The Creative Happy Life Podcast Episode 9 :: Act Well Your Part with Meg O'Brien

Episode 9 of the Creative, Happy Life Podcast is part two of my conversation with guest, Meg O’Brien, the Director of Education at the Huntington Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts.

You can listen to part one here, where we talk about theater education and more.

In this episode, Meg shares her journey of falling in love with dance and theater, to getting her BFA at UConn, and personal experiences of love and loss along the way. She was also the first person to answer my “wrap up” questions at the end, and trust me when I say, you’re going to want to listen to every word she says. There are just so much good, inspiring, uplifting, and important things that she shares.

This episode brings up cancer, death, and spirituality, which may be a sensitive topic to some, but I hope by listening, Meg’s journey inspires you to think in new ways, find what makes you happy, and live a beautiful life.

I hope you will join me in the Creative Happy Life Community on Facebook after you’ve listened so we can keep the conversation going, ask questions, get inspired, and connect with other creative minds!

LISTEN HERE, ON SPOTIFY, OR ON APPLE PODCASTS:

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Show Notes

Episode 09

Act well your part; there all the honor lies. - Alexander Pope

Meg O’Brien is back for part two, episode 9, and she is telling her story, her journey as an artist and supporter of the arts.

To be honest, calling her a “supporter” of the arts just pales in comparison to her heart and passion for art and artists. I sat with chills on my arms, often out of breath because I was holding my breath, hanging on her every word.

I hope you enjoy this one, and if you haven’t listened to part one yet, you can listen to it here!

Learn more about places, programs and people mentioned in this episode:

Huntington Theatre Company in Boston, Massachusetts

Berkshire Theatre Group in Stockbridge, Massachusetts

Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Massachusetts

Sutton Foster, Thoroughly Modern Millie, 42nd Street, Chess, Assassins, Cabaret, Hello Dolly, Hamilton

Artists Have to Create_Creative Happy Life_Episode 9_Guest Meg OBrien.jpg

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Guest_Meg OBrien_Theater Education_Creative Happy Life Podcast_Episode 9.jpg
 

The Creative Happy Life Podcast Episode 8 :: The Other Side of Fear with Meg O'Brien

Episode 8 of the Creative, Happy Life Podcast features guest, Meg O’Brien, the Director of Education at the Huntington Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts.

We talk (and by ‘talk’ I really mean I listen in awe to Meg speak) about the importance of theater and the arts to not only education, but humanity. It was more than a treat to have Meg as a guest, and we actually recorded for close to three hours, sooooo….this will be part one of TWO episodes with Meg, because I want you to soak up all the beautiful things she has to say.

I hope you will join me in the Creative Happy Life Community on Facebook after you’ve listened so we can keep the conversation going, ask questions, get inspired, and connect with other creative minds!

LISTEN HERE, ON SPOTIFY, OR ON APPLE PODCASTS:

Show Notes

Episode 08

Meg O’Brien is my guest on episode 8, and she is serving up some beautiful and important truths about the necessity of the arts in education and in humanity. We talked about silver linings during the global pandemic of Covid-19, pushing through fear, and how learning the basic tools of theater will give you skills to carry you through life. Meg talks about how the arts are keeping us sane and how everyone in the world, in some way, is touched by art.

Learn more about places, programs and people mentioned in this episode:

Huntington Theatre Company in Boston, Massachusetts

Director Kenny Leon

Poetry Out Loud - “Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Poetry Out Loud is a partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, and the state and jurisdictional arts agencies.” source POL website

August Wilson and the Century Cycle (also known as Pittburgh Cycle)

Some Good News - a weekly Youtube series created by John Krasinski to share “some good news” happening in the world. The episode we reference in this podcast is episode 2, which features frontline healthcare workers from Boston.

 
 

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Currently Loving: Instacart

Under more normal circumstances, I don’t mind doing most of my own grocery shopping. But there are days we’re crunched for time, or I just don’t want to drag the kids to the store with me, and I’m happy to rely on someone else to do the shopping for me!

Enter, Instacart - a grocery delivery service that allows you to select and place your order from a number of major retail stores, your order gets shopped and delivered right to your front door within a couple hours.

Your shopper can text you through the app while shopping and ask questions, make substitutions if your selections aren’t available, and adjust your order as needed. You get real time updates while they’re shopping, at checkout, and on the way for delivery.

In this time of physical distancing and staying at home, wait times for orders are increased, so check your app for updated delivery times and be sure to plan ahead!

Try Instacart and get $10 off your first order!

Share the happy!

If you enjoy this podcast, it would mean so much to me if you’d share it with friends, leave a review in the comments, and join me on Facebook to continue the conversation! Follow @creativehappylifepodcast on Instagram for bonus content and a glimpse behind the scenes.

 
 

The Creative Happy Life Podcast Episode 7 :: It's Ok to Not Be Ok

Episode 7 of the Creative, Happy Life Podcast is all about those times when you don’t feel happy or creative. They happen to all of us, and especially in the midst of the events happening in our world right now, there are a lot of big, hard feelings to process.

In this week’s episode, I’m sharing some personal things that have happened during our time staying at home. It’s a bit of a heavier show than usual, but an important conversation to have, about the scope of being human, and the wide range of emotions we experience.

