Episodes

  • Episode 97: Creating in Isolation, Peeling Back the Layers, and Connecting to Nature with Photographer Beth Galton

    Episode 97: Creating in Isolation, Peeling Back the Layers, and Connecting to Nature with Photographer Beth Galton
    Nov 14 2024

    Welcome to this week’s episode, which is all about celebrating the shift from creating in isolation to launching your work into the world. I’m joined by Beth Galton, an award winning photo-based artist.

    Beth shares about her experimental creative process and what it was like to be an artist living in New York City during the pandemic.

    She also shares the fear and doubt that can come with sharing a new project publicly. Plus, using your voice when you were told to be “seen and not heard.”

    Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform while you cook, clean, or create. Get the full show notes & transcript here.

    What’s in This Episode:

    Beth tells us about how she became a photographer after quitting her secure job as an administrative assistant. After just one day in a photography studio, she knew she found what she wanted to do.

    That certainty led her to assisting established photographers while she honed her craft before later launching her own commercial photography career.

    Beth opens up about what it was like to use photography to process the isolation and anxiety of the C*VID pandemic and how she prepared for the shutdown as an artist.

    Beth shares her struggles with self-doubt and fears of putting her personal work out there, and how she is working to overcome those challenges through promoting the Kickstarter campaign for her new photo book project.

    Topics Covered:

    -Approaching the world in your own creative way, even if you’re not a traditional artist

    -The power of being in community with others

    -The power of finding a creative medium as a form of self-expression and using it as a path to finding your unique voice

    -The isolation of the pandemic and what it was like to be in NYC during lockdown

    -Connecting to nature through photography and using found materials as inspiration

    -Struggling with self-doubt and a fear of putting personal work out into the world

    xo Chef Carla

    PS: Dreaming of starting your own Substack? Join us on November 21st for Getting Started & Build Your Community On Substack 101!

    Join My Community:

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    Disclaimer: Always seek the counsel of a qualified medical practitioner or other healthcare provider for an individual consultation before making any significant changes to your health, lifestyle, or to answer questions about specific medical conditions. This podcast is for entertainment and information purposes only.



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    16 mins
  • Episode 96: Healing is a Creative Process with Deb Driscoll Founder of Big Life Magic

    Episode 96: Healing is a Creative Process with Deb Driscoll Founder of Big Life Magic
    Nov 10 2024
    In this week’s episode we dive into how creativity is impacted by place, movement, and magic. I’m joined by Deb Driscoll, an author, spiritual teacher, and energy guide. Her playful approach to the creative process is magnetic!In this week’s episode we dive into how creativity is impacted by place, movement, and magic. I’m joined by Deb Driscoll, an author, spiritual teacher, and energy guide. Her playful approach to the creative process is magnetic!In this episode, Deb shares how she began writing a memoir. She chats about the necessity of moving ideas up and out by listening to the body, and how healing is an important ingredient in the creative process. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform while you cook, clean, or create. Get the full show notes & transcript here.What’s in This Episode:Deb tells us about how her creative process is a playground, a world she has created for herself by fine tuning what does and does not nourish her creativity over the years.After relocating from New York City to the island of Tobago, she was able to bring her first memoir into existence. By the sea she could think – she finally had quiet, nature she could immerse herself in, and a place to move the ideas within her muscles up and out onto the page. Deb expresses the desire for more time to work through bigger creative projects while honoring the never ending to-do list of being a business owner. Deb highlights the importance of quieting the noise, installing spiritual scaffolding as a way to open the creativity channels, and how stepping away from the work is a necessary step in the editing process.Deb believes that healing is a creative process and we are all creating our realities everyday. Subscribe to her newsletter and enjoy her free 5 day Attune Activation here.Topics Covered:Alchemizing earthbound experiences, challenges, and big life loss including the first man she loved, her father, and son SageNavigating the frustration of not having more time for bigger creative projectsReturning to the role of student in a member class as a way to immerse oneself in community and creativity Relocating from New York City and changing environments as a form of nourishing her creativity Prioritizing movement as a way to listen to the body rather than getting mind lockedGiving your intuition permission to work in the background as a form of editing Reconnecting to childlike joy and experiencing delight within the creative process Celebrating the relationship between magic, healing, and creativityxo Chef CarlaPS: Dreaming of starting your own Substack? Join us on November 21st for Getting Started & Build Your Community On Substack 101!Join My Community:WebsitePinterestInstagramSubstackDisclaimer: Always seek the counsel of a qualified medical practitioner or other healthcare provider for an individual consultation before making any significant changes to your health, lifestyle, or to answer questions about specific medical conditions. This podcast is for entertainment and information purposes only. Get full access to Nourishing Creativity at chefcarla.substack.com/subscribe
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    21 mins
  • Episode 95: Ready, Set, Finish with Financial Advisor, Author, and Speaker Bassam Tarazi

