French Kissing Life

Ep 26: How to Find Your Creative Language with Meghann Chapman

• Shawnna Stiver • Episode 26

Share episode

Imagine finding joy in the simple act of creating, free from the pressure of external validation. Today I chat with Meghann Chapman, the genius behind Artemis Soul, who has not only mastered the art of crafting stunning sun catchers but also discovered the deeper, transformative power of creativity. Through our discussion, you’ll gain practical insights on how to uncover your unique creative expression and incorporate it into your daily life for personal growth and well-being.

Topics covered:

  • How creativity has helped Meghann grow personally.
  • Finding one's "creative language" and reframing what creativity means.
  • Importance of focusing on the creative process rather than just the end product.
  • The role of discipline in developing creative skills.
  • Balancing creativity as a passion versus a business/career.
  • Tips for infusing more creativity into daily life.


Here are some actions you can take whether you have 5 minutes or 50:

_______________________________________________

Connect with Meghann
Website: https://artemissolcreative.com/
Shop: https://artemissolcreative.com/collections/all
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artemissolcreative/

_________________________________________________________

Contact French Kissing Life Podcast

I want to hear from you! Share your favorite takeaways, an aha moment you had or a fun emoji that represents this week’s show, along with your Instagram handle or email address and you’ll be entered to win this month’s giveaway!

Until next time, muah!

_________________________________________________________

French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!

Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/
Email: shawnna@ampersandcopyandcontent.com

Speaker 1:

Welcome to French Kissing Life. I'm your host, shauna Stiver, and I am thrilled to help you discover what makes your heart race, your soul dance and your spirit soar. Every week you'll get a fun dose of inspiration, laughter and a sprinkle of magic as we explore stories, insights and conversations that empower you to ignite the spark within, in a world that demands you be anything but yourself. This is your permission slip to be a little more you. Together, let's shed the shoulds, embrace our unique brilliance and welcome more joy. Are you ready to French Kiss Life? Welcome back to another episode of French Kissing Life. I am your host, shauna Stiver. Well, folks, we have passed another milestone over here. This is episode number 26, which means we are a quarter of the way to our first 100 episodes. Can you believe it? It seems like it's been a lot of episodes and at the same time, I also feel like I was just talking to my first guest yesterday. Isn't that how life goes? Real talk. I am in a season of life right now that is pretty challenging. Nothing is dire or wrong, but running a fast-growing business is hard, hard. It takes up so much of my time and energy and I'm really feeling like I'm pouring from an empty cup. Lately, and when I talk to friends or family, one of the things that they say is well, maybe you should slow down with the podcast, which is a thoughtful suggestion, but here's the thing this is the one thing I do right now that brings me consistent joy. When I launched this show, my goal was to simply help people find more joy, so I'm keeping that promise, not only to you, but definitely to myself. So I will continue forging ahead, celebrating those many milestones and knowing that the real point of doing this show is not so much the outcome well, not really the outcome at all, if I'm being honest but for the joy and creative expression of it. And that segues beautifully into this week's show, which is all about finding your own creative language. My guest this week knows a thing or two about creating, and we had a lovely little chat about all things creativity.

Speaker 1:

Megan Chapman is the heart and soul behind Artemis Soul, A true southern wild woman. Love that. Megan's life is a vibrant tapestry woven from her passions nurturing her family, tending to wildflowers and basking in the tranquility of her backyard oasis in Somerville, which is just a stone's throw away from Charleston, south Carolina. Her journey into the world of artisan craft began in the whimsy of childhood, stringing beads and breathing life into jewelry that spoke of friendship and love. It was the magic of a cherished crystal shop and the nostalgia of her youth that sparked the creation of Artemis Soul in 2021, where Megan's sun catchers captured the essence of nature and creativity. Alongside her supportive husband. She's not just crafting pieces. She's curating moments of beauty in connection and inviting you to join her in a celebration of creativity and the wild spirit of adventure.

Speaker 1:

In this episode, we talk about what creativity is and isn't, why every person alive is creative, whether they think they are or not, how it's helped Megan grow personally, and how you yourself can find your own creative language and, in turn, find freedom as a result. If you are a fellow creative kindred spirit, try saying that three times fast. I think you're going to love this episode. So please enjoy my enlightening episode with Megan Chapman. Hi Megan, oh my gosh. It's so good to see you. I'm so glad to have you on French Kissing Life today.

Speaker 2:

Hi, thank you for having me. I'm so excited about this.

Speaker 1:

Yes, Well, we're going to talk about one of my favorite topics, which is creativity, but before we dive into that juiciness, let's start with who you are. Your story and just were you always a creative being? Is the burning question that I have for you. Oh, who?

