“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.” -charles mingus “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” -stephen covey Being creative isn’t about being weird for the sake of being different or adding fluff or random things to differentiate your creation. The most admired creations in the world are simple. Coco Chanel’s LBD, mona lisa, Bach’s music. Harness the power of simplicity to maximize the impact of your...
Aug 15, 2019•17 min
If you feel like you have no shortage of ideas but at the end of the day you don’t have a lot to show for all your ideas, that your problem is not in GENERATING creative ideas but in following through and bringing those ideas to life, this episode is for YOU. In this episode imma show you why productivity and focus tips are gonna mean absolutely zilch without this one thing, how to pinpoint EXACTLY why you’re not following through with an idea or goal, and the easy-to-remember endlessly repeatab...
Aug 08, 2019•18 min
I am freaking good at celebrating. Learn to make celebration a key part of your creative process in art and in life so you can create what you truly want. In this episode you'll learn: -9 ways to boost your creativity with celebration. -different types of celebration(it's not just throwin a party) -the answer to the question, don’t super successful super creative people just constantly create, isn’t celebration kinda a waste of time if you wanna get a lot of stuff done in your life? AND 3 ways t...
Aug 01, 2019•24 min
Let’s talk about TERRIBLE ideas. Because we all want great ideas, but we cannot have great ones without sucky ones. Let me sell you in this episode the 3 gifts of terrible ideas and convince you that bad ideas are JUST as valuable and important as brilliant ideas to move your creativity forward. In this episode: -What the most creative people in the world are collectively bad at -How to stop judging your work and just create -the ridiculous goal we all have with our creativity (+ how to sidestep...
Jul 25, 2019•20 min
Trends are everywhere, and their affect on you is unavoidable but you CAN use trends to get in the driver's seat with how you create and where it falls in the culturescape. In this episode you'll learn: -how to start a trend, and why you may not want to -the 5 phases of trends -how to use trends to boost your creativity and/or your cash flow without feeling icky -the thing your idea CANNOT spread without Mentions: Austin Kleon on Good Life Project: https://www.goodlifeproject.com/podcast/austin-...
Jul 18, 2019•26 min
We're pretty against relationship infidelity as a culture and see the devastating effects it can have on a partnership, but what about infidelity in your relationship with creativity? In this episode you'll learn: -Why idea infidelity might be the reason you're not feeling inspired -How to have better ideas + more of ‘em -Why you aren’t having brilliant ideas yet + the recipe for gettin’ em -How to know where to start when you have too many ideas -How to treat ideas with lotsa love even when you...
Jul 11, 2019•18 min
If you work with clients who commission creations from you, this episode is a must listen. Learn how managing expectations is actually doing all of us a disservice, how managing expectations is getting lost in the weeds and what we need to do instead to create true innovation, plus the one assumption to change if you want to be more inspired by your own work while working for clients. Mentions: Freebies! Download my exact family photography questionnaire that I send to all my clients and an audi...
Jul 04, 2019•17 min
We all have ideas about money taught to us in the past, but what will we believe about money in the future? It's totally up to us. Learn the myths of money that when I stopped believing them helped me double my income while working half as much, how to use your creativity to invite more money into your life, why it's in ultimate service of everyone involved to pay you good money for your creations and how to find your sweet spot for making money while also creating work you love so you can banis...
Jun 27, 2019•23 min
Risk taking is talked about in relation to creativity--the act of creativity itself risks losing time, and sometimes money and relationships. So should you amp up your risk taking to amp up your creativity? Learn about the right risks to take (and which to avoid) so you can use your wild side to uplevel your creativity. Mentions: Love Soaked Family Photography online course: https://brookeschultz.kartra.com/page/lovesoaked Risk taking study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5289983/ ...
Jun 20, 2019•20 min
My first inspiration and biggest mentor Jonathan Canlas shares how he went from being a $400 wedding photographer in 1999 to running multiple thriving businesses all while staying creative 20 years later. We talk about how he sidesteps comparison entirely, what personal work gives to you that can’t be measured by money or accolades (though those often come piggybacking too), how to use art as a reflection of what you really want, the biggest problem facing photographers today, and some golden ad...
