The my guest today morgan harper Nichols is a writer artist and musician, who spent the first few years of her adult life as a college, admission, counselor and then as a full time, touring singer, songwriter and musician, and it was on the road that she really began to cultivate a sense of curiosity and deep interest and passion for the written word beyond music and for art and slowly began to share her art and her words with others online and then in two thousand and seventeen. happen. Morgan started a project where she invited people too privately, submit their stories to her on her website and from there. She would choose them and then create art, so an illustration inspired by what they sent her

send them the original art for free and nearly everything morgan, creates and shares today is from this project and show it keeps the names and stores private the public fruit of this project. is shared daily on her instrument committee, which is now over a million people globally, and it also ends up often in publications, on murals around the world and from this beautiful act. Billy of service and generosity and love and sustained crew, If devotion morgan has increasingly bank sending and collaborated with mobile brands from anthropology to adobe, live nation coach, so many others her first full color, art and poetry. book all along. You were blooming, is now out in the world. It is beautiful and moving firing and reminding people that they are not alone so excited to share

This conversation with you on Jonathan fields, and this is good life project. Girls. It is supported by the economist sue. The world seems to be moving faster than ever: climate economics politics, a eyeing, your wherever you look. Events are unfolding at a rapid pace and it's hard to stay on top of it, which is why I love that now, for the first time, you can get a one month, free trial of the economist, so you won't miss a thing I have

we ve been reading the economist who want to safer decades. I love that it covers more than just economics and finances you'll find coverage on topics from politics to science, to technology, even arts and the environment. The economist offers this global perspective with really incredible clarity and deeper analysis, so you can dive into specific issues or catch up on current events. I was just checking out this article on the changing landscape of tech, jobs for recent computer science grattan how everything is changing so fast. It was a real eye opener and with the economist free trial, you'll get access to in depth independent coverage of world events through podcast webinar. As an expert analysis, as soon as you sign up, if you're interested in subjects like this go to economist dot com, slash project for full access to the topics that matter to you, an original analysis as events unfold, that's economist, dotcom, slash, project or just click. The link in a show notes to start your one month, free trial with the economist today, because the world won't wait

How does a I even work where it is creativity, come from It's the secret to living, longer, ted radio, our explores the biggest questions with some of the world's greatest thinkers. They will prize challenge and even change. You listen to and purist head ted radio, our whatever you get your PA guests. so the ten percent happier podcast has one guiding philosophy. Happiness is still that you can.

It's a! Why not embrace it. It's hosted by dan harris journalists who had a panic attack on national television and then send out on this journey of transformation and he's now on a quest to help. Others also achieve peace and happiness, and every week Dan talked you top scientists, meditation teachers. Even the odd celebrity in wide ranging conversations that explore topics like productivity, anxiety and lightness, psychedelic and relationships. The interviews cover everyone from bernay brown to cerebral ass to SAM Harrison more. I love learning from his questions and experiences and incredible guess think of listening to ten percent happier as a work out. For your mind, fine ten percent, happier where every listen to pot casts So did we hang out with you were in that way right now, which is, I guess you were born here, but in a heartbeat

the family jumped over to the land area right as very too. I lived here for the first part of my life, and somewhere around. I was almost two years old. We ended up in stone, mountain georgia and My parents, my mom from they originally and my parents move there to start a church, and I was a home schooled preachers kid stolen, ok so that they become a sort of like a suburban new york has been in the usa for thirty years. What's that smell you, suburb, small town like, or did you have like a feeling of atlantic in the town that you're in its midst sized city so yeah? It feels the little like it's interesting like the de transit actually stop psych ride around there from atlanta was kind of like the last of the dinner before you start getting into more rule city so yeah,

I always felt like I was in kind of figures in a small town. You know it is a like there's, always people around my parents here those kind of people who dislike come on we come to the house that he was always just like filled with people filled with lots of different kinds of people say I never felt like. I was like a small town, even though I was home schooled. Unlike the churches, really small church. It always felt like there was a lot of people a lot of people around a lot of people to meet, which My internet itself dies of existing housing bells a lot and I were often dislike retreat to my room and

added and play piano and just kind of stay there that might come a high can stay at how long I can stay up here before people realize that disappears like that was pretty much retired, so in the early days was, and also I mean the churches literally in like your basement right, yes, wow, that's amazing! You know this yes, so it was literally like the foundation of metallic home, and This remember from, and I wouldn't have uses language as a kid, but now looking back I just remember sort of like always. Wrestling with this like I was I've always been very curious about people and intrigue in wanting to meet people at the same time like being overwhelmed by groups of people. so it was always is interesting mix because like I from a young

I always thought. My parents are really cool lake. I didn't know that mean again like they were like southern yo preachers in this context, but they were for in the sense of like leg we're just so like on the grounds and like just very saw and very much so dislike like gas. We just want to get to know you as people and I we admired and still do love just sort of a way of being in the world, but I was always kind of scratching my head cause? I wish to say I'm not like that lake mike I get what what happening here, but why do I feel so drained like? Why do I feel like get ready to speak? I don't know what say, and then I get back to my journal and all those things I was trying to say now it's coming out, so I didn't know for a very long time that that was ok. I think

I never asked anyone about edges assumed as like a little girl that, like ok, maybe I'm just weird, maybe I'm I've gout. this really in the meantime, outer ski drawing painting a figure things out, but yeah it was. It was an inch in childhood. I felt like I was constantly going back and forth the tina things like okay. This is what the families doing. what we love to do, but at the same time like who am I, What what am I supposed to do so then she, when you're, when the fact it is almost eight the families job yet and yes, your parents job is to be followed facing in the at the end, to be leaders of community and invite people in, but you see, this, then I also I've seen the phenomenon where, if you are part of europe, the family that is and leadership in a community whether its faith based or activity based, you're force philosophical whenever it is so many times the whole family has that same acrobatics? Like you all play this role,

You all code should be filtered facing, and it'd be doing all these different things which, if you're wired, that way is awesome. But if you're not it can be really can't yeah, and I think about that all the time, even with like I have a son who is almost eight months old and even now like I'm painting on my. I can't wait to teach them how to do this, but what, if he doesn't like it, it's gonna be ok but should have, teach him how much it I'd. He took me up just try to stick with it. For a year or month I buy guided so yeah it's it's interesting because it's like idle, I don't know the answer that you notice like a year in this environment, in the setting you're part of it, but his sake, it's a. Where do you, Where does that kind of stop, and where do you start? If that makes sense, and I feel like that's something that I I think I still think about yeah it does, though it does sound like you have come to a place where, maybe when you were young or trying to figure out a catholic I should

okay in this other mode and something needs to be fixed, like something's right, but it sounds like you have come to this place now. Really, Actually, this is the way I'm tired and I'm ok with that and there's a lot. That's like beautiful, engrais, swollen generative about a two. Absolutely absolutely and it was through. I thought it was through lake. Failure that I learned that trying to trying to like a force myself to be more of way, especially when I was a graduate from college of what I thought like this, is what a grown up look cite. The sort of grown up job looks like I will do this in others. Do my art thing other side and my first job out of college was as an emission cuts where, where I went to school- and I wish you success was like a grown up job, I have salary and a very good. I just got

arid. I met my husband in college and then the position that I was working in was actually moving to a different part of georgia and moving to the part of the state, and I couldn't afford to move with the position and and just like that it was just whoa my grown up. Job like that was supposed to be the laying who, while I figured everything else out and I ended up- and that was when I was I was aghast. I graduated college at twenty, and I was- and I was like either just turned twenty two somewhere around when all that when I was like? Ok, I guess I'm leaving this so from age, twenty two to twenty six, specifically, it was just like, on the ground- just try to figure out like what am I Souci, be they re like. I feel like it something creative. I can't seem to escape creativity. By the same time I don't feel like anything's taking off.