Speaker 2:

I am in my story. So I'm originally from Kentucky. My husband and I wanted to get out of there. He was in the military, so he had his you know glory days outside of the state, but we eventually moved down to South Carolina. We were here for about nine years, loved it, but we were always homesick. So we actually moved back to Kentucky at the beginning of 2022. And we were there for a year, a little over a year, and then we moved back to South Carolina. So here we are settled. You know, we've decided like this is where we're supposed to be. We have two girls, an eight-year-old and a 16-year-old, and this is also where they wanted to be. This is where our family flourishes, it's where we feel our most selves, and both of my husband and I kind of at this point are, you know, doing creative things, at least marketing, and, yeah, we're just kind of, you know, building the life of our dreams one day at a time.

Speaker 2:

And creativity wise. Yes, I've mostly always been creative. My parents have always been really supportive of my creativity, not to say they probably might wish you know that I had a more lucrative, money-making job. You know, you know the start, the whole starving artist thing. Um, but, like my mom was always really crafty, my dad's mom was really crafty. Honestly, my dad was too.

Speaker 2:

Um, you know, he did a lot and my stepmom yeah, everybody was, you know just kind of like did things, whether it was because it was cheaper to make it ourselves or because of hey, let's just see if I can figure this out on my own. Um, and I think my first real dabbling in what this could be was when I was in fourth grade and friendship bracelets became a thing and my dad was like, well, if your friends want to buy them, let me show you how to do this. And I had my first little pricing introduction, so to speak. So funny when I think about it, you know it's like nine years old. Like, yeah, whatever, yeah, so fun though. But yeah, I guess that's kind of my beginnings.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so you had the proverbial lemonade stand, but for you it was making friendship bracelets proverbial lemonade stand, but for you it was making friendship bracelets. Yes, yep, like the little knotted ones and with beads. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So is that what you recall like creativity showing up for you in the like? The first way was through the, the friendship bracelets, or was. Were you like always that kid that was coloring or using your imagination or being outside? Um, definitely, or using your imagination or being outside.

Speaker 2:

Definitely always using my imagination and being outside. You know, obviously I grew up in the days where, yes, we had TV, but that was it. I mean, we had video games, but there were no you know screens carried around in our pockets, in our bags, and so much of my time was playing, pretend, playing outside. I remember I had a, I think I had an imaginary friend around age six or seven and her name was Star, I don't remember anything else about her. She used to walk with me to school. I remember that. And then I remember, with my cousins we would pretend we had pet wild animals like a pet fox and a pet wolf and stuff like that. You know, we loved playing those games. So, yeah, I guess that creativity really started more in pretend, which I have. You know, I pride myself on instilling that creativity, that imagination, in my own girls as well.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, my best friend and I, growing up like we, we also like we had a game that we called adventures and it was really like us pretending to be riding around the neighborhood Like I was a banker, he was a mechanic, and we would just like all the houses were the various like places that we would, you know, drive to and frequent, and we would you know drive to and frequent and you know, climbing the trees and coloring, like. You mentioned video games. I mean, for us it was like a treat if we got to go to, like the video store and rented a game and then, like you know, we, we could play it for that weekend. But it was like there were definitely limits around. You know how much we were going to do something like that Because, yeah, it was like go outside, like go play, and you know we'd play and play and play until it was dark and then come home.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, I remember getting fessed up for climbing in trees, my grandparents climbing in their trees.

Speaker 1:

Oh, my mom climbing in their trees. My mom tells this story all the time but apparently I mean I do remember doing this often. I don't remember this specific moment, but I would climb the pine trees because maybe you know this, but pine trees have a gazillion branches.

Speaker 1:

And so they're very easy to climb. They would kind of be, I think, harder to fall out of because of all the branches. And I climbed like to the top of a pretty tall one and my brother was like, um, mom Shauna's, at the top of the tree. My mom was like freaking out and I was like mom, it's got all the branches, Like why are we fussing about this? Right?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I had that experience with my daughter once. She did the exact same thing when she was about five years old. I mean, she was way, all the way at the top and I was like that's really cool, I'm impressed, but you can like come back down and never do that again.

Speaker 1:

It'd be super great. Yes, yes, yes, oh my gosh. Okay, so why develop this into a business versus just having it as a hobby, like, did you have a greater purpose in that? Was it the freedom element, or did you just? Was it just something where you're like you know what I have to. This has to be the work that I do.

Speaker 2:

Mm-hmm. Well, it kind of. It started very naturally. I always wanted my work to be creative, to be something that I crafted and created.

Speaker 2:

I love working with my hands and making things, and so when this initially started, I was just making pretty things for myself and was like, well, I only need so many of these around the house, but I really want to keep making them. So I made some for friends. And then I had a friend be like you're going to sell these, right, like you're going to sell. And I was like, well, I hadn't really thought about it. But then I was like, ok, I'll, I'll try to sell some, just so that I can make more money to buy more parts, more pieces, more supplies, to make more, because I really enjoyed making them. And then it kind of just blossomed from there, from the sun catchers and I had already done, I had been through a coaching certification and that was huge for my own well-being.