Jun 13, 2019•37 min
How do you keep creating when you're creating something over the long haul, like a relationship, motherhood, a book, or even an entire life? In this episode we explore why we're tempted to quit on big goals, how to set goals for relationships that won't set you up to be disappointed, and how to make the achievement of your goals fun along the way, not just at the finish line. Mentions: Brooke Castillo: https://thelifecoachschool.com/ Book a family session: http://brookeschultzphotography.com/pri...
Jun 06, 2019•23 min
@jennblosil is a singer songwriter, a top 14 finalist on American Idol, and a wise soul to boot. In this conversation we talk rejection + how it has shaped Jenn creatively and personally, how she approaches her creative process in a way that has made songwriting faster than ever, how to create truly authentic work, and the difference between an amateur and a professional (spoiler: it doesn't have anything to do with whether you get paid or not.) Tell us your biggest takeaways from this episode o...
May 30, 2019•48 min
Thomas Edison said "Genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration." We know hard work matters, but what about inspiration? Do you need it? And what are we to do when we're not inspired? In this episode we settle that age old debate of inspiration vs. perspiration + uncover how to generate inspiration on demand no matter what's happening in your creative world. Mentions: Inspiration scientific study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4070479/ First Man gorgeous scene that inspired me (but...
May 23, 2019•20 min
So, is beauty actually important? What are we doing creating when there are people dying and far more pressing problems to address in the world? Is beauty worthwhile? In this episode we explore what beauty is (hint: more than pretty), how to define your own unique beauty sensibility, along with some beauty homework for art and life to get more in tune with the force that drives us to create. Mentions: John O'Donohue on On Being: https://onbeing.org/programs/john-odonohue-the-inner-landscape-of-b...
May 16, 2019•25 min
When you have days and moments that are blah and schlumpy but you can't take a vacation or hit a museum for an inspiration boost, how do you reset? In this episode we are tackling 14 ideas to reset your creativity in 10 minutes or less. Try one, try a cocktail of em all, and watch your creativity refresh even when you're on a deadline, feeling tired, or just in a funk. Mentions: Evoke Creative: https://evokecreative.com/ Book a family session with Brooke: http://brookeschultzphotography.com/pric...
May 09, 2019•25 min
We've all been told that competition is a necessary part of business, but what if we opted out? Does competition help or hurt creativity? In this episode I offer some different ways to think about two popular schools of thought in relation to competition, why monopolies are where it's at (+ how to create yours), why excuses about cheap clients and saturated markets are a lie, the hidden problems with #communityovercompetition and how you can use all these principles to make your offerings more c...
May 02, 2019•22 min
Have you ever had an 'aha' moment? An idea that just came to you? How did it come? In this episode you'll learn which phase of the creative process everyone skips and underestimates (plus how incorporating it consciously is gonna give you way better ideas and more of 'em), why being a workaholic is actually terrible for your creativity, and how to avoid the traps of this particular phase of creativity so you can create MORE. In this episode we also dig into how to know if you're truly "not ready...
Apr 25, 2019•22 min
Gratitude is all over the self help industry lately + has been linked to about a zillion health benefits, but can gratitude actually enhance your creativity? In this episode we explore three ways to practice gratitude to enhance your creative ability, invite the muse into your life, be proud of yourself, and create things with ease that would normally make you worry + panic. We're also talking about APPLYING everything you learn on the podcast to your actual real life with a quick takeaway actio...
Apr 18, 2019•22 min
What happens when your creations involve not only inanimate objects like paints or flowers, but HUMANS too? You need to be a diva who's uncompromising in her vision, but you also need to collaborate. In this episode we talk about the two kinds of things in the world, how humans can be both, and which category we're best served within. We also talk about 4 rules for improv as they apply to creating in collaboration with other humans so you can use your creative power to create better relationship...
Apr 11, 2019•22 min
Love Soaked Family Photography is OPEN for enrollment! If you wanna make images that make your artist heart sing, check it out here: https://brookeschultz.kartra.com/page/lovesoakedcourse It used to be that only writers needed to write well. Now, if you have a social media account or any online presence, words are your biggest untapped resource in getting peeps to remember, seek out, and pay you dolla bills for your creations. In this episode we transform the blinking white screen of death into ...
