Two Saviors, Writing, Touring, & Surfing with Musician Buck Meek of Big Thief

This week, a conversation with iconic designer Norma Kamali. Recorded over Zoom from her office in Manhattan, we cover her 50-year career, from graduating from FIT with a degree in illustration to working for Northwest Airlines—which allowed her to fly to London on the weekends for only $29. It felt like a time capsule to hear her talk about the cultural revolution in London in the 1960s and how she would bring back pieces for friends, which led her to start a store, and eventually design her own pieces. 

Soon her designs were worn by Bianca Jagger, Bette Midler, and Cher. But at 29 Norma left her marriage, which meant walking away from the brand she’d quietly built with only $98 in her pocket. But starting over ultimately led her to create a brand with longevity and panache. From her unique sleeping bag coat design (worn by the doormen at Studio 54 and by those standing outside hoping it would increase their chances of getting in) to the now-iconic red swimsuit Farrah Fawcett wore on that famous poster, Norma has dressed generations. 

She’s full of wisdom and perspective and gently gives me advice on everything from aging, to dating (she fell in love again ten years ago at 65), to how she views busyness—she says “the more you do, the more you can do.” We get into her thoughts on her industry’s evolution and on upcoming generations. I hope I did her career and story justice in this conversation with a real icon.

Show notes:

- Find Norma on the Web | Instagram

- Find me on IG: @letitouttt + @katiedalebout | Substack

- 2 spots left in the Creative Clinic: book a call with me here

- More on Creative Underdogs/In Process here | waitlist

- Check out the Let It Out Kits | Write Kit | Talk Kit Waitlist

- Kayleen Schaefer's episode

- Kayleen's book, Text Me When You Get Home

- Take the "We Don't Talk Anymore" survey on friend breakups

- Learn more about my creative consulting & if you'd like to book a free session, book here!

- Learn more about "Soft Stories"

This week’s guest, Jacqueline Suskin, is a poet, educator, and the author of eight books, with work featured in publications including the New York Times, the Atlantic, and the Los Angeles Times. Her newest book, A Year in Practice, is a practical guide for using the natural seasons to inform creative rhythms, and how our rhythms are drawn from those of the earth.

She now lives in Detroit where she works as a teaching artist with InsideOut Literary Arts, bringing nature poetry into classrooms with her Poem Forest curriculum. She spent many years living in Los Angeles where she began an ongoing project called Poem Store where she composed over forty thousand improvisational poems. In this conversation, we spoke about her transition from living in a place with very slight seasonal difference to a climate where the seasons are clear; how she protects her creative practice by experimenting with what works for her and developing deep discipline to maintain it; the power of saying no; hinging on the brink of success; committing to finding sources of energy that feel consistent and fulfilling, rather than draining; the intensity of spring; seasonal transitions and more. She even reads a poem.

Show Notes:

- Find Jacqueline on the Web | Instagram | A Year In Practice

- Find me on IG: @letitouttt + @katiedalebout | Substack

- 2 spots left in the Creative Clinic: book a call with me here

- More on Creative Underdogs/In Process here | waitlist

- Check out the Let It Out Kits | Write Kit | Talk Kit Waitlist

- Inbox Organization course: code LETITOUT for 20% off

If you liked this episode, try out from the archive:

Episode 333: Taking up space, acceptance, mindfulness in motherhood & catching ideas with Mari Orkenyi

This week I spoke with decluttering expert and author Tracy McCubbin on why filling our homes with stuff makes us feel empty, aging and how she both got married and started her business later in life, and why connection and being helpful to others prevents clutter. Tracy came to my apartment and in this you'll hear her help figure out what's been preventing me from making some necessary changes and how you can make them too. Let us know if you listen.

Show Notes:

- Find Tracy on the Web | Instagram | Books

- All of our self-study workshops: Let It Out Kits 

- Inbox Organization course: code LETITOUT for 20% off

- Our Substack

- My Creative Clinic: book a call with me here

- TALK KIT waitlist

- Creative Underdogs/In Process here | waitlist

- IG: @letitouttt + @katiedalebout

If you liked this episode, try out from the archive:

Episode 425: Mindful Space Design: Anjie Cho Returns

In honor of Valentine’s Day it’s an episode about romantic love… just kidding it’s about breakups! It's part variety show from 2019 where I compiled all of the times (up until then) I spoke with guests on how heartbreak, grief, and sadness can lead to growth. I play some of my favorite clips from my conversations with manifestation advisor and founder of To Be Magnetic, Lacy Phillips, herbalist and founder of Supernatural, Rachelle Robinett, writer and designer Robyn Kanner, author Sara Avant Stover, dancer and writer Cody Cook-Parrott, illustrator and author Mari Andrew, artist Jon Marro, writer Jessica Ciencin Henriquez, musician Yoke Lore, director Kristin Hanggi ... it sounds like a bummer of an episode but it was actually quite optimistic, full of wisdom, and even at times funny. Then I react to hearing their advice 5 years later, talk about if I took it and what has happened since…

