35. Embracing Ugly Creative Wins

Hi, friends! After a year of cyclical burnout, unexpected self-discovery, and hard-won identity shifts, I'm choosing to focus on lowering demand in my life to better support my recovery and the long-term sustainability of my business. This focus comes with the difficult decision to put the Wildmaking podcast on permanent hiatus. 

I've loved creating this podcast for you (and for me!), and I hope to bring it back in a more sustainable form when I have the capacity to do so. Until then, I'm sharing this last episode on five ways that YOU can lower demand in your creative practice so that making feels joyful, easy, and accessible for you and your unique capacity.

Website: www.kristenkieffer.co
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristen_kieffer

As both a creative and a creative coach, I consider self-coaching to be one of the most importance practices for personal creative success.

By holding yourself accountable to the work of self-reflection, commitment to growth, and cultivating loving self-talk, you can open up a work of joy and fulfillment in your creative journey.

But it all begins with self-coaching. Tune into this week's episode to learn more about how you can get started with this all-important practice ASAP.

Book your ticket for the Wildmaking Journal Circle: www.kristenkieffer.co/journal-inner-critic

Website: www.kristenkieffer.co
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristen_kieffer

After a very unexpected hiatus from the podcast (for both you + me!), I'm making a triumphant return this week — but moving forward, things are going to look a little different here at Wildmaking. Specifically, things are going to look a little uglier. 

In today's episode, I'm breaking down what led to my unexpected hiatus, what this year is teaching me about my creative capacity (and my newly discovered neurodivergence!), and why all artists + makers should embrace the power of ugly creative wins.

It's good to be back, friends. Thanks for being here.

Website: www.kristenkieffer.co
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristen_kieffer

Hustle culture would have us believe that our joy and fulfillment as creatives lies just over the horizon of achievement. But focusing solely on external success is a recipe for burnout and seemingly relentless limiting beliefs.

In place of hustle culture, I propose the Slow Making movement — an intentional commitment to slowing down, prioritizing personal wellness, and making from a wealth of energy rather than a lack of worth. No sacrifice of ambition necessary.

Website: www.kristenkieffer.co
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristen_kieffer

I'm a fairly pragmatic person. But if there's one 'witchy' practice that I've regularly made use of in my creative journey, it's oracle cards. 

Over the last year, my deck of cards has helped me un-shame my relationship with myself and my art by offering me the opportunity to intentionally reconnect with my intuition and self-trust — both of which has had a HUGE impact on the way I show up for my art and creative business. 

Want to learn more about what oracle cards are and how you might use them to your  creative benefit — even if you're not much into things that are witchy or neo-spiritual? This is the episode for you!

JOURNAL PROMPTS 🌱

• How has shame disconnected you from yourself + your art and taught you that you cannot trust yourself?
• Where or how might you decide to make meaning for yourself inside of your creative practice?
• What tools or practices (oracle cards or otherwise) might you use to reconnect with yourself and your art — and ultimately to make meaning inside of your creative practice?

LINKS

• Roots & Wings oracle card deck by artist Kat Ryalls
• Chelsey of Pip Cards Tarot on Instagram (@pipcardstarot)

Website: www.kristenkieffer.co
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristen_kieffer

In last week's episode, I mentioned that all art is political. But what exactly do I mean by this? And how can you use this knowledge to make a powerful impact on the world through your art no matter what you create? Tune into today's conversation to find out!

Website: www.kristenkieffer.co
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristen_kieffer

Ready for a dose of radical transparency? The recent launch of my new Consistently Creative program has failed. Yikes.

What I've realized upon reflecting on this experience is that the launch didn't go as planned because the trust + safety that I've built with you, my audience, has gotten a bit shaky over the last year and a half. And trust + safety is truly the foundation of any thriving, ethically-built creative business.

In today's episode, I break down why trust + safety is so damn important, the two major types of expectations you'll want to meet to build trust + safety, and many examples of how you can go about doing so today.

Upcoming Class 👇

On Saturday, July 15th, I'll be hosting a FREE 60-minute class called How Rest Supercharges Creativity. To learn more and register for class access, visit www.kristenkieffer.co/register.

Website: www.kristenkieffer.co
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristen_kieffer

After sharing some snippets from my debut novel online this week, someone admired how brave I was for doing so — only I didn't feel brave because I hadn't felt any fear around sharing my work. But that certainly wouldn't have been the case for the writer I was in years gone by.

How have I grown comfortable and confident enough to share my work with ease? In today's episode, I'm breaking down the not-so-secret growth formula that's helped me cultivate safety in the midst of sharing my work with the world!

Website: www.kristenkieffer.co
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristen_kieffer

When you consider what it means to be consistently creative, you probably think about regularly making art. Makes sense, right?

Yet it's my firm belief that consistent creativity has little to do with regularly making art and everything to do with faithfully and holistically nourishing your creative spirit.

What in the world do I mean by that? This is the question I'll be answering in depth in today's episode as we explore the four realm of creative energy and how tending to these realms can help you lead a life-long, nourished relationship with your creative work.

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As mentioned in the episode, my new three-month group coaching program — Consistently Creative — is now open for enrollment. Click here to learn more and snag your spot today!

Website: www.kristenkieffer.co
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristen_kieffer

When you consider what it means to be consistently creative, you probably think about regularly producing art—and that’s not a terrible definition! Making art is a huge part of what it means to be an artist, and regularly making art can be a richly fulfilling way to live your life.

But if you define consistent creativity solely through the lens of habitual art-making, then you might just be setting yourself up for disappoint and despair. In today's episode, I'll break down why this is the case and share how I define being consistently creative for a life-long, nourishing relationship with my creative work.

Join the Consistently Creative waitlist: www.kristenkieffer.co/consistent

What is Consistently Creative?

Being consistently creative has nothing to do with regularly making art and everything to do with faithfully nourishing your creative spirit. 

This is the mindset shift we'll be making in Consistently Creative, my new three-month group coaching program kicking off this July. The program includes two monthly classes and bi-weekly group coaching calls for a total of four live calls per month, as well as access to an exclusive Slack community for additional daily support and creative conversation.

To learn more about the program when details drop, be sure to get yourself on the waitlist using the link above!

Website: www.kristenkieffer.co
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristen_kieffer