The Slow Creative Podcast with Krista Bauer

with Krista Bauer

The Slow Creative is a space for sensitive souls and creative entrepreneurs to slow down, embrace intentional living, and reconnect with what truly matters. Each episode is like a gentle nudge to help you find calm, create with heart, and build a business and life that feel beautifully aligned. If you’re ready to step away from the hustle and into a slower, more meaningful way of living and creating, this podcast is for you. kristabauer.substack.com

  1. Ep 44. Why Rigid Routines Were Killing My Creativity

    NOV 23

    Ep 44. Why Rigid Routines Were Killing My Creativity

    Hello, lovely. If you’ve ever tried to follow a strict creation routine (think colour-coded time blocks, 9 AM writing schedules, perfectly themed work days) only to find yourself distracted, overwhelmed, or completely resistant the moment you sit down… this episode is for you. If you’re anything like me—a highly sensitive, busy mom with a demand-avoidant brain, or your life feels wildly unpredictable and unplannable most days, locking yourself into rigid routines might be the thing killing your creativity and keeping you from being consistent in your business. In today’s episode, I’m sharing a gentler, more realistic rhythm that honours your energy, time and crazy, beautifully chaotic schedule as a solopreneur growing your business between the cracks of life. You don’t need a strict schedule to be consistent—you just need a rhythm that works for you. a quick note 📝 Apologies for the poor audio quality, I’ve been having major tech issues the past couple of weeks, and it’s why I didn’t upload an episode last Sunday - fingers crossed it’ll get sorted soon :) Also, there is an interruption from my son at around the 4:20 mark, who is home sick with me - I intentionally didn’t edit it out because it’s the perfect example of what I was speaking to in the video - the unpredictability of my days/weeks and deciding to accept ‘what is’ and move forward imperfectly to hopefully show you that it’s okay to do the same. x Inside This Episode In this conversation, I’m walking you through the shift I made from “strict & perfect routines” to anchor points — a flexible, supportive, ADHD-friendly way of creating that doesn’t require everything to happen at the same time every day. We’ll explore: • Why rigid routines backfire for ADHD brains and highly sensitive creatives • The guilt that comes from not being able to stick to a schedule — and why it isn’t your fault • What it actually takes to stay consistent when life is unpredictable • How anchor points give you rhythm without rigidity • How to build momentum even if you only have an hour or two a day This isn’t about becoming more disciplined. It’s about creating a business rhythm that reflects your real life, energy and capacity. If You’ve Been Feeling… • Frustrated that routines work for everyone except you • Guilty for not sticking to a schedule (even though you’ve tried every version of one) • Scattered or behind because your life changes hour by hour • Overwhelmed by content creation because you never know when you’ll get quiet time • Stuck between wanting consistency and needing flexibility This episode will help you soften the pressure, honour your energy, and find a structure that actually supports your creativity — not suffocates it. Prefer to Watch? 🎥 Watch the video version on YouTube → Watch on YouTube Links & Resources • Canva Essentials Guide (name TBD) I’d love to hear from you What’s one routine you’ve been trying to force, and what might shift if you gave yourself the permission to try a fluid, flexible rhythm instead? k.🤍 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kristabauer.substack.com

    28 min
  2. NOV 2

    Ep 42: How to Honour Your Own Pace (Without Feeling Left Behind)

    Hello, lovely. If you struggle to keep up with the rate things change online or the pace you’re being told to move in order to see any success, this episode is for you :) And if you can’t move as quickly as others in your niche or industry because you don’t have the capacity or feasibility in life (or frankly, the desire) and you worry you’ll be left behind, I hope you’ll tune into today’s show. I’ll walk you through how to build a rhythm that supports your creativity instead of draining it—how to design your work around your actual energy and capacity (not someone else’s) and ways I stay visible without burning out. Because slow doesn’t mean stuck or stagnant. Join me as I explore how to grow your business with calm intention and avoid getting sucked into hustle culture. Learn how to follow your own pace, protect your energy, and still achieve joy and fulfilment (the ultimate markers of success) in your online business. Inside This Episode In this conversation, I share how to build a business that honours your pace without feeling like you’re falling behind. We discuss: * Why “keep up” culture creates creator fatigue (and how it disconnects you from work you love). * How to map your energy (focus/creative/social) and use it to design your week. * Built-in buffer time: adding space between calls and projects to protect your nervous system. * Capacity-based planning: setting goals that are doable this season, not someone else’s. * Simple, sustainable systems that do the heavy lifting (templates, light automations, batching). * Creative rhythm vs. work rhythm: recognising cycles of output and refill—and trusting the pause. * A tiny experiment to try this week so you can feel the shift immediately. This isn’t about doing more. It’s about working at your own pace, creating deeper, steadier results, and letting supportive systems carry the routine tasks while you focus on the human, creative parts. If You’ve Been Feeling… * Tired of trying to match someone else’s output or schedule * Overwhelmed by “post every day” advice and constant changes online * Guilty for needing slower seasons, breaks, or wider margins in your day * Unsure how to stay visible without 24/7 content * Disconnected from your creativity (even though you love your work) This episode will help you build a calmer, more creative rhythm you can actually sustain. Try This Mini Experiment (This Week) * End your workday 10 minutes earlier than planned. * Jot down: What felt energising? What felt draining? When did ideas flow? * Use those notes to choose one small change to your schedule tomorrow (e.g., move deep work to your natural focus window, add a 20-minute buffer between calls, or pre-schedule one routine task). Prefer to Watch? 🎥 Watch the video version on YouTube → Watch on YouTube Links & Resources * Notion (capture ideas, map your weekly energy, plan capacity) * Canva Pro (reusable templates, so creating stays simple and calm) * ChatGPT (repurpose transcripts into posts, emails, and captions) I’d love to hear from you What’s one small change you could make this week to bring your business closer to your rhythm? Share in the comments—your insight might be the nudge someone else needs. k.🤍 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kristabauer.substack.com

    26 min
  3. OCT 26

    Ep 41. Content That Keeps Working While You Rest

    Hello, lovely. Some of my content still brings me clients—not just months later, but years after I created it. That’s the beauty of long-form, or what I call cornerstone content. It’s the kind of content that keeps doing the work quietly in the background while you rest, take time away from your business, or simply live your life. In this week’s episode, I’m sharing how to create content that breathes—content that still feels relevant a year or two from now so you can build a calm, sustainable business that doesn’t require you to be online 24/7. Throughout my ten years of sharing my heart online, I’ve taken my fair share of extended breaks. I’ve just come back from a six-month hiatus—no Instagram, YouTube uploads, or newsletters, but the beautiful thing? Clients still found me. Mostly through my blog and my YouTube channel—The Slow Creative. They found me through old pieces of searchable content I’d created long before that break. This weekly habit and sustainable approach to marketing (and visibility) has been a foundational pillar in my slow business philosophy for nearly a decade—it’s my tried and true for staying visible (even while I rest). So if you’ve been feeling the pressure to ‘chase trends’ or try to keep up with what’s “working” this week, you might enjoy focusing on creating timeless, meaningful, foundational content that supports both you and your audience, long after you’ve hit publish instead. If you’ve been craving a slower, more sustainable way to show up online—this episode is for you. Inside This Episode In this conversation, I share how I use cornerstone content to build a business that doesn’t depend on constant posting or the algorithm. You’ll learn: * Why I don’t follow trends — and how viral content can quietly lead to burnout * The difference between short-term visibility and long-term discoverability * Why cornerstone content is one of the core pillars of slow, sustainable marketing * How to choose topics that will still be relevant a year from now * The 5 simple steps to start creating cornerstone content that keeps working for you * My personal rhythm for creating one long-form piece each week (without burnout) * Practical ways to repurpose, refresh, and reuse your best content * How to build your own resource library—a body of work that grows with you. This isn’t about doing more. It’s about creating smarter, slower, deeper and letting your past work do some of the heavy lifting for you. If You’ve Been Feeling… * Exhausted by the pressure to stay visible online every day * Disconnected from the kind of content that feels true to you * Overwhelmed by trends, algorithms, and trying to “keep up” * Guilty for stepping back from your business—even when you needed to * Unsure what kind of content will actually last Then this episode will help you find your rhythm again. You’ll walk away with clarity, calm, and a plan for creating timeless content that works quietly in the background so you can rest without guilt and show up more intentionally when you’re ready. Prefer to Watch? 🎥 Watch the video version on YouTube → Watch on YouTube Links & Resources – ChatGPT (for repurposing and summarising transcripts into smaller pieces) – Descript (for editing and pulling short clips from podcasts or video recordings) – Canva Pro (for turning long-form ideas into visual posts and carousels) I’d love to hear from you What’s one piece of content you’ve created that’s still bringing you clients or visibility months (or even years) later? Or if you’re just getting started, what kind of cornerstone content would you love to create first? Drop your thoughts in the comments 🫶 Or come say hi on Instagram. I’d love to know if this resonates. k.🤍 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kristabauer.substack.com

    24 min
  4. OCT 19

    Ep 40. Creating a Calm, Soulful Onboarding System (That Supports Both You and Your Clients)

