Let the Verse Flow: Personal Growth Thru a Creative Lens

Return to You: Creativity, Identity, and the Art of Being Yourself

What does it mean to be true to yourself? It’s often a question that we ponder at pivotal points in our lives, especially during midlife. In this episode, I explore what it means to be yourself creatively, authentically, and with greater self-awareness.  For inspiration, there’s poetry and a discussion of the role of mindfulness in living authentically. I also discuss an inspirational quote by Allen Ginsberg. It’s his iconic advice to writers (but it applies to all creative beings – which is all of us in one way or another). “Follow your inner moonlight, don’t hide the madness.” This episode is an invitation to reconnect with your creative voice, listen to your inner wisdom and make time and space for the parts of yourself that you value most and want to be seen. Check out the journal prompts to help you reflect on Ginsberg’s quote in more depth and reconnect with your creative voice and what it’s trying to tell you about how to live.   Welcome to my reflections from the bright side of the beat. If you like the podcast, visit my website: lettheverseflow.com for more inspirational insights and resources, and sign up for Flow & Voice, a free monthly note with short, practical reflections on creativity and personal growth, plus occasional behind-the-scenes glimpses into my audio storytelling journey. Music: All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe [https://app.soundstripe.com/]. Songs in this episode: Glide by JMPSCR; Some Kind of Wonderful by Nu Alkemi$t; Con Sazón by In This World Poem: Well, who am I? Quote:  “Follow your inner moonlight, don’t hide the madness.” (Allen Ginsberg) Related Episodes: Creative Flow: Self-Care That Matters (Episode #21)  [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/creative-flow/] Affirmation Meditation: Cultivate Creative Flow (Episode #22) [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/affirmation-meditation-creative-flow/] Journal Prompts: 1. What creative activities speak to you, open you up, and help you release and follow your “inner moonlight?” 2. Have you been hiding your creativity? How and why? 3. How does your creativity help define who you are? Please subscribe & leave a review if today’s episode helped you tap into opportunities for living more creatively (and authentically).  💜💛 Follow Jill on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lettheverseflow/ [https://www.instagram.com/lettheverseflow/] Prefer to read this episode? Read the complete episode in blog format here: https://www.lettheverseflow.com [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/] I’m wrapping up Season 3 and taking a break over the holidays, but I’ll be back on January 14th for Season 4 with a new series on some of the essential life lessons my sweet mom taught me. Until then, I’m wishing you all good things, and time and space to try new things. Maybe a new creative project, quality time with friends, or deep rest. Do what lights you up inside and fills you with a sense of purpose. You deserve those moments for yourself. See you on January 14th.

Handling Waves of Grief with Self-Compassion

Grief comes in waves – successive, unpredictable, fierce or tumbling – and with each wave, we get swept up and taken to another place. It's often a mixed bag of emotions and thoughts, a place of anger, shame, nostalgia and memory, great sorrow, or even laughter and gratitude.  How can we steady ourselves when faced with all these conflicting feelings? With self-compassion. 💝 In today's episode, I talk about: * the three elements of self-compassion: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness * the non-linear quality of grief and how to cope with its unpredictable nature  * how leaning into, and extending, the compassion that friends and family display can help you let go of negative emotions (shame, anger, regret) * how an odd combination of sleep, retro TV detective shows, walks in Central Park, and mindfulness (led by my favorite “tell-it-like-it-is” Dharma teacher Vinny Ferraro) is helping me cope.  Welcome to my reflections from the bright side of the beat. If you like the podcast, head over to my website: lettheverseflow.com for more inspirational insights and resources, and sign up for Flow & Voice, a free monthly note with short, practical reflections on creativity and personal growth, plus occasional behind-the-scenes glimpses into my audio storytelling journey. Music: All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe [https://app.soundstripe.com/]. Songs in this episode: Sunshine On My Soul by Moments; Some Kind of Wonderful by Nu Alkemi$t; Con Sazón by In This World Poem: The Luckiest Child Resources: What is self-compassion? (positive psychology article): https://positivepsychology.com/self-compassion-self-love/#self-compassion-and-positive-psychology [https://positivepsychology.com/self-compassion-self-love/#self-compassion-and-positive-psychology] Vinny Ferraro’s website: https://vinnyferraro.org/ [https://vinnyferraro.org/]; see the recordings tab for his Dharma talks and guided meditations Related Episodes: Making Peace with Grief (the Shapeshifter) - Episode #54 [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/making-peace-with-grief-the-shapeshifter/] Grief & Gratitude (It's Bittersweet) - Episode #15 [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/grief-gratitude-bittersweet/] Journal Prompts: 1. List three activities that could engage you in a compassionate way during a difficult time. 2. In what ways has a friend or family member treated you with compassion as you grieve or struggle with a life transition? 3. What mindful act can help you lean into self-compassion? Write about what that could look like and how it would help. Please subscribe & leave a review if today’s episode helped you handle grief with greater self-compassion.  💜💛 Follow Jill on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lettheverseflow/ [https://www.instagram.com/lettheverseflow/] Prefer to read this episode? Read the complete episode in blog format here: https://www.lettheverseflow.com [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/] I’m wrapping up Season 3 and taking a break over the holidays, but I’ll be back on January 14th for Season 4 with a new series on some of the essential life lessons my sweet mom taught me. Until then, I’m wishing you all good things, and time and space to try new things. Maybe a new creative project, quality time with friends, or deep rest. Do what lights you up inside and fills you with a sense of purpose. You deserve those moments for yourself. See you on January 14th.

