Category

Non Fiction

Creativity, Non Fiction, Personal Development, Writers on Writing

Aug 31: Propel Your Creative Life with Matthew Dicks

August 31, 2022

Winning Strategies to Take You From Dreaming to Doing

Returning guest Matthew Dicks is a jack of all trades, but a master of … several? How does he wear so many hats yet still remain super creative and extremely prolific?

Matthew’s goal is to help you go from dreaming to doing, from talking to creating, wiping out those excuses of being too spent or not having enough time along the way. We discuss black holes, living a life of YES, performative productivity, the power of accountability, the importance of gathering your tribe … and much more.

About Matthew Dicks

It might be easier to list the things Matthew Dicks hasn’t done than those he has!  Among his accomplishments are bestselling novelist, nationally recognized storyteller, playwright, communications consultant, award-winning elementary schoolteacher, humor and advice columnist, minister, wedding DJ, and professional public speaker. He’s won multiple Moth GrandSLAM story competitions. And with his wife, Elysha, created the organization SPEAK UP. Vicki last talked with Matthew Dicks about his first book on creativity, Storyworthy – podcast. Today we discuss his latest, Someday is Today: 22 Simple, Actionable Ways to Propel Your Creative Life. 

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Creativity, Journalism, Non Fiction, Science

AUG 10: Matt Richtel’s Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul

August 10, 2022

Harness Your Creativity Through Inspiration

Few things in a creator’s life cause more frustration than staring at an empty page or blank canvas in search of that spark of inspiration.  Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Matt Richtel weaves scientific evidence with insight from great creators and his own personal experiences to help you discover how to optimize your creative potential.

“Creative people actually physically see more of the world,” says Richtel.  We talk about The Muse and Hope.  How impact and openness are vital components of creativity.  Why intelligence doesn’t always factor into creativity.  How anyone can become more creative. And more delicious insight from  Inspired: Understanding Creativity, A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul.

About Matt Richtel

Narrative storyteller and New York Times Science reporter Matt Richtel was awarded the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for a series on distracted driving. He’s authored three narrative nonfiction books, several novels, and a daily comic strip. His latest book is Inspired: Understanding Creativity, A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul.

Catch our previous podcast with Matt Richtel right here A Deadly Wandering.

 

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Career, Non Fiction, Personal Development, Professional Development

Aug 03: Career Self-Care with Minda Zetlin

August 3, 2022

Find Your Happiness, Success, and Fulfillment at Work

Minda Zetlin says building the life and career you really want is about changing “… the way that you value yourself.” Science shows the better you care for yourself, the better it is for your career. And that’s what differentiates Career Self-Care from other career books.

We discuss why we must stop working so hard. How to show up at work as our authentic selves. Why you have a responsibility to be happy. And why, even when we say we want something, goal ambivalence often gets in our way.

About Minda Zetlin

Minda Zetlin is an author, speaker, journalist, and contributing editor at Inc. Minda is a former president of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and contributor to CNBC.com, Insider.com, and CIO.com. Her latest book is Career Self-Care: Find Your Happiness, Success, and Fulfillment at Work.

 

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Inspirational, Non Fiction, Personal Development, Self-help

Jul 20: Live Your Authentic Life with Award-Winning Author Kate Eckman

July 20, 2022

Eliminate Perfectionism, Stop Procrastinating with The Full Spirit Workout

Did you promise yourself during Covid lockdown that things would be different? That you’d start an exciting creative project, quit your job, look for a career that fits you better. Or maybe you decided to work less and spend more time with family. Go back to school. Or simply play more. And then … life happened.

You’re not alone. Kate Eckman returns to Conversations Live to explore how we can overcome two of the biggest blockers to our personal and professional success – perfectionism and procrastination.

About Kate Eckman

As a former elite athlete, Kate Eckman deeply understands sports psychology and performance. She’s a  certified executive coach, working with leaders in business and sports, and the award-winning author of The Full Spirit Workout: A Ten-Step System to Shed Your Self-Doubt, Strengthen Your Spiritual Core, and Create a Fun and Fulfilling Life.

 

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Journalism, Memoir, Non Fiction, Travel & Adventure

Jul 13: A Hard Place to Leave: Stories from a Restless Life with Marcia DeSanctis

July 13, 2022

Travel journalist of the year reveals the push-pull tension between home and away

What did travel writers do when their wanderings were halted during COVID lockdown? Marcia DeSanctis sorted through a decade’s body of work to compile her new book  A Hard Place to Leave: Stories from a restless life.

We discuss some of Marcia’s adventures and insights into being a travel writer. Why the desert is her sweet spot. How she balances her introverted self with writing open honest personal stories – including the search for her way back after falling in love with another man. And, how Marcia finds stories that resonate while traveling the globe.

About Marcia DeSanctis

Marcia DeSanctis is a Contributing Writer at Travel + Leisure, and writes essays and stories for Vogue, Town & Country, Departures, BBC Travel, and many other publications. She received the 2021 Grand Solas Award for Travel Story of the Year, and has received 5 Lowell Thomas Awards for excellence in travel journalism, including one for Travel Journalist of the Year. She’s the New York Times bestselling author of 100 Places in France every Woman Should Go … and the book we talk about today, A Hard Place to Leave Place to Leave: Stories from a restless life. 

