Building Connection Through Creativity with Morgan Harper Nichols

Podcast Summary

• Embrace Creativity in Your Life: Creativity is essential for personal growth and can be expressed through various forms. Try doodling or scribbling to focus and connect with your creativity, and remember that it's not limited to traditional artistic pursuits.

  Creativity is an essential part of being human, and it can manifest in various ways. Morgan Harper Nichols, an artist and musician, emphasized the importance of embracing creativity in our lives, whether through painting, writing, music, or other forms. She shared that the process of creating art is a spiritual practice for her and encouraged everyone to try doodling or scribbling as a way to focus and connect with their creativity. Nichols also emphasized that creativity is not limited to traditional artistic pursuits but is essential in all aspects of life, from making a recipe to developing a lesson plan. She encouraged listeners to be inspired by others and to contribute their unique ideas to make something new. Overall, the conversation highlighted the importance of recognizing and embracing creativity in our lives and the positive impact it can have on our personal growth and the world around us.

• A teenage artist finds success online: The internet offers opportunities for self-expression, connection, and success, even for those who may struggle in traditional social settings.

  Quince offers high-end goods at affordable prices while maintaining safe, ethical, and responsible manufacturing practices. The founder of this platform, who grew up in a creative family and discovered the internet during its infancy, began sharing her artwork, poetry, and words online as a teenager. She found a sense of connection and community through digital platforms, starting with designing signatures for online forums, then moving on to music and photography. Despite having little success early on, she continued experimenting with blogging and eventually found success with the iPad and its creative apps in 2017. Her experiences illustrate the power of the internet to provide opportunities for self-expression, connection, and success, even for those who may struggle in traditional social settings.

• Finding Freedom and Understanding through iPad Art and Autism Diagnosis: The speaker found peace and freedom in creating iPad art due to its accessibility and ease of use, while their autism diagnosis brought them a newfound sense of understanding and acceptance.

  Technology, specifically iPad art, provided the speaker with a newfound freedom and peace in creating art, as opposed to the larger productions and resources required in music. Additionally, receiving an autism diagnosis brought the speaker a sense of understanding and acceptance, allowing them to make sense of their experiences and ask for accommodations when needed. The undo button in digital art and the ease of creating and sharing it from home contrasted greatly with the extensive resources and steps involved in music production. The autism diagnosis provided the speaker with valuable language and understanding for their experiences, particularly in regards to socializing and asking for help.

• Embracing Self-Acceptance and Caring for Others: Learning self-acceptance leads to personal growth and empowerment. Help others pursue diagnoses, prioritize self-care, and try OneSkin's products for effective skincare solutions, including Lume's long-lasting deodorant.

  It's okay to ask for help and accept who you are without feeling the need to apologize. This year, the speaker learned the importance of self-acceptance and the impact it can have on one's life. She shared her experience of receiving a diagnosis and how it led her to help others pursue their own diagnoses. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of self-care, especially for caregivers, and recommended trying out OneSkin's products for skincare needs. Another key takeaway is the introduction of Lume whole body deodorant, which offers long-lasting odor control without using heavy perfumes. Overall, the discussion touched on self-acceptance, helping others, and discovering effective solutions for everyday needs.

• Representation Matters: Seeing Ourselves Reflected: Representation goes beyond physical appearance, extending to thoughts, ideas, and experiences. Honest storytelling can inspire hope and create a more inclusive world.

  Representation and honesty make a difference. Sharon's story of advocating for representation of neurodivergent individuals and her experience with companies like OneSkin, which focuses on cellular aging to keep skin looking younger, highlights the importance of seeing oneself represented. The internet has played a significant role in providing communities and opportunities for neurodivergent individuals to connect and find support. However, it's important to remember that representation goes beyond physical appearance and extends to thoughts, ideas, and experiences. Sharon's example of advocating for better representation of black dolls in catalogs as a child shows the impact it can have on individuals and society as a whole. By being open and honest about our stories, we can inspire hope and create a more inclusive world for everyone. Use code SHARON for 15% off at oneskin.co to support this mission.