I hope you will join me in the Creative Happy Life Community on Facebook after you’ve listened so we can keep the conversation going, ask questions, get inspired, and connect with other creative minds!

LISTEN HERE OR ON APPLE PODCASTS:

Show Notes

Episode 07

This episode is all about the big, hard feelings you might be experiencing during this weird, uncertain time in our lives and in our world.

I share a personal experience that made the “stay at home” reality feel truly real and hard, as well as the importance of allowing yourself to feel sad, and frustrated. We are experiencing a collective loss in the world. We’ve lost the sense of freedom to go out and do what we want, to go to work, see family and friends, to do all the little things we enjoy in our day to day lives. And if you’re feeling sadness and grief over loss and the heaviness of the world, you’re not alone.

We are not meant to exist in a bubble of feeling creative and happy all the time. With this podcast, I certainly don’t want you to think that’s the message I’m putting out into the world. Do I generally try to see the positive side of things and enjoy being inspired and creative? Of course! But we’re all human, and sometimes we all go through times that are hard, and sad, and not very creative. There’s a balance to everything.

In this episode, I also share a bit of a personal parable from my childhood that is all about falling on my butt, literally chest deep, in thick, heavy mud, while on a clamming outing with my dad. I was physically stuck, the mud was holding me down, and I realized I wouldn’t be able to get back up on my feet without help. My dad, who was taller and stronger and better equipped for navigating the knee-deep mud, saw me struggling, reached out and gave me the hand I needed to stand up and find my footing again.

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” - Fred Rogers

If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, or need help or support, please reach out to a professional. https://www.mentalhealth.gov/ is a great resource to guide you through seeking help.

My thoughts and opinions on this blog and in my podcast are my own, and should not replace the support and assistance of a mental or health care professional.

Join the Creative, Happy Life Community on Facebook

The CHL Community on Facebook is a gathering place for creative minds and hearts who want to continue the conversation following each episode, connect, discuss, inspire, and get creative!

Currently Loving: Instacart

Under more normal circumstances, I don’t mind doing most of my own grocery shopping. But there are days we’re crunched for time, or I just don’t want to drag the kids to the store with me, and I’m happy to rely on someone else to do the shopping for me!

Enter, Instacart - a grocery delivery service that allows you to select and place your order from a number of major retail stores, your order gets shopped and delivered right to your front door within a couple hours.

Your shopper can text you through the app while shopping and ask questions, make substitutions if your selections aren’t available, and adjust your order as needed. You get real time updates while they’re shopping, at checkout, and on the way for delivery.

In this time of physical distancing and staying at home, wait times for orders are increased, so check your app for updated delivery times and be sure to plan ahead!

Try Instacart and get $10 off your first order!

Share the happy!

If you enjoy this podcast, it would mean so much to me if you’d share it with friends, leave a review in the comments, and join me on Facebook to continue the conversation! Follow @creativehappylifepodcast on Instagram for bonus content and a glimpse behind the scenes.

 
 

The Creative Happy Life Podcast Episode 6 :: Working at Home and Family Life in Covid-19 Quarantine

It’s time for episode six of the Creative, Happy Life Podcast!

This week I have my very first guest - my husband, Sean! We’re stuck at home together, so we might as well make the most of the time, right? In this episode, we talk about how it’s going with both of us working at home, while in quarantine together with the kids, we hear a bit from Lily about distance learning, and how we’re doing adjusting to the weird new normals while we try to flatten the curve.

Join me in the Creative Happy Life Community after you’ve listened to keep the conversation going, make new friends, and celebrate living a happier, more creative life!

LISTEN HERE OR ON APPLE PODCASTS:

Show Notes

Episode 06

This episode features my first guest - my husband, Sean! While we’re all home, practicing physical distancing and hoping to stay safe and healthy away from the Covid-19 virus, we were asked “How are you managing working from home with kids?”

We talk about the whole experience of working from home while parenting, distance learning with our daughter Lily, and how quickly we’ve adapted to a lot of weird new normals.

We also chat about Sean’s comic book collection, communicating and self-awareness, and how in our marriage, opposites really do attract.

Join the Creative, Happy Life Community on Facebook

The CHL Community on Facebook is a gathering place for creative minds and hearts who want to continue the conversation following each episode. Connect, discuss, inspire, and get creative!

Currently Loving: Instacart

Under more normal circumstances, I don’t mind doing most of my own grocery shopping. But there are days we’re crunched for time, or I just don’t want to drag the kids to the store with me, and I’m happy to rely on someone else to do the shopping for me!

Enter, Instacart - a grocery delivery service that allows you to select and place your order from a number of major retail stores, your order gets shopped and delivered right to your front door within a couple hours.

Your shopper can text you through the app while shopping and ask questions, make substitutions if your selections aren’t available, and adjust your order as needed. You get real time updates while they’re shopping, at checkout, and on the way for delivery.

In this time of physical distancing and staying at home, wait times for orders are increased, so check your app for updated delivery times and be sure to plan ahead!

Try Instacart and get $10 off your first order!

Share the happy!

If you enjoy this podcast, it would mean so much to me if you’d share it with friends, leave a review in the comments, and join me on Facebook to continue the conversation! Follow @creativehappylifepodcast on Instagram for bonus content and a glimpse behind the scenes.