Speaker 2:

It turned out not to be something I wanted to do explicitly, but I have pulled the things I've learned in from that, because I do now see what a huge difference I am when I am practicing my creativity. I'm a better mom, I'm more regulated, I'm a more understanding wife and I know myself so much better now. So like teaching and talking to people about creating, for the process versus the outcome is very much wrapped up and tied into this business, like talking about that and carrying those conversations and also just like the authenticity that comes from that. You know pushing and backing that up and how much authenticity and creativity go hand in hand. So that's where you know.

Speaker 2:

I've decided, after a couple of years of just kind of doing that for funsies on the side, I've seen enough potential that this year I was like, okay, we're going, all in, it matters, let's do it. I don't want to just put pretty things in your house and pretty jewelry on your neck. I want it to be more than that. I want it to be a form of self-expression, not just for the for me, for making it, but for the person that decides to wear it. I hope it's a reminder of that when they're wearing it.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so what? What all do you make and sell then, as like as your business now?

Speaker 2:

Um, I make sun catchers, um, and I've dabbled in making some light um, light fixtures, um, but mostly sun catchers and jewelry. Jewelry wasn't originally part, was not a part of my original plan, but I was already making it for myself and then I was getting so many compliments and then I have a friend that owns a business and she was like hey, can you make some necklaces for me? And so I okay, well, I'll just add this in and see how it goes. And it's done really well, like I feel like now I actually sell more jewelry than I do sun catchers, but definitely both of those Something to decorate your house and yourself.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, okay. So you kind of touched on this, but I'd love to know how creativity has helped you grow personally. You mentioned a couple of things. Can you elaborate on that?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so creativity has taught me a lot about my own mental health and confidence. I at one point completely I thought I did. Anyways, I put creativity down, I pushed it aside. Before that, I was always doing it with the hope of validation. I was looking for outside validation and it didn't come. Weird, it didn't come. I wasn't creating for myself, I was creating for somebody else and hoping I would get those pats on the back and I didn't. Um, so it's become.

Speaker 2:

It was when I embraced creativity as more of a like self-care, something that I was doing just because I enjoyed doing it. I enjoyed the process. I found it very satisfying and relaxing and meditative. And that was when other people did start to speak up and say, hey, I really like that. Like could I, if I pay you, will you make me one? Um, but after all of that reflection, like just being able to see, like that's why it didn't work in the beginning, that's why my creative pursuits didn't get the results I hoped for was because I was doing. I was doing it for the wrong reason.

Speaker 2:

Um, but now that it comes from a place of self-expression and this is what's in my heart, this is what I love, this is what I enjoy doing. It's for me first, then like it's, it's a game changer and I am so much more regulated. I'll never forget the day that I, my husband, walked in the house and I hadn't picked up a pencil, hadn't drawn anything in probably two years, and he walked in the house and I was just sketching, like this daffodil that was, you know, in a vase in front of me and he was, like it's about time. Like it's about time, and he notices it now. He's always been supportive of my creativity, but I think more so now because he too can now see the difference in who I am when I am practicing versus when I'm not. You know, it's kind of like lifting weights or meditating or stretching, like you have to keep doing it and it feels so good when you do.

Speaker 1:

Oh my gosh, there's so many things. First of all, the the. What your husband said to you. That gave me chills. It's about time. Um, when you were talking about doing it for the validation, it made me think about um. So I joke all the time about my saxophone playing days and how I'm an accomplished saxophonist. And I remember when I was in high school there were we'd have these, you know, contests and stuff, and I was always like very uncomfortable with improvising and it was because my mind would interfere and I would be like, oh, this needs to sound good, like I don't know what I'm doing, like what you know, what am I supposed to do with this? Versus just letting music, you know, move through me, like that's a form of creativity and it was probably because of what you said. It was probably because of what you said Like I was looking for it to be good or somebody else to be approving of it, versus just doing it for the feeling it's kind of like.

Speaker 2:

You know I love watching my daughter do these try to learn the dances. You know that are on reels and TikToks no-transcript. But it's not the same thing as closing your bedroom door and just shaking it all out.

Speaker 1:

It's a totally different experience you can tie it actually back to what you said about your parents sort of having that like starving artist mentality. I think that there is this perception that it's not a real career or it's not a real thing, or that creativity is somehow, you know, superfluous, like something that you just oh why are you doing that? Like it's just, you know, like not to be taken seriously. But I think that, like there's so much science and evidence and research that points to that, this actually is something that can soothe anxiety, reduce stress, um help you deal with negative emotions. I think that it's something that connects us to ourselves. So it really is a form of self-care, right?

Speaker 2:

Oh, it totally is Like art therapy is a huge industry, huge and growing. Art therapy and art coaching. It's not just for kids that don't know how to use words to express themselves. It's for adults, because we don't always understand our emotions and feelings, we don't always know how to communicate. I'm I'm mad at you, but I'm not really sure why. Or I'm mad at you because you did this, but it's not until you like sit down and work through those, okay, but there's, there's something deeper than that. I'm actually mad at you because when you did that, I felt ignored or unheard, or you know, there's something deeper and I think that that's what creativity helps us figure out.

