Overthinking can be second nature to creative thinkers. A classic downside to empathy and sensitivity. I've battled with anxiety in recent years, and my overthinking has been out of control. Constant rumination, wild and unmanaged responses to news headlines, and an uncharacteristically gloomy outlook leading to sleepless nights and worry spirals.

I'm slowly getting a handle on it, and I want to help others suffering the same barriers to a calmer, more optimistic basis for their creativity.

Nikki Emerton, a therapist, trainer, and coach, joins me to discuss the brain, the patterns of thought and traps we fall into, and how we can help ourselves break this destructive cycle.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session, or work with me to write your story in the brand new 'The Internal' story coaching program now at https://thecreativecondition.com (https://thecreativecondition.com/)

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

In this entry of The Creativity Diary:

• Understanding the self over job titles and skills
• The need for space to avoid overwhelm and nervous system activation
• Stoicism as a tool for managing uncertain times

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session now at https://thecreativecondition.com (https://thecreativecondition.com/)

See the Pit Stop flagship coaching session and an illustrator-specific coaching offer now. Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Journaling was one of several tools I used to tackle a tough year of anxiety. While reflecting upon a previous entry, I noticed that the list of helpful habits to support my mental well-being was more or less interchangeable with core components of healthy creativity, so I wanted to explore that idea a little more.

I'd love to hear your take on this, so get in touch about it, or anything else at [email protected]

As ever The Creative Condition podcast is supported by founding sponsor Illustration X.

https://www.basedesign.com/about/min-lew

For more creativity resources, including coaching opportunities, reading lists and articles, head to the official The Creative Condition site.

Please consider supporting The Ukrainian Institute, who champion the brave and inspiring Ukrainian creative community during this awful time of war.

'Lived data' is how Min Lew, head of Base Design in New York City, described intuition. I loved this. Min has quite the story, and she joins me to discuss her work overseeing the creative output and business of Base.

We discuss why moodboards have their place, but often stifle thinking big and differently in the creative process, travel, cultural lessons, the future of branding, and much more in an inspiring conversation with a bona fide creative industry leader.

As ever The Creative Condition podcast is supported by founding sponsor Illustration X.

https://www.basedesign.com/about/min-lew

For more creativity resources, including coaching opportunities, reading lists and articles, head to the official The Creative Condition site.

Please consider supporting The Ukrainian Institute, who champion the brave and inspiring Ukrainian creative community during this awful time of war.

After a personal and generally challenging year, much has been learned, and the message is strong: we must fight for a baseline of optimism for creativity to thrive!

This will be the final episode of 2025, back to the usual weekly podcasts January 7th.

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

As ever supported by Illustration X. See their global range of illustration and animation portfolios at https://illustrationx.com

Help the brave Ukrainian creative community during this horrible time of war at https://ui.org.ua

For all The Creative Condition's creativity resources, head to https://thecreativecondition.com

In this entry of The Creativity Diary:

• Two massively overlooked pillars of creativity and their role in anxiety
• Unexected wisdom and electronic tags on the bus

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session now at https://thecreativecondition.com (https://thecreativecondition.com/)

See the brand new illustrator-specific coaching offer now Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Wiedemann Lampe uses the beautiful term 'cultureful brands' to describe their work. They work globally, at scale, on entire cities and cultureful institutions.

I joined co-founders Benji Wiedemann and Alex Lampe in London to talk about creating impact at scale, their methods of forging a meaningful brand, and their origin stories, and there's a lot to get through!

As ever The Creative Condition podcast is supported by founding sponsor Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Today's guests can be found here: https://wiedemannlampe.com/

If you're looking for some personal creative elevation, work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session now at https://thecreativecondition.com

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

A bonus chat with last week's guest, author and vanlifer Charlotte Bradman in which we discuss the current challenges facing working-class people and stifling their creativity.

In a divided, expensive, technologically obsessed society, it's increasingly hard for those even with moderate incomes to make ends meet, to free up enough psychological safety to create, let alone those living from week to week, day to day.

And because of this, we all miss out on rich points of view and different thinking.

https://www.yellowkitebooks.co.uk/titles/charlotte-bradman/the-happy-nomad/9781399720588/

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session now at https://thecreativecondition.com

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Charlotte Bradman had to go through major trauma, including the repossession of her house, before she could truly access her creativity.

Now she lives full-time in her converted camper van, and she joins The Creative Condition to share her story.

In a cost-of-living crisis, under financial strain and facing much upheaval in our creative industry, designers, artists, writers, and all kinds of creators are struggling to make ends meet, but Charlotte has some wise words and a beautiful story to tell that might just change our thinking around money and the traditional version of success.

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session now at https://thecreativecondition.com

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Covered in this instalment of 'The Creativity Diary':

• Muppets bring light to a dark moment
• AI me?
• Time wasted or time well spent? A creative conundrum for all of us
• A Final Fantasy VII cut scene conjures a rich thought

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session now at https://thecreativecondition.com

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

As ever supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session now at https://thecreativecondition.com

See the brand new illustrator-specific coaching offer now

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua

Today, change occurs almost constantly, at a speed never before seen in human history. We are in a technological revolution that some are likening to the advent of agriculture. Incomprehensible news headlines bombard us, and underneath it, we must still find a way to make sense of it and create for a living.

Los Angeles and New York-based creative company Sibling Rivalry is a shining example of adaptation and flexibility in this new economy.

Co-founder Mikon van Gastel joins me to share the agency's story. As someone who went into business shortly before 9/11, has steered the company through the COVID-19 pandemic, and now, like the rest of us, attempts to understand and move harmoniously with artificial intelligence, Mikon explains what it takes to keep growing and creating with joy in this crazed economy.

As ever, The Creative Condition podcast is supported by Illustration X https://illustrationx.com

Work with me through the 'PIT STOP' one-stop creativity foundational coaching session now at https://thecreativecondition.com

And find out about the new illustrator-specific coaching offer.

Access creativity resources, including books, a reading list, and 300+ podcasts at https://thecreativecondition.com

Help the Ukrainian Institute's brave creative community during a horrific time of war at https://ui.org.ua