What was that sense for creativity? It sounds like that something that was matches really given permission, but really almost like embraced any his in your in your household as a thing really young age, which doesn't always happened, yes and something something I'm very grateful for, and my mom specifically as a kid. My mom encourage my sister and I to create something new. Every day Ok yeah, she was to say, create something you every day and she was even like aesthetics. was even just if we can get away with just like. Ok, right, crayon scribble, the paper she will again say did you spend time on this lake was story here? She would make us a really. Things of albania is easily done, and I remember thinking by com on more like we don't have to do this, but like I'm so glad that she incurred

that a me thy river, the one time specific, my sister and I were we love the pomp of girls cartoon and we're just going on and on about how we feel that there should be more diversity. Power of girls are really why don't they have a black power of god, we're just king amongst ourselves. We had other and my mom in the car and my mom might leans back striving she's like why? Don't you guys make one make another pop of girl and we were like. We can't do that and she's like. Yes, you can And we never got around to romania, but I was like she was doing that like all throughout our childhood, like you can make it you can do that and it wasn't even about like you can do it

It's got to go viral and everyone's going to know about it. You know, like you, have that ability like you can't. So I still thank her for that all the time, because I'm just like it. The the whole concept of just like knowing that you have permission to create is something that I think sadly gets taken away from a lot of people at a young age. They all they don't know that their voice matters, and they don't know that they cat you, your perspective of how bout mountain looks is different. Then no answer lads or someone else, but it matters lake, because that's the way you see. That's your creativity, whether an artist or not so I am, I feel, like I'm equally passionate about like that message as I am about actually making are, because I am I I e that stuff

like it made a difference when I was in my earlier twenties, and I was feeling like a failure, four, suddenly them I kept creating mel, I kept where's seed was pleasure in being in the earliest is selling. This is actually possible, no guarantees right. It's like hers here divide. If something doesn't exist that you think should exist. You know that I love that your mind. Plainly that see it as if, well, why not you I could you know like you're, just as capable of creating this thing, as anybody else or you've got something to say and offer gas absolutely and that's something that I just. I just try to think about like every cause. I I I still create every day like I wake. in the morning and this my my way of star the day like I have the start, writing or so painting minos until they get to do it for thirty minutes

Sometimes it's an hour or two. It just depends on how early I wake up. How early the baby wakes outer ads are not so much wartime yeah exactly it's like he's running the show right now, so you know we just kind of go along with it, so you also mentioned, and you brought up journaling but in the context of real young age. How, when does that and your life. Yes, started keeping a diary eight years old, neil kinnock and I still have a lot of those diaries land there. So it was so interesting I I would have really while a lot about my feelings, your things, which is logging the day. I wish this Oh a stray dogs. In the guard, and then we did math girl cheese, but Jamie's girl, she's had more than my head were cheese and mine.

It's a full eight year old injustice as an observation I'm like. Why was I documented stuff, like no one told me to do this? So it's really fascinating to me that I was able to just keep that member. What what what the? Why was there? No homo, I don't like I still like they're in my they're still in my garage. I was just looking at them last week like trying to make sense of. Why was I doing this like? Why did I feel like I could or I should do this and I I still don't know it was just I don't know like this. Book here. I've got something to say and I'm gonna say and yeah Very I don't know it wishes stumm. I think some of it may have been to kind of what I mentioned before we dislike. I in social situations, which there were a lot of them, much lots of them? I just often felt like I was just a little bit slower pace that getting there

so in my mouth and communicating. I was I I want to be in on the joke, but I just feel like I'm a little few seconds behind, so I think maybe four For me, it was like I will often do this at the end of the day, I think is a cares all the things that I wanted to say, but didn't get a chance to like some nights. I wouldn't I remember I was specifically. We have one of those like one of the old school like encyclopedia, clutch, and sometimes I would just like go grab. Oh and out is opening up into sake interesting things. I thought about octopus sumptuously, that's kind of cool now might come in handy later, so my I don't know maybe was wishes. My all I wanted talk about all these other little things, but there's all this other Of going on so I'll just talk about it diary because I always talk to diary. Person, so diary diarrhoea, you don't know about this- gets gadgets, is really interesting, like AL

to look at those chow had things I'm glad I still have a because it I haven't. You asked have figured out what was going on back then. But the suggesting I wonder if at least part of what was going on was not only you saying. Ok, this is a place, I can say what I want to say in my time like me like. nobody has to be in the room, but at least I get it out, but also if every, if Much of your life was so sure of our facing its like the german becomes. This is a place where she might like full control over this one place where I get to express myself, the mo the way, the language, the words the timing. Everything is like this is me like I own this one domain and nobody can mess with. Yes, yeah, I think that's what it is. I think that's what it is, and I think I am

still doing that day, it's just different yeah, it's an evolution. Yeah. I think, as I now I share a lot of my are on social media and I think that that was kind of There may be some of that began because it wishes slight. Here's away that I can share, but on my own terms, that makes sense it wishes like. Ok. Yes, putting get out there to any possible stranger in the world, I can't find it at the same time it issues like over this like a little space that I have to kind of late, and I get to what I share when I don't share cause. I I share, I would say he used to be about ten percent us getting up to about twenty five percent. I share about twenty five percent of what I make online, so there's a lot that I just kind of keep and I'm just like I dunno. I think this is just the art that leads to the other art, so yeah, I think I'm so doing that in some ways like I'm just like you know some things

everyone else, but within their these other things there aren't there that line tends to changeover. I'm with us right, especially, I think for voter and I'm with you much more. The insured, it's out of the spectrum, an end that definitely it sort of becomes a tool for self preservation, yelling. Getting real clear about where your line is fur modes. Engagement interaction with other people and the weather's one to one want to some one too many, and so like just come, leave dynamically adjusting that so that you can do the thing you're here to do, and also be ok, absolute that's so true- and I felt like I am saying like after you just put language so like so it has video I had because I might I see myself Doing that and other areas too, for instance, I'm starting to do like live events with my poetry in art and asked, credibly intimidating, like people were the carbon hear me talk. Why it's in a book you can read a hike,

