personal stories, unearthing the common threads of creativity, or seeing if they feel frayed or unraveled.

Whether you “feel creative in your bones” or that you “don’t have a creative bone in your body” this podcast offers inspiration for curious minds about how, or even if, creativity shows up in our lives.

The launch date is January 16th, 2025 - there, I said it…

Be Well,

xBec