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Awakening Creativity with Carrie Schmitt: How Art Becomes a Sacred Path to Healing and Wholeness
196 Plays3 days ago
We loved our conversation with Carrie Schmitt—a radiant artist, author, and creative guide who lives in devotion to Creativity as a sacred, healing force. Carrie began painting in 2009 after a life-changing diagnosis and soon discovered art not as a skill to master, but as a spiritual path to presence, comfort, and connection.
Her vibrant floral paintings and mixed-media pieces are collected internationally and have been featured in BBC News, Where Women Create, In Her Studio, and Spirituality & Health. But what moves us most is her intention: she isn’t trying to “get better” at art. She is continually seeking a deeper intimacy with the spirit behind the art—the presence she feels each time she creates.
Carrie’s newest book, Awakening Creativity: A Sacred Journey to Reclaim Your Inner Artist (October 2025), invites us to view creativity not as a personal talent, but as a loving companion longing to collaborate with us. She expands this work through upcoming retreats and a 10-month Creative Pilgrimage designed for anyone yearning to live more artfully, soulfully, and awake to beauty.
You can explore more of Carrie’s work, classes, and creative community at
Website: carrieschmittdesign.com
Instagram: @carrieschmitt
Direct link to order from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Awakening-Creativity-Sacred-Journey-Reclaim/dp/1950253694/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
Two free chapters of Awakening Creativity delivered to your inbox and order it if you like it here: https://hierophantpublishing.com/books/awakening-creativity/
Join Carrie for a free online book club to discuss the book. https://www.carrieschmittdesign.com/book-club/
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Transcript
Introduction to 'Rebloom' Podcast
00:00:01
Speaker
Hey everyone, welcome to Rebloom, the podcast where we explore the power of change, rediscovery, and living with intention. That's right. We're your hosts, Lori and Jamie, two friends who really love a good story about transformation.
00:00:17
Speaker
In each podcast, we're going to chat with inspiring guests who've made bold pivots in their lives or careers. They've let go of what no longer serve them to embrace something more authentic, joyful, and true to who they really are.
00:00:31
Speaker
And the best part, many of them reconnect with passions or dreams they discovered as kids. It's about finding the seeds planted long ago and letting them bloom again.
00:00:43
Speaker
So if you're ready for real conversations about reinvention, purpose, and following your creative heart, you're in the right place.
Carrie Schmidt's Creative Journey
00:00:52
Speaker
Let's dive in and see what it takes to re-bloom.
00:00:57
Speaker
Lori, our listeners are in for a really special treat. Now, I say that all the time, but really, i mean, this is the most amazing conversation with someone who has been dealt a hand that maybe some would think was not fair at all, but she's taken that and turned it into a beautiful, creative life.
00:01:21
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I just am so inspired by Carrie. She was hit with something very devastating and could have just crumbled and just decided, no, I'm not going to go on.
00:01:37
Speaker
But instead, something spoke to her, which is creativity. And now she is so devoted to that. I've seen it in person when I've taught alongside her. And now that she's sharing it with the world through this new book, I just can't wait for everyone to hear this conversation.
00:01:56
Speaker
Enjoy listeners, our beautiful conversation about creativity with Carrie Schmidt. Hello, everyone. This time I'm going to do the little intro. Usually Jamie does. Usually I do. We'll mix it up today. ah how are you, Jamie? I am great. How are you, my friend?
00:02:17
Speaker
I'm good. We get to interview a good friend today and I love her story so much. Her story is incredible. Her art is incredible. Who are we interviewing today, Laura?
00:02:28
Speaker
My good friend, Carrie Schmidt. who I have had the honor of teaching at a couple of her retreats, which have been just amazing and beautiful experiences. And she's such a beautiful soul and she's devoted to creativity, which I love about her. In fact, we write letters to creativity at her retreats, and they're just so beautiful. And she has a new book that we're going to talk about. So hi, Carrie. hi Carrie.
00:02:59
Speaker
Hello. Thank you for having me. Thank you. Carrie, where is home? I live in Steilacoom, Washington. And Steilacoom means little pink flower, which if you know my story, that is perfect. Oh, my gosh.
00:03:12
Speaker
Did you play because of that? No, I didn't even know until after I moved here. So you can imagine i freaked out. Wow, of course. Yeah, pink flowers are kind of my thing and my grandmother's thing. And I had a bus. ah It was a mobile art studio that had I painted pink flowers all over. It's just a major theme in my life. So why actually somebody on Instagram commented, did you know that means little pink flower? And I i freaked out. I cried. i was just like, I was meant to be here.
00:03:40
Speaker
Wow. How about that? How about that? Well, let's start
The Impact of Creativity on Carrie's Life
00:03:45
Speaker
from the beginning. Let's kind of go backward a little bit and tell us about your art journey and how you got started.
00:03:51
Speaker
Oh, my goodness. That's big story. It is a big story. we everyone It's a good one. It started in darkness and despair. And i don't know, I might not be unique in that. I think a lot of us find creativity and art at low moments. ah Basically, I developed a life-threatening allergy to heat,
00:04:12
Speaker
all forms of heat, including my own body heat. And I was in my early 30s. I was a very active, athletic mom, always taking my kids swimming and outside and playing. And suddenly I couldn't move my body. i was bedridden. um i would have i would go into anaphylactic shock if i walked up and down the stairs or if i um tried to sweep the floor. So all i was basically, i describe it as I died, but I was still here. like i had this like physical death. But I was still here to mourn myself and no one else understood what I was going through.
00:04:47
Speaker
And so i was severely depressed. I thought I might be dying because I'm allergic to myself and I'm allergic to the air. i was like, am I just going to die now, you know? And so it was scary. And I began to think, I can't be a vegetable. I cannot be like this for 50 years. um This cannot be my life. So I actually had like suicidal thoughts. mean, got really dark. yeah And one day I heard a voice say, now that your life is over, you might as well do what you want and paint.
00:05:21
Speaker
And i was like, I didn't even know I wanted to paint, but I was so desperate. I listened and I felt this sort of presence in the room with me. And from that moment when I heard that, i always felt that with me and I felt that it just held me and nurtured me in a way that no human could comfort me. Like my family tried, but it was just what I now know is like I call it creative spirit.