    Hello, lovely. I’m back with another episode, and today I’m speaking about a topic that’s incredibly dear to my heart—one I’m actually surprised I haven’t shared about in my business yet. This week, I’m pulling back the curtain on how I onboard new clients with thoughtful attention and care—something, admittedly, I haven’t always done well in the past. Why is it surprising I haven’t talked about onboarding before? Well… in a past life, I was an HR Onboarding Specialist. It was a made-up role—one I quite literally manifested—and the Universe really delivered on that one (except for the whole corporate job part). But everything else? Honestly, it was the perfect fit for me. There’s a magic that happens when a new client signs on, isn’t there? They’ve chosen you. They’re excited. You’re excited. Maybe a little nervous, too—but the good kind of nervous. The kind that reminds you this work matters. That it’s a big deal for someone to trust you. And what happens after they sign on—how you welcome them into your business matters, too. In today’s episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of the gentle onboarding systems I’ve created in my business to help clients feel safe, seen, and deeply supported from the very beginning. Because soulful onboarding isn’t just sending one email and a link to book their first call. It’s the beginning of a beautiful energetic exchange—one where you’re holding space for someone else’s vision, growth, or healing… and they’re trusting you to help guide the way. If you’re a coach, practitioner, highly sensitive creative, or service-based solopreneur who’s scrambling behind the scenes any time a new client signs on—and it’s stressing you out before the real work begins—this episode is for you. I’ll warn you though, I’m passionate about this topic so it’s a tad longer than usual… haha! Inside This Episode In this conversation, I walk you through the systems I use to onboard clients in a way that feels calm, intentional, and nurturing—both for them and for me. I’ll show you how to create a seamless client experience that helps you feel more prepared, less scattered, and more confident every time someone new says “yes” to working with you. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve had clients for years but still feel like you’re winging it behind the scenes—these practices will help. You’ll learn: * Why onboarding is more than just logistics and how it sets the energetic tone for the entire working relationship * The key elements of a soulfully structured onboarding system * How I use tools like Acuity, automated emails, and visual workflows in Notion to support my process * Why a thoughtful offboarding process matters just as much as the welcome * Ways to collect testimonials (without it feeling awkward or salesy) * And how to make your clients feel truly held without burning yourself out trying to remember every detail This is the kind of foundational work that frees up space so you can focus on your craft, your clients, and your creativity—not constant backend admin. No thanks! If You’ve Been Feeling… * Scattered or disorganized every time someone signs on to work with you * Guilty for not following up properly (or forgetting key info your client sent) * Embarrassed that your onboarding experience doesn’t reflect how good your work actually is * Anxious or overwhelmed behind the scenes — instead of excited * Unsure how to start building a more supportive client system that doesn’t rely on your memory or last-minute scrambling This episode will help you shift from reactive and rushed to calm, prepared, and confident. You’ll walk away with practical tools and gentle structure to help you deliver a beautiful, soulfully aligned client experience—without needing a team or complicated tech systems. Prefer to Watch? 🎥 Watch the video version on YouTube → Watch on YouTube Links and Resources * Acuity Scheduling — The tool I use to create customized appointment types, send automated emails, intake forms, reminders, and follow-ups * My Feedback Form on Squarespace * Notion for creating a visual workflow and client tracking system * Google Docs or Sheets if you prefer an easier-to-set-up workflow and tracking sheet for client information, etc. I’d love to hear from you What’s your best tips for creating a smooth, soulful onboarding experience for you or your clients? Or, what’s the worst onboarding experience you’ve ever had? What made it so bad? Drop your thoughts in the comments 🫶 Or come say hi on Instagram. I’d love to know if this resonates. k.🤍 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kristabauer.substack.com

