The Spark File with Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien

This week, we’re exploring an experience shared by more than half of the world’s population: Menopause. If you are thinking to yourself, “Oh, that topic isn’t for me.” We’re here to tell you the truth: menopause impacts everyone. If you have had a period in your life, or if you love a person who has had a period, this episode is for you. (Spoiler: that means it is for everybody.)While the word itself might feel familiar, Menopause is deeply under-studied and continually misunderstood, even by medical professionals. And while we are definitely creativity coaches, decidedly not doctors, we’ve been sparked by lessons we’ve learned while navigating our own lived experiences.  Join us this week as we discuss the intense symptoms that can occur during menopause and how those symptoms can impact our lives—and yes, that includes impacts on our creativity! We’ll share some hard-earned wisdom from professionals working to increase awareness and from folks developing new tools and resources to help folks navigate the hardest parts of this often-ignored piece of our personhood and our health.You can listen to The Spark File podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and directly on our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like many artists, we deeply empathize with the world around us. It can be hard to manage all the tough feelings that come up. A lot is happening in the world—a lot to laugh about, cry about, shout about, and rage about. Sorrow can bring joy, anger can bring calm, and it can all feel impossible to face. And, like it or not, we believe there is one path forward: To get through it all, we’ve got to go all the way there.This week’s episode of The Spark File podcast examines our long-held belief that moving through big feelings requires mindful action. Join us as we discuss ways to process the hard stuff, following the real-world examples of everyone from curious toddlers to award-winning songwriters. We’ll explore methods for proper care and feeding of your feelings to help you get unstuck and move forward.The hard truth is that the tough stuff will keep coming. Fear, anger, joy, and the creativity cycle move through us regardless of the world’s events. So, in tenuous moments like these, the best care a creative community can offer—for ourselves and each other—is a developed practice of going all the way there. You can listen to the Spark File podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and directly on our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Exploring the art of connection, the hosts dive into insights from Molly Beck's book, emphasizing how networking is essential for creativity. They discuss the significance of both strong and weak ties in building relationships, providing tips to ease networking anxiety. Practical strategies for authentic outreach are highlighted, along with the importance of gratitude in fostering connections. The conversation also touches on physical health’s impact on social bonds, encouraging listeners to embrace the season of reaching out to enhance their creative journeys.

Lately it feels like so many of us are longing for belonging, but finding it harder than to connect. But why?  In this week’s episode of The Spark File podcast, we dig in to find the answer. Join us as Laura examines the work of social scientist Bob Putnam, whose book Bowling Alone: the Collapse and Revival of American Community connects the decline of American social organizations, guilds, and community spaces with an increase in isolation and a greater political and personal divide. The 2023 Netflix Documentary Join or Die, which digs into the “half-century story of America’s civic unraveling,” re-examined Putnam’s work with a lens on contemporary struggles.Turns out the answer is pretty simple: we need to reconnect in a meaningful way. Maybe you’re looking for a service organization, a community center, or a coaching community (like this one!) Wherever you can find (or rediscover) community, you might also find a greater sense of belonging. These connections are how we move through the most significant individual and collective problems. Listen on to hear our thoughts on how we move forward toward reconnecting in measurable and meaningful ways. As far as we’re concerned, it’s time to join the club! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The weight of the world felt heavy this week, but tough moments are when we feel luckiest to have this incredible community. Like we always say, everyone is creative but smart creative people do not go it alone! So this week, we did what we so often recommend to our coaching clients when the path ahead feels cloudy: We reached out to all the brave creatives in our lives (including you!) to see what is sparking comfort, catharsis, and change in their lives right now. We asked, and, boy, did you deliver!In this week’s episode, you’ll hear from an avalanche of creatives–including us!–-about which TedTalks, TV shows, poems, and songs are filling creative wells and buoying heavy spirits. And there were enough music recommendations for a whole playlist! Whether you’re seeking the comfort of joy and laughter or the catharsis of a good cry, the Spark File community has got your back. You can listen to this week’s episode of the Spark File podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and directly on our website. And, if you’d like to add music suggestions to our Comfort, Catharsis, and Change playlist, email your ideas to getcreative@thesparkfile.com! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here at the Spark File, creativity is a way of life and a way of being in the world. In this week’s episode of The Spark File Podcast, Laura digs into Rick Rubin’s book The Creative Act: A Way of Being. A profoundly successful American record producer, Rubin is the co-founder of Def Jam recordings, founder of American Recordings and former co-president of Columbia Records. He is someone who has spent his life making things—and, like us, he believes creativity is so much more than one project: it’s a whole way of being! Join us as we discuss how to break down barriers to the act of creation, making it more attainable in aspects of our lives. We’ll hit the highlights of Rubin’s musings, and share some of our thoughts on the power of infusing your life with creative energy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever found yourself giggling at the most unexpected insult, like "sparrow's fart"? Join us as we kick off this episode of The Spark File with laughter and a light-hearted exchange that sets the stage for a journey through creativity and introspection. We'll explore the wonderful world of "spark files," those magical little tools for capturing inspiration, and emphasize how much more fun the creative process can be with good company. As the conversation unfolds, we'll tackle the anxiety stirred by the relentless election cycle and recent global upheavals. Hear how staying up late with jigsaw puzzles becomes a peculiar form of revenge against bedtime procrastination, as we search for peace amid chaos.We then transition to managing moral distress, presenting effective strategies to calm the mind with practices like meditation, breathing exercises, and EFT tapping. Reflecting on the timeless wisdom of the Serenity Prayer, we focus on controlling what we can and finding solace in helping others. The discussion emphasizes the transformative power of self-care in building resilience against stress. We cap it off with an invitation for you to share your creative risks and feedback, acknowledging the Lenape and Mohican lands. With a "forever permission slip," we encourage you to chase those sparks of inspiration and turn them into something vibrant. Let’s navigate this creative landscape together with humor, courage, and camaraderie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s episode of the Spark File podcast, we head back to the beautiful Saunders Farm in Ottawa, Canada, where we were fortunate to host our almost annual SPARKFest. This week, on the eve of Halloween, we’re embracing the spooky season. Listen on to hear directly from Spark File community members. In this week’s episode you’ll hear sparks that explore Why (most) human beings love being scared, and how our fear sparks fear in others (spoiler: fear contagion is real!) The history behind haunted houses and fear-filled attractions How our brains trick us into filling in the gaps of what we can’t see The difference between a labyrinth and a maze Plus, you’ll hear from Spark Scribe Jill Dryer about the impact and power of dreams. But that’s not all! Saunders Farm’s own Angela Grant Saunders walks you through some of the spooky and sweet magic that makes Saunders Farm so special. (Hint: Apple cider donuts. Hundreds of them)So, if you’re feeling spooky, or you just want to cuddle up with some autumnal coziness, dig into the latest episode of…THE SPOOK FILE.… just kidding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every so often we hear the question: what is that “special sauce” that helps make up this “warm clan of creatives.” The truth is, a healthy culture and community requires a commitment to that mission from every single person involved. As educators, we’ve spent years learning about what conditions are most optimal for connection and community. As creatives, we’ve spent years participating in various collaborations and configurations of people working together and noting what processes and agreements bring out the best in each individual while bringing the group together.All of this experience led to developing our own expectations for our classrooms and workshop spaces. Enter: The Spark File Course Guidelines…A Poem.If you’ve ever been involved in a Spark File class session—whether part of a coaching cohort, participating in a one-off workshop, or kicking off the New Year with us in creative style—you’re probably familiar with these guidelines. In this week’s episode of The Spark File podcast, we’ll take a closer look at our community’s creative roadmap. Join us as we break down the course guidelines and explore the history of this living, breathing guide. We’ll discuss the educators, thought leaders and science (yes, science!) that influenced our creation of the course guidelines, and discover the “why” behind each component.There aren’t a lot of requirements when it comes to making things, but communal creative freedom demands that we all swim in the same direction. So, as the course guidelines say: As long as you’re present when you’re present, do the work, and aren’t being a dick, however you’re doing it, you’re doing it right. Them’s the rules! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s episode, you’ll get an extra special glimpse into SPARKfest 2024, our Spark File community retreat, held last fall at the beautiful Saunders Farm in Ottawa, Canada. When we say that The Spark File is a warm and wonderful clan of creatives, this is what we mean! Listen in and you’ll feel the live-in-front-of-a-crackling-fire ambience straight from the Saunders Farm ciderhouse!Our SPARKfest attendees met the challenge of finding and crafting a spark to share inspired by their time on the farm. From this fearless crew of multi-hyphenates, you’ll hear about: what birds can teach us about empty-nesting how nature’s patterns reveal the intersection between science and art  the lessons mushrooms teach about collaboration and competitive advantage how pumpkins represent finding the right container for your work And, all the things you can catch with open arms. We’ll share more SPARKfest goodness later in the season. For now get yourself by a warm fire or hook onto to your nearest zipline and join us for this first round of piping hot SPARKfest sparks! Happy listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices