Don't Quit Your Daydream Podcast

193: Artist Viola Hortova on Reconnecting With Creativity Through Small Daily Habits

In this episode, I’m joined by artist Viola Hortova, for an inspiring conversation about creativity, self-expression, and what it truly means to live a creative life. Viola shares her journey from studying photography, graphic design, and landscape architecture to becoming a full-time mixed media artist. We talk about how she built a daily sketchbook habit that slowly reshaped her identity, and how sharing her work online helped her step fully into seeing herself as an artist. Together we explore: * How a simple 5-minute daily sketching practice can transform your creativity * Why creativity is less about talent and more about permission and habit * The power of plein air painting and connecting with nature as inspiration * How to overcome fear and perfectionism when sharing your art * How creativity shows up in everyday life, not just in the studio * The importance of “artist dates” and reconnecting with play * Building creative community through workshops and shared practice Viola also shares the heart behind her art date club and art mail club community, where she sends artwork, letters, and creative prompts to inspire people around the world to reconnect with their own creativity. If you’ve ever felt like you’re “not creative,” or you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to start again, this episode will gently remind you that creativity is already within you! Connect with Viola- Socials: Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/viola.artstudio/ [https://www.instagram.com/viola.artstudio/] Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/violaartstudio?utm_source=search [https://www.patreon.com/violaartstudio?utm_source=search] Her website: https://www.violaartstudio.com/ [https://www.violaartstudio.com/]

192: How to Know When It's Time to Pause, Pivot, or Let Go Of a Dream

In this episode of Don’t Quit Your Daydream, I’m sharing a really honest conversation about what it feels like to pause, pivot, or let go of a dream. I open up about two dreams from my own life, one I completely shelved and one I’m still actively discerning in real time. We talk about learning to trust your intuition, how to listen to your body, and ways to tell if a dream is still aligned for you in this season of life. If you’ve been questioning your next step and wondering whether to keep going, pause, or change directions, this episode is for you. BREATHWORK SESSION: MAY 28TH 6:30-7:30 PM CENTRAL ON ZOOM. https://connectedandwell.kit.com/products/la-breathwork [https://connectedandwell.kit.com/products/la-breathwork] Your weekly dose of inspiration Get reflections, small practices, and bonus insights from Don’t Quit Your Daydream delivered straight to your inbox.  https://contact.connectedandwell.com/podcast [https://contact.connectedandwell.com/podcast] Let's be friends! Find me on socials Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/connected.and.well [https://www.instagram.com/connected.and.well] Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/groups/689598025324831 [https://www.facebook.com/groups/689598025324831] Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrfKZaAZ-ZqJLW_sqcQPYxw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrfKZaAZ-ZqJLW_sqcQPYxw] Yoga and meditation videos to help you reset.  Website- https://www.connectedandwell.com [https://www.connectedandwell.com/] What kind of dreamer are you? Find out with my free quiz! Discover your dreamer type, get your personalized guide, and a powerful visualization to help you move closer to your dreams. Take it here: https://tools.connectedandwell.com/dreamersquiz [https://tools.connectedandwell.com/dreamersquiz]

191: If Not Now, When? Moving Through Freeze Mode and Back Into Life

In this solo episode of Don’t Quit Your Daydream, I share something I did not plan to talk about, but something that shifted everything in me. After receiving devastating news in my community, I found myself in a place I know many of us have been in before. Shocked. Heavy. Disconnected. I went into what I can only describe as freeze mode. I could not move through my normal rhythm, and everything in me slowed down. And yet, in the middle of that stillness, something started to move in me. A wake up call to live the life that's here, now! Be more present, do the things, say yes to life... If not now, when? This episode is about what it means to wake back up to your life when grief, overwhelm, or emotional shutdown has taken over. It is not about pushing through or rushing healing. It is about slowly coming back to yourself and remembering that your life is still happening right now. In this episode we talk about: * Moving through grief and emotional freeze mode * Why life has a way of waking us up through loss and change * Letting go of “someday” and starting where you are * Simple ways to reconnect to your body and the present moment * Decluttering your life, your space, and your energy * Coming back to presence, joy, and what actually matters * Gentle nervous system tools like grounding, movement, breath, and humming to overcome the feeling of being stuck or frozen. If you have been feeling numb, stuck, or like you are just moving through the motions, this episode is a gentle reminder that you are still here. Your life is still here. And there is always a way back in. Here's to waking back up and going for your dreams! Enjoy! BREATHWORK SESSION: MAY 28TH 6:30-7:30 PM CENTRAL ON ZOOM. https://connectedandwell.kit.com/products/la-breathwork [https://connectedandwell.kit.com/products/la-breathwork] Your weekly dose of inspiration Get reflections, small practices, and bonus insights from Don’t Quit Your Daydream delivered straight to your inbox.  https://contact.connectedandwell.com/podcast [https://contact.connectedandwell.com/podcast] Let's be friends! Find me on socials Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/connected.and.well [https://www.instagram.com/connected.and.well] Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/groups/689598025324831 [https://www.facebook.com/groups/689598025324831] Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrfKZaAZ-ZqJLW_sqcQPYxw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrfKZaAZ-ZqJLW_sqcQPYxw] Yoga and meditation videos to help you reset.  Website- https://www.connectedandwell.com [https://www.connectedandwell.com/] What kind of dreamer are you? Find out with my free quiz! Discover your dreamer type, get your personalized guide, and a powerful visualization to help you move closer to your dreams. Take it here: https://tools.connectedandwell.com/dreamersquiz [https://tools.connectedandwell.com/dreamersquiz]