00:05:46
Speaker
Um, it was just sort of this angelic presence and it held me and comforted me. And I started painting in bed and I had no idea what I was doing. i didn't know anything about painting. um but I just found that I, it was an escape. Like I would paint and hours would go by and I would cut when I was finished, I would look around and be like, oh my gosh, I'm still in bed. it just took me to this other place where And um I began to get excited. I could not wait to wake up in the morning and start painting and I'd lay in bed at night and like, think about it. And so I went from like despair to just almost like bliss. And um I just, it was so kind to me. um and and I always say it never judged me, it never criticized me.
00:06:31
Speaker
and so I vowed to for the rest of my life, like spread the word of creativity is true love for us and kindness. And I just promised I would never judge you. I will never disrespect you or be unkind to you because you've never treated me that way.
00:06:48
Speaker
In fact, you saved my life. And I know now that creativity has saved many lives. And um so it just became my beloved. And then my life's goal is just to spread the truth of its
Creativity as a Sacred Journey
00:07:01
Speaker
love. And I would say my, um, I took a vow to restore it to its rightful place in our hearts and lives. And it's kind of a big promise. Um, but that's kind of been my life's work ever since is just to sing its praises and its truth.
00:07:16
Speaker
Wow. I don't think I know this part of your story, but, um and we'll come back to this again, but was creativity, art, drawing, all of those things present in your life prior to this allergy that you discovered?
00:07:34
Speaker
Yeah, that's a really good question, Lori. I grew up, my parents are so creative. My mom is still the most creative person I've ever met. Although Lori, you may be in the running for that. But yes, my both my parents are so creative in every aspect of their life. Every day, just they're just bursting with creativity. I had a beautiful childhood. um My friends say I was raised by two golden retrievers. I mean, they're just like the most delightful people.
00:08:03
Speaker
um My mom was a teacher and she would like, they like mummified chickens and um she would turn her whole, you know, her classroom into a Renaissance castle. I mean, so I had great, but what happened is they thought those things were like fun to incorporate into your everyday life, but I wanted to actually major in art and my parents kind of nixed it.
00:08:23
Speaker
And so I majored in English instead, which I don't know, it's not that far from... ah But um I did shut down that part of myself. i And then I always say like all hell broke loose.
00:08:35
Speaker
You know, the minute i I disassociated and disconnected from my creativity, that's when my life got really difficult and painful. I had a tumultuous teens and 20s and very unhealthy, very destructive. And um it wasn't until I think I found my creativity again that I also found my wellness and started to learn how to you know love myself and respect myself. And I wanted to take care of myself because that is a way to serve my creativity.
00:09:04
Speaker
you know i think it's an when you love your creativity, you become this temple or this home for it. And then you start to know that you matter And that I want to eat right. And I want to go to bed early. And I don't do things that would hurt my creativity. So it's a powerful way to live. But yet, um I had creativity, I lost it. And then I got really sick, and I found it again. so Wow. You know, it's, I mean, what a what a story and what a journey. And, you know, it's interesting, Carrie, because we've had many guests who've said exactly the same thing that, you know, mom and dad said, get get a real job, go to college and, you know, go into business, go into this. And you're right. Being an English major, they probably thought you were going to go to law school or something. That was probably the the idea. Yeah.
00:09:52
Speaker
But um people, many of our guests have shut down that creativity. And like you, i had a period of time um i started on my journey and taking ah a random class with nurses in crisis. I wasn't a nurse. I wasn't in crisis. But then there were many times that i but then I kind of leaned into creativity. And then when my life was in crisis, I had that that foundation of creativity that I had built that I could hold on to. And you're right, no judgment. It was just doing it from, it was that release that I needed. It was the love that I needed. It was just, it it's like breathing to me. yeah And i just, I must have it in, it must have it every day. And, um you know, but I can't, um
00:10:37
Speaker
I guess I'm going back to your your illness. Like it's just, ah you're better now. Can we just say that you're better? Are you better now? I still have it. I'm just really good at managing it. And it goes and it flares up kind of like some chronic conditions. Like sometimes I'll be really sensitive to it. I did move to the Pacific Northwest because of this. I lived in Ohio. I was close to Lori. Yeah, you were. Too hot for me, too humid. So i can manage it, but I'm very very limited in what I can do. And it's a daily struggle, daily frustration. And even more than the physical um difficulty is the emotional difficulty. So i I return to my creativity's loving embrace every single day. It is the only thing that I think is... you know, providing that solace that I need and comfort. And um I, you know, I do, um I talk about this in the book, my creativity is like my medicine. So I, you know, Lori knows I wear really colorful clothing, and I decorate my home almost like a child. And it's like,
00:11:42
Speaker
this is my medicine. This is the only way I know to cope with that. And sometimes when I see people that are really tuned into joy or really expressive, I think maybe there's, they have something that they too are struggling with because all those people that you see that are overly joyful. It's like,
00:12:00
Speaker
I have to do this because I'm always aware that there's this like current of despair that is like pulling me down. And if I don't actively create beauty and joy, it's going to pull me under. And sometimes it does, you know, I have still have dark moments and that's why i just, I feel like I'm running into creativity's arms every time. I'm like, I'm going to go create something beautiful and joyful. And that is, that is my best medicine for me. Cause there's really nothing they can do for this. So Yeah, it's just again and again, i'm always returning to its love. And i had like I have sad moments. I was at a retreat and everyone was dancing and I overheated and I i got really sad because I can't participate. And so I just like redirect my attention to like, okay, what can I make now? like I'm going to go find my paint. And and like it's just this constant redirecting. And then they all went on this hike and it was too hot and I tried to go and I had to...
00:12:59
Speaker
I couldn't do it. I had to leave. And so again, I'm like, turn, turn in the direction of your creativity and go find something beautiful to do and play. And and so I've gotten really good at redirecting myself, but it is always creativity. It saves me. And that's why i will like for the rest of my life, sing its praises and why I wrote my book. I want others to know that this is also for them, you know, and yeah,
00:13:23
Speaker
And you don't an artist. It can be anything, like any part of your life, any, any moment, you know, you can do a funny dance or, um, make up a funny, you know, a poem or whatever. It's just like little things that can save. I feel like it saves me a lot.
