whatthefocus with Anja Eve

Anja Eve
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  • Performing Arts

Ever go "wtf?!" if you once again spent a day consuming more than creating? Yep, been there, done that! Hence the name of this podcast. My name is Anja Eve and I'm a singer, songwriter & music producer from the Netherlands. In this podcast, I share the journey of reclaiming my focus as a creative in a world full of distractions. My hope is that this inspires you on your own creative journey. Expect real talk about the creative process, mindset, mindfulness, marketing and all things digital minimalism.

  1. 01/31/2025

    Creatively Stuck? How To Make Progress Anyway

    In this episode, I’m diving into the messy reality of creative progress and why it’s never as linear as we want it to be. You might recognize that fun cycle of "this is genius → this is garbage → maybe it’s okay". Been there, done that! But instead of forcing creative breakthroughs, I introduced a new simple practice for myself to keep my momentum. As a result, I am still growing creatively - even if I'm not feeling creative or making the best bangers ever! ✨ If you’ve ever felt frustrated with your creative process, I hope this episode reminds you that growth can happen in all kinds of ways—even when it doesn’t feel like it. 👉 Join my newsletter at whatthefocus.com to get updates about new episodes.

  2. 01/18/2025

    14 Days Off Instagram Update: The Calm Is Real

    In this episode, I’m sharing an update halfway through my 30-day Instagram Detox. Will I ever go back? That remains to be seen 👀 I cover the (very!) positive effects so far on my sense of self-connection, creativity and community—as well as as some considerations for the future. [00:02:10] Connection: Finding peace in the enoughness of my own life. Why not knowing what others are doing is freeing, and how much more at peace I feel with myself. [00:07:23] Creativity: How deactivating Instagram has improved my focus for guitar practice and songwriting. Plus, how my relationship with short-form content as a whole is changing (even with TikTok). [00:10:37] Community: The realization that I’m more social WITHOUT social media. Intentional, direct, and meaningful contact is so much better than reacting to digital versions of people. [00:13:49] Considerations: Will I go back? My honest thoughts on whether Instagram is really needed for my creative and personal goals and why I’m not entirely sure yet. Prompt: Instead of thinking about what you “should” do or what other people do, ask yourself: what are my most important values in life and does being on social media (or a specific app) align with those values? Listen in to explore how stepping away from the noise can amplify your creativity and simplify your life. 👉 Join my newsletter at whatthefocus.com to get updates about new episodes.

  3. 01/02/2025

    Breaking Up With Instagram: My 30-Day Digital Detox Journey

    Is social media quietly draining your creative energy and peace of mind? In this honest episode, I share why I deactivated my Instagram account for the time being and the surprising effect it has had on me already. Here's what I cover: 🎯 [0:00-4:00] What happened during the holidays that made me realize I wanted to take a step back. 📱 [4:00-10:00] My beef with Instagram's story feature and how it creates unhealthy checking habits. 🤔 [10:00-16:00] The difference between Instagram's "highlight reel" culture versus more authentic platforms 💭 [16:00-22:00] Why keeping up with friends' stories isn't as important as we think (and better alternatives). ✨ [22:00-27:00] How stepping away from Instagram helped me feel more present and content with the here-and-now. 🌱 [27:00-31:00] Practical questions to help you reflect on your own social media use and what might need to change. Are your social media habits truly serving your creativity and wellbeing? I hope this episode inspires you to reflect on what digital minimalism might look like for you in 2025. 🎧 Want to get podcast updates in your inbox? Sign up for the newsletter at ⁠www.whatthefocus.com

  4. 12/11/2024

    The Gremlins Of Resistance

    In this episode, I dive into good-old resistance when it comes to creativity. From Stephen Pressfield’s “The War of Art” to my own struggles of sitting down and doing the work. If you’ve ever felt the pull of procrastination or the nagging voice saying “why bother?”—well, same! I cover things like: How resistance sneaks in before and after committing to something creative (and how your brain is basically full of 💩). How I'm trying to get out of these inner patterns by recognizing them. My weird love for planning systems even though creativity doesn’t care about control. How I’m experimenting with live looping and remixing my own song “Alive” (spoiler: it’s messy and frustrating but worth it). Feeling stuck? Just take one small step. Doing the thing is the point. Want to stay inspired and updated? Visit https://whatthefocus.com/ to sign up for the newsletter. Let’s keep creating! 🎧

