Creative Juice Box

Can Creativity Help You Live Longer?

In this episode of the Creative Juice Box podcast, we discuss how creative people tend to live longer (and more fulfilling) lives, which can motivate you to stay creative throughout the aging process. Today's episode is dedicated to my Granny, who passed away 6 months ago today. 🧡
 
We'll talk about:
✨ My Granny's creative hobbies that kept her feeling young throughout her life (including a theatre group for seniors!)
✨ How Granny's creative approach to life inspired the people around her to do the same
✨ How we often overlook our brain health (especially as young people!) but it's actually one of the most important things to take care of throughout your life
✨ The importance of living life creatively and keeping your brain active as you age to prevent cognitive decline
✨ The science behind creativity and a longer lifespan, including how creativity increases the white matter in your brain
 
Stuff I mention:
✨ Research about how creativity can lead to a longer lifespan: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/open-mind-longer-life/ 
 
Want more creative juice? Let’s connect on IG!
🎙️ Podcast: @creativejuicebox.pod
📸 Photography: @hannahhollandphoto

Be Better Friends With Your Future Self

In this episode of the Creative Juice Box podcast, we discuss how to think of your future self as a friend (not a stranger) who will be grateful for the creative decisions you make now, even if you don't know how they'll turn out in the moment.
 
We'll talk about:
✨ My tendency to think of my future self as an authority figure
✨ The importance of letting go of control over the future, both in life and in our creative projects
✨ How to combat "future anhedonia" and "future time slack" when making decisions for your future self
✨ The psychology behind why we think of our future selves as strangers
✨ How healing your relationship with your future self will also help your relationship with your past self (and present self)
 
Stuff I mention:
✨ Research studies about why we're mean to our future selves (mentioned in this episode of The Happiness Lab podcast): https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/why-were-mean-to-our-future-selves-live-from-boston
 
Want more creative juice? Let’s connect on IG!
🎙️ Podcast: @creativejuicebox.pod
📸 Photography: @hannahhollandphoto

How to Create Like You’re a Kid Again

In this episode of the Creative Juice Box podcast, we discuss the importance of play in the creative process and how to channel your childhood self to overcome creative blocks.
 
We'll talk about:
✨ My experiences with play and how they sparked more creativity in my work
✨ The need for humans to play and experiment without attachment to the outcome
✨ Connecting with your inner child through play and curiosity
✨ How everyday play can build muscle memory that you can channel into your creative work
✨ Game theory and the 5 characteristics of play
 
Stuff I mention:
✨ Creative Juice Box playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/61yuEkzTSiKG2gcqJlGtJt?si=0e6c3ca6ebe64ec3 
✨ Animal Crossing New Horizons for Nintendo Switch (also Mario Party Superstars)
✨ The science behind play improving creativity and productivity: https://www.nifplay.org/play-science/scientific-disciplines-researching-play/ 
✨ GradeCraft: https://gradecraft.com/
✨ Homo Ludens - Johan Huizinga
 
Want more creative juice? Let’s connect on IG!
🎙️ Podcast: @creativejuicebox.pod
📸 Photography: @hannahhollandphoto

Your Creativity Can Change the World

 
In this episode of the Creative Juice Box podcast, we discuss how living creatively can not only change your internal world, but our external world as well through small-scale interactions.
 
We'll talk about:
✨ My experience as a creative who feels the need to do more for the world
✨ The connection between humans & nature in creating a better world through small interactions
✨ Finding what you're called to and paving your creative path regardless of "shoulds"
✨ Creativity as resistance (challenging the status quo) and resilience (reclaiming power)
✨ How everyday creative living makes a better world for yourself and inspires others to do the same
 
Stuff I mention:
✨ Pleasure Activism - adrienne maree brown
✨ Emergent Strategy - adrienne maree brown
✨ Study on creative resilience: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9813965/
✨ The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know Is Possible - Charles Eisenstein
 
Want more creative juice? Let’s connect on IG!
🎙️ Podcast: @creativejuicebox.pod
📸 Photography: @hannahhollandphoto

Steal Like an Artist (& Let Others Steal From You)

In this episode of the Creative Juice Box podcast, we discuss how "stealing" ideas and exchanging inspiration between creatives is one of the best ways to overcome creative blocks and get started on a new project.
 
We'll talk about:
✨ Creativity as an energy exchange of inspiration
✨ How others' art is one of the easiest access points to get back into your own creative process
✨ Releasing your attachment and ownership over your work
✨ Putting together multiple sources of inspiration into your own work to create something unique
✨ How to get better at "stealing" ideas and also allowing your ideas to be stolen from you
 
Stuff I mention:
✨ Steal Like an Artist - Austin Kleon
✨ Colorpop portfolio weekend for photographers: https://www.marinawilliamseducation.com/colorpop
✨ deadmau5 discovers Chris James on Twitter: https://youtu.be/iqurYVWg7-g
✨ Hit Makers - Derek Thompson
 
Want more creative juice? Let’s connect on IG!
🎙️ Podcast: @creativejuicebox.pod
📸 Photography: @hannahhollandphoto

The Beauty of Being an Amateur

In this episode of the Creative Juice Box podcast, we discuss the importance of learning new creative skills and keeping an "amateur mindset" throughout the entire creative process.
 
