Spark Your Inner Fire for Creatives

Picture this: a sneak peek behind the curtains of my performances with the incredible python, Elvis. Weaving tales of unpredictability that stole the spotlight on stage.

As we unravel the narratives from both the stage and the serpent's perspective, you'll uncover the profound lessons learned when assumptions are thrust into the spotlight. Although Elvis may no longer be a part of our present, this story of him lingers, reminding us that assumptions confine the mind, while curiosity and questioning unlock doors to endless perspectives.

Join me in this episode filled with exploration, laughter, and enlightenment. Together, let's expose the untold stories beneath the surface of assumptions and embrace the transformative magic that curiosity brings.

Burnout. Overwhelm. Restlessness. It happens to the best of us! It was happening to me, and what better time to talk about it than when I'm in the midst of it?! In this episode I share 3 super quick easy tips you can do in the midst of a restless mind in 60 seconds or less... because who needs more "things" to do when you're tired as hell and overwhelmed. 

As creatives our imagination runs wild with possibilities, with ideas, moving head first into the unknown … but it also runs wild with the obstacles we create that hinder us for taking some leaps into our biggest goals and dreams.

In this episode:

• Whats a false obstacle and how to identify it,
• Areas you probably haven’t even thought of that you, might be creating false obstacles,
• How to take your power back.

You ever have a long list of to-do's, commitments to yourself and others that you've made, confident you can do it all in a day... then you get half of it done? It might be the result of not guarding your time!

In this episode:

• Guarding your thoughts
• Guarding time with toxic people
• Putting attention into priorities
• Why it's so important to cancel that quick "30 min coffee date"

Ep.91: The Power Of Momentum and How To Get It Back

I recall so many times that my momentum came to a screeching halt, though injuries, shows closing, and for many through the recent lockdowns. It can be difficult to get the pendulum swinging again after it’s come to a complete stop.

In this episode:

• 4 easy steps to pick up momentum,
• Setting healthy boundaries so that your momentum becomes a priority,
• How to set your mind up for success to reach your goals through momentum.

"The amount of effort needed at the start pales in comparison to what your momentum can ultimately produce in the end." -Lincoln Patz

Using Creative Criticism In Your Benefit

Who gets to tell you if your work is good enough? What gives someone the right to judge if a piece of art is deemed worthy or not? Art is subjective to the viewer, and can muddle the waters for the view the creator takes on his/her creations. 

In this episode:

• How to use criticism to your advantage
• The part resilience and criticism plays in relationships
• What underlying factors contribute to criticism on your creative journey?

“There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.”- Aristotle

Analysis paralysis has been following me around for a long time, I never really understood how much making minor decisions affected my success in all areas of life. The power to make a decision quickly without the need for approval is an important skill to practice and if our you're like me, you weren't born with it. 

In this episode:

• How to practice making decisions quickly,
• How to stop relying on outside sources for approval,
• 1 cool excercise you can do today to make the a decision.

"Do not plant your dreams in a field of indecision, where nothing ever grows but the weeds of 'what if'." -Dodinsky

What kind of creative would you consider yourself to be? A cluttered one who swears that the clutter helps your creativity? Or the tidy creative who feels most productive when your environment is clean? I've definitely been both extremes!

In this episode:

• Subtle shifts you can implement today to un-clutter
• How your environment effects your energy
• What small things you can do to save time that can be better served creating. 

“The only thing that holds you back from living the life of your dream is the emotional and physical clutter you are holding unto.”

You know the feeling of the possibility and inevitability of not being able to perform some day? Or maybe for you its the possibility of getting fired or losing someone. What would you do? 

In this episode:

• Preparing for the inevitable shifts without it destroying you,
• Using your current successes as stepping stones,
• The courage needed to explore new possibilities,
• Why putting too much stock into your identify can set us up for future failure. 

As artists sometimes we lose sight of our resilience. We wake up to work when no one is watching, we dance through the pain, our capacity to show up when it hurts, to willingly attend opportunities that we’ll be rejected day in and day out, we keep going in spite of failure. 

In this episode: 

• Taking the superpower of our inner bred grit, 
• How to package our tenacity and resilience into a new path, 
• The pivot and transformation our our inevitable shifts.

Resistance likes to rub elbows with perfectionism, imposter syndrome, fear, and it's cousin, procrastination. Resistance rears its ugly head just when the project at hand is about to hit the finish line. Heck, I had this entire episode outlined and right before I was about to record, resistance wanted me to take a nap. Lol yea, I get it. 

In this episode:

• 3 techniques for combatting resistance,
• Developing a mind of finishing what your start,
• Stoic philosophy tied into aspects of resistance,
• Judging your project less and giving less stock into others judging your work.