    Episode 95: Ready, Set, Finish with Financial Advisor, Author, and Speaker Bassam Tarazi
    Oct 23 2024

    Welcome to this week’s episode, which is all about carving out time for creative projects and breaking down the big vision into small steps. I’m joined by Bassam Tarazi, a financial advisor, author and speaker. His commitment to his creative practice is inspiring, in this episode he shares how he sits through discomfort, overcomes procrastination, and prioritizes what he values.

    Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform while you cook, clean, or create.

    What’s in This Episode:

    Bassam shares how his creative process is closely linked to his relationship with time. Rather than focusing on the finish line, he zeros in on where he can find thirty minutes in his day. He sets his phone to airplane mode, puts on a timer and rides the wave all the way until the end. Bassam’s approach is strategic and realistic, listen as he shares how he breaks down huge projects into verbs and small action steps.

    Bassam highlights the importance of committing to these bite-sized chunks of time where possible as a new father and full-time financial advisor. He also discusses his mindfulness practices, finding value in the discomfort, and his method for getting to the root of procrastination. Bassam firmly believes in the power of small, consistent efforts over time to achieve significant results. You can learn more about Bassam’s course, book and blog here.

    Topics Covered:

    Using your own personal life experiences to create something from out of thin air

    Committing to 30 minutes a day inside of your creative practice and releasing the finish line

    Behind-the-scenes of crafting a TED Talk (Watch Bassam’s TEDx Talk!)

    Sitting through the discomfort of the creative process

    Practicing presence by being where your feet are

    Getting honest about the source of procrastination and and releasing self-judgment when creativity has to take a temporary back-burner

    We can’t wait to hear your thoughts, leave a comment below!

    Eat Well,

    xo Chef Carla

    PS: What’s the verb you are working on? Is it your visibility and expanding your presence on or offline this season? Maybe you want to start your own podcast or Substack? Join us inside The Confident Content Collective.

    Join My Community:

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    Disclaimer: Always seek the counsel of a qualified medical practitioner or other healthcare provider for an individual consultation before making any significant changes to your health, lifestyle, or to answer questions about specific medical conditions. This podcast is for entertainment and information purposes only.



    Get full access to Nourishing Creativity at chefcarla.substack.com/subscribe
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    20 mins
  • Episode 94: Sharing Food Stories, Building Community, and Rediscovering the Pleasure of Cooking with Sophia Musoki, Founder of A Kitchen in Uganda

    Episode 94: Sharing Food Stories, Building Community, and Rediscovering the Pleasure of Cooking with Sophia Musoki, Founder of A Kitchen in Uganda
    Sep 26 2024
    Welcome to this week’s episode, which is all about sharing other people’s stories, building community, and evolving with the creative process. I’m joined by Sophia Musoki, a Ugandan food blogger, podcast host, writer, and photographer. Her passion for food storytelling is palpable, in this episode she spreads her deep love for Ugandan food and culture.Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform while you cook, clean, or create.What’s in This Episode:Sophia shares the behind-the-scenes of how her podcast, Our Food Stories, was developed and how it originally evolved from her recipe blog into a podcast highlighting what other Ugandans are cooking. Her podcast invites people from all over Uganda to share their food stories, recipes, and traditions. I highly recommend tuning into the podcast because the stories people share bring you right into their kitchens, traditions, and hearts. When it comes to feeling creatively blocked, Sophia’s process is to take a step back, take a digital detox, and reengage with slow activities. When she turns off her phone and dives into a novel by an African author, she returns to her work being able to see things in a new light. Now that her blog is no longer her primary focus, Sophia is rediscovering the pleasure of cooking and trying new recipes she finds on TikTok without feeling the outcome must be perfect.Topics Covered:Sophia’s explanation about how being creative is second nature to her and how creative thinking plays a part in her writing.The behind-the-scenes of how Sophia created her podcast and how she is a creative vessel for sharing other people’s food stories from Uganda.How Sophia’s podcast feels like the tradition of African elders sharing stories around a fire after dinner. This articleis where Sophia shares what her family’s Christmas Eve is like.What it’s like to create something new after being creatively burnt out.How stepping back to let other people share their stories sparked Sophia’s creativity, inspired deeper learning, and helped build community.Sophia’s transition from cooking for her blog to cooking for herself. Cooking has become pleasurable again since she feels less pressure without having to test recipes and make them perfect.We can’t wait to hear your thoughts, leave a comment below!Eat Well,xo Chef CarlaPS: Are you working on your visibility and expanding your presence on or offline this season? Maybe you want to start your own podcast or Substack? Join us inside The Content Retreat CollectiveJoin My Community:WebsitePinterestInstagramSubstackDisclaimer: Always seek the counsel of a qualified medical practitioner or other healthcare provider for an individual consultation before making any significant changes to your health, lifestyle, or to answer questions about specific medical conditions. This podcast is for entertainment and information purposes only. Get full access to Nourishing Creativity at chefcarla.substack.com/subscribe
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    21 mins
  • Episode 93: Visibility, Self-Love, and Stepping into Your Future Self with Chef Carla Contreras as a guest on Dear Self with Love