    40 min
  5. OCT 12

    Ep 39. Finding Calm in Your Business When Everything Feels Chaotic

    A little hello (and where I’ve been) Hi friends — it’s been a while. The past six months have been full of change. A separation, a move, renovations, and helping my kids settle into a new homeschool rhythm. It’s been emotional and messy and beautiful all at once. Through all of it, The Slow Creative has been a quiet anchor — a place I return to when I need calm, creativity, and connection. So today’s episode feels like the right place to begin again. If you’ve been in a season where life feels heavy and your business feels like one more thing to hold together, I see you. This conversation is about finding your way back — to yourself, your work, and a sense of calm. Because what your business needs right now isn’t more speed or strategy. It needs alignment. Breathing room. And you… grounded and clear again. Inside This Episode In this week’s episode, I share how to reconnect with your business when life feels chaotic — through three gentle pillars that help you realign: * Energy — protecting what’s most precious so you can create from overflow, not depletion * Creativity — rekindling joy and inspiration when life feels full * Values — returning to what truly matters so your business feels like home again You’ll also hear simple ways to rebuild your business slowly — practical, nourishing shifts that bring calm, clarity, and a renewed sense of focus. If You’ve Been Feeling Out of Sync This episode is for you if you’ve been feeling: * Tired or scattered in your business * Disconnected from your purpose or creativity * Guilty for not being consistent * Unsure how to start again after a long break You’ll walk away with perspective, practical ideas, and a little encouragement to start where you are — and build from a place of calm instead of chaos. Prefer to Watch? 🎥 Watch the video version on YouTube → Watch on YouTube Links and Resources Mentioned * The Art of Slow Business — a guided audio and journaling experience to help you pause and realign * The Slow Creative on Substack — reflections and resources on slow business, creativity, and intentional living * YouTube Channel — calm design tutorials and creative video podcasts * Instagram @heykristabauer — behind-the-scenes, personal insights, events and creative process shares * Work with Me — gentle business coaching and Canva design support This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kristabauer.substack.com

    28 min
  6. 12/30/2024

    Ep 38: The power of letting go... clearing the path for 2025

    Welcome Back! After a long break, I’m back on the podcast (formerly The Business By Intuition Podcast) with an episode that feels incredibly timely as we wrap up 2024. In this episode, I share my reflections on letting go of old wounds, limiting beliefs, and anything that no longer serves us so we can step into the new year with clarity and calm. If you’re feeling the weight of the past year, or struggling to find space for what’s next, this episode will gently guide you toward release, renewal, and a symbolic ritual for calling in a beautiful new vision for your life and business for 2025. TOPICS WE DIVE INTO: * The importance of pausing: Why the end-of-year push to “end strong” doesn’t have to consume you. * Letting go rituals: Simple ways to release pain, fear, or beliefs holding you back to make space for what you want in the new year. * Acknowledging pain: How facing our emotions can be transformative. * Setting gentle intentions: Crafting a vision for 2025 that feels aligned and meaningful. KEY TAKEAWAYS: * Letting go isn’t about forgetting or suppressing—it’s about making space for healing. * A simple ritual, like journaling or burning a list of things to release, can be powerful and symbolic. * Embrace your emotions and use them as a compass for growth. LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED: * Journaling prompts from the episode: * What beliefs or habits are holding me back from the life I want to create? * What lessons can I take from my pain into the new year? LET’S STAY CONNECTED: * Follow me on Instagram for more reflections, journaling prompts, and slow marketing & business inspiration. * Subscribe to my YouTube channel for calming videos on intentional creativity and business. * Sign up for my newsletter on Substack to never miss an update or new content. Thank you for listening and supporting this space! If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment or share this episode with someone who needs it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kristabauer.substack.com

    23 min
  7. 07/04/2022

    Ep 37: Finding your guideposts to help you build a clear and intentional vision

    In the past, I've seen clients get hung up on defining goals and a vision for themselves, especially if they're in a season of struggle and their life or business feels hard right now. It can be hard to envision something better. Which is why it can be helpful if you're feeling stuck about what you want, where you want to go, or what you believe is possible for yourself to think of someone you admire in business (your guideposts). In today's episode, I want to give you some questions to reflect on so you can find your guideposts and use this exercise to support you as you build a clear and intentional vision for what feels true and aligned for you during this stage of your life and business. I also share the five people (my guideposts) who inspire me to see what's possible for my life and business, too.  Here are the five guideposts that I mentioned in the show:  🌱 George Kao - check out his Masterheart program here.  🌱 Susannah Conway - check out her business course, The Inside Story here.  🌱 Jen Carrington - check out her Simple and Spacious Business Program here.  🌱 Dani Gardner - check out her Tiny Courses here.  🌱 Kim Klassen - get inspired by her Instagram page here.  (** Please note that some of the above offerings contain affiliate links**) Learn more about my work or submit a question and I'll answer it in an upcoming episode:  Grow your business with intention (and intuition). Work with me 1-1! Submit a question for me to answer on an upcoming episode about your business. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kristabauer.substack.com

    10 min

About

The Slow Creative is a space for sensitive souls and creative entrepreneurs to slow down, embrace intentional living, and reconnect with what truly matters. Each episode is like a gentle nudge to help you find calm, create with heart, and build a business and life that feel beautifully aligned. If you’re ready to step away from the hustle and into a slower, more meaningful way of living and creating, this podcast is for you. kristabauer.substack.com