You Are Seen: Poetry & Reflection to Support Family Caregivers

This episode begins with an ode to an overwrought caregiver. I'm reaching out to my fellow caregiver tribe to remind you that what you do matters. When we care for an aging parent, child, partner, or neighbor, we impact our small piece of the world with our hearts and hands and unseen strength.  We can get so wrapped up in our caregiving tasks that we lose sight of what our caring means. There often isn't much time to reflect on how we are showing up for our loved one or friend. We just do it, but there are times when we may come very close to burnout. That's a painful place to be because we still want to take care of our loved one, but we may not have the internal resources (emotionally, physically, or spiritually).  I hope this episode helps restore your resilience and reminds you that you are seen and appreciated for your caring.   Welcome to my reflections from the bright side of the beat. If you like the podcast, head over to my website: lettheverseflow.com for more inspirational insights and resources, and sign up for Flow & Voice, a free monthly note with short, practical reflections on creativity and personal growth, plus occasional behind-the-scenes glimpses into my audio storytelling journey. Music: All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe [https://app.soundstripe.com/]. Songs in this episode: Some Kind of Wonderful by Nu Alkemi$t; Con Sazón by In This World Related Episodes: Caregiver Burnout & Crisis: Care for the Carer (Episode #49) [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/caregiver-burnout/] Finding Balance in Struggle: Exploring Yin and Yang in Daily Life (Episode #41) [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/yin-and-yang-in-daily-life/] Embracing Uncertainty: Feeling Faithful & Taking Action (Episode #30) [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/embracing-uncertainty-faithful/] Finding Balance: Caregiver Self-Care (Episode #27) [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/finding-balance-caregiver-self-care/] Dealing with Dementia (Caregiver Tips & Journal Prompts) (Episode #13) [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/dealing-with-dementia/] Journal Prompts: 1. What is the most important thing you get out of your caregiving?  2. Are you giving yourself enough praise and appreciation for your caregiving? If not, why? 3. What positive impact does your caregiving have on your family, community or the world? Please subscribe & leave a review if today’s episode helped you reflect on the positive benefits of caregiving.  💜💛 Follow Jill on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lettheverseflow/ [https://www.instagram.com/lettheverseflow/] Prefer to read this episode? Read the complete episode in blog format here: https://www.lettheverseflow.com [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/] I’m wrapping up Season 3 and taking a break over the holidays, but I’ll be back on January 14th for Season 4 with a new series on some of the essential life lessons my sweet mom taught me. Until then, I’m wishing you all good things, and time and space to try new things. Maybe a new creative project, quality time with friends, or deep rest. Do what lights you up inside and fills you with a sense of purpose. You deserve those moments for yourself. See you on January 14th.

