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Episode 3: Finding Inspiration to Spark the Creative Process

Listen on Apple Podcasts  |  Spotify  |  Google Podcasts  |  iHeart Radio  |  Amazon Music

Watch this episode on our YouTube channel here

In this episode, Mama Judy and I continue our exploration of finding ways to get “unstuck” and allowing inspiration to guide us to artful action.

Inspiration is all around us, all the time. We share our trusted sources of inspiration and talk about how they’re able to pull us back into artistic expression. To us, art is the manifestation of joy. In that vein, inspiration is the hidden force behind its creation.

Whether you’re looking for the energy to step into action or just want to infuse your artwork with a fresh perspective, inspiration is key, and we hope listening to this podcast is a great help!

Listen now! 

Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts.
Click here to listen on Spotify.
Click here to listen on Google Podcasts.

Links mentioned in episode: 

Book: Steal Like an Artist, Austin Kleon
Book: The Creative Act: A Way of Being, Rick Rubin

Jill’s Slow Stitch Journal
Jill’s stitch project inspired by a famous painting.
California based artist Jill mentioned that creates art inspired by birds.
Wanderer Figures (project Mama Judy has been working on from a class she took led by Lyn Belisle)
Mama Judy using pockets in her art.
Asheville Artist: Jaime Byrd (one of Mama Judy’s favorite artists)

 

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Episode 2: Getting Unstuck and Priming the Creative Pump

Picture of Mama Judy and Jill, the mother-daughter duo with a microphone and the title of their podcast.

Listen now on: 

Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts
Click here to listen on Spotify
Click here to listen on Amazon Music
Click here to listen on Google Podcasts
Click here to listen on iHeart Radio 

Prefer to watch us chat on YouTube? Click here to join us over there. 

We hope you’ll tune in!

We’d love to hear from you! Email us at podcast@jillgottenstrater.com
Or send us a direct message on Instagram: >> Mama Judy Instagram >>Jill Instagram

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Episode 1: Why Is Art Important and an Introduction to Our Podcast

Picture of Mama Judy and Jill, the mother-daughter duo with a microphone and the title of their podcast.

Listen on Apple Podcasts  |  Spotify  |  Google Podcasts  |  iHeart Radio  |  Amazon Music

Watch this episode on our YouTube channel here

My 78 year old bonus mom (extra special step-mom status!) and I (Jill) decided to take our fun and interesting chats about art and the creative process and turn them into a podcast! 

This is us getting all professional for our first recording! Can you tell we have fun together?! #BlooperReel

In our very first podcast episode, we introduce ourselves and highlight our relationships with art. By the way, Mama Judy is a life-long artist, and I’m more of a newbie – so wherever you fall on the artistic spectrum, you’ll feel right at home. 

We touch on our goal of helping others discover their artistic expression by overcoming the many and debilitating forms intimidation can take. From a general sense of discomfort in operating outside our “comfort zone”, to fear of disapproval, to perfectionism and beyond, initiating the creative process can be difficult – but it doesn’t have to be!

This podcast reminds us of the importance of art and how your unique perspective is a vital accent to our shared, universal sense of beauty. 

Listen now on: 

Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts
Click here to listen on Spotify
Click here to listen on Amazon Music
Click here to listen on Google Podcasts
Click here to listen on iHeart Radio 

Prefer to watch us chat on Youtube? Click here to join us over there. 

We hope you’ll tune in! 

We’d love to hear from you!
Email us at podcast@jillgottenstrater.com

Or send us a direct message on Instagram:
>> Mama Judy Instagram
>>Jill Instagram


As promised, a visual of a few things mentioned on the podcast today.

Jill’s 2nd grade horse drawing (hasn’t changed in the last 40 years — can you see how I thought I didn’t have the capacity to be “artistic”?)

A pencil drawing of a horse that Jill has drawn since 2nd grade.

Mama Judy’s “Sisterhood” – an example of representational art.

A painting by Mama Judy that illustrates what representational art can look like. The image features a representation of four women.

Click here to see one of my (Jill’s) first slow stitch projects that was mentioned on the episode. 

 

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Loving on the Lonely and Sad During The Holidays

Holiday Sadness

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Right?

True for many, but not for everyone…

The holidays can be a time of loneliness, sadness and depression for some.  They may be experiencing a holiday without a loved one for the first time, are isolated and looking out on a merry world that they’re not part of, or their depression is sharpened by the jolly expectations during this time of year.

The beauty is that there are simple ways to be a blessing to someone who may fall in one of these non-enviable positions and I can sum it up with two words… I’ll explain in today’s video.

Being generous of heart doesn’t cost a thing, but it does take a little effort.  If you get stuck in figuring out for whom you will bless or what you will do, just recite one of my favorite quotes: “Do the next right thing.”

I’m so thankful you’ve chosen to spend some time with me here today!

Please share this post with your friends, family and co-workers.  You never know who will be blessed because you did.

Jill xx

If you prefer bulleted lists, I wrote a post a couple years ago with simple holiday reminders and you can read it here.

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A Weight Watchers Tip For All Of Us

Weight Watchers Tip

IIWI?

A co-worker has this post-it note at her work space that reminds here to ask herself a very simple question?  Is it worth it?  She was encouraged to ask this question by her Weight Watchers accountability group when she’s tempted to eat or drink something that wouldn’t be a healthy choice.

You and I make hundreds of decisions every day, some are well thought out, while some are impulsive.  In today’s video, I point out areas in all of our lives where we might be prone to make impulsive decisions, how to protect ourselves from making these type of decisions, and how to move on when we mess up.

Try it out!  Make your own post-it note and put it in an area where you need a reminder to be more mindful in making decisions.

I’m so thankful you’ve chosen to spend some time with me here today!

Your friends, family and co-workers would benefit from asking themselves this simple questions, don’t you think? Please share this post with them.

Jill xx

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This 2-Minute Focus Method Can Save You Hours Every Day

Time Saving Tip

“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have 24 hour days.” — Zig Ziglar 

As Zig says, we all have the same amount of hours and minutes in the day, but it’s how we use our time that matters.  It’s all about how we guide our focus.

I’ve tried out a lot of productivity tips and focus techniques over the years, but this single method I’m sharing today takes less than two minutes per day and can, literally, save you hours in your day.

There are no excuses with this one.  Before you leave my blog write your two or three things down and get to it.  Don’t forget to make a rule for yourself that while you are working on these items there are no distractions allowed.  Keep your head down, get it done, and move on.

I’d love to hear back from you after you’ve tried this technique.  I’ve generally hear back from people after just a day or two because it makes such a huge difference in the focus and productivity of their day.

Here’s to setting your focus on the important things and getting stuff done!

As always, I appreciate you spending time with me here today.

Your friends, family and co-workers need this simple focus strategy in their lives, too, don’t you thing? Please share this post with them.

Jill xx

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Exit Strategies and New Beginnings

Exit Strategies

Every ending is a new beginning, and every exit is an entry into something else.

This post idea came from a scary dream I had recently in which I was desperate to find a safe exit strategy from a dangerous situation for myself and one of my nieces.  After I awoke and breathed a sigh of relief that it was only a dream, I thought about how we are all in need, at different times in our lives, for a proper exit strategy–a time to gracefully leave one part of our story behind and step into what’s ahead.

Whether you’re ending a relationship or a chapter or season of life, it’s important to be aware of your need to exit one part of your life and enter the next.  The problem is that exits, endings, and even beginnings are not always easy.     

In today’s video, I break down how and why we get stuck in our efforts to exit certain situations, and how to plan for a successful exit strategy.

I hope that something I said today resonated with you.  For all the reasons I mentioned in the video, it’s clear that change can be hard, but we can do hard things, can’t we!

Here’s to putting on our commencement hats and taking a step into the next part of our journeys.

I’d love to hear from you.  In the comments below, answer this question:

  • What’s holding you back from taking your proper exit and getting started on the new beginning that’s waiting for you?
    Fear?  Overwhelm?  Too comfortable where you are? Decision fatigue?

I appreciate you spending time with me here today!

If you have friends, family or co-workers who might be in need of an exit strategy or a re-frame on their understanding of new beginnings, please share this post.

Jill xx

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A Simple Technique to Overcome Overwhelm

A simple technique for overwhelm

A simple technique to overcome overwhelm.

Have you noticed how quickly you can get stuck in indecision or become completely overwhelmed when your to-do list is too long, a project seems too big, or you’ve just lost touch with how to prioritize your day?

All the various distractions, literally at our fingertips (hello, mobile device!), make these moments of indecision evermore frequent.

There is a way to overcome these times of:

  • Overwhelm
  • Lack of clarity 
  • Lack of motivation
  • Boredom
  • Grief-induced paralysis
  • General decision fatigue

And it is more simple than you’d think.  Find out how in today’s video.

Well, what do you think? Will this simple technique get you moving and put your mind at ease today?

Thank you for spending time with me here today.

Jill xo

You may also enjoy this post I wrote with 5 steps to overcoming obstacles.  (This was my first video post from back in 2015! I had to film instead of write that week because of a neck injury, and I filmed from a hotel room while traveling for work.  Good times!)

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4 Steps To Creating Your Life Motto

Life Motto

Do you have a Life Motto?

A friend told me last week that her life motto was, “Leave places or situations better because you were there.”  This got me thinking about the importance of all of us claiming a life motto, an overarching principle or rule to live by.  As you probably noticed, my friend not only said to leave places better, like we’re told when we venture out in the woods, but “situations” better.  This covers everything, doesn’t it?  Conversations, conflict resolution, campsite etiquette, the work you do, the words you choose to use verbally and in writing.   

Today, I’m sharing four easy steps to create your life motto.  Let me know in the comments below what yours is.   

Click here to take the fun “What’s Your Life Motto” quiz I mentioned.  While the quiz is fun and may come up with something fitting, I think it’s important to put a little more thought into creating your motto.

Thank you for hanging out with me today!

Jill xx

Don’t you think your friends, family and co-workers should create a life motto, too?   Share this blog with them and ask them to share theirs with you.

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What the Dying and Death Can Teach Us About Living

Lessons from death

Unexpected death, those we are faced with individually and collectively, are devastating, but there are life-giving lessons to be learned from death.

None of us knows the exact moment we, or our loved ones, are going to die, but we do have a choice in how we live out our days.  Hospice nurse Bronnie Ware learned quite a bit from her dying patients and the regrets they shared with her before their death.  In today’s video, I share the top 5 regrets of the dying and how we can learn from them, whether you take your last breath today or years down the road.

Here’s to living without regrets!

Jill xo