    Episode 93: Visibility, Self-Love, and Stepping into Your Future Self with Chef Carla Contreras as a guest on Dear Self with Love
    Sep 17 2024
    This week’s episode is a repost from my friend Jenna Knapp and her Dear Self With Love Substack. Note: This was not supposed to be a podcast. Jenna originally sent me a Google Form asking me to share my experience as a Dear Self With Love planner user. My intuition instantly wanted to respond to these questions, but instead of typing the answers out; I connected my computer to my microphone, put my headphones on, and hit record (and let’s be honest, did a few practice sessions). I knew I wanted to use my voice, in a big and bright way that shows you who I am, imperfections and all. Visibility is not always easy for me despite being on two cooking TV shows including Chopped! on the Food Network. My comfort zone lies in interviewing others. This time, I decided to try the other side of the mic and answer Jenna’s questions. As you will hear, this is more than just a planner. It is a way to approach life and offers a deep connection to Jenna and her community.Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform. What’s in This Episode:Jenna first asks me to share more about what I do. As a Food Stylist, Content Strategist, and Podcast Host, I talked about how I support my clients to see content creation as a dream world — a space to play and invent. I teach them to listen to their tiny whispers that come from inside them vs. seeing me as a marketing guru telling them what they should do. In my opinion, content is really energy. If you've ever experienced someone telling you that they "love your energy," it's exactly that! Creating the channel for your unique energy to be expressed.Jenna invites me to share my personal definition of self-love. For me, it's layered and nuanced. It encompasses things that I wouldn't have answered, even just a few months ago. It's loving ALL the parts of me, including those that aren't perfect, get it wrong, and are experiencing feelings like deep grief. It's accepting all those parts so that I can show up to work, to create content from the most honest place possible.Jenna wraps up with a future-based question — "How are you supporting your future 2025 self currently?" Deciding to use my voice and get vulnerable with Jenna's community (and you) is how I'm taking care of my future self presently. Being visible is something that I teach my 1:1 content strategy clients, participants of The Content Retreat, and members of my new Confident Content Collective. Recording these responses was me leaning into my future self, stepping into a new chapter of my own visibility. Curious, tell me in the comments, how are you leaning into your future self, what does it look like to step into their shoes? Topics Covered:My definition of self-love and how it’s changing through a challenging seasonWhat’s my definition of content and how it can support you and your dreams My journey with the Dear Self With Love Planner over the past two years My two favorite parts memorables (as a way to connect with my kids) and mirror affirmations Using the planner as a practice to end my months and cast out my future self Writing the year ahead letter as part of my practice and forgetting the “special place” I put it We can’t wait to hear your thoughts about this episode. Leave a comment below!xo Chef CarlaPS: If these ideas and concepts around creating content from an aligned place interest you. I invite to join us live online for the preview of opening day of The Content Retreat Saturday 9/21/24 and if it’s aligned join us for the full experience Sunday 9/22/24. Here is the Content Retreat Schedule (all times are EST)Saturday 9/21/24 4 p.m.–4:30 p.m.: Welcoming circle: The Confident Content Framework4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.: Connecting to Being Seen and Lucid Living with Dulce Ruby: Artist, Spiritual Alchemist, and Modern Curandera5:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.: Breathwork for Activating Visibility with Stephanie Pereira Lima: Soul Leader, Breathwork Guide, and Reiki Master 6:30 p.m.–7 p.m.: Closing circle and wrap-upSunday 9/22/249 a.m.–-9:15 a.m.: Opening Circle & Cacao Ritual: Connecting to Your Why9:15 a.m.–10:15 a.m.: The Content Mind Map & Aligned 90-Day Plan with Meg Burton Tudman & Carla Contreras10:15 a.m.–10:30 a.m.: Coffee break10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.: Focused + Flow Sprint with feedback12:00 p.m.–12:30 p.m.: Connection, sharing, and support 12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m.: Nourishing lunch & stretch break1:30 p.m.–3 p.m.: Focused + Flow Sprint with feedback3 p.m.–-3:15 p.m.: Coffee break3:30 p.m.–4 p.m.: Closing circle and wrap-upJoin My Community:WebsitePinterestInstagramSubstackDisclaimer: Always seek the counsel of a qualified medical practitioner or other healthcare provider for an individual consultation before making any significant changes to your health, lifestyle, or to answer questions about specific medical conditions. This podcast is for entertainment and information purposes only. Get full access to Nourishing Creativity at ...
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    18 mins
  • Episode 92: Breathwork, Creativity, and Soulful Leadership Stephanie Pereira-Lima