Why it's it's a gladiator lady! Here we talk about anyway. I just say that there is a lot going on in my head about that started to notice. I was like even though It takes a lot for me mentally to be able to prepare for these events. I was like there are some events that don't stress me out as much so I was like what is it about those they don't trust me out, and I realized it was events where one it's like a workshop, so I'd, I was gonna to have the opportunity to have some kind of face to face one on one with every one in the room. It wasn't for a long period of time and they were events that were sort of within the community. It was like something that I shared lake. My mailing lists, like hey guys, would you like to come to this, so I was like these are people who are who are already kind of here. Even if we haven't engaged on mine

then one when I, when we all get together and we meet these people, I'm like all these are my people I'm like, and I feel I feel comfortable here. I feel neither you know in life. You're always gonna be comfortable, but it's just like it's nice to have that. You know have to have those moments where it's like. Okay in this noisy world, where I can often times get in my head and convince myself that, oh, my goodness, like, maybe I shouldn't be sharing, or maybe I'm not much of an artist or maybe this maybe be that all of these many things as think it's nice to have these spaces. So when you said that about the line like that is really got me. Thinking outrageously, gathers there's, although these places where it's like, oh there is a difference between these kind of events in those kind of events are, there The difference between sharing on social media and sharing this with my friends like there's different feelings, are different ways that yeah so yeah, it's opening all say that you mentioned that, wouldn't as you're doing alive things like the people who

up in the room are our different there, your people, it solar sense, because fundamentally even though what you're putting out is essentially this is these are my words is my thoughts as my voice, and this is my art in in? That is, is a set of beliefs and taste and values. And it's almost like when you then decide to take the next step. Something live where your showing up in a room and inviting anyone who wants to come the people who come to the people. we're going to notches vision, with your art, but with what, with those percent are sorely qualities and trades that you're offering outbreak. Those are the rules at the container and if you want to step into may, I also would like to in almost all relate, tells people raise your hand if, like this is the way you you we're only want to hang with people who are less gas. That is so so it so well said, and I'm I'm so glad

I'm finding it now and then there's also this part of me. That's like gosh I'd needed this, like in college and high school, because it was just like I just felt like I always felt so different, how certain just I think so I have one sister and she is two years younger than me and enter a bike technical in terms of what we do creatively were very similar. We both play lots of the same instruments without ourselves and we both rights. We both a writ bugs and like working on new book, she's? We have a lot of similarities with she's, definitely more high energy extrovert in and she was really interest. Youtube very early on and wooden. the combination of her high energy, and you too, creativity, those things together like it started to make some. is very early on and she was getting all these opportunities like just like supporting. She has tourette syndrome.

And she was raising awareness about it and like interviewing other teens, who have just like we like. I like shooters off to the races it'd be while I'm over here, like okay, I've written a few poems in my journal. But do I read those on youtube What they do and she's a little sister, geezer you're, probably think we should be the one who's laid out in front aggravating exactly so thats what was kind of happening at home veto it listen to my parents, being tests, thrushes salt lake, like every time I see my paris or like we met this amazing couple, today max we talk for an hour, that's a real story that has happened two days ago. Obviously, how do you find time like their showing pictures, I they're like this. The cop we met they're amazing. We kept like what is So I wish to say what is wrong

with me so at home. I just felt so different of months. These three very outward people who are just like finding their way to cook and act with others in a way that I couldn't and then I just felt like with other teenagers My age it was either it was one she were the other. They were like. Ok, thou art thing, that's weird! or it was like they were like Ebay and the mayor alike out there and their fully colored myspace pages, and I was just like what am I do there was one, in place. There I felt like there were my people and says some forum car, the young either society online, for my informant, I'm I'm actually a distinguished Bertha It's called the gold is actually gold. They made our goals. I was like kind of like my pocket. Ok, I just wish that these kids

which we were in a room together, so it was like that was my group and ve actually like state in touch with some people from that forum, many years later and house a cash like a psychiatrist. Those kids, like those people alike, we were sharing like our public would have like featly monthly seems like this month were doing lord of the rings thing in poetry, and this is very interesting space at our site at his wish that we were all like together in real life so you know it took a long time, but I feel like I'm finding that now you feel the same way in college to and also I noted that she graduated college twenty say you went and com she ass. I would the college's sixteen while yet now it could cause a homespun later accelerated thing, all yes, my mom was she started me. It can unguarded that three receive

if we wanted to see you just like a dishonest. If we can learn that stuff, she just kept it up. So we we just woke up one day and it's like oh you're. Sixteen at the same here, I guess it's time to go to college right, so I went to the small, private, liberal arts college call point of that's in atlanta, so. And it was it was like- I feel like It- was like the perfect balance of like okay, I'm going away to school, but I didn't have my driver's license yet so I it was the end, and this is at a place where you do like we had public transit, but you can't lie on the south like yet another cities so yeah. most students had a car, and you know there's like no uber or anything back then so my parents are so pretty close. There are times where they take me places and, But yeah I feel I go. I started to find a little bit community college, those mostly in the classroom with my professors,

I was, I wouldn't say, like the teachers pair and might the traditional but I was just very when I, when I was here: Several different professors talk of sick there's, something about them and about what you're doing with their lives that I like mike, they're, just related to them more yeah, like they're they're sitting here talking about books, and it's like, like there were a few particular classes like literature classes. Things like that, where you know the fifty minutes would end and I'm like, I could have stayed here longer like I could. I enjoy with that I couldn't quite figure out where I fit in that like I was like. I don't know, if I'm a professor like I don't know, if that's what it is but just like there's something about whatever their doing that I'm interested in so I ended up switching majors quite a few times and

if you start out with music right yeah summer yeah I was a. I was because that was the I started with music because I felt like it was the most of it probably my of all the different things I tried artistically. It was kind of my sharpest skill at that time, because I had started teaching myself it like fourteen, not just became MIKE laser focus like obsessed with it and teaching myself, qatar and running songs. Now that so I started with I'm sorry with music, but it was the performance part really is only so much hurrying back. That's right! So much like the credit that you earn you halligan interest. You have to take choir than you have tar ensemble about my dear I literally schedule. I was like everything. Who classes in with performance. This semester is going to aid with redoing. Performers are those I. How did this

where this is. This is so important to me that I am fascinated by the idea of the election had people who just loved her there? They bid thing that lay some are more than anything else is being on a stage being. Whatever it is, it's the bill. the two aluminate a moment, a story whatever it is with other people there and but then you also have have people where the real fun of vat variants is actually the creative generative work that goes on before you do it, and it's almost like you're good, just handing it off to somebody else. What there's this expectation in the world that, like one person, has to do both and for someone who's with like you that can be kind of brutal. I just got children. You said that the expectation that is real just because I feel like for me when I am told that guitar am I and this is an age when, like american,