Speaker 1:

It's the process of just like again sort of letting your mind not think, letting you access things from not the thinking mind, but just sort of like what's internally, like what's moving through us, you know, maybe getting more into our body or or you know, just really kind of like tuning out to let those things you know kind of come to the surface. Same with like coming up with a really good idea. You know, if you force it it's probably not like the best idea, versus like if you let yourself, like give yourself some space or do something, that kind of gets those creative juices going, then those ideas can sort of come from like anywhere, because you're not like actively trying to do it right that at that point, you're, you're not so, like you said, whenever you're trying to force the idea, you, you're more focused on the outcome.

Speaker 2:

And I think creativity it's, it's a process, it's a verb, you know it's, and that's the part that we need to be more focused on is how am I feeling right now, in the moment, as I'm doing it, as I'm creating, not so much as how do I feel about what I created, because sometimes you love it and sometimes you hate it, but that doesn't mean that the process was unproductive or meaningless, right.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, right, right, when you and I were discussing what we wanted to talk about for this episode, I loved your idea about helping people find freedom by finding their creative language. Tell me what you mean by that and, like, how can somebody start to do that? Because I know there's some people that would say, oh, I'm not a creative person, and I would argue that anybody can be creative. And I think that, like, even if you kind of like look at that from a high level, that's also like you're just sort of placing judgment on yourself that doesn't need to be there and again, like thinking that your creativity needs to be something that looks like you know something else. So I'd love it if you could talk through about, like, how somebody can find their creative language.

Speaker 2:

So I think, first of all, it's kind of reframing what we think creativity is or what it looks like. I think that we are all created creative. And going back to the definition of create, or it's to bring something into being to you know, bring something new into being. So to me that means gardening is creative, having a baby is creative, building a house is creative, and I mean and I don't, and I don't mean that, like I don't mean designing a house, I don't mean laying out the floor pans of the house, like if you're just the person you know, working on the job and building the house, you are creating, you are bringing something into being. And so I just think that that is kind of where we need to start from and then say, okay, well, what do I enjoy doing, do I? It can be as simple as I really like styling outfits. I have a whole lot of fun picking out what I'm going to wear that day. That can. That's a form of creativity, and so I think, just like thinking about those things, if you really enjoy journaling, writing can be your form of creativity.

Speaker 2:

If you are a very passionate yoga instructor, at that point I would say movement is your form, your creative language. So I think it's just, it's those different things Like if you know, going out and just pruning your garden maybe you're not putting a whole new garden in, but maybe you're, you know, picking some flowers or you're picking off the dead leaves. That is a form of creativity, because what it looked like before you started pruning doesn't look the way it did when you finished. So you are creating something new that didn't look quite like that whenever you got out there and started.

Speaker 2:

But yeah, I think, just focusing on how you feel, is it something you crave to do, that you're excited to do, that you're thinking about even when you're not doing it, how do you feel during the process? Forget the end product again, forget it and forget what you hope it's going to turn out as, um, forget whether or not it's a good end product, um, and just kind of taking that judgment out of it. And I think practicing these things without anybody else's eyes is a surefire way as well to figure out what is your creative language. Do you enjoy doing it, even when nobody else ever sees it or knows about it? Because if you, if you feel that form of contentment and you feel your shoulders relax and you take a deep breath and your mind can just kind of wonder in a sort of meditative state, then chances are that's your creative language.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I love that you pointed that out, because I feel like sometimes it's hard to. It sounds crazy, but it's sometimes hard to think like what is the thing that brings me joy? And then I say, well, what, what is joy Like? What does joy look like? And I would say with something like this it's like what is that thing that you can do for hours and lose track of time?

Speaker 1:

and not have the urge to pick up your phone or, you know, to turn on a TV or, to, you know, watch a movie or whatever. It is like. What's that thing that you can literally lose yourself in? That's like you know something to pay attention to.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and I think it should be like your. It can be your like little secret that you only share with the people that you absolutely trust and know, know, without a doubt, will support that, because it doesn't the outside doesn't matter. And sometimes, as soon as we start sharing something that brings us that kind of joy and we're not, we don't have our feet, you know, solid on that ground just yet then I think it's still kind of shaky and the opinions or ideas of others can kind of knock us off that, and then we're like five steps backwards starting over again.

Speaker 1:

I want to get your thoughts on the discipline access aspect of this. So some people say that, like you know, in order to hone a craft, like you need the discipline. You need to do it, like consistently and consistently and consistently. Do you think that something like this, like, is the act itself, the point, regardless of how much or how consistent you do it, or is there a benefit to becoming very disciplined with something like this so that you find it therapeutic?