00:13:38
Speaker
This book, um, can you tell the title and the subtitle? Yeah, it's called, ah it's called Awakening Creativity, a Sacred Journey to Reclaim Your Inner Artist. Yeah.
00:13:49
Speaker
And it's, I, it's so perfect that you wrote this book. And can you talk about the process of, of writing it and like how long it took you to do it And because I feel like words, when you speak about creativity, I feel like the words just flow through you and you're such a beautiful writer. so how, how did the book and the idea and all of that come together?
00:14:16
Speaker
Well, I think, I hope this is a story of hope for anyone who wants to write a book. I actually wrote down all these thoughts like um during the pandemic. So 2020, just, they flowed out of me, but I didn't know how to, you know, put it into a book form. And so I sat with it and held it until I met my editor, Hilary um Smith. I took a class with her and then we started working together. and with her help, I was able to actually, you know, pay package it into something, um, more, I don't know, digestible for readers. And so I think for me, the lesson from that was like, get help when you need it, you know, like get, if you can't, I didn't have a lot of faith that I could do it, but I had total faith in Hillary. So sometimes, you know, if you're not quite there yet, it's like find someone you do have faith in that can like carry you through this. And she really was like, ah an angel for me. So yeah, I mean, it took about a year working with her and, um, it was really, would never do it alone. You know, I have, we're Hillary and are going to work on another book. And I told Ted, like she can do anything. Like I feel like with her, you know, like,
00:15:21
Speaker
um So it's it's like we don't always have to work alone, I think, as artists, too. It's important to remember, like, get help if you need help, you know. And so, um yeah, it's a really fun project. The book is a creative pilgrimage. So it's sort of a return to the spiritual and soulful aspect of creativity, you know, with all its healing modalities. And um it's the, I think the difference between this book and many others is that I capitalized creativity as a living presence that's within us all. And also we're swimming in it. We're surrounded by it. It's in everything. It is the unifying thread that connects us to each other.
00:15:58
Speaker
And so the book is not about getting better at making art. It's about getting closer to your creativity, to your creative spirit, like that living presence inside of you. And when I i know, you know, when we live from this place, the world becomes magical and playful and joyful. It is the source of our power and our joy. And so to actually like tend to that and have that grow and start to let that be your guide, it is a magical and powerful way to live. And I know, you know. yeah we do. Yeah, i I see it in our grandsons. You know, they can be acting out or, you know, whatever, doing what they what little boys do. And as soon as I pull out a creative project and they're totally immersed in it and they're giggling and playing and just making with no judgment, It is truly magical to watch. it And sometimes kids, we, that gets taken away from us yeah along the way. it Little critical statements that somebody might make to you about, you know, you're not an artist or whatever, or you're not creative or you're, or people say it about themselves all the time. Like when I teach retreats, a lot of women will say, well, I'm not an artist. And I'm like,
00:17:20
Speaker
Well, yes, you are. yeah i don't believe that. And it's practice and it's passion. yeah And it's finding that creative outlet. And, you know, Laura, you and I have had this conversation many a times. I mean, sometimes it's starting something, trying
Creativity's Role in Overcoming Hardships
00:17:35
Speaker
it. Do you like it? Don't you like it? But it's finding that it's just finding the creative path that's right for you, whether it's cooking, dancing, um art, whatever it music, whatever it may be. And like you, Carrie, i I certainly believe that that that creativity has saved my life. And, you know, we've we've had a very difficult journey, my husband and my family and myself, and we lost our daughter. And I had a pivot point after that. I thought, OK, well, the things that have the one thing that has been a constant in my life for the past 10 years had been my photography, my flowers, my my creativity And I was like, well, do I just give this up?
00:18:19
Speaker
You know, do I just stop? And I thought, wait a minute, that's the one thing that brings me joy. That's the one thing that I can hold on to that I can can escape and and really ground myself in.
00:18:33
Speaker
And I don't know what strength I had in the very beginning to say yes to that, but I did. And I'm so glad that I did because it has proven to again be, to your point, it's my hope, it's my joy. It's the thing that that gets that gets me up in the morning.
00:18:51
Speaker
And when you can't when you don't think you can get out of bed. And that's the thing. People are like, oh, you need to exercise 20 minutes a day. You need to do this. You need to be creative every day. You need to let your heart soar every day. yeah Let it just shine. Let it, whatever it may be and do something just for you because I think it's, it's a gift to yourself. It's a gift to others.
00:19:12
Speaker
It's just so important. Yeah. Yeah. I think we're, we're really prescriptive with life. Like we always are, you know, telling people they have to do this in the morning and, um In my book, I talk about the morning, a morning menu. And so, you know, I know people like the morning pages. Some people do from the artist's way, but I like a little variety and I'm a different person every morning. And so depending on my mood or how much I slept or how much time I have, like I want – or how my body feels. Like maybe I do need to you know move or walk or do yoga, but other days maybe I want to you know read a devotional poem or, you know i don't know, sing sing to the water. It's just like, so we read we make these menus of, um and you you start with a central question. And it' it's like, my question is what will awaken my creative spirit today? But you can make up your own question. And then you ask this every morning and then you listen to yourself, you know, and what do I need to awaken this this um part of me that is my joy and my creativity?
00:20:13
Speaker
And then you just like pick from your menu what sounds delicious that morning and do that thing. So, yeah, I think it's about knowing yourself and listening to that part of you that I call creative spirit and then just like like tending to that and letting it grow and grow until that's your center. of your life.
