Tales From The Lane

In Episode 46, Kate Kayaian explores the differences between two distinct work styles: sprinters and marathoners. Are you the type who thrives on bursts of adrenaline or someone who prefers a steady, consistent pace? Kate shares personal insights from her recent five-month sprint and the importance of recovery periods to maintain creativity and productivity. Whether you're juggling multiple projects or trying to find balance, this episode will help you design a life and career that feel both fulfilling and aligned.

Learn how to:

• Recognize your natural work style.
• Plan a sustainable schedule that aligns with your creative energy.
• Avoid burnout by understanding your limits and recovery needs.

Episode Highlights:

1. Sprinters vs. Marathoners: Understanding two primary work styles and how each functions best.
2. Personal Insights: Kate shares her own sprint-and-recover strategy and how it helps her thrive.
3. Yearly Planning Tips: How to reverse-engineer your schedule based on your work style.
4. Recovery Strategies: Practical ideas to recharge without losing momentum.
5. "Choosing Your Pain": Making tough decisions between opportunities and rest.

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Website: KateKayaian.com

As creatives, we're often surrounded by endless content—from social media and news feeds to constant emails and notifications—all vying for our attention. In this episode of Tales From The Lane, host Kate Kayaian shares her experience with a "Content Deprivation Week," an approach to minimize content consumption and foster personal creativity. Originally written as a blog post, this topic is as timely as ever, releasing just ahead of the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election and amidst other global crises that demand our attention.

Kate explores why taking a break from media overload can be rejuvenating, especially for creatives who thrive on empathy but are easily drained by external noise. Drawing inspiration from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way, she introduces the concept of cutting down on content consumption to rediscover personal productivity, relaxation, and a sense of groundedness. This episode offers strategies for reducing screen time, reconnecting with personal projects, and navigating challenging times with greater clarity and intention. Whether it's to recharge, make space for personal projects, or engage more meaningfully with the world, this episode invites listeners to consider the surprising benefits of stepping away.

• Why Content Deprivation Week is more important than ever
• The benefits of reducing media consumption for creatives
• Insights from Julia Cameron's "Reading Deprivation" exercise in The Artist's Way
• Actionable ways to reclaim time, boost productivity, and find calm
• Ideas for using reclaimed time to connect with meaningful work and relationships
• Reflections on empathy, distraction, and making a real difference

If you enjoyed today's episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share it with your friends.

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/kkayaianwright

Website: KateKayaian.com

You still have over 2 months until the end of the year! Grab your Free Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide HERE.

In this episode of Tales from The Lane, we explore one of the most important distinctions you can make in your life and career: the difference between being busy and feeling fulfilled. Kate shares a powerful story about a longtime client who faced the challenge of juggling all the wonderful parts of her life at once—and feeling like she had slipped back into the dreaded "busy-ness" cycle. But as Kate explains, there's a huge difference between a life overflowing with meaningful pursuits and one consumed by activities that drain us.

Tune in to discover how to identify when you're genuinely overwhelmed by good things versus simply bogged down by too much. Plus, Kate offers strategies for setting boundaries, prioritizing the right tasks, and crafting a schedule that works for you. If you've ever struggled with feeling too busy yet unfulfilled, this episode is for you!

Show Highlights:

• How hustle culture has evolved over the decades—and what we've learned from it

• The key differences between being busy and being fulfilled

• Practical ways to manage an overflowing schedule when everything seems to hit at once

• Tips for setting boundaries and prioritizing what truly matters

• Why doing fewer things can often lead to more success and happiness

If you enjoyed today's episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share it with your friends.

Let's hang out!

IG: https://www.instagram.com/kkayaian

FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Talesfromthelane

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kkayaianwright

Website: KateKayaian.com

Get your Free Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide HERE.