Speaker 2:

I think, again, it kind of depends on what is your end goal. Is your end goal to have a beautiful product, Because then, yes, discipline is important. Is your goal to be happy and healthy and have a regulated nervous system and satisfaction within yourself? That contentment, yes, also discipline. I do think that also takes discipline Versus innate gift. I think that you know some people like take it as like sprinting. I think some people are born natural sprinters, but I also think you can be taught how to do that, which does require discipline. But I think that person that is the gifted sprinter, that is the undisciplined yet gifted sprinter, can still be outrun by the person that was born without that gift but had the discipline to do it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:

There's a long, long roundabout way of answering that.

Speaker 1:

Well, and I think that, like, we're all born inherently with gifts, and it's like and not just one, I mean, we have many gifts, we have many talents, and it's about, like, finding what those are and nurturing them to the best of your ability and using them again to benefit from the process, versus thinking that it needs to have any kind of specific outcome.

Speaker 2:

Right, like I knew a girl in high school and she was an incredible painter. She was so gifted, so artistic and way more than me, and I just remember feeling so like she doesn't even care, like it's no big deal to her. And so at that point, like was she gifted? Yes. And so at that point, like was she gifted, yes, but that craft was not. I don't know that that was her creative language, at least not at that point in time, she hadn't harnessed it as a creative language, that she got that satisfaction and joy and contentment from. Um, maybe one day she found a way to, you know, harness that.

Speaker 1:

But there is that, that aspect of you know, sometimes we we do pursue a passion for creativity, that it that ends up being our work or our job. And then there's those times where somebody says you know what, like I don't actually want this to be my job, because I don't want to lose this thing, because it really brings me joy.

Speaker 2:

But I don't have any desire to like make money from this or have the pressure of it, like needing to be my job. Yeah, so I am very fortunate and blessed to be in a situation where, like, we depend on some of the money that I make. But if I don't ever make very much money, that's okay. If I only do this to the point that it's fun, then that would that would be okay with our family, um, not to say we're loaded by any means. We're just, you know, very used to living on lower, and so I think I up to this point and I would like to continue to move forward with this.

Speaker 2:

I've built this business to be what I'm hearing now is called a lifestyle business.

Speaker 2:

So that, you know, when we were moving, I could push pause and, you know, take a month off when I, my girls, went to public school, both of them last school year, and that was the first time both of my girls had been in public school in years. So for the whole month of August I was like we're just going to push pause and I'm going to soak up as much as I can with these girls without you know, I've got to get these things done in the back of my mind. So I have built the business that way and I am going to do my best to continue to do it that way, where I can plan for those, and if I need to take a break because I want to, or because I'm burned out or the creative juices have dried up because I'm just doing too much it's become work, then I want to be able. I'm building a business that I can do that with and just kind of figuring out how to do that along the way.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah it's, it's funny because, um, I I think that I always knew that, like, my passion revolved around words and, um, as a journalist, early on in my career, I got to interview people and I really loved doing that.

Speaker 1:

As a journalist, early on in my career, I got to interview people and I really loved doing that. But what I do now for my main business is I've always been in marketing and I believe this is my opinion that marketing is almost the opposite of creativity, because with marketing, you are, you know, hopefully ethically, but you are persuading somebody to make a purchase and to me, if I'm writing for the sake of creativity, I would care nothing about whether or not somebody you know makes a purchase. And I struggle with that sometimes because it isn't just me, with that sometimes, because it isn't just me, I have a hard time accessing that part of my brain that just you know, would write without worrying about you know how it looks or how it sounds and and it's, I think, because, like I've, I've shaped my brain so much over the years to be in marketing that it's like it's really hard to access those like true creative inspiration hits.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, no, I've experienced that exactly myself. I have. I love writing, I love words as well and actually took journalism classes and then also branding, so with all the marketing and stuff classes in college, and I very much found myself in a similar place whenever I was trying to do social media. I did social media for a few other businesses because it is kind of more of a, like you said, it's not so much creativity, it's more like problem solving, really, and you are relying on your creative skill set to help you solve that problem. So I think that is where, like you know how we're talking about right now, when we're talking about creativity for self-care, you know you're, you're, you're focusing on the process, whereas in your place the end result is what matters.

Speaker 2:

I do think that you're still actively using your creativity because you are choosing what words fit together best. You know you are painting a picture, you are, you're just. It's kind of like doing a commissioned piece of art, like a commissioned painting. You don't get to choose exactly what the end result is going to look like always, because sometimes you know they might hand you a picture, a photo, and say I want you to paint this, so then you're just using your creative skills to produce that end product. Creative skills to produce that end product. But I think that in that case, it's really important for you to still practice that creative language that you love so much.

Speaker 1:

You know writing maybe some nonfiction or sorry fiction or nonfiction, either one actually, but doing that on your own, even if it's just journaling yeah, yeah, I know, I keep uh, I keep saying like I'm that person that I I buy the journals and I buy the planners and then I never write in them.

Speaker 2:

They're so pretty, I know.

Speaker 1:

I know one of these days I'm gonna use them. I swear yeah, um, okay, so uh, I'm gonna ask you this question in two different ways. But what are some? What are some tips that you have for people to infuse creativity, more creativity, in into their day to day? The flip side to that question is what are some? I guess, if, if that's let me just say the other question, or is it? How do they view things through a more creative lens with, like day-to-day things that they're doing? Does that make sense?

