We hate to break it to ya, but not everyone is gonna love your work. (Sorrynotsorry!)

Facing rejection and criticism is part of the creative path we all must walk on the way to success.

But how we deal with nay-sayers is completely within our control, and can actually help us improve and level-up faster!

Find out how to both ask for—and give!—feedback that fosters your creative growth in the jam-packed Season 3 finale of Art You Crazy.

Here’s to reaching new heights!

xo Tessie, Erin & Mel

TOPICS:

00:00 - Introduction

02:06 - Rejection: the ultimate endurance test

08:30 - Reframing criticism

10:08 - Feedback isn’t personal…

16:53 - …unless it is

20:18 - How to ask for feedback: first, be ready!

22:27 - The key to getting useful information

26:28 - Who you ask matters!

28:17 - Request solutions, not problems

29:35 - Setting the tone

31:27 - The high stakes of giving effective feedback

32:58 - How to give effective feedback: The Sandwich Method

33:34 - 3 objective phrases to use

34:50 - When NOT to give feedback

35:50 - Planting the seeds of curiosity

39:11 - Respecting creative vulnerability

41:40 - Building connection

43:13 - Wrap-up

RESOURCES from this Episode:

READING:

The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer

WATCHING:

The Triplets of Belleville (PG-13)

OTHER EPISODES YOU MAY ENJOY:

(305) on Perfectionism

(307) on Small Wins

If you’ve ever felt like you were failing as a creative because your work wasn’t “good enough” yet, you’re not alone.

In a world that puts celebrities on pedestals and only shows love for “the best,” it’s easy for budding creatives to feel like they have nothing to be proud of–yet.

But did you know there’s research that proves that celebrating all your little wins along the way to creative success actually helps you reach your highest goals FASTER?

In this episode, Art You Crazy is pulling back the curtain on the science of success and showing you exactly how you can learn to celebrate yourself even BEFORE you accept that award!

So press play and let’s get this party started!

TOPICS:

00:00 - Introduction

02:37 - Downplaying your successes

07:00 - Eldest child syndrome; Self-criticism vs. enjoyment

10:19 - Reframing your outlook on goals

14:56 - “Treat Bags”: small rewards, big impact

20:26 - Why small celebratory gestures are so powerful

24:32 - The dark side of NOT celebrating small wins

25:35 - 5 tips to learn effective self-celebration

26:29 - Strategy #1

29:16 - Strategy #2

32:10 - BONUS tip: super-charge your speed of progress!

33:49 - Strategy #3

36:08 - Strategy #4

37:26 - Tessie’s examples for celebrating herself

40:39 - Swapping jealousy for gratitude

43:20 - Planning your rewards in advance

45:45 - Strategy #5

48:41 - Wrap-up

RESOURCES from this Episode:

READING:

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay

The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work by Teresa Amabile & Steven Kramer

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

APPS:

How We Feel

TOOLS & SUPPLIES:

Intelligent Change Productivity Planner (Quarterly Edition)

We’ve all been there: a spark of a new idea excites us, but that excitement fades once the actual work of CREATING it kicks in.

But what if there were a magic potion that could bring that zest for creation back?

In this episode of Art You Crazy, we chat with special guest, David Blume, a writer-director on the rise, who shares his secret hack for staying motivated to complete projects when the enthusiasm for an idea fades … or when the finish lines seem just so far away.

David, who is currently completing his third film, also shares the valuable insights he’s gained through his own process of self-discovery as a filmmaker—including his #1 must-read book for building momentum in any creative endeavor.

Trust us—he’s dropping gems you don’t wanna miss!

And for even more, check out David’s films at https://www.blumestreet.com and give him a follow on IG @davidlblume!

TOPICS:

00:00 - Introduction

01:19 - Loving the process first: David’s journey

06:00 - Action > motivation

09:11 - Systems to promote action

12:31 - Finish vs. fast

15:17 - Defeating writer’s block

17:31 - The beauty of following your own path

22:37 - Motivation with team members & waiting periods

26:10 - Releasing control in collaborative art forms

31:32 - Dealing with actual burnout

34:32 - Knowing your needs

36:37 - Effort and attention spans

40:04 - David’s recs for sparking motivation

42:56 - Wrap-up

RESOURCES from this Episode:

READING:

Real Artists Don't Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age by Jeff Goins

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

If you consider yourself a polished performer but secretly dread making “mistakes”…

If you feel paralyzed to start writing until the conditions are “just right” (or a midnight deadline forces you to start at 11:00pm) …

Or if you can never finish a painting because you obsess over details…

Then you might be doing battle with the inner beast known as—

PERFECTIONISM!

What’s worse is you might not even know it’s happening. And it’s killing your chances of real creative success.

In this episode of Art You Crazy, we are waging an all-out war against the perfectionism monster!

We’ll tell you

• what it is,
• where it comes from,
• how it shows up in your creative life (and just your life-life)…but best of all...
• what you can do about it (before you end up like Natalie Portman in Black Swan).

We’re arming ourselves with proven methods from science, psychology, and self-compassion to kill perfectionism once and for all…

So gird your loins, press play, and join us on an epic quest to slay this dragon!

TOPICS:

00:00 - Introduction

05:14 - How Mel, Tessie and Erin wrestle with perfectionism

09:30 - What is “perfectionism?”