Apr 04, 2019•21 min
This kind of diva status doesn't mean you're high maintenance, rude, or that you step on other people to get what you want--it means you're an icon other people try to emulate. In this episode we talk about why most of us don't employ diva status enough, why you neeed to channel your inner diva to push your creativity forward and make a contribution that's truly unique, and how to maximize your diva self to become an icon in your creative niche. Mentions: Steve Jobs' too-diva behavior: https://w...
Mar 28, 2019•21 min
Creativity bias--what does that even mean? There are two types of creativity bias, and identifying how yours show up both in your formal creativity and your everyday life just might help you be happier in parenting, make more of the work you love, and open yourself to a slew of fresh mashups of ideas OR just bust out some pop punk with caution to the wind. In this episode I share my litmus test for what makes something "creative", my rules for the creative works I consume and parameters for addi...
Mar 21, 2019•26 min
@natalienorton is a life coach, writer, speaker, and thought leader who has created an intentional life amidst hardship and trauma. In this episode we talk about the importance of getting rid of the boxes around creativity, how creativity helped her heal from trauma, how to find + pursue your life's purpose when there are so many directions you want to go, plus how she deals with other people's opinions and expectations in creating her life on purpose. Share your biggest takeaway with us on inst...
Mar 14, 2019•52 min
How can two contradictory statements be equally true at the same time? And how can this help you in your creative pursuits? This week we explore 3 opposite truths of creativity (and some opposite truths about life too!) to get you unstuck and ready to lean in to the opposite so you can move your creativity forward. Mentions: Twyla Tharp: https://www.twylatharp.org/bio Henri Matisse: https://www.henrimatisse.org/ Big Magic by Liz Gilbert: https://www.amazon.com/Big-Magic-Creative-Living-Beyond/dp...
Mar 07, 2019•20 min
Visualization is often discussed in the context of manifestation + getting certain results in your life--10 million dollars, a partner, great health, etc. and we def talk about it in the context of LIFE creation. But can you use visualization to improve your creativity? An intriguing question since creativity by nature is different every time and isn't the same as visualizing a 10 million dollar check every night. This episode gives ideas for how to use visualization to blow your mind in terms o...
Feb 28, 2019•29 min
We think of creativity as freedom to, well, create--but are you more creative when you have unlimited options or when you have constraint? In this episode we explore the anecdotal evidence for constraint to amplify creativity alongside the science plus some rapid fire constraint ideas to incorporate into your creative thang! Mentions: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi study: https://hackernoon.com/constraints-and-creativity-14831a538643 Improv constraints in creativity: https://mashable.com/2011/03/02/cre...
Feb 21, 2019•18 min
Emotions drive everything we do, including our creative work. So what can you do when you find your emotions getting in the way of creating more and creating more on purpose? In this episode we discuss how emotions are generated, the big problem with using willpower alone to try to make changes in your habits, and how to handle intense, prolonged emotionally challenging situations in your life in terms of creativity. Mentions: Brooke Castillo's model: https://thelifecoachschool.com/ Big Magic by...
Feb 14, 2019•20 min
@yanpalmer is an artist who works in many mediums but most importantly, in the medium of LIFE. In this episode we dive into the idea that we create everything in our lives, not just our formal creative pursuits, and we zoom in and out to practical ways to make your life more artful alongside the big picture of why thinking of life as art matters, the role of beauty, and the opposite truths every artist (read: human!) must hold and dance with. Mentions: Tara Brach Radical Acceptance: https://www....
Feb 07, 2019•48 min
Distraction is one of the sneakiest enemies to creativity, but instead of just yelling "turn off distractions and do the work!" in this episode we dig into three flavors of distraction so we can understand why we get distracted and how to set ourselves up for success in managing distractions so we can create more + create more intentionally. We also discuss Qs like, Are your kids distractions? and Is technology good or bad? so come learn how to kick those distractions to the curb, baby. Mentions...
Jan 31, 2019•25 min
If you have a nagging feeling that you're meant for more, that you're capable of more than you're currently expressing, this episode is for you. In it we detail out the brilliance cycle from Arjuna Ardagh, and how moving through it can help you have not only more brilliance in your creativity and your work, but in your life, with ideas about how to move through each phase and what to do when you get stuck in any part of the cycle. Mentions: Radical Brilliance by Arjuna Ardagh https://www.amazon....
Jan 24, 2019•22 min