Speaker 2:

yeah, so, like we were saying earlier, like getting dressed, it can mean it can be as simple as oh, I'm just going to throw my clothes on real quick, I have this meeting. Or I'm just going to be around the house if I'm, you know, stay-at-home mom. Or you can say you know what like let's I might not. You know I'm, you know, stay at home mom. Or you can say you know what like let's I might not. You know I'm going to be.

Speaker 2:

The rest of my day is going to be so busy. My brain is going to be going nonstop. Like pause and take a moment to let that be a creative expression, just picking out what you're going to wear that day. Or, you know, when you're walking from your car into a building, look up at the clouds and then just you know, seeing what you can picture in the clouds.

Speaker 2:

If you're driving along and you're not going to have time for creativity, you don't think like it can just be turning on your favorite song, whether you're in the car or you're at home, and closing the door and moving your body and shaking everything up and again like thinking about, like don't think about what does this look like? Everything up and again like thinking about? Like don't think about. What does this look like? Like, be as ridiculous as you want to be. Yeah, yeah, such a huge difference. I used to do that when I was working full time at a crystal shop and I would have to do some styling of the crystals and different things, and sometimes I'm like I don't even know what I want to work with, nothing's coming to me and I would just turn that music on and shake it all out and then things would just kind of start to flow and come more naturally. Um, so it was kind of like forcing it, but not really forcing it, just giving it a little nudge yes yes, and then like, just like brain dumps and journaling and whatnot.

Speaker 2:

I think that those things are, you know, really easy to do while you're waiting for somebody or right before you crawl into bed. I think it's just like taking the pressure off and not again not looking for it to look a certain way like writing a gratitude list. It doesn't have to be 10 or 20 deep, it could be like two or three in the moment. Yeah, yeah, but those kinds of things.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. Or like if you're making dinner, like put some, put your favorite playlist on and you know, like you said, dancer in the house. Or if you're setting the table, like light some candles. Serve your water in a champagne glass.

Speaker 2:

I mean like these kinds of things.

Speaker 1:

You know it can be little simple, things that just take an ordinary, you know experience that we have every day, but like elevating it into a place of creativity or pleasure, or you know just that little zest that doesn't take much to do.

Speaker 2:

It's very much like romanticizing your life, like we can go in and we can be autopilot and we can be zombies, going in day in and day out. But I feel like you know romanticizing your life or getting creative it, just like you said, the zest Mm-hmm, it just elevates it all.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, exactly, I love it. I um have been making some tweaks to my schedule. Um, as a business owner, it's very hard to figure all that out. And, um, I got some puzzles out. I did not, I was not the puzzle person in the pandemic I mean, that was one thing that everybody, uh everybody sort of did with. You know, baking bread and all those things, but I got some puzzles out.

Speaker 1:

I have this, like one of those canvas where you paint by number, and I was really excited to. I've had these things for you know, months and months and I've never got them out. And I was like you know what I literally am forcing myself to be done, working by a specific time? And then I'm like you know what I literally am forcing myself to be done, working by a specific time. And then I'm like, well, what am I going to do with myself? And then it was like I want to do these things. I'm not a huge TV person. I can kind of get into little spurts. But I was like, yeah, like that sounds like a lot of fun, cause I was a big like coloring person when I was a kid. And so I'm like, yeah, I'm going to do that.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, I think that's really fun doing those kinds of things. And, yeah, just even sometimes like moving things around the house, like, oh, I just need to do something and then I'll move the furniture around, but it feels so good after I've done it.

Speaker 1:

My husband thinks I'm crazy, but I'm like I'm telling you there's some science to this, yeah, and I think again, you hit on it earlier, but it's expanding your perception of what is creativity. It's like it's more than just an artist, like putting something on a canvas.

Speaker 2:

Right, yeah, it starts with you, and then the ripple effects from there. If, if, if you love it and you love the process of it, awesome. That is first and foremost the most important thing. And then if other people get to appreciate, too cool. That's just icing on the cake then. But it's not, it's first for you.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, I love that. Okay, before I let you go, I got to do a round of rapid fire questions. Are you ready? The first question is it's the most perfect day where you have nowhere to be and nothing to do. How are you spending it?

Speaker 2:

It's the most perfect day where you have nowhere to be and nothing to do. How are you spending it? Oh, I think that my little fam would load up in the car and stop and get snacks at the grocery store, and then we would spend the day on Folly Beach in the sunshine hunting for little critters and seashells and shark teeth, and then we would go and finish the day with dinner and live music at Chico.

Speaker 1:

Feo Ooh. Next time I'm in Charleston I'm doing that Absolutely.

Speaker 2:

It's like the best.

Speaker 1:

Oh, that sounds so fun. Okay, so what did you want to be when you grew up? Well, when I was, a little kid.