• Social media's design can lead to emotional responses and info overload: Be mindful of emotional triggers and take breaks to manage social media engagement and reduce stress

  The way social media is designed can lead to heightened emotional responses and information overload, potentially causing anxiety and stress. The constant stream of news, personal updates, and controversial content can be overwhelming for individuals, especially when they're not consciously aware of the emotional triggers. The features of social media, such as the ability to like comments, can further fuel the desire for the best reaction, leading to unproductive and negative interactions. To combat this, taking moments to breathe, rest, and pause before engaging with social media can help individuals manage their emotional responses and reduce the impact of information overload.

• The design of comment sections can encourage negative interactions, but users can create a more positive and welcoming environment.: Encouraging one-word responses or other methods can make comment sections more open and welcoming, while positivity and hope are essential for a healthy social media environment. Products like Pretty Litter and Celebrations Passport offer convenience and value, while eBay's authenticity guarantee ensures peace of mind for purchases.

  The design of comment sections on social media platforms can unintentionally encourage negative interactions instead of positive ones. The competition to get the top comment can lead people to find faults rather than adding to the conversation in a meaningful way. This can discourage users from participating in the future. To create a more equal and encouraging commenting environment, some users encourage one-word responses or use other methods to make the comment section an open and welcoming space for all. The importance of positivity and hope in social media was also highlighted, with the idea that hope is not just wishful thinking but the belief that there is more to come after hardships. In addition, the discussion touched on the value of Pretty Litter, a health monitoring litter that helps detect early signs of illness in cats, and the convenience of Celebrations Passport from 1-800-Flowers for gift-giving. Lastly, eBay's authenticity guarantee was presented as a way to ensure the authenticity of purchases and provide peace of mind.

• Exploring the Power of Hope, Peace, and Grace: The speaker emphasizes the importance and enduring nature of hope, peace, and grace, and strives to understand their meaning in various contexts to inspire and encourage her audience.

  The speaker values the exploration and expression of fundamental concepts, particularly the words and ideas of hope, peace, and grace. She recognizes the importance and enduring nature of these words throughout history and strives to understand their meaning in various contexts. Additionally, she considers her audience and the potential impact of her words, ensuring they provide comfort, encouragement, and inspiration to those who may be facing challenges or limitations. The speaker's commitment to these ideals is reflected in her continuous digging deeper into their meanings and sharing them with her community.

• Embrace Yourself and Shape Your Identity Through Creativity: During teenage years, don't let others define your worth. Find joy in creativity and shaping your identity through self-acceptance and bringing ideas to life.

  It's essential to embrace who you are and not let the opinions of others define your worth, especially during the teenage years. The speaker shared personal experiences of feeling invisible and unworthy due to social rejection. They also discussed the importance of having structure and deadlines when working on creative projects, such as writing books. The speaker finds joy in the planning and execution of bringing their ideas to life through publishing. Overall, the conversation highlighted the importance of self-acceptance and the power of creativity in shaping one's identity.

• Connecting with audience through social media: Morgan Harper Nichols uses social media to connect with her audience, drawing inspiration from their stories and experiences. Being true to oneself and finding peace in uncertainty are themes in her work.

  Author and artist Morgan Harper Nichols finds inspiration from her readers and the connections she makes with them through social media. She imagines her audience members as she writes, creating a personal connection that reaches beyond physical boundaries. The Internet allows her to hear stories and connect with people she wouldn't have otherwise, making their impact on her work significant. Morgan also emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself and the peace that comes from not needing certainty. Her website, morganharpernickels.com, is where you can find her books and social media handles. Morgan's work is already making an impact, with a middle schooler selecting her as a black artist to highlight for Black History Month. The potential for her work to be studied in a university literature class is a testament to its significance. Morgan's unique perspective and connection to her readers make her an inspiring figure in the literary and artistic world.