    Episode 92: Breathwork, Creativity, and Soulful Leadership Stephanie Pereira-Lima
    Sep 6 2024

    Welcome to this week’s episode! We are learning about using breathwork as a tool to move through creative blocks. I am joined by Stephanie Pereira-Lima, an Intuitive Healer, Soulful Leader, Breathwork Guide, and Reiki Master. She works intimately with spiritual women & emerging lightworkers in awakening their soul purpose so they can create a life that is led by their soul and rooted in freedom, abundance and joyful service.

    Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

    What’s in This Episode:

    Steph first gives us her definition of creativity which she believes is, “the physical manifestation of someone's soul essence.” I ask her to explain to us deeper about what she means. “I see every individual as a soul, meaning the part of us that is very much all knowing, all loving… it's really that light that they have. It's that sense of joy, that sense of love.”

    Steph shares her creative process and how she drops into flow to find her center which may include: Stretching, movement like ecstatic dance, changing up her environment, and using time blocking in order to create a container to create. She dives into what it means to integrate masculine and feminine energies (all human have both) in the creative process to create containers in order to create flow and structure.

    Steph talks about how transformational breathwork is. She defines it, “Breathwork is an active meditation practice. We are dynamically engaging our breath in a rhythmic pattern. And I specifically guide, it's called a three part breath. You breathe through the mouth the entire time… a lot of people describe it as 10 years of talk therapy in one session, and just that process of hyper oxygenating the body, we're tapping into the subconscious mind.”

    Topics Covered:

    Steph’s definition of creativity and the role of the "soul essence.”

    How Steph’s journey has evolved from corporate leader to spiritual leader.

    She shared how breathwork and how it can help with creative blocks and spiritual awakening.

    Integrating masculine and feminine energies (all human have both) in the creative process.

    Steph shares about overcoming the challenges of being visible and sharing one's authentic voice.

    The importance of self-healing and connecting within, rather than looking for external validation.

    We can’t wait to hear your thoughts about this episode. Leave a comment below!

    xo, Chef Carla

    PS: Sign up for Stephanie’s 3-month online experience, Journey Deep Within Save $100 by mentioning this podcast episode in your application. I support her work 100%. Ask me any questions via email or DM me on Instagram @chefcarlacontreras

    PPS: Interested in The Content Retreat? Join us + learn more here

    Disclaimer: Always seek the counsel of a qualified medical practitioner or other healthcare provider for an individual consultation before making any significant changes to your health, lifestyle, or to answer questions about specific medical conditions. This podcast is for entertainment and information purposes only.



    Get full access to Nourishing Creativity at chefcarla.substack.com/subscribe
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    21 mins
  • Episode 91: Waking, Dreaming & Return to Being Seen with Dulce Ruby, Founder of Despierta

    Episode 91: Waking, Dreaming & Return to Being Seen with Dulce Ruby, Founder of Despierta
    Aug 21 2024

    Welcome to this week’s episode! We’re deep-diving into the creative mindset and returning to being seen after years of creating behind the scenes. We’ll also share a brilliant practice to help you move through creative blocks. I am joined by Dulce Ruby, an international artist and herbal alchemist who creates artworks and tools to awaken and activate people to their dream realities. She had over 1 million people as part of her community on Instagram until she was hacked and started her new account.

    Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

    What’s in This Episode:

    Dulce first gives us her definition of creativity, which she believes is magic. “The eminence of what is desiring to be birthed through an individual at a given moment. It’s what fulfills, fills, and breathes life into you, and how can you breathe that into the world? Creativity is who you are, materialized into this plane of existence, the 3D material, physical.”

    Dulce shares her current relationship with creativity, stating that she consistently pours magic into the world and that her creativity is intertwined with her day-to-day life. She also shares that her creativity has been stunted, halted, or hidden as she worked through creating projects behind the scenes including leading a World Peace Tour and creating Despierta, which was meant to be a downloadable antidote for what aches the human mind, body, and soul.

    Dulce talks about coming back to sharing her creations, “I feel like, as I was hiding myself and my creations, more than people who were used to, I guess seeing me and seeing my work and seeing my words and feeling and just nourishing their souls and trying to say that not in an egotistical way but being able to receive my love and my outpouring and my magic, my creativity, and being able to utilize that as a healing modality for themselves.”

    Topics Covered:

    Dulce’s expansive definition of creativity and how creativity is part of everyday life.

    How Despierta was founded to create an accessible offering to her community.

    Nourishment as a part of the creative process and how drinking tea can be a way to connect with yourself.

    Dream, sleep, and awaken, a philosophy that guides Despierta’s and Dulce’s work.

    Dulce’s energy is contagious! She talks about how she builds playfulness into her life.

    Dulce shares her process visualization practice for overcoming creative blocks and allowing more creative flow into her life.

    We can’t wait to hear your thoughts about this episode. Leave a comment below!

    xo Chef Carla

    PS: Use the code ChefCarla10 to save on Despierta + Dulce’s course Lucid Living. Note: I am an affiliate of Dulce Ruby’s programs Lucid Living and Despierta. I support her work 100%. Ask me any questions via email or DM me on Instagram @chefcarlacontreras

    PPS: Interested in The Content Retreat? Join us + learn more here

    Join My Community:

    * Website

    * Pinterest

    * Instagram

    * Substack



    Get full access to Nourishing Creativity at chefcarla.substack.com/subscribe
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    23 mins
  • Episode 90: Empowerment, Creative Blocks, and Dishing Out Steamed Broccoli with Pinterest Strategist Meagan Williamson

    Episode 90: Empowerment, Creative Blocks, and Dishing Out Steamed Broccoli with Pinterest Strategist Meagan Williamson
    Apr 25 2024
    This week’s episode is about empowering you to share who you uniquely are in your creative process. I’m joined by Meagan Williamson, a Pinterest marketing expert, certified business coach, trained psychologist, and mom based in Canada. Get the Full Show Notes & Transcript here. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or on your favorite podcast platform while you cook, clean, or create.What’s in This Episode:This episode will leave you inspired to embrace how you create based on the season of life (and business) you are in. In our conversation, Meagan shares her approach to coaching and working with creative blocks by looking beyond the surface level of why you may not be sharing on social media.Meagan shares that she can’t force herself to be creative. When she does have the energy she does massive brain dumps. She looks across what’s trending in other industries and brainstorms about her unique take on ideas, a tutorial that might help someone, and or answer a question she is getting asked by her community. Meagan leaves us with advice: To not fall for viral get-rich-quick tactics using Pinterest but instead to focus on slow and consistent growth. She talks about this in terms of focusing on eating greens like steamed broccoli vs. cheese pizza. It’s not sexy but she will help you with sustainable growth and long term results.Topics Covered:Meagan’s experience with a leadership exercise in high school and how that shaped her view of creative thinking.What it’s like to be creative in other areas of your life such as how you dress, work, and define the world. Meagan enjoys creative hobbies like gardening and being in nature. Stop trying to be other people on social media, be yourself, she calls it, “Meaganizing.”What it’s like to honor your energy and the phases of your life and business. She talks about rest and not working.Meagan talks about her background as a trained psychologist, and how creative blocks are often not about creation but other things in your life like trauma or fear of failure.We can’t wait to hear your thoughts, leave a comment below!Eat Well,xo Chef CarlaPS: Interested in Pinterest as part of your strategy? Join the Pinterest Growth Challenge Note: I am an affiliate of Meagan’s programs. I have been supporting Pin Potential since the beginning. It’s now a course and membership. I support her work 100%. Ask me any questions via email or DM me on Instagram @chefcarlacontreras Join My Community:* Website* Pinterest* Instagram* Substack Get full access to Nourishing Creativity at chefcarla.substack.com/subscribe
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    25 mins