What does it take to make anything in an attention economy that never seems satisfied?

In this episode of Pain In The Arts, Lyndon and Breallyn wander through the strange theatre of making work online - where everyone’s performing, the algorithm is always hungry, and it’s not entirely clear who you’re supposed to be talking to anymore. Along the way, they compare the high-output churn of the manosphere to the slower, more observational approach of Louis Theroux.

Somewhere in the middle of it all, another idea takes shape: maybe the answer isn’t to shout louder, but to step aside. To build something smaller, quieter, and more deliberate.

Pain In The Arts is a Creative Life Chronicles production.

Enjoyed this episode? Please share with a friend!

Support the show, access exclusive content, or explore our free tier on Patreon:

http://www.patreon.com/painintheartslife

For more from Creative Life Chronicles (website coming soon!) and the Pain In The Arts podcast, visit our website:

http://www.paininthearts.life

Recorded and produced at Morning Phase Recording Room.

Original theme music by Lyndon Wesley:

http://www.lyndonwesley.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the question holding artists back isn’t “Is this good?” but the habit of asking it at all?

In this episode of Pain In The Arts, Lyndon and Breallyn explore a reframe inspired by Samuel Mead: replacing “Is this good?” with “Is this good for me?” The “Is This Good For Me” question shifts attention away from external approval and back toward the artist’s own experience of making the work.

Visit Samuel Mead's website

Pain In The Arts is a Creative Life Chronicles production.

Enjoyed this episode? Please share with a friend!

Support the show, access exclusive content, or explore our free tier on Patreon:

http://www.patreon.com/painintheartslife

For more from Creative Life Chronicles (website coming soon!) and the Pain In The Arts podcast, visit our website:

http://www.paininthearts.life

Recorded and produced at Morning Phase Recording Room.

Original theme music by Lyndon Wesley:

http://www.lyndonwesley.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When your creative project stalls and the doubts start racing in, how do you find your way back to the work? This week Lyndon and Breallyn explore the idea of slow art: embracing the process, sitting with doubt, and trusting the work even when progress has ground to a halt.

Breallyn shares an account of her writing project losing momentum, and what a visit to Bruno’s Art and Sculpture Garden in Marysville revealed about what it looks like to build a creative life — and rebuild it — over decades. From Tolkien’s 12-year road to Middle Earth to the feeling of being “gorged out” by too much beauty at once, this episode is a gentle reminder that the best things rarely arrive in a hurry.

Pain In The Arts is a Creative Life Chronicles production.

Enjoyed this episode? Please share with a friend!

Support the show, access exclusive content, or explore our free tier on Patreon:

http://www.patreon.com/painintheartslife

For more from Creative Life Chronicles (website coming soon!) and the Pain In The Arts podcast, visit our website:

http://www.paininthearts.life

Recorded and produced at Morning Phase Recording Room.

Original theme music by Lyndon Wesley:

http://www.lyndonwesley.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you ever feel like the laundry, the school runs, and the endless to-do list are stealing time from your creative work? In this episode of Pain in the Arts, Lyndon and Breallyn explore how to reframe the "busywork" of everyday life. Can those daily chores actually help us and how do repetitive, low-demand tasks quietly trigger creative breakthroughs?

It's a fresh, practical perspective on finding meaning in the mundane - and letting it fuel your art.

Pain In The Arts is a Creative Life Chronicles production.

Enjoyed this episode? Please share with a friend!

Support the show, access exclusive content, or explore our free tier on Patreon:

http://www.patreon.com/painintheartslife

For more from Creative Life Chronicles (website coming soon!) and the Pain In The Arts podcast, visit our website:

http://www.paininthearts.life

Recorded and produced at Morning Phase Recording Room.

