203: Joy Sessions: Perfectionism (Carrie)
Artists for Joy
In today’s Joy Session, Merideth pulls back the curtain on creative coaching with Carrie who is longing to finish her memoir. They explore how finding the right tool at the right time is central to overcoming fears of not being good enough and making progress that feels sustainable and joyful. Carrie leaves with two new practices that will help her shift her lens around writing and surrender to the power of the creative process.
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202: Q&A: Burnout, Gratitude, Spirituality, and more
Artists for Joy
This week on the podcast, Ask Merideth Anything! Merideth answers listener questions about creativity, burnout, parenting, and spirituality. You'll learn how to meet the inner artist's resistance with compassion, recognize creative burnout, and explore the intersection of artistic expression and spiritual practice. She shares insights on cultivating gratitude and creativity in children and navigating the challenges of parenting young artists. Merideth reflects on her evolving definition of success, and the episode concludes with a message of encouragement for listeners who are struggling...
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201: Beyond Self-Criticism: Take the Wheel
Artists for Joy
This week, Merideth shares a vulnerable story of a recent self-hatred spiral. She explores how and why artists are particularly hard on themselves. If you've ever wondered if your mistakes are moral failings, this one is for you. Merideth gives practical advice for when you are stuck and shares how turning up the voices of self-compassion in the face of shame is crucial for sustainable growth and change.
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200: We are not alone
Artists for Joy
Celebrate 200 episodes of Artist for Joy with listeners offering their best advice for artists + something they've learned from Artists for Joy. Merideth also shares what to do when you're hesitant to celebrate, reflections on finding your voice, a surprise peek into an early recording, and more. What a joyful ride! Thank you for listening. Here's to the next 200!
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199: Joyful Mashup
Artists for Joy
This week on the podcast, Merideth celebrates (almost) 200 episodes by looking back on everything we've learned in joyful mashup form! Listen for a turbo-sized creative pep talk, a love letter to you, my podcast listeners. <3
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198: 10 things bringing me joy this fall
Artists for Joy
This week on the podcast, I’ve got 10 things that are bringing me joy this fall. Some are deep and others may, at first glance, seem trivial, but this collection of what’s bringing me joy adds up to a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts: in a profoundly simple way, these small wonders are saving my life in this season. By consciously bringing good things to mind, we teach our brains to look for the good, and we relive those joyful moments through the remembering. Hit reply and let me know what's bringing you joy these days! Links: (some are...
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197: Throwback: How can we go on?
Artists for Joy
This episode originally aired in October 2023. Enjoy this throwback while Merideth practices some self-care ;) Original Show Notes: This week on the show, Merideth answers a question we all tend to ask when the world is on fire. How can I feel creative joy in the face of violence, injustice, and brokenness? She explores why art matters in these moments, especially, and how our creativity offers us a place to process the pain and turn our anxiety into energy that can make a difference. The late famous conductor, Leonard Bernstein, answers the age-old question, “How can we go on?” and...
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196: Joy Sessions: Authenticity (Christina)
Artists for Joy
In today’s podcast, the final installment of our Joy Sessions series, Merideth chats with Christina, a musician, coach, and teacher who wants to reexamine the beliefs and negative inner dialogue she’s been having about performing. They explore perfectionism, performance anxiety, how to show up authentically when we cannot stop judging ourselves, and so much more. By the end of the call, Christina begins to give herself permission to live out the advice she offers her students, to embrace and enjoy the very human and authentic experience of making music, and to offer herself self-compassion...
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195: Joy Sessions: Process over Product (Mara)
Artists for Joy
This week’s episode features a Joy Session with Mara, a writer who wants to write a novel but struggles to find the time or energy. We watch Mara identify the underlying reasons for her creative block, including fear of failure and too much focus on the product rather than the process. She names a deep desire for community and encouragement from other writers. BONUS: At the end of this week's episode, Merideth shares an update from Mara about a week or so after the session, naming how an epiphany renewed her hope and motivation to continue pursuing her creative writing goals. ...
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194: Joy Sessions: The Discipline Button (Jessi)
Artists for Joy
Continuing our new series, Joy Sessions, I chat with Jessi, a musician and educator who reflects on how, as a multipassionate artist, she could engage with music in a more meaningful way. We explore the idea of experimentation and taking small, sustainable steps towards this goal, recognizing the need for a different kind of energy than the usual "discipline button" approach. The conversation highlights the importance of keeping the thread of musical engagement alive through exploration and connection, allowing for a more fulfilling and sustainable relationship with the art form. ...
info_outlineThis week, Merideth reads an excerpt from Chapter 3, "Ode to Creative Devotion," from her forthcoming book, The Artist's Joy.
THE most important tool for creative joy (after taking care of yourself) is the creative devotion routine. Are you in a practice rut? Too busy to create in this season of life? Do you have a time management challenge? Maybe you’re good at getting things done, but you feel like you’re going through the motions—joyless and blocked? Let's craft a sustainable creative practice that sparks joy with creative devotion.
Download your printable workbook for The Artist's Joy and flip to Chapter 3 (pages 8-9) to read the self-coaching questions and the exercise for crafting your routine with joy.
The Artist's Joy Printable Journal (Flip to Chapter 3 (pages 8 and 9) for the creative devotion questions!)