Feedback is part of the creative process, but that doesn’t make it easy.

In this episode of Originate Now, Jessica Higgins Chapman talks about one of the most unavoidable parts of creative work: notes. Whether you’re a writer, filmmaker, designer, or working creative, feedback can feel personal, confusing, or even discouraging — especially when you’ve poured your heart into the work.

Join Jess as she explores how to navigate creative notes without letting them crush your confidence, how to separate ego from instinct, and how to actually use feedback to strengthen your work.

You’ll also hear about what happens in our nervous system when we receive feedback, and practical tools you can apply the next time notes come your way.

In this Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why creative notes are not a personal attack
• How feedback helps close the gap between your intention and what’s landing
• Common types of creative notes (vague, prescriptive, taste-based, contradictory) — and how to decode them
• A simple framework for receiving feedback without shutting down
• How to give notes with empathy and clarity
• Why rewriting and editing are signs of commitment, not failure
• A personal reflection on learning to share creative work

Full Show Notes, now on Substack: Read Here!

Quote of the Week: “If we shield ourselves from all feedback, we stop growing." - Brené Brown (Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts)

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• Instagram: @thehappykind | @thehappykindofficial | @originatenowpodcast
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• Email the show: podcasts@thehappykind.com

If You Loved This Episode: Please leave us a five star rating (it's super easy, just tap the five stars!), follow our show, and share the podcast! Send it to a friend who needs a reminder that their creativity matters.

Additional Links:

• Grab a copy of Jessica's book: The Magic that is Life
• Get 10% off your first order at thehappykind.shop with code: TODAYHK10
• This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.
• Theme Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

In episode 18 of Originate Now, Jessica Higgins Chapman discusses the often lengthy and long road to finishing creative work — why it takes time, why that’s not a bad thing, the significance of defining success beyond immediate outcomes, and how to make peace with the pace of your own creative journey.

Whether you're writing a script, building a brand, or reshaping your creative identity… the finish line can feel far away. And that’s okay. Creativity is a long game — and your success unfolds over time.

Today, we explore what creative success really looks like, how to stay grounded when progress feels slow, and how to find more meaning (and momentum) in the in-between.

In This Episode, Jess Discusses:

• How to trust the long road instead of comparing your pace to others
• The mindset shift from racing, to finishing with rhythm and consistency
• What real creative success looks like beyond recognition or sales
• Practical ways to stay motivated when the finish line feels far away
• The importance of building a body of work and developing your unique voice
• Why you’re not behind — and how to honor the season you’re in

Quote of the Week: "All great achievements require time.” - Maya Angelou

*NEW! Join us on Substack!

Read the Full Show Notes Here on Substack!

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Connect with Jess, The Happy Kind, & the show:

• Instagram: @thehappykind | @thehappykindofficial | @originatenowpodcast
• Facebook: thehappykindofficial
• Email the show: podcasts@thehappykind.com

If You Loved This Episode: Please leave us a five star rating (it's super easy, just tap the five stars!), follow our show, and share the podcast! Send it to a friend who needs a reminder that their creativity matters.

Additional Links:

• Grab a copy of Jessica's book: The Magic that is Life
• Get 10% off your first order at thehappykind.shop with code: TODAYHK10
• This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.
• Theme Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/nick-petrov/diving-in-the-sky

In this episode of Originate Now, Jessica Higgins Chapman explores the art and psychology of reinvention and why it’s never too late to reimagine your life, your work, or your creative identity.

From identity shifts to creative pivots, she shares how each version of you is a part of your evolving journey, and why reinvention is less about starting over, and more about remembering who you really are.

You’ll also learn a little science behind “becoming who you want to be,” plus a creative challenge to help you reconnect with your next chapter in a grounded, soul-centered way.

We're becoming always, in all ways... take a listen!

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• What “reinvention” really means
• How to release old identities and make space for your next chapter
• The psychology behind becoming — self-concept clarity and the science of aligned action

Quote of the Week: "We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” - Maya Angelou

Book Mentioned: The Magic that is Life

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Connect with Jess, The Happy Kind, & the show:

• Instagram: @thehappykind | @thehappykindofficial | @originatenowpodcast
• Facebook: thehappykindofficial
• Email the show: podcasts@thehappykind.com

If You Loved This Episode: Please leave us a five star rating (it's super easy, just tap the five stars!), follow our show, and share the podcast! Send it to a friend who needs a reminder that their creativity matters.