190: Follow the Whisper: Building a Dream One Book at a Time - Brandi Morpurgo

In this episode I had the joy of sitting down with Brandi Morpurgo, founder of Daisy Chain Book Co., to talk about the dream that started when she was just twelve years old. After writing the idea for a mobile bookshop in her diary, the dream stayed tucked away for years. During a season of grief, the idea resurfaced and Brandi decided to test it. That small idea grew into a mobile bookstore on wheels and eventually two thriving bookstores built around community and a love of books. We talk about creativity, grief, building something from scratch, and what it looks like to follow the quiet nudges in life. If you have ever had a small idea sitting in the back of your mind, this episode might be the little push you need. IN THIS EPISODE WE TALK ABOUT * The childhood dream that started it all * How grief can sometimes open the door to creativity * What it really takes to build something from the ground up * The power of testing ideas instead of waiting for perfection * Why community matters more than we think * How Brandi turned a book truck into two thriving bookstores * Why reading is actually one of the best things we can do for our brains * And why it’s never too late to follow a dream that’s been quietly waiting for you Go check out - Daisy Chain Book Co. - https://daisychainbook.co/ [https://daisychainbook.co/] Follow Brandi: Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/daisychainbookco/ [https://www.instagram.com/daisychainbookco/] Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/daisychainbookco [https://www.facebook.com/daisychainbookco] Your weekly dose of inspiration Get reflections, small practices, and bonus insights from Don’t Quit Your Daydream delivered straight to your inbox.  https://contact.connectedandwell.com/podcast [https://contact.connectedandwell.com/podcast] Let's be friends! Find me on socials Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/connected.and.well [https://www.instagram.com/connected.and.well] Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/groups/689598025324831 [https://www.facebook.com/groups/689598025324831] Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrfKZaAZ-ZqJLW_sqcQPYxw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrfKZaAZ-ZqJLW_sqcQPYxw] Yoga and meditation videos to help you reset.  Website- https://www.connectedandwell.com [https://www.connectedandwell.com/] What kind of dreamer are you? Find out with my free quiz! Discover your dreamer type, get your personalized guide, and a powerful visualization to help you move closer to your dreams. Take it here: https://tools.connectedandwell.com/dreamersquiz [https://tools.connectedandwell.com/dreamersquiz]

189: Rewrite Your Story: Human Design and the Power of Conscious Storytelling with Dr. Karen Parker

In this episode, I sat down with Dr. Karen Parker, a best-selling author, TEDx speaker, and the founder of Quantum Human Design™. Karen has spent decades studying Human Design and helping people better understand themselves and the unique way they are wired. In our conversation, we explore what Human Design actually is and how it can help us reconnect with our authentic selves. Karen shares how the stories we tell about ourselves shape the way we experience the world, and why creativity and imagination play such an important role in our well-being. We also talk about burnout, intuition, and the importance of standing in your value—especially in a world that constantly tries to tell us who we should be. This conversation weaves together science, storytelling, and self-discovery, and I hope it leaves you feeling curious about your own story and the possibilities for living more fully as yourself. I know you will get so much out of this episode. If you are stuggling in mind, body or spirit, this one's for you. Enjoy! IN THIS EPISODE WE TALK ABOUT: * What Human Design is and how it works * How the stories we tell about ourselves shape our lives * Why creativity and imagination are essential for our health * The difference between instinct and intuition * Burnout and the pressure to live behind a “mask” * Reconnecting with your authentic self About Dr. Karen Curry Parker Dr. Karen Parker is a best-selling author, TEDx speaker, and the founder of Quantum Human Design™. She has spent more than three decades researching and teaching Human Design, helping people around the world understand their unique energetic design and reconnect with their authentic selves. Karen is the author of more than twenty books and teaches internationally through courses, trainings, and speaking events. Connect with Karen: Website- https://quantumhumandesign.com/ [https://quantumhumandesign.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkarenparker22/ [https://www.instagram.com/drkarenparker22/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrKarenParker22 [https://www.facebook.com/DrKarenParker22] Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@drkarenparker/featured [https://www.youtube.com/@drkarenparker/featured] Free Ebook: quantumhumandesign.com/yt [http://quantumhumandesign.com/yt] Get your Human Design Chart Here- https://freehumandesignchart.com/ [https://freehumandesignchart.com/] Your weekly dose of inspiration Get reflections, small practices, and bonus insights from Don’t Quit Your Daydream delivered straight to your inbox.  https://contact.connectedandwell.com/podcast [https://contact.connectedandwell.com/podcast] Let's be friends! Find me on socials Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/connected.and.well [https://www.instagram.com/connected.and.well] Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/groups/689598025324831 [https://www.facebook.com/groups/689598025324831] Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrfKZaAZ-ZqJLW_sqcQPYxw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrfKZaAZ-ZqJLW_sqcQPYxw] Yoga and meditation videos to help you reset.  Website- https://www.connectedandwell.com [https://www.connectedandwell.com/] What kind of dreamer are you? Find out with my free quiz! Discover your dreamer type, get your personalized guide, and a powerful visualization to help you move closer to your dreams. Take it here: https://tools.connectedandwell.com/dreamersquiz [https://tools.connectedandwell.com/dreamersquiz]