Category Archives: Play

063: Go on a Joyride, Aimee DuFresne, writer, traveler, joy catalyst

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“It’s about being happy, it’s about living your life- not anyone else’s life. But it’s the life that YOU want to live, the life that makes you happy, that makes you share with the world what it is that you want to share.” ~Aimee DuFresne

Trust the unfolding…

Do you ever find yourself dangling the proverbial carrot in front of yourself? “I’ll be happy when I…” or “If only I could just…” or “I’ll take a break once I…”

Aimee DuFresne is no stranger to this trap, but through decluttering (inside and out), focusing on joy and doubling down on self-care and travel, she’s found a way to spring that trap and live an unconventional life.

In this episode, we talk about:

  • Aimee’s big “Joy Ride” and what it’s all about
  • Her adventures on her book tour that brought her to the west coast, and her time house sitting
  • What self-care really means (not just the buzz-word version) and some of Aimee’s favorite practices
  • How Aimee balances EVERYTHING out in her life
  • The day that her life completely changed
  • How the impostor voice shows up for Aimee especially around entrepreneurship and being an author
  • Aimee’s view on success

Aimee’s top life tip: Trust the unfolding.

“This is really exciting, but does it give me freedom?” ~Aimee DuFresne

Connect with Aimee

Website
Twitter
Facebook

Connect with Andrea

Website
Facebook
Instagram

Podcast Envy: Podcast Launch, Craft & Coaching Services
Chicago Women’s Creative Collective

Links and Resources

The Creative Impostor Magic page! Get a special gift from Andrea here.

Power Your Story — Created by my high school student podcast mentees!!!

Support The Creative Impostor

Andrea’s Patreon Page — where you can support the show, get cool gifts from me and can become an active participant in the creative community!

Free Audio Book & 30 day trial membership with Audible.com — support The Creative Impostor when you sign up!

About Aimee DuFresne

Aimee DuFresne is a Joy Catalyst and soul-shifting creator, writer, traveler, and latte-lover. She is the proud author of Keep Going: From Grief to Growth, a memoir about love, loss, living in the moment and the power of perseverance. With no home base, she travels the world with her wine consultant hubster, house and petsitting while working on writing projects, including her next books.

This episode was mixed by Edwin R. Ruiz of Mondo Machine.
The Creative Impostor theme music was created by JoVia Armstrong.

I’d LOVE to hear from you!

If you’re listening in Apple Podcasts, PLEASE subscribe and leave a review. It’s how Apple decides which shows people find when they are searching for specific topics like this one.

2018 Studio Memberships Now Open!

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You don’t have to do this alone!

Do you ever feel isolated — like you’re creating in a vacuum and longing for someone to engage with your work?

Are you craving connection with other women who are taking risks, thinking outside of the box and designing a creative lifestyle?

Have you been feeling like an impostor and need some accountability, support and motivation (i.e. swift kick in the pants) to boost your confidence and find your creative groove?

I have definitely experienced ALL of these feelings. It’s why I created the Chicago Women’s Creative Collective FIVE YEARS AGO (OMG) in 2012 and why I started The Creative Impostor in 2015. Because I was looking for connection, community, someone who really could understand what the #*!@ was going on in my entrepreneurial, overstimulated, artistic, impostor brain.

I didn’t want to hang out in bars (and blow all my financial resources with nothing to show for it), I didn’t want to self-segregate into one category (just yoga teachers or only podcasters or simply writers) to the exclusion of all my other creative passions.

I didn’t want to feel competitive, less than, or alone.

And in this growing community, I don’t.

I LOVE our Chicago members who have been attending a sprinkling of Idea Brunches, Artist Salons and Co-Working sessions, along with social outings to support each other, clothing swaps and more.

I am INSPIRED by our growing global community in the Facebook Group who have been showing up for Facebook Lives, listening to the podcast and sharing their online program offerings.

I HEAR you asking for more opportunities to connect. I hear our global community feeling jealous of our Chicago events.

And I am FEELING called to expand, yet again. And I want to do it while taking care of MYSELF (something I don’t always consider when creating something new.) I want to make sure I’m offering a sustainable model for building community that supports you and honors my own time and effort.

So I THINK I’ve got a good plan that you’re going to LOVE!

For a limited time, I am now offering 2018 Studio Memberships for The Creative Impostor (online only) and the Chicago Women’s Creative Collective (in Chicago with an online element.)

 

2018?! It feels so far away!!!!

Nope.

How are you going to complete that creative vision you’ve been dreaming of?
Who are you going to intentionally surround yourself with?
When are you going to dedicate time to your artistic process?
And why keep going when it gets tough or overwhelming or your impostor voice starts throwing an existential tantrum?

Now is the time to design your creative support plan. Are you ready to commit to yourself?

Get the details and reserve your membership here.