Feasting on Anger: How to Break the Pattern of Avoidance

Do you have difficulty handling strong emotions like anger or frustration? Do you find yourself reaching for distractions like food or shopping, or alcohol to deal with stress or emotional overload? What does it look like to process emotions like anger successfully?  In this episode, I walk you through one recent instance in which I transformed my anger without engaging in any negative avoidance or distraction behaviors. I explore how I sat with my feelings, reframed emotionally-charged situations, and tried to listen to what my anger needed to tell me.  This episode is filled with hope and honesty about what it takes to face your uncomfortable feelings, sit with them, and ultimately make peace with them, thereby disrupting negative, fear-based habits.  Welcome to my reflections from the bright side of the beat. If you like the podcast, head over to my website: lettheverseflow.com for more inspirational insights and resources, and sign up for Flow & Voice, a free monthly note with short, practical reflections on creativity and personal growth, plus occasional behind-the-scenes glimpses into my audio storytelling journey. Music: All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe [https://app.soundstripe.com/]. Songs in this episode: Don Cheadle by GRAMATTYK; Some Kind of Wonderful by Nu Alkemi$t; Con Sazón by In This World Related Episodes: Personal Growth Is In the Process: How to Love Where You Are (Episode #42) [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/personal-growth-the-process/] The Power of Habits: A Poetic Exploration on Building Healthy Routines (episode #34) [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/the-power-of-habits-a-poetic-exploration/] Build a Personal Growth Practice (with Creative Self-Care) (Episode #14) [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/personal-growth-creative-self-care/] Sitting with Shitty Feelings (episode #4) [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/sitting-with-shitty-feelings/] Journal Prompts: 1. Write about a recent time when you felt angry. How did you handle it, and are you satisfied with how things turned out? 2. What do your avoidance behaviors tell you about the strong emotions that trigger you? 3. If you could talk to your anger like a friend, what questions would you ask it? Write them out. Please subscribe & leave a review if today’s episode helped you think about your uncomfortable emotions differently.  💜💛 Follow Jill on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lettheverseflow/ [https://www.instagram.com/lettheverseflow/] Prefer to read this episode? Read the complete episode in blog format here: https://www.lettheverseflow.com [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/] I’m wrapping up Season 3 and taking a break over the holidays, but I’ll be back on January 14th for Season 4 with a new series on some of the essential life lessons my sweet mom taught me. Until then, I’m wishing you all good things, and time and space to try new things. Maybe a new creative project, quality time with friends, or deep rest. Do what lights you up inside and fills you with a sense of purpose. You deserve those moments for yourself. See you on January 14th.

Can You Snorkel at 80? Turning “I Can’t” Into Possibility

In this episode, I explore how I transformed a recent fear-based question about the limits of aging into a reflection on possibilities, presence, and personal growth. In my last days of vacation, blissfully snorkeling in Oahu, Hawaii, I had a lingering question pop up in my mind about how much longer I would be able to snorkel. Could I snorkel at age 80 and beyond? This fear-based question about the unknown future (which I affectionately call "the Undiscovered Country" -- yes, I'm a Trekkie) was festering in my mind. I wasn't having that! So I reframed it, and now I'm sharing what I found out about those thoughts. So let's get into how we can turn fear-based questions on the limits of aging into interesting reflections that allow us to see more possibilities, deepen our mindfulness practice, and even spark healthy personal goal setting.   Welcome to my reflections from the bright side of the beat. If you like the podcast, head over to my website: lettheverseflow.com for more inspirational insights and resources, and sign up for Flow & Voice, a free monthly note with short, practical reflections on creativity and personal growth, plus occasional behind-the-scenes glimpses into my audio storytelling journey. Music: All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe [https://app.soundstripe.com/]. Songs in this episode: Billion Air by Ivy Bakes; Some Kind of Wonderful by Nu Alkemi$t; Con Sazón by In This World Resources: Sharon Salzberg: https://www.sharonsalzberg.com/ [https://www.sharonsalzberg.com/] Related Episodes: Hawaii: Quietly Stirring – Reflections on Nature, Wonder, and Presence (episode #58) [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/hawaii-reflections-on-nature/] Sylvia Plath on Wanting Everything (and Nothing) (episode #46) [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/sylvia-plath-on-wanting-everything/] Khalil Gibran and the Trap of Overthinking (episode #45) [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/khalil-gibran-on-overthinking/] Mindful Living Through Meditation (episode #26) [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/mindful-living-meditation/] Journal Prompts: 1. What do I fear most as I consider getting older? Why are those fears appearing? 2. If I had to give up some activity that I loved, what could I put in its place? 3. The next time you notice your monkey mind full of fearful questions, write some of them down and then examine them from different angles. What can you learn from them? Please subscribe & leave a review if today’s episode helped you rethink a limiting ageist question or fear. 💜💛 Follow Jill on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lettheverseflow/ [https://www.instagram.com/lettheverseflow/] Prefer to read this episode? Read the complete episode in blog format here: https://www.lettheverseflow.com [https://www.lettheverseflow.com/] I’m wrapping up Season 3 and taking a break over the holidays, but I’ll be back on January 14th for Season 4 with a new series on some of the essential life lessons my sweet mom taught me. Until then, I’m wishing you all good things, and time and space to try new things. Maybe a new creative project, quality time with friends, or deep rest. Do what lights you up inside and fills you with a sense of purpose. You deserve those moments for yourself. See you on January 14th.