Let me know if you listen : )

Show Notes:

- Breakups Kits

- Inbox Organization course: code LETITOUT for 20% off

- Our Substack

- My Creative Clinic: book a call with me here

- TALK KIT waitlist

- Creative Underdogs/In Process here | waitlist

- IG: @letitouttt + @katiedalebout

Full episodes of guests in this episode:

• Rachelle Robinett
• Robyn Kanner
• Sara Avant Stover
• Cody Cook-Parrott
• Mari Andrew
• Jon Marro
• Jessica Ciencin Henriquez
• Lacy Phillips Valentines day episode
• Yoke Lore
• Kristin Hanggi and Maddie Korman

This week, my friend James McCrae is back on the podcast. James is an author, poet, artist, and founder of Sunflower Club, a global school and community dedicated to conscious creativity. He's the author of several books, his newest being The Art of You, which we talk about extensively here. Something I love about the book is the fascinating facts, anecdotes, and stories about James' life and the accumulated knowledge of different authors, musicians, filmmakers, spiritual teachers, and artists of all disciplines, from the Rolling Stones to Alan Ginsberg. Our conversation covers haikus, mistakes being portals, the id vs. ego, the role of criticism in pushing art forward, boundaries attracting people you love, and much more. Let us know if you listen!

Show notes:

- Inbox Organization course: code LETITOUT for 20% off

- Our Substack

- James: Web | Instagram | new book The Art of You

- My Creative Clinic: book a call with me here

- TALK KIT waitlist

- Creative Underdogs/In Process here | waitlist

- IG: @letitouttt + @katiedalebout

- James' other books here & here

If you liked this episode, try out from the archive:

Episode 421: Sorry for the Delayed Response: Digital Organizer Jésabel DC on Overwhelm, Sensitive Time & Prioritization

This week's episode is Part 2 of my conversation with filmmaker and ceramicist Madelynn De La Rosa. It’s been 3 years since she came over to record last and this conversation centered around all she learned in the last year. Recorded just before the holidays, she talks about how some of the biggest changes she’s made in her life have begun as New Year’s resolutions. In this second half, we talk about: how internal work can lead to external life changes, fear of being ordinary, her film recs, q&a from listeners, and more. If you missed Part 1, we discussed shadow work, learning to be gentler on yourself, gene keys, Abraham Hicks, spiritual principles that have helped us, and learning to not be too dogmatic about any of it. Let us know if you listen!

Show notes:

- Listen to Part 1 with Maddie here

- A couple spots left in my one-on-one Creative Clinic: book a free half-hour session with me here to see if it's a good fit

- The TALK KIT is coming soon: sign up for the waitlist

- My annual New Years journaling workshop & all of the Let It Out Kits

- Learn more about Creative Underdogs/In Process here | sign up for the waitlist

- Find Madelynn on the Web | Instagram | YouTube | Substack

- Films mentioned:

• Tales of Hoffman
• The Red Shoes

- Subscribe to our Substack to get show notes + essays, etc. sent to your inbox

- Instagram me: @letitouttt or I'm @katiedalebout

If you liked this episode, try out from the archive:

Episode 325: Intentionality, Beauty, Film, and Change with Madelynn De La Rosa

This week filmmaker and ceramicist Madelynn De La Rosa returns! It’s been 3 years since she came over to record last and this conversation centered around all she learned in the last year. Recorded just before the holidays, she talks about how some of the biggest changes she’s made in her life have begun as New Year’s resolutions. I’m breaking this into two parts: in this one we talk about shadow work, learning to be gentler on yourself, gene keys, Abraham Hicks, spiritual principles that have helped us, and learning to not be too dogmatic about any of it. Next week: how internal work can lead to external life changes, fear of being ordinary, her film recs and more. Let us know if you listen.

Show notes:

- A couple spots left in my one-on-one Creative Clinic: book a free half-hour session with me here to see if it's a good fit

- My annual New Years journaling workshop & all of the Let It Out Kits

- Find Madelynn on the Web | Instagram | YouTube | Substack

- Films mentioned:

• Tales of Hoffman
• The Red Shoes

- Subscribe to our Substack to get show notes + essays, etc. sent to your inbox

- Instagram me: @letitouttt or I'm @katiedalebout

If you liked this episode, try out from the archive:

Episode 325: Intentionality, Beauty, Film, and Change with Madelynn De La Rosa

’Tis the season for a repeat episode. I chose this interview with musician Andrew Bird from the archive because he always reminds me of the holidays. Before I play my 2019 conversation with Bird, I speak about how an episode he recorded in 2020 with Maron impacted me, including his perspective on ‘molting’. Despite the discomfort I felt revisiting something recorded nearly 4 years ago and judging my past self, what Bird shared with me in our conversation feels as relevant today as it did then.  