00:20:33
Speaker
I know, I'm sure it's very personal, the menu for for everyone, but what are some of the things on your on your menu in the morning that you go to? Yeah. I love that idea. I love that idea. It's fun to make them too. And Ted is making one and it's like,
00:20:49
Speaker
um So let me think. Well, I like to, i sing a lot. Singing is very important to me. So sometimes it's just playing. I have a little harmonium, which is almost like a piano. And so I'll sing. Sometimes it is dancing or um sending like, a I send my son a joke. Just, you know, it just depends on like, what do I need? We have weekend specials on our menu. So like things that we really only have time for on the weekend, like paddle boarding at sunrise or taking our kids to the bakery. And that might not sound creative. but it is to me because it nourishes my my spirit. It lights me up. So I'm always aware of like, what is bringing me joy? And that is my joy. You know, it awakens my creativity. And of course, everything we do, we try to infuse creativity into. So when we're together with them, you know, we're we're playing games or anything like that. But the thing I love about it, it's right over there. And I'm like, what else did I write on there? Um, It could be like blowing bubbles, you know, or like it just whatever brings you joy. um But yeah, it's fun because it's not someone else's idea of what you should do in the morning. And like me, I am a different person every morning. So i do. I'm like, what needs tending today? You know, and and I love devotional poetry. So starting a day with a reading is just so it's so grounding to me. You know, for some people, it would just be like, doing some breathing or you know Ted's is like going to watch the birds. like That nurtures his spirit. and you know For people that maybe are in a dark time, and I have been at points where I'm just too like jittery or agitated and I can't settle down um if something's going on your life, and but I can't create. you know I can't go paint. it's like
00:22:29
Speaker
i Then I'm like surrounding myself with beauty. That's when I'm watching plays or um going to a museum or, you know, listening to something beautiful or reading poetry. Like you you don't always have to be in that creative mode. You can be receiving it as well. So it's always about like listening and getting to know this part of yourself. And I had to say in the book I mentioned, um a lot of famous people have a morning question.
00:22:55
Speaker
And Salvador Dali, you know, the Surlis painter, his was something like, every morning I wake up and I think, what prodigious thing will this Salvador Dali do today? And I just love that he's like, just he's so confident and like, I wonder, but you know, and just to be like in awe of himself, which is very confident. But I just thought, how fun is that to just have a question and write it on your menu and then, you know, order like you're at a restaurant. So anyway, I think that it's really- that. Yeah. I love this so much. So when sometimes Kenzie and I will have these conversations and she'll be overwhelmed by being a young mom and working in social media and all the things and, and she'll say, I'm in a funk. And, and for me too, when I get in that mood, I'm like, well,
00:23:43
Speaker
where can I go on a field trip? um Where can I take myself like a favorite coffee shop or, or Chrome Conservatory and look at plants or take a walk or so i I love taking field trips when I'm in that mood where it's just a kind of you just can't connect with creativity. But then you take yourself out of your norm, and then something sparks.
00:24:10
Speaker
I love that too. I think shifting energy by just moving your body, going somewhere new. And for me, that is important too, because I work at home. And sometimes I'm like, I just need to go to the coffee shop. I just need a change of scenery. But yeah, this book is designed as a creative pilgrimage. So you're definitely encouraged to take these like monthly pilgrimages to somewhere maybe sacred to you. like That could be A spot you know you loved as a child or a natural environment. ah you know Those are always so helpful. But yes, I love that idea and that reminder. just I think creativity likes change and shifting. And if you feel stagnant, yeah, go somewhere new. you know Sometimes I think you just need to, as you said, to get out and breathe the fresh air. This past week, I was having a real stressful day and I'm like, just, i was getting real angry and I was upset about something. And my friend said, come on, you know, let's go for a walk. And I was like, I'm not going to go. um but You know, and I thought, no, go. It was a gorgeous, mean, gorgeous for end of October in Ohio. See, I'm in Ohio too. But it's but It's, you know, it was like 60 degrees and the sun was shining. And I'll tell you what, an hour out for a walk and you came back and I was not as agitated and it took the it took the temperature down. And, you know, I think this book is such a lovely thing because I think we're often looking for those windows into hope. And sometimes we don't think of our own creative self as that window that you can look through and you can find it. I mean, we... Yes, breathing, meditation, all of those things, but creativity is that too. And it really, it really helps your soul.
00:25:48
Speaker
and it's, it's a gift to your soul for sure. Yeah. I think creativity is so much bigger than just what we make it. You know, if we think we have to be painting or in our studio, it's like it, it's so much bigger than that. And it wants to be so much bigger that it wants to play with us all the time. And so anything we do, outside of our studios that you know enhances that relationship. It makes it so much more fun when you actually sit down to intentionally create something. You're already in this beautiful relationship. You've awakened all these qualities within you, play and joy, and then you're ready to create and you're already connected with that part of yourself. So yeah.
00:26:27
Speaker
Let's take a quick minute and thank our amazing
Sponsorship and Creative Opportunities
00:26:31
Speaker
sponsors. Jet Creative is a women-owned marketing firm committed to community and empowerment since 2013. Are you ready to rebloom and build a website or start a podcast? Visit jetcreative.com backslash podcast to kickstart your journey.
00:26:48
Speaker
They will help you bloom in ways you never imagined. And bonus, our listeners get an exclusive discount when you mention Rebloom. And don't forget to subscribe to this podcast and follow us on Instagram and Facebook at Rebloom Podcast. Thanks to our sponsors and thanks to you for joining us today.
00:27:10
Speaker
Well, I watched you through social media for years before we actually met. And what I always admired is I could see that you would come up with these really fun ideas and you would do them. Like you painted a bus and you wrote a children's book and You know, a lot of people might have those ideas, but they don't always follow through. But I think you're really good at that. And you've actually built your business around creativity, which is beautiful.
00:27:42
Speaker
So can you talk just about like what you're doing now these days? Yeah, definitely. And I think one of the reasons my business has looked like that is because um I feel like when you know your devotion, when you have that sort of anchor or North Star and everything you do revolves around your devotion, that that becomes a really clear path for you. You know, all my decisions are made.
00:28:08
Speaker
Does this serve my creative spirit? That's the question I'm asking. i mean, you can ask whatever question you want, you know, like, is this going to make me money or whatever, but um it looks a little wild and crazy. But I do talk about that too in
Devotion to Creativity and Life Choices
00:28:21
Speaker
my book. It's like, devotion is the great clarifier in my life, you know, and when you are when your heart is organized, that you have energy for that thing. And it also distills all the non essential parts, you know, like I say it doesn't sound like freedom because it's rooted in the word sacrifice, but it's freedom from everything that is not your devotion.