"Courage is the resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear." -Mark Twain

Production shows can demand strict standards for how a dancers body looks. This can also cause problems later on when dancers are no longer in the productions show, causing the standards to spill into other aspects of our lives... even when it comes to setting goals. Never feeling "enough." Regardless if you're a dancer/performer or not, you likely have goals that you weren't able to follow through as much as you would have liked. I've identified some key aspects that get in the way of reaching our goals, and how to set your goals up for success. 

In this episode:

• Distorted self image and how to make healthy shifts,
• Finding your why on a deeper level than you ever have,
• Distraction proofing your goals,
• What the skinny mirror vs fun house mirror effect is.

"The lens we look through determines what we see." -Renee Swope

I brought my husband, James Pfeiffer, on to share some principles he's found to be helpful on the topic of fear. He shares some relatable stories and tips he does in his day-to-day to prevent the grip of fear from ruling his decisions and life.  

In this episode: 

• What perfectionism has to do with fear, 
• Practical steps when faced with fear, 
• Some hard lessons that turned from regret to reminders.  

“You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.” -Marcus Aurelius 

"Fear is not real. The only place that fear can exist is in our thoughts of the future. It is a product of our imagination, causing us to fear things that do not at present and may not ever exist. That is near insanity. Do not misunderstand me, danger is very real, but fear is a choice." -Will Smith

Keeping that open mind of learning and growth through each current path can accidentally open up intrigue into new possibilities, setting you on a new path or purpose. Today's episode is a creative discussion with Chris Ruggiero! 

Chris is a content creator with a diverse background onstage, on camera, and behind the scenes. His "One Man Variety Show" was a juggling and magic variety show that toured colleges, corporate events and private events around the world. He's set 2 Guinness World Records and has had appearances on tv shows like Ellen, Late Late Show with James Corden, Martha Stewart and more. He currently focuses primarily on creating audio and video online content for his own projects and for clients. The Between Dreams Podcast which Chris hosts, chats with inspiring creators to give listeners the tools and inspiration to get started on their idea.

In this episode we discuss:

• The opposite of writers block,
• Navigating the blessing and curse of creative minds,
• The identity of the masks we wear on stage,
• Leaning into the creative whispers,
• The biggest barriers during career transitions.

“Just start. Don’t wait for perfection. Just start and let the work teach you.” Jacqueline Novogratz

"Just start. You will learn so many lessons just by doing." Richard Branson

I would have never thought what a single dance step done correctly or incorrectly for that matter would teach me. As I reflect on aspects of life that pull from what we do on stage vs the patterns we create off the stage, I recognize the subtle shifts that need to occur. The subtle shifts that need rehearsal over and over just like our dance steps. 

What constitutes as a creative spark? It's something we feel and know deep down, and it can be difficult to describe but where words can't explain, our art speaks volumes. In this episode:

• Why Spark Your Inner Podcast was born,
• What that inner spark is,
• How my pain became my purpose, 
• Discovering new passions beyond the stage.

“To every man there comes in his lifetime that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered a chance to do a very special thing, unique to him and fitted to his talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for that which would be his finest hour.” ​ -Sir Winston Churchill

Ideas are a gift, and we love when a solid one lands in our heads, but it can feel like torture when the ideas keep coming and the ideas aren't being created. The biggest burden to a creative mind is an over abundance of ideas without a means or ability to create them. It causes a hamster wheel effect of a perpetual circulation of imagination that never comes to fruition and causes a maddening stagnation. 

In this episode:

• Navigating the 5 necessary steps needs (some we love some we don't),
• How to avoid the perpetual hamster wheel of imagination without execution,
• Squashing the lie "if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life."
• Deep dives into Hyper-focusing, flow state, and combinatory play (Einsteins favorite.)

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together” - Vincent van go

I used to kind of chuckle at the term self care thinking it was a given, until a mirror was held up and revealed a type of self care I was neglecting.

In this episode:

• How seemingly minuscule tasks can represent a limiting belief,
• What part creativity plays in self care,
• How our problem solving tendencies can become a problem.
• The burnout effect and how to keep your fire lit.

"An artist is typically a being that is filled with so much passion, love, or pain for certain lands, people, ideas, or images that all they can do with that overflow is bleed it out by creating. and with this type of art, the energy will be shifted from the depths of them and into the depths of the audience to be felt. It is a dance. A transference. An intimacy. It is to touch and awaken another human in a place they hadn’t known was aching, or sleeping. Both are opened. Both are nourished. Both are transformed.” – Victoria Erickson.

Have you ever encountered things you don’t want to do and talk yourself out of? Or you feel an utter sense of doom and gloom? Or maybe you’re avoiding a phone call because you just know what the outcome will be?