We covered the slow growth he experienced coming up as a musician, discipline in building his career, and how his strict classical violin training required strict adherence to rules—rules he ended up breaking to create his own signature style. He’s extremely prolific: since this interview was released, he's put out 4 additional albums, including his HARK! which I talk about in the introduction.

In this interview, we focused on My Finest Work Yet, which had just come out. Like all his albums, it’s filled with smart lyrics and mythology (which we talk about in this episode) as well as fresh melodies and probing themes. Recorded  in a crowded room at a music festival,  the sound is different than usual. And you might notice some odd jumps from topic to topic as we made the best of the audio we had. You’ll hear us jump around from how he writes songs, to how he met his wife, how he spends his mornings, parents his son, and of course, how he began incorporating whistling. Happy Holidays!

Show Notes:

- A couple spots left in my one-on-one Creative Clinic: book a free half-hour session with me here to see if it's a good fit

- Find Andrew on the Web | Instagram | Spotify

- Andrew's 2020 Christmas album, HARK!

- Andrew's episode on Marc Maron's podcast

- My Finest Work Yet  & the song "Sisyphus"

- Andrew's interview on Sam Jones' podcast

- Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

- The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow

- Lester Young 

- 2023 Holiday Workshops & all the Let It Out Kits

- The TALK KIT is coming soon: sign up for the waitlist

- Subscribe to our Substack to get show notes + essays, etc. sent to your inbox

- This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp: visit betterhelp.com/letitout to get 10% off your first month of online therapy

If you liked this episode, try out from the archive:

- Episode 424 with Sam Burton

- Episode 418 with Cale Tyson

This episode is part of my interview as a guest on Liz Tran's podcast, Reset. Liz is an author, executive coach, and founder of Reset NYC. In addition to her fifteen years of tech and VC experience, Liz also coaches from her spiritual practice. She is a Buddhist and a trained meditation teacher. Her latest book, The Karma of Success, came out in July. I interviewed her around then where we spoke about the difference between self-esteem and self-worth, how to be assertive without being rude, how she works with founders, and more. 

In this episode, Liz not only interviews me but gives me a coaching session on air. Among other things, we speak about the role of emotion in decision making, regret, feeling behind, moves and other transitions, whether everything happens for a reason, and the pressure to "keep up with the Jonses".

Show Notes:

- A couple spots left in my one-on-one Creative Clinic: book a free half-hour session with me here to see if it's a good fit

- The TALK KIT is coming soon: sign up for the waitlist

- Read my Laundromat Love Letter on Let It Out's Substack

- Episode 339 with Eva, Laura & Maria

- Find Liz on the Web | Instagram | Podcast

- Order Liz's book, The Karma of Success

- Instagram me: @letitouttt or I'm @katiedalebout

If you liked this episode, try out from the archive:

Episode 413: Karma Success with Liz Tran, Founder of Reset NYC

This week, I talk to my good friend of nearly a decade, author Katie Horwitch. We reminisce about our years of friendship, both moving to New York, and the evolving nature of relationships with distance. Our conversation also delves into the celebration of her new book and exploring her writing process. With a background in theater, Katie has long been an advocate for helping women shift negative self-talk patterns, a theme central to her book. She emphasizes the importance of beginning with the "self" rather than the "talk" when trying to shift negative internal dialog. In this episode, we explore why developing a stronger sense of self is the initial step to shifting negative self-talk. Additionally, we touch on Katie's insights into loneliness, belonging, casual negativity, prioritization, coping with overwhelm, distilling a project down to a concise thesis, and energy management. Let us know if you listen!

Show Notes:

- Find Katie on the Web | Instagram | WANT: Women Against Negative Talk

- Katie's book, Want Your Self

- This episode is sponsored by The Narrative Method: sign up for a free writing or conversation Salon below:

• 11/19 - Sunday morning write w/ Shari Foos 8:30am PT / 11:30am ET
• 11/21 - Tuesday night write w/ Dana Reynolds 4pm PT / 7pm ET
• 11/24 - Storylines Poetry Salon w/ Micah Greenberg  9am PT / 12pm ET
• OR check the calendar for lots of other options!

- Subscribe to our newsletter to get show notes + essays, etc. sent to your inbox

- I have a couple spots left in the Creative Clinic: book a free half-hour session with me here to see if it's a good fit

- Check out the Let It Out Kits: self-study workshops for personal growth | sign up for the Talk Kit waitlist

- Follow @letitouttt on Instagram. I'm @katiedalebout

If you liked this episode, try out from the archive:

Episode 180: Phoebe Lapine on The Wellness Project, Health vs. Hedonism, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, Only Childisms, Cooking + More!