00:28:44
Speaker
And so it's a really powerful way to live. And I tell this story. I'll just tell you this quickly and then I'll tell you what I'm doing. There is a saint in India, Neem Kholibaba. And when they opened his journals after he passed, he There was only one word written in his journals over and over and over, you know, thousands and thousands of times over many, many decades. And it was Ram, Ram, Ram, Ram. And that means that's one of their deities. It's one of their gods.
00:29:09
Speaker
And I was like, and that is actually a practice in India to do that. and I'm like, what would my one word be? Like, if you were going to write one word in your journal for the rest of your life and you can only pick one word, what would that be? And that is your devotion, you know? And so it's like my word is simplified to ma, M-A-A, which is the um creative energy of the universe.
00:29:32
Speaker
It's the divine feminine creative energy. So that is what I serve. And that's my reminder. It's my little short mantra of like, if if I'm getting off course, it like brings me back to my devotion, back to my center. So when I need to make a decision for my business, you know, does this serve my creative spirit?
00:29:51
Speaker
And um so, yes, what I'm doing now, you know, I'm I'm this book is sort of the center of my life and my devotion. And again, it's really nice to have something to like something to focus on. So I'm creating um a lot of offerings now that are inspired from the book. So. a 10 month creative pilgrimage online and it ends with a in-person retreat. um And we'll take a pilgrimage to it. The first one is in Santa Fe. So Georgia O'Keeffe's ghost ranch, her home. So, um, that's kind of what I'm up to now. I'm just, I have devoted my life to this. Um, I want to be a voice for creativity. That's my ultimate goal. And, um, because I, I want to shift our, um, our view of creativity on a cultural scale. Like when we talk about the mantra, our, dominating mantra in this culture is, I am not creative.
00:30:45
Speaker
Everyone says it I mean, it's, and, and these are all just cultural myths because they, they disempower us and they distance us from our creativity. And it's not on accident. Our creativity is our source of power. It's our source of
Challenging Cultural Myths about Creativity
00:31:00
Speaker
joy. It's our source of beauty. It's our source of hope. A lot of industries would crash and If if we all, you know, we're fully embodied in our creativity, we would not need to consume all the things we're consuming. You know, we're creators. um
00:31:16
Speaker
And when you when you live this, you're so fulfilled, you don't need all those other things, you know, that we're trying that people are always telling us you need. um And we become more independent. You know, we know how to make our own fun. We know how to decorate our own own homes with our own hands. We know, you know, we become resourceful and we're not dependent on others. So anyway, um but these these are all myths and they're all designed to distance us from our our beauty, our power and our our oneness. Like, I don't know about for you all, but
00:31:47
Speaker
For me, when I created, it when I started creating, I felt the presence of of this divine spirit within me. And I also knew this is in everyone else. And and then i um I say this in my book too, like what I love lives inside of you.
00:32:04
Speaker
i love creativity. I love it more than anything. it's It's the most precious, beautiful relationship in my life. And it lives in you. and that means i hold I love you. we are one. And once you remember we're one, you know, makes life a lot easier, in a different world.
00:32:22
Speaker
yeah we really treated each other, like what I, what is most precious to me lives in you, you know, i like i love that we we can't see each other as strangers,
00:32:33
Speaker
um Or us and them, you know, and so yeah, it's very disruptive and and artists have always been, you know, a little disruptive and, um but I do think that um that is, that is the call of our times as artists that's my work going forward. So everything I do will will be to honor that universal spirit in us.
00:32:54
Speaker
I love it I love it so much. So are you painting? You've got a book coming out. tell us Tell us some of the other things that you do in your creative life. Yeah, this has been an interesting time for me. I love the premise of your podcast. I love the Rebloom idea and how we're constantly pivoting and and yeah know there's um deaths and rebirths in our one lifetime. And no one ever told me this. And I really appreciate You bring me awareness. because Because, yeah I always heard about... My parents would tell me about reincarnation, about how some cultures believe when you die, you come back as an animal or, you know, whatever. yeah but No one ever said you are going to experience many, many deaths in this one lifetime and many rebirths. And I wish someone had told me because it would be nice to, like, normalize it but also to have language for it, you know, because we don't have... like I've had friends, and I have done this, you have ah you're you're going through some sort of death, some deconstruction, and you get really quiet, and you go internal, and you stop talking to people, and you know you're going through something, but it can actually offend people. because you're not socializing and you're not returning calls. It's like, what if we just had language? Like she's, she's in her cocoon or she is in the nest. right And I'm not offended because you haven't responded to me in three months because, um we feel guilty, but we're, we're breaking parts of us down and then we're becoming and rebuilding. And i I just kind of wish that was normal. So I really appreciate Rebloom.
00:34:24
Speaker
But yeah, now I forgot where I was going with that. Oh, I know. Okay. So this phase in my life, I started painting as therapy, as medicine. um It became a business. I love the business. I you know love painting. um At this phase in my life, I feel like I'm coming home to creativity for for me and for my loved ones. so it's I am still painting, um not as much, but I'm painting like suitcases and that's for um my creative pilgrimage. um I'm painting, I'm making morning menus. I'm making little affirmation cards with my friends. It's starting to become more like for me again. And you know like i'm I'm decorating my home, like painting cabinets and painting the deck and hanging you know fabrics. And so I feel like my most recent pivot is creativity and
00:35:17
Speaker
has become so much more to me than my business. And for a long time, I was very focused on my business. So i just, it's a different phase of life where it's like, I want to give my friends gifts and painting birthday cakes. And i don't know, it's like, I feel like I'm getting to be a kid again. and um ah it's just, yeah, I've kind of, I don't know, not put money on it as much anymore. And just in my life. I love that. Well, I love that. You know, I think sometimes people think of creativity as ah just a canvas or yeah just a piece of, you know, drawing on a a paper. But I love that you look at it as the walls in your home or your cabinets or a suitcase anything. And that we're doing a little remodel right now. And no, I'm not taking photographs, but there's a lot of creativity that has to go into it. I'm looking at colors and how it all goes together. And it's really kind of fun and joyful just to kind of try to
00:36:20
Speaker
Think about all of those things. And and it it's fun. It's just fun. It's much fun. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, the way we play at our house, we I decided this is a temple to creativity because this is actually a story I was... I was really sad one day because I couldn't go outside and I can see our beach. um I see people playing in the sun and I, you know, and and I got really upset and um i was sitting and I had my eyes closed and just kind of praying. And I heard this question or it was like, you can make this your prison or your temple. And I was like, Oh oh my gosh, I'm going to make this a temple. going make it a temple to creativity. And then I like started making it a temple that,
00:37:04
Speaker
um That's a choice, you know, and so maybe have a lot of fun. Our design motif is kind of like, does this, um will this serve our creative spirit or does it does this awaken our creative spirit? So everything we do is very playful and it is, it's fun. i feel like it connects me to like a whole lineage of our ancestors. This is what they did. you know, they didn't go to like, and don't know what's like home goods or whatever. I mean, they just made their own beauty. And so it's fun and play. we And also i can feel my creativity growing as I do this. So everything you do makes your creativity. I bring it into my studio, obviously. But we like to name our rooms like silly names. You know, we call our living room the living womb because someone said it felt like a womb. And I was like, oh, my gosh.