About our guest:

Christine Smith is co-founder and co-owner of Frosted Lens Entertainment, an entertainment and informational content development company. Prior to her work at Frosted Lens, she held the position of Sound & Music Director/Composer-in-Residence for RPR Studios. Her work has been heard in award-winning films, commercials, and promotional videos. She is currently the host and editor of the podcast "Musicians vs the World" where she explores the many aspects of Musician life.

A classically trained pianist, Christine studied with concert pianists Adelina Krivoshena and Asya Markova in her youth. She continued her studies in Piano Performance at Brigham Young University studying with Dr. Jeffrey Shumway and Dr. Scott Holden. Since then Christine has enjoyed performing in solo recitals and in collaboration with various musicians, bands, and ensembles across the country.

Though her first love is classical music, she has had the pleasure of working and learning from great musicians of all genres. She has performed as soloist, collaborator, and conductor. And because she loves teaching almost as much as she loves performing, she coaches a few favorite piano students in her home-town studio.

If you enjoyed today's episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share it with your friends.

Let's hang out!

IG: https://www.instagram.com/kkayaian

FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Talesfromthelane

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kkayaianwright

Website: KateKayaian.com

In this episode of Tales from The Lane, Kate Kayaian tackles one of the most common struggles among high-performing creatives: overwhelm. Feeling like you're constantly busy, stressed, or never having enough time to focus on what truly matters? Kate shares actionable steps to help you prioritize your most important work, build quiet space into your day, and establish systems that free up mental bandwidth. Whether you're balancing multiple gigs, running a studio, or planning your next creative project, this episode will give you the tools to break the cycle of overwhelm and start thriving again.

You'll learn:

1. Why so many creatives feel overwhelmed by their careers and life commitments.
2. How to prioritize what truly matters in your creative career without sacrificing everything else.
3. Some simple ways to carve out quiet, non-negotiable time for yourself amidst a hectic schedule.
4. How to identify what energizes you and what drains you, and use that awareness to boost productivity.
5. What systems and habits you can put in place to reduce decision-making fatigue and free up mental bandwidth.
6. How spending just 15 minutes a day on your future goals makes a significant impact over time.
7. Strategies to help you balance chaotic, busy days with calm, fulfilling moments in your creative life.

Want more? Join us for Creatives Leadership Academy, running October-June 2024. Click here to find out more.

If you enjoyed today's episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share it with your friends.

Let's hang out!

IG: https://www.instagram.com/kkayaian

FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Talesfromthelane

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kkayaianwright

Website: KateKayaian.com

The 2024-2025 Cohort of The Creatives Leadership Academy is starting up soon. If you're ready to design your life and career with more intentionality so that you can take things up a notch, earn more income, do the gold standard of whatever it is you love to do, AND have time for the rest of your life, Book a call with me today so we can discuss how CLA can help get you there! ---> CHAT WITH KATE

Today's guest is Dr. Mila Thigpen, chair of dance at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where her teaching portfolio includes classes like salsa, dance & pop culture, as well as mentoring independent student research projects. A "lively dancer" (the Boston Globe), Thigpen is an international teacher-artist who has danced works by Doris Humphrey, Paul Taylor, Trisha Brown, Seán Curran, Germaul Barnes, Wendy Jehlen, Arthur Aviles, and Aszure Barton. Thigpen's work has been presented in CRASHarts's Ten's the Limit and the Bronx BlakTina Dance Festival. Her commissions span from concert to commercial work internationally.

Thigpen was a Boston cast member of the Bessie Award-winning Skeleton Architecture. She was also the movement coach for Pass Over, under the direction of Monica White Ndounou, which received a Lortel Award for outstanding play. Thigpen's advocacy for equity has been nationally recognized, and she has been called to major gatherings on social justice and equity to lead people in embodied practices that support their work.

