Be Createfull

We're taking a break from our break to have a conversation about the Surgeon General's recent advisory on the impact social media has on youth mental health. We run through the different studies and statistics mentioned in the advisory, affects of social media on youth and adults and ways Make.Do. is combating the epidemic of feeling alone.

Other episodes: You're not alone in your loneliness (ep. 86)

The way we talk to ourselves (and about ourselves to others) is a big deal. It impacts the way we show up in community and influences the way other people may see themselves. This week, we're talking about the self-talk pitfalls we fall into, why it's so hard to speak kindly, and ways to reframe some of the negative things we keep telling ourselves.

***This will be the last episode until August-ish. We're taking a break during the busy-busy of summer.***

This week we're talking about the responsibility that comes with creativity, how we use creativity to better our communities, and the pros and cons of service-based work.

Other episodes mentioned: Trash or treasure (ep. 57), Scarcity and abundance (ep. 59), Generosity and creativity (ep. 82)

No matter how much experience we have, there will always be times that we second guess our own judgement. This week we're talking about things that impact our ability to trust ourselves, connecting with our intuition, and how creativity gives us confidence to go with our gut in all areas of our lives.

Other episodes mentioned: Changing your mind (ep. 31), Being proud of your past self (ep. 49), Failure is an option (ep. 103)

Is creativity a luxury or an essential part of being human? Today we're talking about the dangers of treating creativity like a privilege, ways are society continues to minimize it's importance, and ways we can prioritize it in our communities.

Other episodes mentioned: Scarcity and Abundance (ep. 59)

Jo was on the struggle bus today. So we're having an easy-breezy, no-notes convo inspired by a random act of kindness.

We're diving into the process behind our Spring Break art camp this week. From initial idea, to collaborating with partnering organizations, to planning, to executing. We end with some practical tips to help you approach your next project at work, home, church, or wherever else you're involved.

Here are 10 things (actually 20) that are making our lives a little more zesty right now.

Other Zest Things episodes: 62, 76, 96

It's spring! Things are blooming, birds are singing, clocks are changing... we're leaning into the metaphor this week with a discussion about how we wake up dormant creativity. 

Episodes mentioned: Getting Unstuck (Ep. 22), Creativity through the seasons (Ep. 25)

Two things can be true at once - we can have a fear of failure AND be enticed by the thrill of new opportunity. This week, we're talking about risk tolerance, being an adrenaline junkie, and what creativity teaches us about the balance between the fear and thrill of it all.

Episodes mentioned: Overcoming the fear of failure (Ep. 23)

This week we're talking about ways our society and culture discourage creativity. Whether it's the education system or corporate America, creative thinking isn't always a priority. We discuss the pitfalls of emphasizing productivity, avoiding collaboration, and over-consumption.

Episodes mentioned: Scarcity and Abundance (Ep. 59), The color wheel is a lie, or is it? (Ep. 93)

The Harvard Business Review article Madison mentioned.

Getting started can be the hardest part. It doesn't seem to matter if you're a beginner and don't know what you're doing or an old pro that just doesn't have any inspiration. Sometimes it takes bad art (or the f-ing first draft, as Brene Brown likes to call it) to get the ball rolling. This week, we talk about our personal experiences making bad art and staring at a blank page and wrap up with tips to help you power through.

Episodes mentioned: You gotta start somewhere (Ep. 2), How to be a good beginner (Ep. 3)

Common sense. Does it even exist? This week we're talking about what common sense is, where it comes from, and if it actually exists at all.

Nostalgia is a tricky thing to pin down. This week, we're talking about why it's appealing, how it's dangerous, and the surprising impact it can have on creativity. We also discuss some tips on how to get the most out of nostalgia without living in the past. In the words of Billy Joel, "the good old days weren't always good and tomorrow's not as bad as it seems."

Andrew is joining us again for a deep dive into Artificial Intelligence and the ways it's already impacting art and creativity. We discuss the positives, negatives, and everything in between.

Other episodes mentioned: Music is how we decorate time (Ep. 95)

Failure is something we avoid at all costs, but should it be? This week, we discuss different types of failure, how failure is inevitable in the journey toward success, and the influence creativity has on our relationship to failure.

Other episodes mentioned: Overcoming the fear of failure (Ep. 23), Suck it up, buttercup (Ep. 24), What's so scary about creativity? (Ep. 42)

This conversation goes deeper into Madison's visceral reaction to the word "habit." We spend the first few minutes talking about how to have compassionate and curious conversation when we disagree on semantics. Then we dive into our habit hangups, why habits are hard, and some practical tips for introducing new routines/habits/intentions into our lives. 

Madison really threw me for a loop with that title. Don't be confused, this is our annual "new year, new intentions" episode. We reflect back on 2022 and lay out some of things we're hoping for 2023.

We're celebrating our 100th episode of Be Createfull by looking back at what we've learned, what we've loved, and what's been hard about recording a podcast. Thanks for coming along with us!

Christmas, a good book, a big vacation... it's hard when things end. A month (or more) of anticipation and excitement can make it extra hard to recover from the letdown of something being over. This week, we talking about our how we feel after Christmas, other things that bring "the big sad" and ways we feel our feelings and move forward.

We're talking about our favorite Make.Do. moments, highlights, and milestones from this year. And a couple of tough things too.

When it comes to fundraising for Make.Do., one of my favorite phrases is "gifts don't have to be big to be significant." Small things add up to something great! This week, we're using that as a lens view gratitude and creativity.

It's time for our favorite (and only) recurring episode... 10 things that are bring us some extra zest right now.