Speaker 2:

I wanted to be a veterinarian or a park ranger. And then when I got into high school, that's when it kind of switched and I wanted to do. I wanted to be on like the design side of marketing. I watched the movie what Women Want and I was like, yeah, that's what I want to do. I want to make pretty things that go in magazines and on billboards.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, I love that. I was. I wanted to be in magazines there for a little while and then I realized that starting salary in New York City is like $27,000. I was like what this? This was a while ago, but I don't think it's. I don't think that needle has moved much Right, probably not Okay, so what's a book that you would recommend to everyone?

Speaker 2:

Steal Like an Artist. It's a book that kind of lets you off the case of having to create something brand new that nobody's ever seen before. You can just take an idea that you've seen somebody else do and spin it and make it your own, and then here you go, you have a new thing.

Speaker 1:

I've heard of that book. I should really look into that one. I feel like I would find that very beneficial.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it's a good one, it's a quick, easy read, and it's one that you can definitely go back to and read again.

Speaker 1:

I'm going to put that one on my list.

Speaker 2:

If you could teleport to anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? Okay, I'd say between two places. I just got back from Omaha. My step-mom had a hip replacement, so I think I'd teleport back there to keep her company, cause can you imagine being home alone for six weeks? I mean my dad's there in the evening and on the weekends, but like all day, every day, just at home by yourself, yeah. Or I'd love to be snorkeling in clear blue water somewhere.

Speaker 1:

Ooh, that's a good one. What is the song that, when it comes on, you immediately want to get up and dance, preferably on a table?

Speaker 2:

I am really loving Abel Hart. His song Watermelonmelon is so fun. You just can't help but smile and move your body. But what's really cool is a lot of his music he is intentional about the frequencies. So if you're a person that's into frequencies and how that can kind of change the way you feel or even like manifestation type stuff, all of his music is intentionally set to a specific frequency and it's just really fun.

Speaker 1:

Interesting. I'm going to look that up. I've never heard of him before. You said Abel Hart.

Speaker 2:

Abel Hart and his Instagram. He's adorable. He's so cute. He's like this, like he was probably like the boy that all the girls are tripping and falling over. But he's so silly, and doesn't that just make it so much better.

Speaker 1:

Yes, yes, say no more, okay. So if you could instantly master any skill, what would it be?

Speaker 2:

I would say soldering, like for silversmithing, or maybe surfing, maybe. Maybe I would give surfing a go if I could. Two vastly different things, yes, yes.

Speaker 1:

I like it uh name a mantra, quote, affirmation or words that you personally live by um, one one that I kind of feel like I've just made up myself.

Speaker 2:

It's not anything amazing, but you're allowed to change your mind. We moved back to Kentucky and then we changed our mind. I mean, that was a big, huge change in your mind, but like that's what I told people over and over again, I was like, if nothing else, I hope my daughters learn that you're allowed to change your mind.

Speaker 1:

Oh my gosh, that's so good, because I distinctly remember when I was in high school I like declared that I was going to Iowa State, which was the state school here, one of them and I chose that because my best friend and my boyfriend were going there at the time, not because I thought it was great for me and of course it was like it didn't fit, because I'm not a big school kind of person. I'm more of a one on one, you know relationship kind of person. I'm more of a one-on-one, you know relationship kind of person. And I will never forget Cause she was like, my high school guidance counselor was like honey, you don't have to stay there. And I was like but that's what I said.

Speaker 2:

I was going to do.

Speaker 1:

And that was very like I didn't even really like consider that that could be something that I just changed my mind on, and I needed that like permission to say, yeah, this isn't working and that's okay, I'm going to leave.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I, I'm sure you grew up the same way as me. Like you don't quit, you follow through, yeah, yeah, anytime. Like I remember there was a soccer, a season of soccer, where I had a really awful coach, and that was the one time my parents were like you can actually go ahead and you don't have to finish the season if you don't want to. But I still did, and so a lot of my adult. I'm an Enneagram seven. We're known for jumping around to things.

Speaker 2:

And for the longest time. I beat myself up and I'm still working through it, still healing that. But you know, I'm like you know what. Yes, there is something to be said for. Don't quit. I think that's important. Follow through is important, but also, like you're allowed to change your mind.

Speaker 1:

Yes, yes, I know, I know I I've had that struggle too, like cause I I just love new things and so, like I, I shame, I have shamed myself a lot over like leaving jobs and it was like you know, um, now my opinion is that you know, it's sort of like you have to think about you because they're not going to, and so you know it's, it's evolved, but I really feel that one on the whole like oh, I am, I shouldn't like be constantly changing these things, like no, it's in my DNA, right, yeah, god made me like this. Yes, yes, yes, um, okay, French kiss or French fry.

Speaker 2:

Oh, man, I really love a good makeout session, but French fries are, so they're, like you know, at the top of the list, just under cheesecake. Um, I'm going to say French fries while sitting next to my guy. How about that?