10:11 - 2 types of perfectionism

10:59 - 10 common traits of perfectionism

16:16 - Cultivating a “f*ck it” attitude

20:45 - Examples of perfectionism in different creative fields

26:35 - The true cost of perfectionism

28:38 - Erin’s low self-esteem and indecision

29:34 - Where does perfectionism come from?

33:53 - Tessie, Mel and Erin’s personal roots of perfectionism

40:16 - Handling emotions as a “perfectionist”

48:07 - When perfectionism has blocked our own creative goals

53:50 - 6 simple shifts to overcome perfectionism

59:33 - Wrap-up

RESOURCES from this Episode:

READING:

Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by Dr. David D. Burns, M.D.

Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Dr. Kristin Neff, Ph.D.

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck, Ph.D.

The Mastery of Life: A Toltec Guide to Personal Freedom by don Miguel Ruiz Jr.

LISTENING:

Binaural Beats [for pushing past mental blockers in your creative work, check out tracks in the Mind Power category, especially “Flow State,” “Creativity Boost,” and “Super Brain Power”]

LofiGirl: lofi hip hop radio - beats to relax/study to

A Lofi Soul: Upbeat Lofi - Deep Focus & Energy for Work [R&B, Neo Soul, Lofi Hiphop]

TOOLS & SUPPLIES:

Intelligent Change Productivity Planner (Quarterly Edition) [teaches a system for setting S.M.A.R.T. goals]

Self-care can often feel either like a luxury that we can’t afford to indulge in—or like a guilty pleasure we should be ashamed to make time for. But self-care is actually critical to maintaining your productivity AND creativity!

In this episode, Art You Crazy is sharing 5 easy self-care practices that won’t break the bank or require you to take vacation time.

Just press play, relax, and say “ahhhhh!”

TOPICS:

00:00 - Introduction

01:35 - What is self-care?

03:28 - The trap of feeling selfish

06:50 - Practice #1

10:36 - Benefits of “box breathing”

13:21 - The Vagus nerve

14:50 - Practice #2

17:54 - Practice #3

21:42 - Benefits of sensory visualizations

23:52 - Practice #4

25:50 - Practice #5

29:01 - How to create a regular self-care routine

30:07 - How self-care works

32:38 - Why self-compassion is necessary

34:27 - Wrap-up

RESOURCES from this Episode:

GUIDED MEDITATIONS:

Box Breathing for Beginners

Box Breathing (5 Minutes Guided)

Mental Reset (Calm Anxiety)

Self-Care for Mind and Body

Self-Love Meditation

5-Minute Meditation for Self-Care

APPS:

The Five Minute Journal

Art You Crazy sits down with commercial VFX Supervisor, Rune Månsson, who’s on a mission to combat toxic competition within the VFX industry.

With over 25 years in the VFX field, Rune shares his valuable experiences—and some generational wisdom from his Danish grandfather—on how to flip competition with others into something far more supportive and rewarding.

Whether you work in VFX or not, Rune’s insights can help creatives in any field regain joy and satisfaction in their work, and find a sense of well-being that is vital for maintaining a life-long career in the arts.

Curious to learn more about Rune and his own artwork? Check him out athttps://www.maans.org/ !

TOPICS:

00:00 - Introduction

02:14 - Rune’s “origin story”

04:26 - Competition in education

08:37 - Combating toxic competition at work

11:15 - Competition within a team

13:50 - Why you should never work for free

15:31 - Burnout

21:05 - How to turn “competition” into a positive force

23:17 - The dangerous allure of gossip

24:34 - Asking for help & feedback

26:31 - Benefits of outside advice & experiences

29:44 - The link between vulnerability, empathy & respect

34:13 - Wrap-up

The creative process itself might be messy, but that doesn’t mean your workspace has to be a pigsty too.

A tidy and organized work area both reduces internal anxiety AND helps to amplify your creativity, helping you be more productive. Win-win!

In this episode, Art You Crazy’s own “Classification Queen,” Tessie Herrasti, walks you through a step-by-step process for bringing order, ease, and even coziness into your creative workspace—starting with picking WHERE your own perfect place to create should be.

This episode is jam-packed with easy to follow advice that can fit any space and any budget—no matter how small—and is guaranteed to get your creative juices flowing.

So channel your inner Marie Kondo and let’s do this!

TOPICS:

00:00 - Introduction

03:09 - Tessie’s organization background

07:40 - Eliminating distractions

10:53 - What clutter REALLY is

11:30 - Defining your “productivity paradise”

17:41 - Tips for organizing within any budget

19:54 - Mindset: how do you want to FEEL?

23:55 - Decluttering methods & tips

29:14 - Gratitude + Intention: honoring the things you keep

32:46 - The importance of workplace furniture

34:58 - Ideas for neat & accessible workplace supplies

35:55 - Organizing by categories

36:43 - Rules for backstock

39:42 - Lighting with purpose

41:15 - Hygge: personalizing your workspace

44:39 - Journaling prompt: reflecting on your new workspace

45:41 - BONUS TIP: a hidden use for color!

46:13 - Wrap-up

RESOURCES from this Episode:

READING:

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

My Hygge Home: How to Make Home Your Happy Place by Meik Wiking

TOOLS & SUPPLIES:

Innox Static-Cling Dry Erase White Board Sheets

Innox Static-Cling Reusable Post-It Notes

Spoonflower Peel-n-Stick Wallpaper