Other zesty episodes: Ep. 62 and 76

"If art is how we decorate space, music is how we decorate time." We stumbled across this quote on instagram and were blown away. Since neither of us are "musical", we invited Andrew Cook, music professor and conductor, to educate us on how music fits in the world of creativity.

Happy Thanksgiving week! Holidays mean family and family can mean old habits that get on your last nerve. This week we're talking about creative pet peeves that people will never stop doing and how we're learning to live with them. 

Other Episodes Mentioned: Creative Pet Peeves (Ep. 8), Attitude of Gratitude (Ep. 46)

What started out as an easy breezy conversation about color preferences turned into a deep conversation about the science of color, what it teaches us about perception, and why it really is just the best.

Other Episodes Mentioned: Death of the Author (Ep. 33) 

One thing that makes being an adult feel so difficult is that there's no one standing over our shoulder making sure we actually do the things we don't wanna do. This week, we're talking about why we feel unmotivated, examples of recurring situations in our adult lives, and ways to "bite the bullet" and muster the moxie to just get the dang thing done.

Other Episodes Mentioned: Getting Unstuck (Ep. 22) and Suck it up, Buttercup (Ep. 24)

Since it's Halloween (aka Madison's favorite holiday), we're talking about Dungeons and Dragons! Jo knows absolutely nothing about D&D, so we start off with a thorough overview and then dive into what the game teaches us about creativity.

This week, we're talking about celebrating our "wins": why it's important, why it's so hard, and ways we can be more intentional about acknowledging and recognizing all the reasons we have to celebrate.

Here's Part 2 of the conversation we started with Rachel last week. If you haven't already, listen to Part 1 first and then come back. Rachel and her family lived in East Africa for 15 years. She shares her experience with creativity in a different culture and Jo compares it to her short time living in Ireland. 

We've got a friend joining us today! Rachel and her family lived in East Africa for 15 years. She shares her experience with creativity in a different culture and Jo compares it to her short time living in Ireland. We chased a few rabbits (or maybe I should say 'rat'), so we'll be back to finish our convo in part 2 next week.

It's a fun and breezy episode this week! We use the alphabet as a way to rapid-fire characteristics of creativity. You can play along with this one!

We're talking about loneliness today and we had A LOT to say. In a world that's more connected than ever, finding true connection is still a challenge. We discuss the difference between being alone and being lonely, how we're learning to sit in our loneliness, and places we find connection.

Welp, this one is a doozy! We're talking about the difference between something being "important" and "urgent" but we had a fundamental disagreement on what those two things even mean. So you get to hear us work out our miscommunication in real time as we try to find the common ground.

Limitations are inescapable. Time, money, space, energy, only having one arm while you recover from shoulder surgery... there will always be something getting in the way of whatever it is we're trying to do. This week, we're talking about how to turn limitations into advantages and ways to cope when things just aren't going our way.

Whether it's about pricing our creative services or naming what we have to offer community, it's way too easy to sell ourselves short. This week's conversation is about recognizing the value we bring and why it's important to "know your worth."

Today's conversation explores how we can use our creativity as an avenue for generosity and how a creative mindset can shift how we think about what it means to be generous.

Episodes Mentioned: Ep. 59 (Scarcity and Abundance)

Summer's over. School is starting. Now seems like a good time to talk about change and the ways creativity helps us transition from one thing to the next.

Madison says, "Get comfortable being uncomfortable" a lot around here. What does that mean? Why is discomfort a good thing? Is it ever a bad thing? 

There are some bad creative habits and mindsets that we just can't quit, no matter how many times we talk about them on the podcast. We definitely "know better." It's the "doing better" that keeps tripping us up.

We're talking about the fine line between perfection and excellence this week. 

Other episodes about perfection: Ep. 4 (The Problem with Perfect), Ep. 5 (Letting Go of Perfect), Ep. 69 (This not That | 10 Things that are Better then Perfection)

In honor of the 4th of July, we're looking taking a look at the Declaration of Independence through the lens of creativity. We talk about the collaborative creative act of starting a nation and specific ways creativity can enhance our view of history and politics. (Disclaimer: we aren't historians or political science experts. We acknowledge and recognize our biases.)

We're back with 10 more things adding zest to our lives. Check out Episode 62 for our first round. 

We've got rest on our brains as we head into one of the busiest times of the year for Make.Do. This week, we're talking about 7 types of rest, how to figure out which type you need, and tips for finding rest in busy seasons.

There are a lot of things that make creativity amazing, but (in the words of The Lazy Genius) it's important to "name what matters" to make sure that you're getting what you need from your creative endeavors. This week, we're talking about what matters most in our own creativity, in our work at Make.Do., and some tips on different creative things to try depending on what matters most to you.

The Make.Do. Teens join Jo for a conversation about figuring out who we are, why it matters, and what gets in the way. 

Some "creatives" have a fearless confidence when it comes to tackling new creative projects. This week, we're talking about where that confidence comes from, why it may feel impossible, and how to find it in yourself.

Other Episodes mentioned: Ep. 42 (What's so Scary About Creativity)

In honor of Mother's Day, we're talking about how creativity connects us to previous generations. In this episode, we discuss how to honor the creativity of loved ones, our responsibility in carrying on creative legacy, and how to keep it all in perspective. 

Other Episodes mentioned: Ep. 57 (Trash or Treasure)

Perfectionism is a major obstacle for a lot of people. We see it getting in the way of so many good things! So this week, we talking about (more than) 10 things that will serve you better than "perfect" ever could. We also share some tips on how to shift your focus from perfectionism to something more beneficial.  

Other Episodes mentioned: Ep. 4 (The Problem with Perfect) and Ep. 5 (Letting Go of Perfect)