There are 4 different Studio Memberships available, 3 in Chicago and 1 online. Each membership has a limited number of spaces and priority registration for all of our Chicago Idea Brunch and Artist Gallery events will be given to Studio Members. Single tickets to these events will be sold if any spaces remain.

Check out the Chicago Women’s Creative Collective on Meetup here.

Join The Creative Impostor Facebook Group here.

 

 

043: Have your ice cream first, Ruth Humphreys

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“If I start the day with my inner child playful activities, I’m a lot more productive, I’ve been able to entertain my inner child so I can later on get on with the ‘work’ and also I’m more joyful and then other things come from that as well.” ~Ruth Humphreys

Just hit “play” and start your day…

What did you LOVE to do as a child? Something that you could do all day and it would be as if time stood still…

Ruth Humphreys, former librarian, is a storyteller for children and a coach for grown-ups who want to find their playful mission in life through connection with your inner child. This phrase, inner child, typically would make me roll my eyes, but in this case, I’m inspired and energized by Ruth’s imaginative approach to re-discovering wonder!

“When children are playing, they’re processing emotions — they’re processing what’s going on… and as adults we’re the same… it’s very therapeutic.” ~Ruth Humphreys

Connect with Ruth

On the Web
Wonder Led Leaders Circle on FB
Ruth on Facebook
Instagram

Ruth’s Ice Cream Video 

Ruth’s Inner Child Morning Music Playlist

Connect with Andrea

Facebook
Instagram
Chicago Women’s Creative Collective

Resources & Links

The Creative Impostor Magic page! Get a special gift from Andrea here.

Support the Creative Impostor

Andrea’s Patreon Page — where you can support the show, get cool gifts from me and can become an active participant in the creative community!

Free Audio Book & 30 day trial membership with Audible.com (support The Creative Impostor when you sign up!)

“We come into this world knowing who we are and what we’ve come here to do.” ~Ruth Humphreys, on the time in our life BEFORE impostor feelings begin to set in

About Ruth

Ruth Humphreys is a storyteller, inner child Wonder Shop leader and facilitator of play, curiosity and courage for kids and inner kids.

The Wonder Led Leaders Circle is a safe and nurturing space to help us connect with and listen to our inner child. The inner child which loves to play, has so much wisdom to impart and is hidden under the adult bit.

This circle is a playful and sacred space to share what you loved to do as a child and explore joyful and magical ways to find the essence of these activities to nurture and bring more of what lights you up into your life.

We share playful suggestions, reminders to look at the world in the eyes of wonder and support each other in being courageous in our creativity”

“When we play, we relax, so the more playful we can be, the more we can relax.” ~Ruth Humphreys

This episode was mixed by Edwin R. Ruiz of Mondo Machine.
The Creative Impostor theme music was created by JoVia Armstrong.

I’d LOVE to hear from you!

If you’re listening in Apple Podcasts, PLEASE subscribe and leave a review. It’s how Apple decides which shows people find when they are searching for specific topics like this one.

042: Come over and play

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“There’s a very blurry line between making art and working when your art is your life and your passion is your art and your art becomes your business and your business is work… it’s a tricky cycle.” ~Andrea Klunder

Self-promotion & Play like Oil & Water? Maybe not…

When I was a kid, the other kids on the block would get frustrated because rather than just riding bikes together, I always wanted to creates some structure and do things like make them play traffic cop.

Not a lot has changed, in that even as an adult, I have a tendency to turn my creative passions into hard work.

But what happens when forces in your life, your community, your clients, and even your tarot cards conspire to get you out of your rut and just play?

Find out…

“At first I was like, “ugh, I have so much work to do this weekend, I don’t have time to screw around in the forest preserve, shooting slow motion video for what purpose I have no idea.”” ~Andrea Klunder

Resources & Links…

The Creative Impostor Magic page! Get a special gift from Andrea here.

Interview with Bree Noble on music, business and self-promotion, Episode 041

Interview with Jennifer Briney on Congressional Dish, Patreon, and asking for money from your listeners, Episode 039

Interview with Ruth Humphreys on storytelling, your inner child and play, Episode 043 coming soon!

Sean Johnson & the Wild Lotus Band – my muses for movement, music & myth

The Bhakti Caravan – the band I sing with

Support the Show…

Andrea’s Patreon Page — check it out and stay tuned for new PLAYFUL creativity making opportunities with me!!!

Free Audio Book & 30 day trial membership with Audible.com (support The Creative Impostor when you sign up!)

“And I thought to myself yes these women totally get it. This is what podcasting CAN be all about — an extension of your creative expression and art to be able to reach new audiences and build community around that creative spark — and invitation for others to come over and play with you.” ~Andrea Klunder

This episode was mixed by Edwin R. Ruiz of Mondo Machine.
The Creative Impostor theme music was created by JoVia Armstrong.

I’d LOVE to hear from you!

If you’re listening in Apple Podcasts, PLEASE subscribe and leave a review. It’s how Apple decides which shows people find when they are searching for specific topics like this one.