We'll talk about:
✨ The history of the word "amateur" to mean "lover"
✨ Internal motivation vs. external motivation in the creative process
✨ How being an amateur allows you to see more creative possibilities
✨ Why you should always see yourself as an amateur no matter how much experience you have
✨ 3 self-limiting beliefs that are getting in the way of starting a new creative hobby/skill
 
Stuff I mention:
✨ Show Your Work - Austin Kleon
✨ The Good Place (NBC)
✨ Outliers - Malcolm Gladwell
✨ Studies/articles about happiness leading to success:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16351326/
https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2022/10/prioritizing-happiness-before-success/671714/
https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/happiness-study-work-success.html
✨ Imagined Life podcast: https://wondery.com/shows/imagined-life/
 
Want more creative juice? Let’s connect on IG!
🎙️ Podcast: @creativejuicebox.pod
📸 Photography: @hannahhollandphoto

How to Find Your Creative Niche

In this episode of the Creative Juice Box podcast, we discuss how to overcome the pressure to put yourself in a box creatively, create a niche that combines multiple interests, and attract your true fans who will evolve and grow alongside you.
 
We'll talk about:
✨ My own experience with "multipotentiality" (having an affinity for multiple different paths)
✨ Why making your work fit together neatly can become a creative blocker
✨ How to zoom out of your niche to find one that's more specific to you
✨ The importance of making art for multifaceted people
✨ Embracing all parts of yourself and finding the connections between what you're drawn to
 
Stuff I mention:
✨ Fun Home - Alison Bechdel
✨ Multipotentiality TEDTalk: https://www.ted.com/talks/emilie_wapnick_why_some_of_us_don_t_have_one_true_calling
✨ How to Be Everything - Emilie Wapnick
 
Want more creative juice? Let’s connect on IG!
🎙️ Podcast: @creativejuicebox.pod
📸 Photography: @hannahhollandphoto

Why You’re Afraid to Show Your Work

In this episode of the Creative Juice Box podcast, we talk about 5 common fears that are holding you back from sharing your art (and yourself) with the world—which are also probably blocking you during other stages of the creative process, too.
 
We'll talk about:
✨ Why you should stop trying to appeal to the masses
✨ How to find your "true fans" who will continue to show up for you
✨ The value of constructive criticism vs. other people's projected insecurities
✨ Why you don't actually have any competition when you show up as yourself
✨ How to build confidence in yourself & your art
 
Stuff I mention:
✨ 1,000 True Fans essay: https://kk.org/thetechnium/1000-true-fans/
✨ Show Your Work - Austin Kleon (not mentioned, but recommended reading!)
 
Want more creative juice? Let’s connect on IG!
🎙️ Podcast: @creativejuicebox.pod
📸 Photography: @hannahhollandphoto

You Might Be A Memory Hoarder

In this episode of the Creative Juice Box podcast, we talk about how memory hoarding may affect creatives, including tools to document your life without getting in the way of experiencing it.
 
We'll talk about:
✨ My experience with memory hoarding as a photographer
✨ Why documenting your life is important for the creative process
✨ How reviewing memories may impact your ability to accurately remember them
✨ The value of building trust with yourself and your memory
✨ The "IOC" method for documenting your life (intention, organization, consolidation)
 
Stuff I mention:
✨ Memory hoarding essay from college: https://www.michigandaily.com/statement/am-i-memory-hoarder/
✨ Northwestern study on memory and recall: https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2012/09/your-memory-is-like-the-telephone-game
✨ The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
✨ The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up - Marie Kondo
 
Want more creative juice? Let’s connect on IG!
🎙️ Podcast: @creativejuicebox.pod
📸 Photography: @hannahhollandphoto

Do You Need to Isolate Yourself to Create?

In this episode of the Creative Juice Box podcast, we discuss the difference between isolation and solitude when it comes to the creative process. 
 
We'll talk about:
✨ My own isolation tendencies as a creative
✨ The spectrum of isolation to codependency
✨ Why it's impossible to "find yourself" without others
✨ The importance of finding true solitude
✨ 3 strategies to find more solitude as a creative
 
Stuff I mention:
✨ Letters to a Young Poet - Rainer Maria Rilke
✨ The Creative Tarot - Jessa Crispin
✨ Deep Work & Digital Minimalism - Cal Newport
✨ How to Think - Alan Jacobs
 
Want more creative juice? Let’s connect on IG!
🎙️ Podcast: @creativejuicebox.pod
📸 Photography: @hannahhollandphoto