It was on the rise of like taylor, swift action come out and like this image of why girl with a guitar Are you saying you have a voice like? Obviously that's the path firstly, you should be on stage and yeah. I felt like that was what was expected of meeting, and I felt like to not do that in that capacity. All the time would be irresponsible and I don't feel that way now, but definitely thought that way then, and it really yeah, and only your teenager, if your try to figure out what to do and if grown up say. This is a good idea here soon scholarship come welcome. You can saying come sing than you say: ok, all right I'll! Do it, at least for me. What I did and yeah. just overwhelmed by one, the performances. I wasn't the biggest thing like. I love the thing

classes like I love to be able to sit and study me love music appreciation like the causes that advertising my classmates her dislike. Only gosh we just get out of here, was like that's where I want it to be like in the lab lake. I want it to be the lab. I love that it was literally. The piano lab and as I care that's where I want to be so, I was like wow. That was that that was kind of exhausting. So I looked at my transcript and the classes that I had a one hundred in that. I would cite the bestead. It was on the english classes, anything that anything where the turf and like my saying that everything where, like the metrics of lake, how your great was earned if it had to do with writing a paper. I this there was a gem yeah that was that

and I was like all those are the easiest, classical slick. I don't even remember leg like I always remember those papers it and I'm getting good grace is amazed sounds like maybe I switched English. So I did. I switched English and then another opportunity came in another school for music again went back going back and forth and I went back and then I went back and I was like nope that wasn't. It should have for the first time and then I ended up at community college for a semester, and that was a very pivotal moment because I took a an american literature class had to write a poem for an assignment, and I just wrote wine and handed it in, and the professor, MR milford. He and I've Like I tell him, that's like every year, I might he must refer to say now that over several. Thank you.

said hey, so you writer, like you, should do that. People like do you oh and then each started telling me about all the abilities for writers. No one had ever really share them. With me about like say, gathers emma Faye programme search people who write fraternal, serve. People who write say also whoa whoa, like there's a whole world here that I never I for new about absolutely innocence of, like ok, yeah see books about these things? Are you know where I was like me? I could do that and I was like ok all right. Mr referred, I'm a writer. Thank you very much. Switch back to english went back to the score I started and from there are now I wish the site. I don't know what I'm gonna do with this. I dont know if this be is that I will have like the law

was salary ever, but I don't care. I was like I'm going to write I'm going to that's what I'm supposed to do for such a journalist. To that thing, right. not yet global private aviation leader is known for personalizing every detail of your travels, because not yet standard is not just to meet their definition of perfection its. exceed yours, discover more at netjets. Dot com that right it is supported by arab. So I am always looking for new ways to get more nutrients into my daily routine. To promote really all around better well being and recent

I have discovered. I herb a one stop shop that offers the best curated selection of wellness products at incredible values. Then everything from vitamins and sports supplements to bath products can care and make up. I had so much fun, exploring their website and finding things, and I really want it like thorns, calcium, magnesium, melick capsules and vitamin d three k to both of which support bone and muscle health and immune function. I urge that you made it so easy to find what I need, because you can search by category or even wellness, concern and best of all, I feel safe, knowing that every product is tested, verified and sold directly by. I herb so it's time to get your health in check with. I urge our listeners get twenty two percent off your first order when you use code good life at I herb dot com, that's twenty! Two percent off your first order at I h e r b, dot com, promo code, good life or just click the link in this

notes and use promo code. Good life choose I herb because, while miss matters goodnight project is supported by new. So it's that tommy the year were a lot of oak start to think about their fitness schools getting their bodies moving myself included. I actually recently started playing a lot more attention to how I was fuelling my body and also really came to realize it. I was carrying a lot of information in my body and potential disease risk in the form of weight, so I wanted and intelligent and sustainable and supportive way to increase my health, lose the weight and info

she and just feel better, and news is just a great solution for this one that I have turned to numerous times over the years to help me accomplish wellness and when it makes sense, wait management goals as well, so new uses science and personal is asia, and so you can not just intelligently manage wait for the long term, but also really learn from their psychology based approach that helps you build better habits and behaviors at are easier to maintain and the best part you decide how new fits into your life, not the other way around. Based on a sample of forthwith,

two hundred and seventy two numerous ninety eight percent say noom helps change their habits and behaviors for good, and that is because noone actually helps you understand the science behind your choices and why you have certain cravings. So if you feel like you've, been lacking the knowledge to make the changes you want to see, try out noom, so you can start making informed choices and start to really change the way that you think about weight, loss and weight management and wellbeing. Take the first step and sign up for your trial today at noon. Dot, com that n, o o m dot com to sign up for your trial today or just click. The link in the show notes. get out of school. You I mean you, ve got care of yourself married pretty soon after that also, and is a good case. I got it at least for now get a full time. Job naturally cannot sustain visa. You end up in in emissions in the same school. You are at risk, Will you also simultaneously thinking about

doing like an m f a in writing. I yes! So so, because Mr Roper encouraged me I was like yes, I m f a program, that's what I'm going to do so I applied, and I got into really great I gather that I still left to the stable isley my workload with the election program. I couldn't do it so I just at one the master- and, I might add to this, mike. I hope to get back. It's a boy but it was honestly just the workload like. I remember specifically because as an admission counselor, I was doing closer recruiting for the school, so I was going high schools like for college fairs and setting up at the table, and I actually remember, I think the ipad just came out or I'd just gotten the ipad. I remember, because there were times where there were more popular schools at the figs at our table was you know, there's some tumble. We there

and I would just have my ipa in between the students were coming. I would have my ipod, like on my lab that, but unlike trying to write points- and it was just like I'm like that- I don't think this is the best work. I'm not I'm not able to give my best. so, I was just like, and that point you know. Have, like you know, at least at me. I didn't they will have a go. all right scholarship, pretty thing with this paper get on my ok, I have a ton of student, wrote that, If I'm let it be in this programme and pay all this money as they have to make it lake really cow. Had I'm does not get it now. I will give my best, so yeah. I finish that semester and avaricious like I'll, be back their at sounds like than theirs is window where china will hata stuff source. so that, like meant many shared earlier, that job ends up being colleague being pushed into different somewhere else. Where you're not like you not moving their yours

stir simultaneously is getting action in the world, the music. Yes, you have this back Is it so? It's not like the next surly window, the there's a short season. Were you her? when to cut him on the road doing the music thing. Is yes so, my sister had been really faithful to the youtube thing he puts, till the day that still lag through the lens of eat issue loves film and music and all these things and that led to her doing arena tours and record deal at all of these things supervise it was she was, I would say, she was so in college, or this when it was starting. I want say: maybe a junior when this was starting, so she was still in school doing all of this and she didn't have like a team or anything