00:37:52
Speaker
We have a nest on our deck. You know, we have a we have a tea fort like you can have. You can have a lot of fun. And um I don't know, i just feel like we could we could have a lot more fun with our homes and our cars and everything like
Expanding Creativity Beyond Art
00:38:06
Speaker
that. So yeah, not making creativity so small, like it doesn't have to be a serious piece of art, you know, it can just be your outfit or it can be whatever, whatever delights your your um heart, you know, that feeling of joy. We all deserve it.
00:38:22
Speaker
We do. Yeah. I feel like just how Jessica Swift's, her rainbow books that came out of something very tragic, and then she did it for herself initially, but then it's taken on a life of its own that has served so many people. I feel like that's, that's going to happen with this book.
00:38:43
Speaker
like Like what you're doing and saying in that book and sharing, I think it's going to serve so many people. It's going to take on a life of its own.
00:38:54
Speaker
I love that about creativity, how it's generative and it just expands in ways that we, we can never imagine. And yeah, there's, ah I talk about this too. And you know, when Matisse, he, you know, he was a painter obviously for decades and then he, He just aged. He became old and he had, I think he had arthritis in his hands or something. And he was in a wheelchair and he couldn't paint anymore. But he asked, what can I do with this? What can I make from this? And then he started collaging and his collage pieces are like some of his most beloved work. So I also tell that story in the book. But the point is we can always ask that question. Like, what can I make from this? You know, and sometimes we forget because I forget. I'm not always like great at it. But I love that we have examples from other um great figures in history that did not give up. And, you know, we get to be those people now. You know, i always think about my life as like a if I was in a ah book, like a story, like what kind of character do I want to be?
00:39:56
Speaker
I don't want to be the one that just gives up. You know, i I want to give up all the time, but then I'm like, no, I don't, I don't like that story. I don't like those characters. You know, I want to, I want to um be the one that carries on, you know, and has hope and, and doesn't give up. And where's And where's the page where yeah are? And it's, it's amazing. And, You know I'm thinking, Lori, about we interviewed Monsi, who was just amazing. And she has she calls it the ripple of she's she's a ripple maker. And, yeah you know, creativity is ripples. I mean, you're doing it for your own heart and soul. If you choose to share it with others, that love ripples onto someone else. And then that ripples to someone else.
00:40:37
Speaker
And that's really if if we allow that to happen, then we're rippling love. all the way. And, and that was such a powerful conversation. And what you're doing is the same, you know, it's, it's, it's, and we just had another conversation about self-love. We were talking with Matthew Lyons about self-love and creativity allows you to fill yourself up with self-love. And once you've, once you love yourself, you can then love others in a greater capacity. And that's the beauty of doing things that fill your heart with joy and whatever it may be.
00:41:13
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, i think um when you awaken that part of you and yourself, you it does awaken in others too. it does And I also talk about that in the book about, I think it's in the devotion chapter, how devotion and creativity are generative forces, just like love. you know They take on a life of their own. And I have this great story about my friend, Steve, who He became obsessed with plant terrariums and aquariums. And it was just a hobby. But he just, you know, I don't know if you've ever felt that way. You just have to do something and you can't stop and there's there's no sense. There's no logic to it. Yes. A lot.
00:41:53
Speaker
He was being guided by, I think, his his spirit. He was listening to his soul and what brought him joy. His house was full of these aquariums and he couldn't even walk. He said like through the rooms. He could not get there. And so we started giving them away and then people started wanting to buy them. So eventually he opened a little store in Seattle and he started selling them. He did so well, he quit his job as a scientist. Like ah he had a really good job. And then... um A major retailer who's located in Seattle um commissioned him to do all of their businesses, aquariums, this big project, and then do these at the owner's home. I'm not going to say who it is, but they're based in Seattle and they sell a lot of books and other things online. And um he ended up being able to take like a year sabbatical in Hawaii. And he said to me, Carrie, I'm living in one of my terrariums now.
00:42:47
Speaker
And I was like, and people say to me, you're living in you're living inside one of your paintings. And I'm like, yes, because when you love something and you tend to it, it becomes a home for you. Literally and figuratively, it grows and grows. It takes on a life of its own. And before you know it, it is sheltering you.
00:43:07
Speaker
It is holding you. it it becomes bigger than you and you're living in your devotion. And in I think that is magic. I do think creativity is real magic. Just the way like the ripple effect. I found Mancy from your podcast.
00:43:21
Speaker
You know, it's like unleashing... something out into the universe and you don't know where it's going. And Jessica Swift's rainbows are like that, you know, and this is a magical power that we get to have. It is so cool. I just, I can't like, yeah I go to the water almost every morning that's on my menu and i sing to the water and I pray.
00:43:42
Speaker
And i bow and I um blow, I blow prayers into rocks and then I toss them in the water. And I'm like, always looking around like, I can't believe we don't all start our mornings in in reverence and worship to creativity. Like, why are we not all down here? just bowing to this force that moves the tides and, you know, makes the birds sing. And this we have, it's a magical power that we get to have. And I know like right now, a lot of us feel hopeless because a lot's going on, but this is our power, you know, and, and beauty is a force ah that we can create and it does impact people. So it's a different kind of power. You know, it's not like we're leading the world in um visible ways. But this is a power to not take for granted, I think.
00:44:31
Speaker
it's amazing. I think there's just, there's so many distractions in people's lives more and more and more. And we just spoke with Matthew who spent, I don't know how many days in silence at different retreats. 20. think, yeah. Yeah, 20 days at silent retreats. and Wow. And, you know, I was really fascinated to learn about, and not even journaling, like no journaling, no note-taking, just being with yourself. Yeah.
00:44:58
Speaker
And i think people don't take time to just be quiet and just be in be in awe and notice how much beauty there is around us. Absolutely.
00:45:10
Speaker
And, you know, it's interesting, too, as you were sharing that, too, Carrie. You know, I think we get up in the in the world and it's often a little scary and it's hard. And the other thing is we're often told Right.
00:45:23
Speaker
There's no, you can't do this, or there's a rule here, or you, you know, you must follow along in this particular path. The beauty of creativity is it's an ongoing yes.
00:45:34
Speaker
Yes to whatever you want to do. If, I mean, if, if you're selling your work, sometimes there are, again, there are parameters and things you have to, you have to follow, but. If you're just being creative for your heart and soul, i mean, paint your house in rainbows, paint your house. I mean you can do what you want to do. I bet you're the kind of mom, did you let your kids paint on their own walls? I bet you. Yeah, definitely. They would paint on my studio walls too. I'd see little notes from them and whatnot. I love it. Yeah. and And I do think also we often, you know, look outside of ourselves and think,
00:46:10
Speaker
um we have the other people are telling us no, but I think we tell ourselves no more than anyone. And we have all these silent agreements. um that we i unconsciously agree to and we suppress our own selves. you know like I've had women and say, well, I would paint my car, but my husband won't let me. or like We can make up a lot of excuses and no's. So I think really getting to listen in and say, how am I like holding my creativity back? Because we restrain that
00:46:41
Speaker
that part of us so much. And I know I do too. i mean, there are, right and that's the thing at our house is like, we're always trying to like push the rules. Like, what are we agreeing to that we don't even know? And like, one example is we ended up, I don't, I didn't like our, um, our dining room table, like the level of it. I don't like sitting like in this way. So we put it on the ground and we sit on cushions and it feels, it's so cozy and so playful. I feel like a child, we know we, we sit on little cushions on our floor, but also it's like, Oh, I'm, this is helping me get up and down. Like when I'm 80, I want to be able to get off the floor. yeah yeah It's so like intimate and playful. It's like, why does our furniture have to be at this height?
00:47:23
Speaker
Like, we why do we have to have furniture? And we, we took a lot of furniture out of our living room because we wanted to have song circles monthly with our friends. And it's like, yeah, all these silly rules. It's like, wait, why do we have to do this? or you know, why do we have to call it this name? Like, you know, it doesn't have to be called a family room or whatever. Like you can make up so many things. And and so we're always kind of pushing that.
00:47:50
Speaker
Like, what am I doing that I'm, I'm restraining my own spirit. I think right we've been taught to do it in a lot of ways. So, yeah, we we have and you you're 100 percent right. And I think we tell ourselves no or we say we you know, if you find yourself with 20 minutes or an hour and you think, oh, I could be doing chores or I could be doing something else. And. You you make excuses and you say, well, it's i'm not allowed I'm not allowed to be creative. that's That's being selfish of my own time. But I say, oh, no, you must do that. That's more important than the chores, probably, because you know it's it's okay. It's okay to do that. That's one of the things I love about the the art retreats is that yeah women that come, they they love that they're just, they'll say often, I don't have the time to devote to this in my daily life. And the fact that I'm here and I don't have to worry about
00:48:46
Speaker
you know, laundry or cooking, or I can just focus on art making and creativity. it's just, they go away a different person. Like the whole mood the spirit is just lifted. It's so true.
00:49:01
Speaker
Yeah. I think we've been taught to like delay joy and like, we have to do these important you know, grownup responsibilities, but we have to reclaim that and just rewrite these stories. And again, these like myths. And that's why i love starting my mornings, um,
00:49:18
Speaker
tending to my spirit. It's like, you're the priority. You're what I start with.
Embracing Joy and Creativity Daily
00:49:22
Speaker
And then that sets my tone for the entire day. And I know like there's so many books out there, like Atomic Habits or the 5am Club. And it's always about like mornings, achieving, achieving, achieving, you know, you have to get stronger or thinner or write this or do that. And it's like, we don't need to get better at anything. You know, we, what if we just like What if joy, what if that's our are the beginning of our day or reverence or a quality that awakens our our creativity? Wow. What ah an incredible way to begin. So, yeah, I mean, i hope women learn from, you know, those retreats to just come back and bring some of that back into their lives. You know, it's so important. Right. What an incredible journey you've had to carry. And, you know, you... I teach my daughter and my kids and you say, you know, sometimes things happen for a reason. always, you kind of hate that in the moment. Yeah. But you do really hate it sometimes in the moment. But, you know, you do wonder about your illness, that it forced you almost like the pandemic. I'll equate it to the pandemic for many of us that forced us to stop.
00:50:30
Speaker
You were forced to stop. And look at all the the things that people discovered in the pandemic, sourdough bread and art and music and everything. But by you stopping, you've now had this whole life of creativity that has helped you not only to manage your illness, but given you joy and brought you joy, brought your family joy, brought others joy. i mean, it's, you know, it's just, it's, it's a beautiful, powerful, I mean, I look at, we're looking at you now, our our listeners won't be able to look at you, but I i see joy. I see beauty, not the person that was sick and ill in her thirties. And it's a rebirth. I think of like putting your head on the picture of that Venus painting. the coming out of the shell oh my gosh it was it was definitely a death and rebirth and i didn't understand that at the time and i didn't have like the support systems in place um but yeah i think we all have gone through that dark night of the soul and um thank goodness we have creativity you know i thank goodness i found it but yeah when the pandemic i was like oh i've been through this before now everyone knows what i feel like you know yeah like yeah It does give you a different perspective. It does. Yeah. And that's, it was a gift. I mean, I say it was my greatest burden and it's my greatest blessing and it it remains that way. It's both. It's still so hard.
