The Thriving Creative Naphtali Roberts

Do you ever get caught up in the trap of learning and mastering something new that you never actually get started? As an entrepreneur and a creative, it can be super easy to stall out in perfectionism because you feel like you’re not qualified. In this episode, I invited DIY guru, Cara Newhart to tell her story of failing forward into the business of her dreams. Cara shares that even with a degree in business and art, her biggest breakthroughs resulted when her first business flopped. 
Cara also shares what tips she has for getting started in creating a space you love. Be sure to check out her wall-papered refrigerator (you heard me!) and the plans she has for you to make an entryway bench for $12. So grab your earbuds, and maybe a drill or paintbrush because you’re going to be inspired to DIY BIG to create a home you love!
 
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Raise your hand if you’re an Enneagram enthusiast like me! Any personality assessment can be a great tool for learning what makes you tick and why certain challenges are common to you. Yet simply being self-aware doesn’t help us become better versions of ourselves.
Today on the show we’re going to explore what I like to call a growth mindset for self-love. Self-love may start with acceptance, but it’s never where it stops. There are parts of any personality that pose challenges and even consequences if we don’t address them and make necessary shifts. The good news is that we can make these changes through simple exercises in mindfulness.
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Have you ever been guilty of trying to find the perfect planner? Whether it is digital or paper, fancy, or simple, it can be hard to find a planner that is tailored perfectly to how your brain works. If you’re like me, you fill out January and February, and then it all falls apart. But sometimes planners simply fail us because we want them to do something they can’t: control our time! When it comes to time management and productivity, understanding what you believe about time is the key to making breakthroughs in your productivity. In this episode, I am going to challenge you to shift your mindset about time so you can shift your life. 
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It’s time to shake things up here in the Thriving Creative Podcast Community, and it starts with me, your host. 
 
I have been doing a lot of learning, a lot of reflecting, and a lot of listening in the last few weeks. Perhaps more than ever before when it comes to the issue of racial inequality.  I’ve struggled to come to terms with a failure to amplify diverse voices in this community. I am sorry, and I am committed to doing much more. 
 
And so I share this prayer with you in hopes that you could also make it your own. 
 
Please God, Let it NEVER go back to normal.
 
I have to tell you that at the beginning of this pandemic, all I was really praying for was that things would just go back to normal. I missed so many simple things that I had taken for granted. My anxiety was sky-high because all I could see was all the things that I was missing. Here and there my heart would shift toward gratitude, but not often enough. Then I finally came to terms with the fact that life had slowed down long enough for us to pause and surrender in this season of prolonged uncertainty. This pause made me recognize I had the opportunity to step into this moment when the hurt of the black community can no longer be dismissed.  
 
Dear God, Let it NEVER go back to normal. 
 
Though we cannot make up for the hundreds of years of injustice, I realize that it is still not too late to use my privilege to fight to restore justice for black lives. My white friends, it’s time to stop and listen. It’s time to stop airing your opinion and minimizing the pain that black people endure on a daily basis. I am committing to using my voice to act on your behalf. I am committing to dismantling racism both in this current moment and in the future. 
 
Dear God, Let it NEVER go back to normal.

For our guest today, gratitude is more than a part of her morning ritual. It’s a value that drives everything she creates in her business. Marilyn De la Hoz is the owner of With Love Studio, where she specializes in creating branded apparel and client gifts to ensure your client experience is unforgettable. Marilyn helps you break out of the virtual world and a bunch of sales automations to say “thank you” for working with you! 
In our conversation, Marilyn shares how she finds ways to nurture her creative side and stay present with her busy kiddos without totally burning out. She’s okay with giving herself extra grace when she falls short as a mom or with her business goals. Her girls will only be little for a season, so she doesn’t mind being needed by them in big ways. Marilyn also shares how you can use her thank you and welcome boxes to surprise and delight your customers. She even shares tips on how you can stop getting lost in the shuffle of typical marketing tactics. If you can’t describe your customer experience, chances are you need Marilyn’s products in your life!
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Whenever your stress levels are sky-high, (like they might be right now), the anxiety you feel can make your brain reactive and unable to be creative or cope. So I am going to offer you ten of the most helpful tips I’ve found when it comes to dealing with my own stress. They might be things that have helped in the past and you’ve just forgotten to use them. They might be new strategies for you to experiment with. Regardless, you now have a handy list available to you of ways to cope when you feel the pressure rising. 
 
Do you have any other tips to share? I want to hear them! Share them with me on Instagram and tag me, @naphtalivroberts so that together, we can develop the ultimate list of ways to thrive even when we are totally overwhelmed!
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