oh, my husband and I were like all because he was actually still in school. So when I was working in admissions, he was still and score so that job wasn't looking like it was gonna. Last much longer so where it is. I would have which is: where are the wrong with you leg and waters you, and I worry than you would set up merchant- will do this so yeah that kind of became my has that becoming a term manager and then, in a very short, of time. I ended up on state myself, dresses given the conversation we ve had leg up until the house was for you, because you ve spent so much of your energy, now not being that person search through an I just felt like well, you know it doesn't look like. I have a ton of options right now. You know I was like: I have a bachelor's in english, I have am and emma Faye drop out. I worked in emissions for

few minutes. What have I got it and I was just like well one thing: there ok so this is what it was. So when my sister signed, her record deal I found out about. I went with her one day in nashville. I went with her and with the record deal and I'm probably getting the terminology wrong, but with a record deal somehow you also get a songwriting publishing deal and the record deal part. I was like oh cool for you, like that's awesome, so proud of you, sis and then with the songwriting aspect of it. I was like we went into like the offices and there was like writers rooms. I was the first time I heard that phrases like a writers like rome wait. This doesn't have to be the same person pass a separate thing for writers and there were people coming

and the doors some with instruments some with not somewhere were some were singers, some were not, but they were going into these rooms to write by themselves right with others, and I was like no that sounds interesting. like its music is: writing is poetry. Is all those things like how to one of those who say how can I do that, and this isn't like of sure leg had officially how were expectantly system that frame of that kind. Text. We were at that moment. It was like well, you know the best frau, probably for you, since you can sing and you can play would be to this, be an artist get a record here and they you'll get that opportunity sounds I ok. Yes, I gotta do the performer thinks about honestly was my motivation, so it's almost like you were willing to suck up get them corrected and they perform inside in the name of being able to like hideaway just right. Absolutely. I was like okay I'll. Do this

It was, but I can do that too right, I get to go the radish rooms and all that so edit. I got an opportunity to get a better deal and to be in the riders rooms, but just the nature The music industry- it is that at last, very long nights things, change and the la times is just not lie. Lot can do about it, so. I was just like okay, you know I kind of maybe naively went into it. Thinking like oh, this is just like a salary position. Then you just go in and you just write songs forever, but with as this issue with a lot of creative fills. It's like, oh, maybe everybody spilled, is like in some positions. Are you get so many at bats. You know, and it's like you gotta make hits like that's why they they bring you on to make heads of either bit music, business or businesses, and I think maybe I wish this kind of lively thinking all I've got time. A kind of like you. Don't try

here and in and make songs with meaning in, maybe, though you know rise to the top and they did not songs. I wrote did not and so around the time I was so we ain't I don't remember exactly when I saw this honestly archives kind of together. Maybe that was twenty fourteen or so that entity sixteen that was kind of like that window was closing. It was like a pang, you know, you're, not really putting up a hits, and then the faithful moment ass, the fateful limits and the twenties extend that's when yeah or end of two thousand and fifteen until they are oh, no you're exactly right. Yeah, it was november two thousand and sixteen, and as that music window was kind of closing, we were floating out into the wind, my husband. I randomly move to dallas texas you're, just like

I start over, like on its citizens, its cheap to live there. We know a few people, we love tax next, figure out the rest, for they are so he started working instruction and I was just at home. I was doing like random freelancer things like it is along the way I've always liked best around. a sharp and I was doing random teacher designs, posters, that little things here and there and to china figure it out. and one night in twenty sixteen that november it just I just take the weight All those like you said expectations and feeling like I had. I had let people town I feel like I let down people who supported me, especially like my family and and

I was just like okay, I was I'm an artist. I know how to make things. People tell me oh you're, talented you're this and that, but it's like, and yet I keep getting told no doors, keep closing. I was like what am I supposed to do with that, and I am not much of a crier but- I feel like this is kind of a trend that people say who are not cries like it hits you eventually it's just oh waterfall, and that just happen, and I just I just broke down. Obviously I don't know what's next, I don't know if I can keep meeting those expectations. I don't know MIKE. I dont know why, but I just feel like an absolute failure. Maybe they're shes, maybe that same childhood thing of like I'm to wear them, two different, I'm leaving. I said I'm just to it

for everybody, and I wrote a poem about that and I had written a point in terms of like how I fell in. I don't know how long has, even when I was in my face, program like I felt like ok, that there is a way that publish poets right. I must write in that way. So I even then, but in terms of like vulnerable just know what to say any more. Like my backs against the wall, this is ground zero back, I'm just gonna poor, my on paper. I dont know when the last time that was that happen and the word This came out and the poem starts with when you start to feel like thing should have been better this year. Remember the mountains and valleys. They brought you here and as I started, to write this year, I would like to say that, like I just believe that to be true, but I didn't

but at the same time the words just scattering writing as almost writing to convince yourself to resign yourselves. Sadly, exactly and and I may not have said that way, then it was a site for some reason, coming out of me and I'm just gonna write it down, so I had it. I wrote it down on a piece of paper in my journal and then I was like huh. That's a poem I was like. Maybe I could share that or something so I grabbed my phone took a picture of it and I was like I'm going to share this on instagram. I'm like. Why not and I got rated shared, I went through all the little screens. You know pick the filtered at the at the caption everything and I went to that top right corner and I got ready to press share and I just like pull my hand back. I was like no. This is too vulnerable. I was like this is too much I. can't share this, but I would like, at the same time is weird I felt like I just had. Like really said. I had to do something with it.

I don't know why. I felt that way, but I just did so. I posted on pinterest instead, and I it's kind of like, maybe someone will see it over there, maybe not! I dunno. That's just my way of doing the brave thing I put it out there in the world. It's gone, I can forget about it and I didn't forget about it for a few months and then that following January is when I started to receive messages from people who I knew and on instagram and they said hey, there's this reality star that posted your poem. You wrote a poem like on their page. Like is this you and I was like yes. That is my point. I have absolutely no idea how she found that, but that's mine and that ended up happening

like a few more times like there was like an athlete that posted it and like people were tagging me like this person posted like a poem of yours. I was like putting poetry out there, so people that I do like people knew me for to do the music thing I was like yeah. I wrote that of a houses sing getting out there, so I went back and looked at pinterest and it had been repent over one hundred thousand times and to this day. We'll have to happen like adding protagonists on it. I didn't, I don't know I guess, It was confluence of a lot of different things, just how it s so even act, that got out, I was still dislike. Maybe that was like a one time thing like am I I can't be a poet like I dropped out program, I did get the rest of the the clues as to how the tooth it's like. I can't do this, I don't know so a few like weeks there I was kind of like china.