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Health & Wellness, Journalism, Non Fiction, Psychology, Science, Self-help

JUL 06: Caroline Williams with MOVE

July 6, 2022

How the Science of Body Movement Can Set Your Mind Free

If you hate working out, loathe gong to the gym, listen up!  New science shows how even simple movement can boost your mental health.

Journalist Caroline Williams interviews Nobel prize winning scientists, yoginis, athletes, and health experts and learned that while going to the gym is great, it may not be the best solution for you.

We share how stretching lifts the draining effects of an overactive immune system. What dance can do for your emotional literacy. How core strength can help control stress and anxiety. And why emotional resilience is strengthened by physical strength.

About Caroline Williams

Veteran science journalist Caroline Williams says “I like talking almost as much as I like writing”. She has produced radio programs and reports for the BBC, across Science, Natural History, and Children’s Radio. Caroline writes regularly for New Scientist magazine, and her work’s been featured in the Boston Globe, BBC Earth, and the Guardian. She was co-presenter of the New Scientist podcast. Move! How the Science of Body Movement Can Set Your Mind Free is Caroline’s second book.

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Creativity, Non Fiction, Personal Development, Writers on Writing

Jun 23: Start Realizing Your Creative Dreams with Matthew Dicks

June 22, 2022

Someday is Today: 22 Simple, Actionable Ways to Propel Your Creative Life

Like many of us, returning guest Matthew Dicks wears many hats, yet he is super creative and extremely prolific. So how does he get it all done?

Matthew shares some of his winning strategies to wipe out those excuses we make about being too busy or too tired. His goal is to help you go from dreaming to doing, from talking to creating. We discuss black holes, living a life of YES, performative productivity, the power of accountability, the importance of gathering your tribe … and much more.

About Matthew Dicks

Matthew Dicks is a bestselling novelist, nationally recognized storyteller, playwright, communications consultant, award-winning elementary schoolteacher, humor and advice columnist, minister, wedding DJ, and professional public speaker. He’s won multiple Moth GrandSLAM story competitions. And with his wife, Elysha, created the organization SPEAK UP. Vicki last talked with Matthew Dicks about his first book on creativity, Storyworthy – podcast. Today we discuss his latest, Someday is Today: 22 Simple, Actionable Ways to Propel Your Creative Life. 

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Creativity, Journalism, Non Fiction, Science

Jun 15: Inspired–Understanding Creativity with Matt Richtel

June 15, 2022

A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul

How do we define creativity? How does it work? Where does inspiration spark? How can we optimize our own creative potential? And what do great creators have to share with us?

Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Matt Richtel takes a deep dive into the new science behind creativity and creative minds, and blends it with insight from great creators, and stories of his own. We talk about The Muse and Hope. Why intelligence doesn’t always factor into creativity.  How anyone can become more creative. And more delicious insight from  Inspired: Understanding Creativity, A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul.

About Matt Richtel

An American writer, narrative storyteller, and New York Times Science reporter Matt Richtel was awarded the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for a series on distracted driving. He’s the author of three narrative nonfiction books, several novels, and a daily comic strip. His latest book is Inspired: Understanding Creativity, A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul.

Catch our previous podcast with Matt Richtel right here A Deadly Wandering.

 

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Arts, Creativity, Essays, History, Non Fiction

JUN 08: Movie Historian John DiLeo – There Are No Small Parts

June 8, 2022

100 Outstanding Film Performances with Screen Time of 10 Minutes or Less

Today we dive into a few of the stories in John DiLeo‘s fascinating new book There Are No Small Parts.  And that means we’re heading to the movies – vicariously, through John’s book.

In There Are No Small Parts, film expert DiLeo focuses on 100 amazing performances where actors – including some very big names at the top of their game – were on screen for just 10 minutes or less. Why would big names appear in a film for less than 10 minutes? Tune in to find out!

About John DiLeo

Movie historian John DiLeo is the author of six previous books about classic movies. He has been a frequent participant in the Black Bear Film Festival in Pennsylvania, has conducted onstage interviews with many named actors, and is often heard on Sirius XM radio. As a book reviewer, John DiLeo has contributed frequently to the Washington Post.

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Health & Wellness, Non Fiction, Personal Development, Professional Development, Psychology, Self-help

Jun 01: The Human Herd with Beth Anstandig

June 1, 2022

Awaken Your Natural Leadership & Become a Human Whisperer

Part guidebook, part manifesto, part wakeup call, Beth Anstandig wrote The Human Herd during what she calls The Great Pause — aka COVID lockdown — when so many people around the world felt isolated and disconnected.

Even in today’s techno world where we are constantly connected to our devices, and self-sufficiency is the norm, people still want and need human connection.  As a species, we’ve lived in herds for centuries, and need the support and connection of others to thrive. Today we discuss the 4 channels of awareness. How to look beyond project scope, and consider life scope. What horses can teach us about radical selfcare, anxiety, and giving and receiving feedback.

About Beth Anstandig

Beth Anstandig owns Take a Chance Ranch in CA where she provides leadership, culture, and wellbeing programs through The Circle Up Experience. She is a lifelong cowgirl, writer, professor, and licensed psychotherapist. For the past 25 years she’s trained and developed people using “natural leadership” —  a model that she created. Her work has been featured on BBC WORLD, PBS, and in FORBES.

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