Dr. Thigpen created and implemented a cultural humility professional development workshop for artists and educators, which she has facilitated for secondary and post-secondary educational institutions. She has presented research on teaching dance from racialized bodies, and continues learning new methodologies for culturally informed somatic healing practices. Her work in this field has led to invitations as a guest speaker at the Beijing Dance Forum and the Gulf Center for Law and Policy's Sacred Waters Pilgrimage, and Taproot Earth, a climate justice organization.

Dr. Thigpen earned a B.A. from Kenyon College, an M.F.A. from Boston Conservatory at Berklee, an Ed.M. from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, and a Ph.D. in dance at Texas Woman's University. Her research reclaims salsa as part of the African diaspora through ethnographic inquiry of the Bronx-based Yamuleé Dance Company. Thigpen has presented multiple times at the Dance Studies Association and the Collegium for African Diaspora Dance.

Follow Mila at: @bailaconmila on IG or at www.milathigpen.com

Follow Kate at @kkayaian on IG, or at www.katekayaian.com

Don't forget to download your free Quarterly Retreat Planning Guide! to get your Q4 off to a great start!

If you're curious about how the Creatives Leadership Academy can help you to design your life and career with more intentionality so that you can take things up a notch, earn more income, do the gold-standard of whatever it is you love to do, AND have time for the rest of your life, Book a call with me today so we can discuss it! ---> CHAT WITH KATE

In this special episode of the Tales from The Lane podcast, I'm joined by fellow podcast, Ayana Major Bey, host of The Artist Pivot Podcast Series for a fun and heartfelt conversation about what it really looks and feels like to make a career pivot in your Creative career.

Released on both podcasts, this conversation is a two-sided interview filled with insights and stories about our own experiences with pivots.

Hear about how the pandemic forced Ayana to pivot from a full-time Actress into the multi-hyphenate Actress–voiceover artist–podcaster–mentor she is today, and how she is full of gratitude for this beautiful expansion of her talents, and you'll hear about my own (multiple!) career pivots that have gotten me to where I am today.

If you have ever thought about doing something slightly outside of your current skillset, but were too afraid to take that first step, today's episode is for you!

More about our guest:

Ayana Major Bey is a multi-hyphenated creator, which includes being an actress, voice-over artist, mentor/coach, public speaker, podcaster, former radio personality, and world traveler. She is a New Jersey native, of Guyanese Heritage, and has loved the performing arts and theater since she was a little kid. An alumnus of two great schools, Montclair State University where she got her BFA in Musical Theatre, and The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where she got her MA in Acting.

Select stage credits include: Dreamgirls, Hairspray, Sister Act, Little Shop of Horrors, Children of Eden, 1940's Radio Hour, All Shook Up, and After Midnight. Select voice over credits include: Sephora, For Hers, Babbel, Google Chromebook, Starbucks, Ally Bank, Square, Delta Dental, and Boston Museum of Science.

When she is not being a multi-hyphenate creator you can catch her cooking, baking, taking care of her plants, and of course, traveling. Having visited 27 countries thus far some of her favorite places include Thailand, South Africa, Spain, and Italy.

You can follow Ayana at Insta: @ayanambey, and Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayana-major-bey/

and New Yorkers, grab your tickets to her upcoming cabaret show at Greenroom 42 on October 20th: Tickets and Info HERE.

Do you ever feel torn between your performing life, your teaching life, and your family life? Our guest this week on Tales from The Lane, Heather Miller Lardin, was feeling exactly that way until she figured out how to balance it all--making space for what was most important:

• Being at the top of her game as a performer
• Being an incredibly generous mentor and guide for her beloved students
• Being present for her family (and having the energy they deserve from her)

You'll hear how she crafted a bespoke teaching program that gives her students the absolute gold standard of historical performance pedagogy, and has carved out the rest of her schedule with the utmost intentionality to make time for the other parts of her life that are important to her as well.

This episode is full of gems and words of wisdom and experience. You won't want to miss it!