Let us add this thing happen, but I don't really feel like. I have more power in me, an early in the way I was like, and I've never really thought about this. now I was like in a way I think that was supposed to be. Like the last point, I think that was like the poem of like a right that was it. That was us, of every thing like that was my last attempt to try to be this positive vince. racial artists pursue that everyone is expecting me to be. I was like, that's it, that's all I got and so I dont think I had an idea if I were to go from there. However, it does this point kept getting shared and I started to receive people's messages from people? I didn't know, and they were saying things like, but I don't know who you wrote this four or what it was about.

And here's where I'm going through- and this is what this point means to me and some of the stories that I was receiving, I mean I thought I was going through something this was the stories just of loss and tragedy, far beyond anything that I had dealt with, and it was in those moments that I felt inspired right and I realize I was like. Oh, there are other people out. There all along it was about other people and connecting all along it was about connecting in an irish, so focused on china connects maybe up a ladder you know of like oh, if I right a hit song or, if I follow these rules, if I do this and I'll be able to make a clear out of it and I'll be I'll, be safe, I'll, be ok,

It's all along, it was like no, they wish us about connecting with other people. They didn't have to be there people that suits you didn't have to be executives to other people and- and I just started to realise a bank. Even though I spent so much of my life feeling like I could it connects through these messages like oh, I did I did I was like. I was writing words that didn't believe for myself, woof, but for some reason someone, I don't even know doesn't know me, felt, hurt in that, and I was like I didn't I didn't know. I could do that. I didn't I didn't know that was possible and thus, when I started to try to points, and I was like ok, I'm gonna share these cause. This isn't about story anyway. This is about this is a song,

this now like this is something that I can give a contribution. I can give to the world to one person as they, even if other people, This point is cliche or not see or whatever it does it matter. This is a letter to her. This is for her It was just so yeah. It took a long time to figure that out, but I'm I'm so grateful for that. That's that's kind of got me. What got me where I am now and honestly. What keeps keeps me keeps me writing keep speak creating, despite all of that yeah admit it sounds like you. You also do something happened where you, realize that I can do the poor they love to do and what I create. Speak to thousands are now millions of people, but I don't hafta actually step onto his days.

And be live in a room with like mass numbers of people in performative mode. In order for that to happen like figured out that there's another way. To make to get a full sweep of what makes you come alive happen without you haven't ago and are like suffer in that one particular mode gas, and when this, episode comes out, I'm going to have to go back and read it, listen to what you said and I'm going to write that out and put that over, because the way you just said it, I guess that is, That is what happened because, It's so when you're in it and never if it doesn't, always feel like you're. You know like on a journey here to say: I'm stuck here, in this whatever this is like, I can't get on my head. I can get out of it and at some point it's like other people, others other things they come in and and remind you that, no you

are alive like you are like. I do see you and weird way, other people sharing their stories with me reminded me I was seen as like. They didn't know my story, they don't know why I wrote that there still details. Stay about everything that happened that I still haven't figured out how to talk about yet so it wasn't you it's not about like. Oh you have to. For every aspect of it and then someone's going to get it. It's like no, it's just those little flickers like those little things that just like his think. No, I I'd love to do this. Like I love this work, and I just found- I would like just to be able to see other people pre. She ate the love that the work that I love, creating the most staked out with special, and I guess I was maybe like

first time that I read that I felt like that really happen for me in a really significant way. So that honestly gave me so much confidence. I mean I still have self doubt a lot as I create, and as long as you have a heartbeat yeah, exactly all of us are like- and it's just like, but I'll give you two simple like so in august com, time to time might cooper like all these programmes show cliche they all sound the same and theirs a few where someone has said something. You know whatever for whatever his name like it, and I look poison poem and like oh, but was it for you. I was This is literally for someone else I have like we were like a like a journal, this coming out a little later and anderson one of the pieces in it, and I look at it and I am like all this was for a tenth grader. I remember

her I know who she is so much if no one else likes it. I was like it was for her and in a way like I'm just kind of sea, seeing every one of us on what was for her, so yeah, it's almost hard for me not to create this way now I like are, we should probably put a little bit a little bit more cause. You know for sure it was but effectively what you know. You hit a point where you're waiting for yourself and people are responding, but then you commit a really in intentional shift in the way that you are deciding to create and for whom, yeah and certainly the sequence of events. Yes, and I think that is so powerful. And you're gonna hinted at it. Let's make it explicit so after that experience with that point kind of you know going viral on pictures and people finding it. And I started receiving these stories and unless, like ok, whatever is happening when people I'm reading these responses. Those like this

where I'm getting an inspired, has I am getting inspired by this was like this is worth keeping me going. Despite all of this, you know that I feel like I can't do it as they make me want to keep writing and so far it took it took several months to put it together, but I think I wish is working out different things in my brain, like maybe maybe social way I can dislike, makes this my rhythm, like maybe this is just like my flow, how I do it, how I make our like? I just me for other people. I make it for people stories like it's for people. Sorry, it's one of the time! That's what it is one at a time for everyone that wants me to write for the story, one at a time I'll. Do it two thousand october of that year. So January was when that start with, Point are getting out there in people start sharing, and it was until about october that I, finally I was standing. I was actually and by this point we move back to california.

But I was standing in my town at home and in georgia, and my parish are still there and I was just looking out the window and outside. I know what I'll do an interesting him. I never thought the smell standing in the same room where I had actually started getting all that from young right, our society that was that was the rule. That's a rumour. Their magic have as much as you do that re ass. I was standing there like bitterly next to wear that desk was and how is like, I know, I'm just gonna post oh my instagram, hey, semi your story and and I'll write, something for you. story and I'll, send it to you and then with everyone else, but I will tell when their story, because that's not the part that malthus hats, private, like they dont, show their story, we're just gonna here the fruit and the in the honoring of their story, to appoint gather one of his soul,

it does all kinds of way. The game came together in that moment, and I just posted like it wasn't like a pretty graphic or anything till this day. I've. the thought of a name for the project? I don't know what it's called and I was just and I've everything I just said. I just posted that, unlike long. Little thread away. Instagram story. It is a long little thread. It was so like a world paragraph Oh my answer, I'm sorry and I was like you know- maybe a few people will respond in our at that time. I had. I don't know I can't or how many followers I had, maybe between ten and twenty thousand or so just from ear doing music and everything and travelling, but it wasn't really like a really engage, interactive audience, like it was just kind of like ok air people here Look I don't know. Maybe a few people see this and if you responded- and I was like a who, so I sat down at the table right there and ahead

my ipod and at a time like I've, been curious about doing so like did wrong but I don't really know what time about it. So I had this ipad enemy use. Very basic english psych like green or grey background and writing texts like I did, and I didn't know anything about lettering or any of that stuff, and I was just like okay, this person there's her her story. It makes me think of her turning up a mountain artist right about that. So I did. I think, that's that that day I did three at it insect through stories. I got to go I have to say he was like the first three that I got into. It was just like okay yeah I just I just wrote for those three like this feels awesome like I enjoy this, so I just left the ipad 'em home alive instagram alone for the day woke up the next day. Like hundreds of messages from people that didn't even follow me in there. Like hey my friend, posted there, you're, like writing for people stories that some who they can

how you my story- and I was like yeah. and I was so excited, and I was I can't remember the last time I was excited to just make things like psych edges, took me back to my childhood leg, as this is what am excited about. I want to do this. I want to do more of this so yeah. It got to a point where I didn't have the time to write for everyone's stories, and I was like I can't put if we choose those like site, is randomly slacks. I decided Then we select. So this is they too were that was happening because they were just rolling in and interesting love actually had a show that night I had a show, because I was still doing like a few, and I still do I mean a few shows here and there, and all I could think about was just psychotic had to get back to that like. I can't wait to go back to the hotel, like I gotta do this

this is what I want to do. Yes, That became like every day. I was like. Maybe I'll just do this for the whole week and then it was like I'll just over for the rest of the month, oh I'll just over the rest of the year, and here we are like in twenty twenty and I'm still doing it every single week, and that is just become the the thread that that holds my whole creative process together and I think a lot of it just goes back to do not not feeling like I can't connect and then this having all these moments, where I just felt like I was just out wilderness, and I was completely disconnected from all these. I love to do because I wasn't able to manage our managed how to figure out how to be successful at it. all these other standards or things and then to have these beautiful, incredible souls from all over the world people. I don't know some of them. I may never meet and

for them to take the time. To tell me their story like I can of plan d. and I'm just yes, oh that's that's what I, so that's what I do. I I poetry and I make are people still send emails and instagram ass. It is add four appear there I was actually doing it every day, but after having my son Now I just some. Has it yeah thanks aimed at all? the time. So at least once a week, I make it a point to sit down interests taken stories and in just rural time a lot of times, as is I'll just read their story and whatever word comes to mind like sometimes it's trust, sometimes it's, I think, they're looking for freedom healing. Sometimes it's refer sunrise horizon, and I just kind of work from that word in

sometimes, like the person responds with like a long message. This was my word or the year as of houses, literally like k thanks. Then do it for their so times it's no response at all, but it's like I was like put it. Does it it does matter. I'm like why do I so filled? I get so feel good. I still so. I feel like that's how I felt yeah I feel like it's my thing: do you ever reflect on In a kind of a currency different way it almost wouldn't from outside. Looking in so I'm where there ever feel like this in settling out like you have We created what your dad what your mom dead by sure, like buying into a set of. I use and beliefs being in service of others being

like, but always still exalting, that that heartbeat of creativity and generative and make our side and then building community round it. But it's almost like you liked it that and you ve kind of recovery with that, but entirely on your terms and in a way that honours sort of like the uniqueness of who you are and what you need and don't need from it. Yes, yes, I I still tell my parents fairly often that doesn't mean we we we joke about it. You know a oh yeah mornings to go hide around her hide her robe of Jews disappear. It's like she's alive, so we we about it, that I always tell them. Unlike It was your example that that, let me let me back to this place in it As I know, none of us could have predicted how all that was gonna happen. But what

I see it like yeah, I'm I'm a different version of them, but it was. It was watching them in real time. That taught me because in all my parents. Every they didn't have a lot of money. They didn't have. A lot of you know, like notable connections or things are even with white colleagues in the music like I was so interested like when I got to nashville than. Many people were like we might ask any industry, namely warhol vague. That's that, seems convenience arena. Obviously I know people saw were hard to get where they are browsing we didn't have any anything. We don't know a single person who could connect us any of this. It was this very year it was whereas er say I would think I was just getting out of like it was very. like they were, they were just doing it with what this being present, and

their community with what they had and it wasn't very much, but because of that, it just showed me a special kind of creativity that I will hold forever. Like my mom, had we had a baby grand piano the house that didn't work. My mom got it Felix only five bucks and cheaply. It bright red- and I remember sometimes like people come over and save. why piano red my mom's, I like red, and how does it work help it does it? It was just like her leg. There is all these quirky little things that happened and interesting things are. They did that, even though I felt so intimidated and stressed out on the forefront- and you know when I thought about it from you- know,

in my brain. There was still all of these things that I dunno. If this sounds weird for you to make sense, but it was like yeah, it was almost so kind of like I embody that message and I embodied the creativity even though I It took years to find language for two years to see how all that connects and amps, and I'm like yeah. I turn there. next week and I'm just come so gonna see more connections things that I. Yes, I am grateful now that, like I'm seeing enough she's out, like ok, yeah, all that I went through all of that in my childhood, unlike that informs where I am today, and I am grateful that I can at least see season prude yeah, and it sounds like your mom also really modeled the idea that it's, it's ok, be a strong woman with preferences and opinions and does thing

definitely, and if you want a paint, the baby grand rapids. You painter, read just I want to, and that's okay and that's like, and that's not just okay, but like yeah like that's what we do yeah so to see that model, though so I mean it definitely seems like it's in this way through as as were hanging out here, recording this studio. You have a new book out, so what started as this. A moment which is kind of like coming back from your knees and like there's something I have to get out and just put it out turns into something that becomes a massive outlet for your creativity for your expression, a giant global community over them. Well over a million people following or these days and I'll book, which is a candle again.

At full circle mode. To a certain extent, I mean I know you put at her and you tell publish something or a little earlier, but this feels different as absolutely. It feels very different as I started to share these poems online, you know I I had thoughts like. Oh, I wonder if I could like get a literary agent and MIKE write a book like that will be cool, and but I had no idea of how to go about that, and then also I mean I have like such a deep love for poets and poet, tree and I just felt like I wasn't in the class. Like I mean I was just I yeah I I I try to have like highest standards for myself, I'm like that's what I want

two, but I am so far away. So maybe I should just leave it alone and write poetry on instagram, and so I I was kind of like very loosely like it will be nice to write a book. It will be really nice, but I don't know how to go about it. By at the same time as it would have us of published, like a full colored heart back book, that, as it turned out, was incredibly hard to do than outside. that's not an option like. Maybe I do need to get like a pub something I know sake. Another war like I don't know what to do with that and around the time. I was kind of like wrestling with that a publisher reached out and as like, we would like to do book with you a full color, hard back book, and I was like That's exactly what I want to do So yes, that process began and and it's all new pieces which is which was challenging for me.

a lot of ways, because I felt very and still feel very attached to my process, which is people send me their stories and I write for them and I send it to them first, then I share with everyone else. So the points that are in this book. The only way that I was able to ride it in the pits is the best way. I can explain it. I hope it makes sense of like these are kept pieces. They're pieces that when I cause Fighting back to people, I try not to overwhelm them, because sometimes I just like really get the flow, and I'm just like. Oh I can This directive obviously have to remember that sometimes we were does ache. Reading this like that. But the email when they are in line with the grocery store. I'm I'd like why we not like overwhelming and other times where I would just like, say: ok, I want to say more

But let me just leave it. You know these fourteen lines. Let me just leave that an artist right more for myself. You know later so this book is that second half of that home over and over it's the the windsor. I was just like I don't know if instagram's the place les gar, I don't know if I'm going to email this to them. This feels like it needs to be written. This feels like it needs to be like, like touched on a page in some way,. So as that was the only way I knew to write it, and now, when I look at it, it's a very special collection because I was also while I was doing that that was when I was also pregnant with my son and I was having too You learn the lesson of hay, like your energy level is going to change, and I,

I realize that, even though I love my work, I do have the tendency to overwork quite a bit, and I realized like one when I was pregnant. I was just like oh, like yeah say I can't just sit here all day and just think think I'm tireless go get. Some coffee is like those in interests. You need to learn how to so gather a lot of life lessons they were happening for me. While I was running this book so yeah, it's very special. So it's it's a lot of part two's, a lot like if you ve ever seen anything of mine in If you ever read anything of my like on the internet, like I would say, the book is like here's. What comes after that, you know here soda their expanded version. Now no love as its beautiful and elderly people haven't, haven't serve a garden from their home relation already like poems expand, it into your,

a visual art and they kind of came together and you draw the varied think, style and and color power and approached her, which really just that The overall experience it has really I'm moving. I I have your arm Would you read something? Oh sure, ass? I absolutely if you wanted to pick something different also, but all this one actually from you got just kind of real. Stuck out to me as and again, if you weren't you something different. No, this is this is one of my favorites. I am so grateful. You toss us one ever start to feel weary of the mundane and completely swiss in that has not changed and rather numb to the mention of grace. Let today be the day you make the mine for decision to find joy in the ordinary places. The white lie between the bedroom blinds the taste of rich

Dark coffee grades for even though the extraordinary cause you and you feel its river running, while figure bonds. Your heart is craving meaning and purpose. Other side of your unknowns. There are still these flickers of light and familiar taste that are calling your heart. Oh even when you are still There are so many ways to find your way to grab and the art is aligned, drawing of sort of like a window, a desk by window and their psych amount scape beyond the window ass, a sort of like for me. That was just a way of showing that. There's always something beyond, but it begins right here so that there is always something there's something more to this moment and I think a lot of times we think of my eye

What more I want more! It's like whoa, I gotta get on a plane. I gotta go somewhere and that's absolutely true. I love to travel, but it's like there's also more happening right here and in the on, we can begin to see that so there about the thank you. for reading that and also sort of like sharing what was behind the images behind it. It's really beautiful, and so it's As as, as we sit here, this book is out. You can kind around being much more forward facing That's what happens wherever conversations that, whenever conversations that why it's a whole different and you said, also new mom, when you think about. Certainly it feels like yours, you're stepping to a new season in in in your personal life in your creed of life, doors are opening. Do you and in what you just right was really beautiful and focused on.

The grease in the little things in the moment they so often we we blow past because in our we're, so on the big things When you sit here, sir, like in this moment of your life, is it your your practice more to try and just be in this space? or are you cause you ll strike me as being somebody who's very fellow focused kind of looking at what's happening now and being like. Well, we check these boxes and then we they take these steps, and this is what can it can lead to this and this and this- and this wasn't going to build and I'm curious just how you you're processing this particular model Yes, I.

It's interesting because I feel, like I m mostly in this moment, but in a very mental way, if that makes sense, I sort of like my default like. I am very intrigued about like what's happening in this moment, but in the sense of like, like I notice like where the actual light pours on the room like I I do that all the time like since I've been sitting here, I've been amazed at how the how the windows of that building distort the fur. The distorts the there's a distorted reflection, and I'm really intrigued by it, because I'm just like, if you were to paint that as like, how would you even do that and I was like our baby- could just do paint the color and get the same effect. So that's sort of where I go. I'm not really thinking ahead, but I'm thinking the head of that makes sense, and one thing that I

learning to do now is just stop something my therapist is helping me with is what what did he feel it making your body like? What do you feel in this moment, and that's something that's new for me, for instance, like I was doing, and I was doing like as I was doing like a like a mindfulness, meditation and and the and like the person doing the doing it was says something about like sick notice, where your feet are and how they support you, and I was like. Oh, I don't even think about my feet as I can I don't think about my theatre, my hands are or what I'm feeling so so yeah, it's it's like I'm here, but that I'm also like up here and I'm trying to learn how to make the all here so very vague way of saying that, now it s a really resonates healing it's about. I think so

resonate with so many people still another reason. So much of you write resonates because they think there is such a common experience for us to kind of live from the neck up because it's kind of the way were wire, this kind of away that society rewards us what the best stuff like the richest stuff in life happens from in neck down and then we can bring it together when you can just lakes or find a way to integrate all of it. I think I don't know Honestly. that is a sustainable state. I think we move in and out of it, but when you're in it, it's like. You know it. Yes, and he just kind of want to linger there for as long as possible. Yes, yeah! Absolutely I just started, is I sorry

to make our work and most of my artwork is- is digital. I use my ipad pro and lately I've actually have been experimenting with row paint analogue. Yes, yes and I've just spin, so amazed, because I have a very like interesting moment, it is actually yesterday morning I wake up at three am everywhere and start painting, till whatever the maybe wakes up, and so I was I was painting- and I was like Well, my goodness I was like I can do this. I can do this okay, I can do this, and I was just like, oh that, interesting? I think if I tried to do that on my ipod, it would have taken you know, maybe an hour I got there in two minutes doing analogue and I was the site, I'm kind of like that in my head I try to talk myself into peace into

If- and I was just like, I would just like open the window and like stare at a tree for a minute like I might get to the point of I I'm going to be alright right right now, so you can see stimuli. I know I feel like I'm going to have a lot to say about that in the in the days to come. I look forward to that so sitting here in this container, the good life project and if I offer up this phrase to live a good life. What comes up the first word that comes up for me is a full life like just fully emerged head heart body soul and, like you said it's hard to fully do that all the time we can't snake being set all the time, but I think it's it's realizing like

all of this together. Its guide, I'm guy- that there are things happening here, so have asked what it means to me today. Thank you. Thank you Thank you so much for leslie, and thanks also to our fantastic sponsored who helped make this show possible. You can check them out in the links we have included in today, show notes and while you're at it, if you ve ever ask yourself what should I do with my life, we have created a really cool online assessment that will help you discover the source code for the work they do Here too do you can find? It add spark a type dot com, that's s, p, r, K e t, why p dot com or just click the way?

in the show notes and of course, if you haven't already done so be sure to click on the subscribe button in your listening app. So you never miss an episode and then share share the love. If there's something that you've heard in this episode, that you would love to turn into a conversation, share it with people and have that conversation, because when ideas become conversations that lead to action, that's when real change takes hold, see you next time. The.