Additional Links:

• Grab a copy of Jessica's book: The Magic that is Life
• Get 10% off your first order at thehappykind.shop with code: TODAYHK10
• This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.
• Theme Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/nick-petrov/diving-in-the-sky

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In today’s episode, Jessica Higgins Chapman dives into a timely and personal topic: how to keep creating and stay inspired when life feels uncertain. Whether it’s career changes, personal transitions, or the heaviness of what’s happening in the world, we all face waves of uncertainty — when the future feels shaky and creativity feels hard to reach.

Listen now, to hear Jess give a personal story, prompts and three psychology-backed tools to help you ground your nervous system, reframe uncertainty, and reconnect to meaning through your art and work.

In this Episode, Jess Discusses:

• Why uncertainty can both hinder and enhance creativity
• Grounding rituals that help your brain feel “safe enough to create”
• "Shrinking the frame” and rebuilding creative momentum into small steps
• The Maybe Mindset — a powerful mental reframe inspired by psychologist Ellen Langer Ph.D. to help you soften fear and expand possibility

Grab Our Free Creative Kickstart Kit!

Shop Every Book Mentioned

Research Links:

1. Intolerance of Uncertainty and Worry
2. Navigating Uncertainty
3. The Reciprocal Relationship Between Openness and Creativity
4. Confronting the Negativity Bias

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Connect with Jess, The Happy Kind, & the show:

• Instagram: @thehappykind | @thehappykindofficial | @originatenowpodcast
• Facebook: thehappykindofficial
• Email the show: podcasts@thehappykind.com

If You Loved This Episode: Please leave us a five star rating (it's super easy, just tap the five stars!), follow our show, and share the podcast! Send it to a friend who needs a reminder that their creativity matters.

Additional Links:

• Grab a copy of Jessica's book: The Magic that is Life
• Get 10% off your first order at thehappykind.shop with code: TODAYHK10
• This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.
• Theme Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/nick-petrov/diving-in-the-sky

In this episode, Jessica Higgins Chapman explores the transformative power of journaling — not just as a habit, but as a tool for reflection, creativity, and intentional living.

Jess dives into simple ways to use journaling to reconnect with your “why,” unlock new ideas, and nurture creative momentum. She also shares an inspiring anecdote from a panel during Reese Witherspoon’s Shine Away event by Hello Sunshine — plus, a quick creative challenge you can do in just five minutes.

In this Episode, We Discuss:

• Why reflection matters for creatives
• How journaling boosts clarity and creative flow
• Journaling practices for intentional living
• Simple ways to start a journaling ritual that sticks
• A 5-minute creative journaling challenge

Grab Our Free Creative Kickstart Kit!

Quote of the Week: “I don’t know what I think until I write it down.” - Joan Didion

Book Mentioned in This Episode: The Power Pause by Neha Ruch

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Connect with Jess, The Happy Kind, & the show:

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• Facebook: thehappykindofficial
• Email the show: podcasts@thehappykind.com

If You Loved This Episode: Please leave us a five star rating (it's super easy, just tap the five stars!), follow our show, and share the podcast! Send it to a friend who needs a reminder that their creativity matters.

Additional Links:

• Grab a copy of Jessica's book: The Magic that is Life
• Get 10% off your first order at thehappykind.shop with code: TODAYHK10
• This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.
• Theme Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/nick-petrov/diving-in-the-sky

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*Some of the links in our show notes are affiliate links. That means, we get a small commission if you purchase through the link. However, we make it a point to only share...

In this episode of Originate Now, Jessica Higgins Chapman explores the concept of the Third Place: meaningful spaces between home and work that generate connection, creativity, and belonging.

Sociologist Ray Oldenburg first coined the term “Third Place” to describe the familiar public spots where people gather — think coffee shops, bookstores, libraries, yoga studios. These are the spaces where culture, community, and creativity thrive.

Some of us are still searching for that in-between space that feeds our creativity and connection, more so post 2020. Jess dives into why these spaces matter so much — especially for creatives — and how we can bring them back into our daily lives.