  5. 12/04/2024

    Welcome to whatthefocus: navigating the creative journey

    In this episode, I share why I'm restarting my podcast under a new name, WHATTHEFOCUS, and reflect on my creative process and the challenges of staying committed. Here’s what you’ll hear: Why I chose the name whatthefocus and how it reflects the core themes of creativity, focus, and authenticity.My insights from stepping back from social media and how that didn't quite make me happy either!How I'm gonna approach the sharing part of my creative journey the coming period.The balance between financial security and artistic freedom, and why it’s okay to have a plan B (or let's call it plan M: money!)A quote that can help keep you focused on the creative process and not the outcome. Want to stay inspired and updated on future episodes without being tied to social media? Visit AnjaEve.com/podcast to sign up for the newsletter. Keep creating!

    Welcome to whatthefocus: navigating the creative journey

  6. 05/05/2024

    Why I Deleted Instagram Off My Phone

    Today I will update you on my mindfulness journey aimed at reigniting my creative spark. In this episode I share: The three habits I've embraced to infuse more mindfulness into my life and creative process. The complex relationship I have with Instagram, why I deleted it off my phone and no longer post stories. Plus, other mindful habits to make more time for creativity and real connection. Thanks for hanging out, and here's to a week filled with creativity and mindfulness!

  7. 04/29/2024

    The End Of Social Media Addiction

    🎙️ Welcome back to the Anja Eve Podcast! In this episode, I delve into my journey to reclaim my creative focus. Here's what I'll be sharing: Reconnecting with Creativity: I discuss my recent feelings of disconnection from my creative practices and my intention to document my journey of reconnection. Digital Detox: Insights from my holiday in Tenerife, where I took steps to reduce my screen time and social media use. Realizations and Changes: Post-holiday, I've made some changes around social media and other more mindful habits that I am planning to stick to! Including some tips if you want to do the same. Creative Challenges: I share my struggles and progress in songwriting, and why I think embracing discomfort (and avoiding scrolling) is so important. My New Song: My latest synth-pop single "Alive" reflects my ongoing quest to feel more present, bold and alive, a theme deeply connected to the content of this episode. Join me to explore the power of living more intentionally and creatively. I hope the episode inspires you to make some mindful changes as well where needed 🎶✨

  8. 06/30/2022

    I Did A 30-Day TikTok Challenge

    Tikwhat? Isn't that just for 12-year olds? Clearly not, a lot of musicians have found their fanbase on TikTok and the music industry is pretty obsessed with it. But what is it REALLY like to start on the app from scratch? Is it really that easy to grow followers or go viral? In this episode I share my experience from my first month on TikTok. No, I didn't exactly go viral haha, so I can't help you with that ;-) But I do have a lot to share on what it was like to learn a new app, show up on video daily, challenge myself and experiment. Plus, I share what I'm learning from other successful creators and what I want to change + improve in the future. Timestamps: 00:00:00 Welcome back! 00:01:03 Details of the 30-day challenge 00:04:57 The results of my challenge (followers, streams, time spent) 00:06:44 What I loved about this challenge 00:11:10 What I didn't love + honest thoughts on TikTok 00:18:27 What I'm learning from other successful creators 00:24:03 Learning to be vulnerable while having boundaries 00:28:29 My thoughts on having to niche down 00:32:13 Why I want to experiment with ads again 00:35:13 Focusing on small progress for each release The TikTok accounts mentioned in my episode that inspire me, when it comes to powerful storytelling, are @callmestevieray and @mirielmusic. Check them out! My own Tiktok is @anjaevemusic

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About

Ever go "wtf?!" if you once again spent a day consuming more than creating? Yep, been there, done that! Hence the name of this podcast. My name is Anja Eve and I'm a singer, songwriter & music producer from the Netherlands. In this podcast, I share the journey of reclaiming my focus as a creative in a world full of distractions. My hope is that this inspires you on your own creative journey. Expect real talk about the creative process, mindset, mindfulness, marketing and all things digital minimalism.

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