And if you're curious about how the Creatives Leadership Academy can help you to design your life and career with more intentionality so that you can take things up a notch, earn more income, do the gold-standard of whatever it is you love to do, AND have time for the rest of your life, Book a call with me today so we can discuss it! ---> CHAT WITH KATE

Heather Miller Lardin is principal double bassist of the Handel + Haydn Society, director of the Temple University Early Music Ensemble, and co-director of the Philadelphia-based period instrument ensemble Night Music.

This season she also appeared with Tempesta di Mare, Bach Choir of Bethlehem, Charlotte Bach Festival, Staunton Music Festival, and Brandywine Baroque. In addition to serving on the faculties of Amherst Early Music and the Viola da Gamba Society of America Conclave, Heather has presented historical bass workshops and master classes at Yale University, James Madison University, and Peabody Conservatory.

Intensely curious about all things historical bass, Heather designs online and in-person workshops engaging like-minded bassists worldwide. Her Baroque Double Bass course is available on discoverdoublebass.com. A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Heather holds a DMA in Historical Performance Practice from Cornell University.

She makes her home in the Western suburbs of Philadelphia, where she started playing bass in 6th-grade orchestra. When not teaching, tuning, or chauffeuring teenagers, she might be enjoying a cozy mystery and a good cup of coffee with her two Maine Coon cats.

Follow her on IG @heathermillerlardin

And be sure to say hi over at @kkayaian

Enrollment is open for Kate's 9-month group coaching mastermind, the Creatives Leadership Academy (CLA). Book a no-obligation call to see if CLA is the right fit for you.

In this episode of Tales From The Lane, Kate dives into the powerful role that mentorship can play in your career, especially as a high-performing creative. Drawing from a variety of sources, including Judy Robinett's How to Be a Power Connector, and Tara Mohr's Playing Big, Kate discusses the difference between vertical and horizontal networking and why having mentors from different levels of expertise is crucial. She shares practical advice on finding the right mentor, building organic relationships, and how to take full advantage of mentorship to reach your career goals. Plus, she encourages paying it forward by mentoring others. If you've ever wondered how to build meaningful professional connections or elevate your career, this episode is packed with actionable insights!

• Understand the difference between vertical and horizontal networking.

• Learn how to identify and approach potential mentors.

• Practical ways to get involved with mentors.

• How to build your network with an eye toward mentorship and pay it forward by mentoring others.

• The importance of having both a mentor and becoming a mentor to younger colleagues.

If you enjoyed today's episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share it with your friends.

Let's hang out!

IG: https://www.instagram.com/kkayaian

FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Talesfromthelane

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kkayaianwright

Website: KateKayaian.com

In this week's episode of Tales from The Lane, host Kate Kayaian tackles one of the biggest obstacles to pursuing your dreams: money. If you've ever thought, "I'd love to do this…if only I had the cash," this episode is for you. Kate shares creative ways to generate income that fit into your existing schedule. These simple, money-making ideas can help turn your dreams into a reality, no matter your current financial situation.

But it doesn't stop there. With Thrive Fest kicking off tomorrow, Kate dives into how you can set big goals, create actionable plans, and finally take charge of your future. Whether you need money to get started or just a solid plan, she's here to guide you through it. Sign up, get your prompts, and join the community to make this your most successful year yet.

• Learn creative ways to generate extra income—without disrupting your schedule.
• Discover how small financial steps can lead to big dreams.
• Understand the mindset shift needed to stop letting money stand in your way.
• Explore the power of community accountability during Thrive Fest.
• Uncover practical strategies to plan your fall for success.

JOIN US FOR THRIVE FEST '24! From Tuesday, September 17th-Friday, September 20th. Join Kate and the TFTL online community to strategically plan your fall in the best way possible, so that you can truly thrive this year. It's free! Register here to sign up.

If you enjoyed today's episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, review, and share it with your friends.

Let's hang out!

IG: https://www.instagram.com/kkayaian

FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Talesfromthelane

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kkayaianwright

Website: KateKayaian.com