These 3 scenarios are interconnected in our minds and this episode tackles how to identify this doomsday habit and what to do about it.

• Why great things never come from comfort zones,
• Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable and how to start,
• How to fill in the unknown, unfamiliar or uncomfortable gap when our creative mind wants to create a story,
• A solution to "I work better under pressure" people,
• What the 10 minute rule is and how to start using it today. 

“People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them.“ -Epictetus- Greek Philosopher.

How many times in 2020 did you say, "when is this year going to be over?!" I know... me too. It’s been a wild ride. As you are likely just starting your goals or resolutions, you have the choice to choose to make your day or allow your day to make you. In this episode I talk about ways to navigate and adjust the sails as storms may come smack dab in the middle of you trying to accomplish our goals. Push forward anyway, you’ve got this!

To be the first to know about episodes, upcoming courses and fun happenings, subscribe to my newsletter at www.sparkyourinnerfire.com

Buckle your seats and grab some popcorn, we’re about to enter the “Big Top!” Nicoll Dominguez, aka Nicky D, is a 5th generation circus performer, 23 years old, born in Venezuela, does a variety of aerial acts and grounds acts, has worked in big shows in Las Vegas like Criss Angel the Supernaturalist, V Theater at Planet Hollywood, Purple Rain at Tropicana, traveling circuses and more. She’s also a DJ, dancer, model, magician assistant and is part of the Dominguez Family which are known to be the best Globe Riders in the circus industry. We talk about:  • What it's like to be a circus kid • Harsh realities of injuries in show business • The most shocking stage moment she experienced (it involves an elephant) • Stage fright and mindset for auditions • Some hilarious stories both on stage and off.

It's technically the night before, the night before Christmas but it's jolly and happy and we can all use that!

What better time to read this beautiful classic, "Twas the night before Christmas." It was originally written by Dr. Clement C. Moore in 1781 in Chelsea Square, New York. Dr. Moore wrote it to give to his Children for Christmas. The rest is history as it was printed in newspapers, magazines, and translated into many languages. I'm sure Dr. Moore had no idea what impact this little work of art would become. I'm honored to recite it today, and you're never too old to listen to this beauty so grab a cup of hot cocoa or a glass of wine and tune into, "Twas the night before Christmas."

As mush as we hate to admit it we've all got a little Ebenezer Scrooge in us. We all have tendencies that don't look so pretty when when you look back on them. Join me in spreading more Cheer and Joy this holiday season, regardless of all that craziness going on out there, we can choose to not be a Scrooge. 

“It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.” -Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Ahhh the most wonderful time of the year, hot cocoa, Santa, and awkward family moments. Here's some uplifting nuggets that will hopefully help to navigate the upcoming family or work holiday gatherings. 

In this episode:

• How to keep your sanity and your feelings in check when you're just trying to help.
• How to use the irritations as indicators of steps in your own personal growth.
• Two words that work like a charm when you want to cry or scream after your burnt the cookies ;) 

Have we entered the Twilight Zone? It sure feels like it lately! This episode puts politics aside so you can take a breather for a few minutes. I paint a picture of the middle ground between shadow and substance, things and ideas (I'm quoting the intro to the Twilight Zone theme here) But hopefully help to navigate some of this crazy climate after you're finished listening. I talk about one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes, "Monsters Are Due on Maple Street." The writer, Rod Serling was such a genius, ahead of his time with his timeless stories & messages that are still so applicable today. So in my best Rod Serling impression, "You've now crossed over into, the twilight zone!" 

"Imagination... it's limits are only those of the mind itself." -Rod Serling

Anyone else have an aversion to working out? I sure do. I'm a professional at talking myself out of it and pretending to distract myself with less important things or justify why I've worked out enough this week. **insert eye roll** I found some tricks this week that actually helped to keep my head in the game and add some excitement to finishing the dreaded workout. I've since been looking forward to it. So if it's a workout for you or another goal that you keep avoiding, this episode is sure to help you move the needle forward. 

"I don't count my sit-ups; I only start counting when it starts hurting because they're the only ones that count." --Muhammad Ali 

I'll never forget a tour I was on, the MC thanked the incredible audience at the end of the show by saying, "Applause is food for the performer, thank you for the banquet." 

Those words lingered for me and painted a picture of what the applause truly represents for us. 

Contrary to what many may believe, the applause is not to stroke our ego, our performance is a gift from us to you, and the applause tells us you enjoyed the gift. THAT is the gift the audience gives us. We did our job and we did it well, although that gift comes at a cost. 

In this episode, against all resistance I was feeling about sharing these deep inner thoughts, I know I'm not alone when I express this. So I bit the bullet and shared a poem I wrote last year that talks about this very topic. Enjoy!