00:51:59
Speaker
And then I think would I, would I choose this? If I could go back, would I have chosen to have that? And absolutely. Yes. This is, I feel like it awakened my soul, my spirit. I always felt like something was missing. Something was off. Like I knew there was more I didn't know what it was. I felt like a part of me was missing. know if other people feel like that.
00:52:19
Speaker
And then it just came alive. So it was like it was a great gift. And I feel like it did direct me on the path that was meant for me. like I don't think I chose this path. And looking back, I can see signs that I was meant to do this, but I didn't listen.
00:52:33
Speaker
i just, I believed all the stories about like, I'm not an artist. I can't do this. It's not a real job, you know? And so finally I feel like I just got the smack down, you know, I feel like I was just like, okay, I'm going to take everything away from you and put you in a room and you can't do anything, you know, but create now, like, what are you going to do? And I also am so grateful that, when every It was like a death of everything that didn't matter.
00:52:59
Speaker
Everything material, yeah like job, career, accolades, money, materialism, like none of that could save me. The only thing that mattered and the only thing I could feel, i could feel this like eternal part of myself. And that was all that was left. Like that was it. And so I had to kind of learn the hard way, but hopefully you know other people can learn from myself.
00:53:20
Speaker
from our stories and maybe not resist what is meant for them. you know, there's this phrase in Greek um theology called your daemon. It's your, your calling. um But if you don't listen, it becomes your demon. And that's what happened to me.
00:53:36
Speaker
That is what happened. Yeah. Yeah. I love that. I think of those photos of Frida lying in bed in a full body cast, but she's still painting.
00:53:47
Speaker
And I always thought, wow, what that must have taken for her. But but the way to hear you talk about it, that's she had to do that to keep herself going and yeah keep herself wanting to stay alive.
00:54:02
Speaker
Yeah, she had it rough. But not when her injury ends up. Yeah, I think a lot of people have found creativity in those dark times. Thank goodness. And I think your ability now to have this, to take the time and reflect and write this book is going to be such a gift to everyone out there. And what a wonderful thing that you've done. And is it available? Is it out? Yes, it's available in all the places where you would... get books. And it really is, you know, the tradition pilgrimage is to get closer to the divine, get closer to God. That's the point. And so for this, it's like to get closer to your creativity, to your divine spirit and to write your own story with it. So to kind of like let go of all these other myths you've been taught about creativity, most of what we know or we've been taught someone else's ideas, someone else's beliefs and mostly unhealthy ones. So it's about finding your own direct experience with creativity.
00:55:10
Speaker
you know Write your own story. what What is creativity really to you um when you take the time to get to know it and then accept it for what it is? you know get to know its personality, get to know its natural laws. It's not linear, it's not predictable, it's wild, it's chaotic, it's on its own timeline, it's bigger than we are, you know? and I think it dwells in in the quiet and in the slow, like you were saying. um And it's playful and it's joyful and it will never hurt you and it will never judge you. It's like we treat it so unkindly in this culture and it has never done anything but loved us and given
Reflection on Creativity's Impact
00:55:51
Speaker
to us. It gives us so many gifts. Once you understand how it works and then accept it, you know, it's not going you can't control it I can't control it. It's so much bigger than we are. And to have reverence for our role, our, our position in it, where I don't think we're in control of it, you know? So just like, it's very, very well, Carrie, this is amazing conversation. Thank you so much for joining us. Thank you for having me. I love your podcast. Please keep doing it. Yeah. We are. We love these conversations. love stories and hearing people's journeys. And yeah it's it's become more than I think either one of us expected. we didn't We didn't know. Yeah. I think we thought we were, I mean, we did always think we were doing this for others, but it is our creative outlet too, that now it's giving so much to us. mean, we sit and have these conversations and we listen to them a couple of times and, you know, we listen as we're chatting and we listen to to the podcast again when it comes out and we think,
00:56:59
Speaker
Wow. You know, like this is, they're just the powerful words and we hear a lot of things. but There's threads. There's threads that we hear throughout that are just so important that we really hope our listeners will hold on to and believe that they can be creative too. That's the most important thing is to find the pivot points, whatever they are, and just to get out there and do it. And know that it's okay to pivot. It's okay to pivot. It's okay to say no. It's okay to say yes. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay.
00:57:30
Speaker
Yeah. And it's I think it's inevitable. Like we can't, I personally, I've got some, when there's changes in my life, I don't always go along willingly, but the minute I stop resisting. Yeah. Yeah, the surrender, it's then things flow. And it's always beyond my wildest imagination. so yeah, I love that it is, it is your podcast is creative, and it's generative. And like you said, it just, it's taken on new forms and shapes and impacted so many people. And one of the when you were talking one of the quotes I love, um that reminds me of um creativity is generosity. It's the scent always remains on the hand that gives the rose. And so every time we make this like offering of creativity, you know, like you put yourselves out there. It's very vulnerable to do anything creative, whether it's a podcast or tell a story or do a painting. But when we give and offer our creativity in any form, and the sense of that remains on us. You know, we get benefit from it. So I just think that's such a beautiful That is beautiful. Reminder.
00:58:33
Speaker
Yeah. Well, your hands must smell beautiful because the scent of the rose is on you. And we certainly hope that it's on us, huh, Laura? I mean, we hope we can do that as well. And thank you, Carrie, so much for joining us today.
00:58:49
Speaker
Thank you for having me. I really appreciate it I was so excited to talk about the book and i I appreciate you all for supporting artists and creatives. Well, thank you. You know, I love you. You're a beautiful person.
00:59:03
Speaker
Yeah. Thank you. And we're here where everybody can get the book and to our listeners, peace, love, and rebloom. Life is too short not to follow your passions. So go out there and let your heart plant you where you are meant to be and grow your joy.
00:59:18
Speaker
We will be right here sharing more incredible stories of reinvention with you. Make sure to subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode of Rebloom.
00:59:29
Speaker
Until next time, I'm Jamie Jameson. And I'm Lori Siebert. Peace, love and Rebloom, dear friends.