Original theme music by Lyndon Wesley:

http://www.lyndonwesley.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens to your goals when life completely changes? In this episode, Lyndon and Breallyn explore goal setting—but not in the way you might expect. They share how a decade ago they stopped planning for the future entirely, and why. When their daughter Birdie was diagnosed with Phelan-McDermid Syndrome, their goals shifted from creative ambitions to survival. They discuss the "impossible goals" they pursued around her communication and the miraculous shifts that have emerged.

A conversation about disability, parenting, and finding your way back to the future.

Content note: This episode discusses disability, parenting a child with complex medical and neuropsychiatric needs, and statistics around vulnerability for girls with intellectual disabilities.

Pain In The Arts is a Creative Life Chronicles production.

Enjoyed this episode? Please share with a friend!

Support the show, access exclusive content, or explore our free tier on Patreon:

http://www.patreon.com/painintheartslife

For more from Creative Life Chronicles (website coming soon!) and the Pain In The Arts podcast, visit our website:

http://www.paininthearts.life

Recorded and produced at Morning Phase Recording Room.

Original theme music by Lyndon Wesley:

http://www.lyndonwesley.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if your creative window hasn't actually closed - it's just opening in a different way? In this episode, Lyndon and Breallyn tackle the pressure artists feel to achieve success by a certain age. But instead of accepting that timeline, Breallyn offers a radical reframe: what if past, present, and future are all happening right now? She explores how different cultures perceive time and introduces a 'time travel' thought experiment that could change how you approach your art - and possibly your life. Featuring the wisdom of Leanne Morgan and a surprising, unqualified foray into quantum physics.

Pain In The Arts is a Creative Life Chronicles production.

Enjoyed this episode? Please share with a friend!

Support the show, access exclusive content, or explore our free tier on Patreon:

http://www.patreon.com/painintheartslife

For more from Creative Life Chronicles (website coming soon!) and the Pain In The Arts podcast, visit our website:

http://www.paininthearts.life

Recorded and produced at Morning Phase Recording Room.

Original theme music by Lyndon Wesley:

http://www.lyndonwesley.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you drowning in "micro-decisions"? In the Season 2 premiere of Pain In The Arts, Lyndon and Breallyn explore why the smallest daily choices - from returning camping gear to hardware store runs - can sap the mental energy needed to show up for your craft.

After a summer of extreme weather and evacuations, they discuss the idea of "strategic stillness" and whether routines or rituals are the best way to protect your creative space. It’s a conversation about clearing the mental clutter so you can return to the art that reinvigorates you.

The Travelling Professor

Pain In The Arts is a Creative Life Chronicles production.

Enjoyed this episode? Please share with a friend!

Support the show, access exclusive content, or explore our free tier on Patreon:

http://www.patreon.com/painintheartslife

For more from Creative Life Chronicles (website coming soon!) and the Pain In The Arts podcast, visit our website:

http://www.paininthearts.life

Recorded and produced at Morning Phase Recording Room.

Original theme music by Lyndon Wesley:

http://www.lyndonwesley.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lyndon and Breallyn are once again joined by Dulgubarra-Yidinji writer Skye Cusack to talk writing, culture, and creative momentum. Skye reflects on the journey of her second book, Checked Out, including an emotionally intense return to Country and time spent reconnecting with her heritage and family.

They also touch on her debut novel, The Dangers of Just One Person, and Skye shares a glimpse into her current work-in-progress—a new horror manuscript. It’s a conversation about writing, cultural connection and finding humour in the unpredictable rhythms of creative life.

Skye Cusack on ABC

The Dangers Of Just One Person - by Skye Cusack

https://www.instagram.com/magabalabooks

Pain In The Arts is a Creative Life Chronicles production.

Enjoyed this episode? Please share with a friend!

Support the show, access exclusive content, or explore our free tier on Patreon:

http://www.patreon.com/painintheartslife

For more from Creative Life Chronicles (website coming soon!) and the Pain In The Arts podcast, visit our website:

http://www.paininthearts.life

Recorded and produced at Morning Phase Recording Room.

Original theme music by Lyndon Wesley:

http://www.lyndonwesley.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.