Speaker 1:

Okay, that'll work. That'll work. Okay, maybe one will lead into the other. We don't know. We don't know, yes know yes, yes, um, okay, who's your celebrity crush?

Speaker 2:

um, I'm really loving Blake Lively. I love her big, wild, natural curly hair. She's so gorgeous. And also, um, she's married to Ryan Reynolds and like best friends with Taylor Swift, so I love that. She's played in all these different roles, so I'm gonna lean hard into some Blake Lively.

Speaker 1:

I wholeheartedly agree with that one. Her outfits at the Met Gala are insane. She is just stunning yeah.

Speaker 2:

I mean, she literally changed her mind while walking up the stairs and they were like here, let me just change your dress real quick.

Speaker 1:

I know so cool. Yes, she's gorgeous. I love that one. If you could do anything right in this moment that would make you feel free, what would you do?

Speaker 2:

Either win the lottery or be able to go jump in my pool and not immediately regret it because I hate cold. So like that would be really great. If I could program my mind to be okay with that, I'd feel free.

Speaker 1:

I, I really thought you were going to say, jump in your pool without any clothes on and I was going to be like, yes, my kind of girl.

Speaker 2:

So, um, last year we bought this house right at the end of um August and I felt like the the fall temperatures kind of kicked in a little earlier than usual for Charleston, and so I was like, no, I haven't had enough time with the pool yet, but, right as it did, there was one day my husband and I were out here and the girls were at school and I was like you want to jump in the pool? And that's what we did. We immediately stripped down and jumped in. I was like, okay, I got at least one good skinny dip in the first season, so I was so pleased about that.

Speaker 1:

Yes, yes, I love it so much. Nobody has. I haven't had any skinny dip stories, so now now we're skinny dip sisters, yep, okay. So my last question that I ask everybody who comes on the show what does French kissing life mean to you?

Speaker 2:

I would say like go all in, fully immerse yourself in the moment and just enjoy the ride, Like even if it gets a little messy.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's a good one. That is, like so applicable to what we've talked about today. I love it. Okay, so if, if anybody wants to connect with you, buy your items, get some jewelry made. How can they find you?

Speaker 2:

I'm on Instagram at Artemis soul creative and then my website is Artemis soul creativecom and it's SL soul like the sun, not like your soul.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, amazing. As a reminder, we will include this in the show notes, of course. Megan, thank you so much for coming on today. I could talk about creativity all day long, and so I think this is just like a really enlightening way to think about it, and I just appreciate you so much for sharing your wisdom.

Speaker 2:

Well, thank you. I love getting to dive into this topic with somebody that is equally as interested in it. It was so fun to talk about it.

Speaker 1:

Yay, all right. Well, we'll see you guys next time. Oh, creativity is such a rich and juicy topic. There were seriously so many ways I could go with today's kindness and action segment that I really struggled on like how to narrow this down. So I'm going to give you first some inspiration and then some more concrete action. So here are some steps you can take to explore this concept, whether you have five minutes to spare or 50.

Speaker 1:

If you have five minutes, I have an article from Psychology Today called the Truth About Creative Expression. I absolutely loved what the author says when she writes creativity true creativity is about the attitude we bring to life, a function of how we value, attend to and experience whatever it is that we are doing. So good. If you have 50 minutes, I'm suggesting a video from the School of Greatness called how to Find your Creative Calling. By the way, if you are more of a podcast person and I hope you are, if you're listening to this, the School of Greatness is, first and foremost, a podcast by Lewis Howes, and if you're looking for this particular episode, it's number 853 with Chase Jarvis Then, if you really want to dig into this topic and you want to use creativity in a way that can absolutely benefit you.

Speaker 1:

I found a free course on Coursera called Healing with the Arts, which teaches people how to heal through creativity. The description says through art projects including visual arts, dance, writing and music, along with spiritual practices and guided imagery. Healing with the Arts gives you the tools to heal what you need to heal in your life, whether that's physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. As a reminder, I am not endorsed by any of these things that I suggest. I just look for items that I think are credible, the good little journalist that I am, and what I think you would really benefit from, and then, if you want to connect with Megan and check out the items she makes, I will share her information in the show notes, as always.

Speaker 1:

Thank you so much for being here. We couldn't have made it to 25 without listeners and without all of the kind words that y'all have shared with me. And so 25, baby, it's just the beginning. See you guys next time for another fun and playful and inspirational and who knows what else episode of French Kissing Life. Thank you so much for listening to this week's episode of the French kissing life podcast.

Speaker 1:

I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I did. If you're enjoying the show, shower us with a five-star rating and hit that subscribe button to make sure you never miss a future episode. And if you would be so kind and give the show a review, I'll sweeten the deal for you. Since you know, I live for good conversation, I want to hear from you. Share your favorite takeaways and aha moment you had, or a fun emoji that represents this week's show, along with your Instagram handle or email address, and you'll be entered to win this month's giveaway. The French Kissing Life movement is gaining momentum, and your ratings and reviews play a pivotal role in propelling this show to new heights. Until next week.