Episodes
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This week on the podcast, our annual Christmas episode: a meditation originally released in essay form for the Advent Art series on Substack. This reflection explores the intersection of faith and creativity, delving into a lesser-known carol, "Of the Father's Love Begotten." It reflects on the beautiful-terrible human experience and how Christmas reminds us that each effort of creativity is an act of love.
Read the full essay on Substack
Creative Leap Mastermind
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Learn more about the First Nations Translation
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This week on the podcast, Merideth answers one listener question with a WHOLE episode: how do you cultivate a more joyful daily practice routine? She offers five ideas for how to find joy in the creative process, even when you're faced with challenges like unproductive or frustrating practice sessions, writer's block, lack of inspiration and more. Whether you're an artist seeking to reignite your passion or simply someone who yearns to embrace your creativity, this one has practical advice and inspiration for infusing your creative journey with joy.
Creative Leap
Energy episode
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Check out the GRAMMY nominee for Best Folk Album: American Patchwork Quartet
Read the crowd-sourced poem "Creativity Is..." by the Sage Cohort of "The Artist's Joy" on IG
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Missing episodes?
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This week is my 41st birthday! In celebration, I've got a throwback episode featuring my favorite coaching exercise to use with artists. Grab your journal and give it a listen.
Do this exercise with me live this month in our Patreon community! Learn more here.
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Original show notes:
Whatever you are feeling about fall, bring it on over to this the podcast equivalent of a fire pit and we’ll talk it out. This week Merideth shares a coaching exercise that will help you name your inner team members, resource their skills, and cultivate a sense of self-compassion for the multitudes you contain.
Graydin
Episode 75
Beethoven's Heiligenstadt Testament
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Transcript
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Today on the podcast: a mini-episode to keep you company during this holiday time! Festive Focus–how to manage your time and not lose your joy during the holidays. Listen for practical tips and good questions to ponder when facing a crazy schedule laden with emotionally taxing--if joyful--time with friends and family. Stay to the end to hear an exciting announcement about a new offering in 2025.
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Creative Leap Mastermind
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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.
Apply to get a free coaching call and be featured on a Joy Session
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Tell us what resonated about the episode on IG
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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 at this moment in time. This one is full of wholehearted honesty and encouragement.
Burnout book
Burnout episode of Artists for Joy
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Email your question to be answered in future AMAs: [email protected]
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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.
Join the November 11th "Sparking Joy through Play" Workshop
Become a Joyster to try "Who's in your car?" with Merideth next month
How to be you, Season 3, Episode 2
Musical Meditation: Inner Team Huddle
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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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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.
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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 Affiliate, which means I make a few dollars when you purchase) See pictures and find all the links in one place in this week's Substack NY Times Reader’s Choice Top 10 List Amazon storefront with all the products mentioned here (+ other things I love!) Home Chef: Get 18 meals for free when you sign up here Created Colorful: $20 off your color analysis with code FORJOY
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This episode originally aired in October 2023. Enjoy this throwback while Merideth practices some self-care ;)
Read "Let Art Be Light," Merideth's latest substack piece
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 we learn about two fantastic non-profits using creativity to change the world.
Peace Drums Project
Little Sun
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Email your question to be read on the air: [email protected]
Photo cred: littlesun.org
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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 along the way.
Coach with Merideth (non-recorded)
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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. Links: Join the email list to get the Friday episode in your inbox Support us on Patreon Apply to get a free coaching call and be featured on a Joy Session Buy Merideth’s book, The Artist’s Joy
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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. If you are interested in doing a coaching call for a future Joy Sessions episode, click here.
Links from the show notes: Subscribe to Merideth's email list Learn more about coaching Join Patreon Buy Merideth’s book Tell us what resonated about the episode on IG -
Introducing: Joy Sessions. Each week I'll feature excerpts from real sessions with artists of all disciplines, pulling back the curtain on creative coaching as we focus on overcoming creative challenges and finding joy in the artistic process.
This week, Merideth chats with Ericka, a writer who longs to set herself free from the shame cycle of past and current criticism.
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Tell us what resonated about the episode on IG
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This week on the podcast, the first installment of a new series started earlier this week over on Substack called “Art’s Open Door,” where we’ll explore the profound ways creativity and spirituality intersect and how viewing art through a spiritual lens is a powerful tool for well-being, connection, and joy.
Usually, these essays will only exist in blog form at artistsforjoy.substack.com, but this week, I am giving you a sneak peek into this new content.
If you enjoy these more spiritual writings, subscribe to Substack here.
The Common Heart: An Experience of Interreligious Dialogue
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This week on the podcast: a musical meditation for making sense of life. In this guided reflection, explore the following: Consider your life’s puzzle. Hold a couple of pieces in your hand, and consider now the growth that each piece represents. What do you see? Look for the piece(s) that don’t seem to fit. What experiences or areas of growth or interest, disparate parts of your journey of life–good or hard—have you yet to accept as your own? Even though you may not yet be able to make sense of certain pieces, ask: what might they be teaching me? Find the jagged edge of the puzzle, and consider the ways you are growing, the piece you are filling in now. How can you love yourself as you are becoming? What do you want yourself to remember now, in this season? Links from the show notes: Join the next Creative Cluster Buy Merideth's book Get your printable journal Register for the Creative Enneagram 2.0 Workshop
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This week on the podcast, a new metaphor to cultivate more resilience, perspective, and joy while we work to make sense of our lives.
Join the next Creative Cluster
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Get your printable journal
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This week on the podcast, Merideth offers a pep talk for artists and creatives who feel overwhelmed or unmotivated, particularly during transitional periods like the month of August.
Grab your worksheet, so you can:
Name your season Decide if you need a new routine or rhythm (or both!) Discover the small step you'd like to take toward your goalJoin the next Creative Cluster
Buy Merideth's book
Watch the replay of the Procrastination Workshop by becoming a paid supporter on Patreon
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This week Merideth offers some strategies to overcome procrastination to embrace a more joyful and fulfilling creative life. She offers 3 common lies we tell ourselves when we are having a hard time getting things done:
I'm lazy. I just need the right routine. I'll wait for inspiration to feel motivated.She then translates these less-than-helpful thought patterns into questions to unlock what we really need to keep moving.
Buy Merideth's book The Artist's Joy
Check out K.C. Davis' book "How to Keep House While Drowning"
Join the next Creative Cluster
Leave a review of Merideth's book: Amazon and Goodreads
Get your printable journal:
Join Merideth for a Procrastination Workshop (or watch the replay) by becoming a paid supporter on Patreon
Stream "Oath to Joy" by Angela Sheik (The Artist's Joy theme song!)
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