This episode invites you to rediscover how connection fuels creativity.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• What Ray Oldenburg’s Third Place Theory reveals about connection, creativity, and well-being
• Simple, intentional ways to reclaim or create your own Third Place
• How public spaces feed imagination and inspiration
• Why creativity thrives not just in solitude, but in connection

Grab Our Free Creative Kickstart Kit!

Quote of the Week: “Connection is why we’re here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.”— Brené Brown, from her book, The Gifts of Imperfection

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Connect with Jess, The Happy Kind, & the show:

• Instagram: @thehappykind | @thehappykindofficial | @originatenowpodcast
• Facebook: thehappykindofficial
• Email the show: podcasts@thehappykind.com

If You Loved This Episode: Please leave us a five star rating (it's super easy, just tap the five stars!), follow our show, and share the podcast! Send it to a friend who needs a reminder that their creativity matters.

Additional Links:

• Grab a copy of Jessica's book: The Magic that is Life
• Get 10% off your first order at thehappykind.shop with code: TODAYHK10
• This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.
• Theme Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/nick-petrov/diving-in-the-sky

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In this episode of Originate Now, host Jessica Higgins Chapman explores the transformative power of curating joy as a daily practice — and how it directly fuels creativity, focus, and your overall well-being.

Too often, joy is treated as an afterthought, a reward for finishing the work. But we're diving into joy being the resource that makes the work possible. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, faith, and her own creative experience, Jess shares why joy is fuel for your projects, your perspective, and your life.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why joy and happiness aren’t the same — and why that matters for creativity.
• The science of joy: dopamine, flow states, and the broaden-and-build theory.
• Five ways to intentionally curate joy in your daily life and work.
• How joy helps reduce resistance, expand possibility, and sustain long-term creativity.
• A practical “Joy Menu” exercise to spark energy and fresh ideas this week.

Featured Quotes:

• Mary Oliver: “Joy is not made to be a crumb,” from her poem Don't Hesitate from her book Devotions.
• Jessica Higgins Chapman: “Your joy is a garden. Cultivate it. What you nourish, water, and tend to becomes your harvest," from her book The Magic that is Life.

Research Links:

• Broaden and Build Theory by Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D.

Shop Every Book Mentioned

Grab Our Free Creative Kickstart Kit!

Join The Happy Kind Newsletter for all the good things!

Connect with Jess, The Happy Kind, & the show:

• Instagram: @thehappykind | @thehappykindofficial | @originatenowpodcast
• Facebook: thehappykindofficial
• Email the show: podcasts@thehappykind.com

If You Loved This Episode: Please leave us a five star rating (it's super easy, just tap the five stars!), follow our show, and share the podcast! Send it to a friend who needs a reminder that their creativity matters.

Additional Links:

• Grab a copy of Jessica's book:

Do you have way too many ideas, half-finished drafts and projects that never seem to move forward? Well, grab your cup of coffee (or tea) and let's dive into this week's episode of Originate Now!

This week, Jessica Higgins Chapman explores the Creative Clarity Filter — a simple framework to help you choose the right project, prioritize with purpose, and finally gain momentum.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in “draft mode” or halted by endless possibilities, this episode will show you how to shift from overwhelm to clarity.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why having too many ideas isn’t a problem (but chasing them all is)
• How purpose acts as your creative compass
• The 4 questions of the Creative Clarity Filter to guide your project choices
• Why saying no to one project is actually saying yes to the right one

Grab Our Free Creative Kickstart Kit!

Shop Every Book Mentioned

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Episode 2: The Goal-Better Way! Listen here!

Join The Happy Kind Newsletter for all the good things!

Connect with Jess, The Happy Kind, & the show:

• Instagram: @thehappykind | @thehappykindofficial | @originatenowpodcast
• Facebook: thehappykindofficial
• Email the show: podcasts@thehappykind.com

If You Loved This Episode: Please leave us a five star rating (it's super easy, just tap the five stars!), follow our show, and share the podcast! Send it to a friend who needs a reminder that their creativity matters.

Additional Links:

• Grab a copy of Jessica's book: The Magic that is Life
• Get 10% off your first order at thehappykind.shop with code: TODAYHK10
• This podcast is hosted by Captivate, try it yourself for free.
• Theme Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/nick-petrov/diving-in-the-sky

Support this Podcast

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To learn more about listener privacy policy, please visit: