The Unseen Garden Within — Creative Power and Feminine Truth with Sam Horton Ep 81

[00:00:00] ​VO Artist: Welcome to Your Creative Chord Podcast, where host Jenny Leigh Hodgins, author and educator, shares insights dedicated to empowering your creative flow and inspired living. Through solo reflections and dialogues with creators and wellness experts, Jenny Leigh shares holistic wisdom influenced by her Buddhist practice, alongside poetic insights and practical strategies for living authentically. This podcast helps you overcome challenges and unlock your full creative potential.

[00:00:45] Jenny Leigh: Welcome to Your Creative Chord Podcast,. I'm Jenny Leigh Hodgins, creative empowerment coach, poet, pianist, educator, and host of Your Creative Chord Podcast,. Tonight I'm joined by Sam Horton, a women's empowerment specialist, artist, creative mentor, and spiritual guide. Sam helps creative women reconnect with their inner truth and reclaim personal power

[00:01:12] through intentional creativity and spiritual self-discovery, She creates stunning, boldly, colorful, feminine, empowered paintings, and has recently started sharing deeply personal reflective poetry as part of her creative expression.

[00:01:31] Sam's work centers around themes of feminine strength, beauty, and emotional honesty, and I'm really excited to explore how her creative process unfolds across both visual and written forms. Welcome to Your Creative Chord, Sam. 

[00:01:48] Sam: Thanks so much for having me, Jenny. Really happy to be here. 

[00:01:51] Jenny Leigh: Thank you for joining us all the way from Australia at this special hour.

[00:01:56] . So Sam, I'm a poet and I have incorporated many of my verses from my Kaleidoscope of the Heart poetry and lyrics collection in my podcast episodes to illustrate various concepts of my coaching program. Mm-hmm. And so I perked up when I noticed you've begun writing poetry.

[00:02:13] And including it in your messages to your audience as it relates to your creative journey. And I was particularly struck recently by your poem called Self-Love. Mm-hmm. That you've included in one of your recent emails, especially the imagery of the unseen garden and wild flowers of earth. And so, if it's okay with you, I'd love for you to share that poem with our listeners now.

[00:02:38] Sam: Sure. Absolutely. Happy to. Thank you. Okay.

[00:02:42] Self-love.

[00:02:43] Self-love begins not with a roar, but a soft remembering.

[00:02:48] A whisper from your soul gently tugging you home.

[00:02:53] It is not found in the mirror, but in the quiet moments you choose

[00:02:59] to see yourself with tenderness, acceptance, free from judgment or expectation.

[00:03:08] A practice. A blooming.

[00:03:11] A sacred return.

[00:03:14] She does not shout.

[00:03:15] She stands rooted in truth, wrapped in soul flowers,

[00:03:21] luminous with inner glow.

[00:03:24] You see inside you an unseen garden grows.

[00:03:28] Wild flowers of worth, petals of truth.

[00:03:33] New growth of strength.

[00:03:36] Perhaps you've walked past it searching for answers in other eyes,

[00:03:41] not knowing that the blooms you long for have always lived within.

[00:03:48] Jenny Leigh: Thank you so much. I love how you acknowledge, you know, seeking externally and then you come home with the realization that the answers, the creative energy are already within you. And that fully resonates with my philosophy and my creative approach too. You mentioned that this poem came from a really reflective moment of like reconnecting with your own inner strength and worth.

[00:04:13] What was it like to write it and what was happening creatively that led to those words? 

[00:04:19] Sam: So first, Jenny, these poems have really resonated with people, which was a little bit unexpected, to be honest. I wasn't anticipating that, but I'm obviously really pleased that it's hitting some emotional chords.

[00:04:30] So that's amazing. So all of the poems that I write, really stem from whatever's coming up for me that week, obviously with the intention of following my own spiritual, creative practice. I'm always constantly kind of exploring what's coming up for me and the themes of the week, so to speak.

[00:04:48] So this one came up when I was feeling like I was being a bit hard on myself, as we can feel from time to time. Just really intentionally exploring that kind of inner landscape in terms of being a bit more gentle with yourself, and welcoming in a bit more of that love and tenderness into the everyday experiences through the week.

[00:05:09] So that's really how it came about. 

[00:05:11] Jenny Leigh: I love that. I'm just pausing because I think we need a moment. 

[00:05:18] Sam: Ha ha ha! I also should add in that one of the ways I used to describe myself, particularly kind of in my artist world, was that I would say floral is how I feel on the inside when I'm at my best.

[00:05:31] So this idea of having an unseen garden is like, it's kind of my soul language, you know, the flowers are really a symbol of the soul for me. I feel like when you look at art therapy principles, people tend to have symbols that they return to over and over again. And for me it's definitely, flowers is one of those strong symbols that almost always appears in my artistic work. So that's why the flowers are so important as part of, you know, me sharing my truth. 

[00:05:57] Jenny Leigh: And that really stands out. I've seen some of your artwork and it is gorgeous. And yeah, I, I'm, I'm very, uh, uh, have a great affinity for nature too, and blooms and right outside my window, I've planted hydrangeas.

[00:06:10] We've got Asiatic lilies, I've got geraniums, hearty Geraniums, begonia, and it's just all this color, all I just love blooms. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So that's why your art is stunning in its color and its use of blooms and, and even more, as I said in your intro, the femininity of it coming

[00:06:29] through. 

[00:06:29] Sam: Mm-hmm. 

[00:06:29] Jenny Leigh: And I love that. Mm-hmm. 

[00:06:30] Sam: Thank you, Jenny. 

[00:06:31] Jenny Leigh: Oh, thank you for gracing the world with that for our soul. So as, as someone myself who weaves original poetry and lyrics into Your Creative Chord Podcast,. I put it around themes of boundaries, burnout, recovery, relationships, personal growth, creative mission, and inspired living.

[00:06:49] I really enjoyed that particular poem. What has it been like for you to start expressing yourself through poetry? And, I mean, you talked about a little bit there, but how does that part of your creativity feel different or similar to your painting? 

[00:07:07] Sam: Yeah. I really love the poems. They feel really quick and intentional.

[00:07:12] And I'm really pleased that they've resonated with people. In terms of how it started, I think that's probably kind of important to mention my intention and the reason why I started them. The creative spark that led to the poetry was really, I was sort of sitting down to write a weekly newsletter to my email list, and I really wanted to create an emotional connection, and it just felt like in the traditional use of words, it just felt a little bit, ick, a bit yucky.

[00:07:39] the poems really came from this place of wanting to make a deeper connection emotionally with people without having to like spell it out for them. And explain, explain it in really tedious language. So that's really how it's come about.

[00:07:54] And in terms of, you know, it is similar to the art. It comes from the same sort of place, I think. It's quicker, you know. It can take me ages to finish a painting. You know, they sit around for a long time. Whereas with the poetry, it feels like almost like instant creative fulfillment, you know?

[00:08:09] Which is a much, it's good to have a bit of both. Right. But it feels faster.

[00:08:18] Jenny Leigh: That's funny. Do they serve different needs or energies in your creative life, the poetry and the painting? 

[00:08:27] Sam: I do think they come from the same place. But what I'm realizing with the poetry. So, the poetry has now become part of how I share with my audience, the true embodiment of my own spiritual creative practice.

[00:08:40] The poems now are going to be the inspiration for a sketchbook entry where I use materials that I'm not so familiar with to do a visual poem, um, off the back of the written poem. I feel like this is a really important next step for me in my journey and how I share my message, because it really allows me to show people how I embody my own spiritual creative practice.

[00:09:05] Whereas with the paintings, because they take such a long time, I don't particularly have the desire to track that whole experience for people. You know, because obviously it's, it's a long, kind of a very deeply personal, experience. And I'm tapping in and out of painting. I'm not necessarily sitting down, you know, for four hours at a time.

[00:09:25] I'm like, half an hour here, three hours there, you know, like it's, it's very in and out. And so it's actually quite difficult to document all of that as well, right, for people. So, yeah, so they came from, come from the same place, but they're very different and unique experiences in terms of how you kind of package them up and, how you experience them as a, as a creative person.

[00:09:44] So 

[00:09:46] Jenny Leigh: Thank you. Um, 

[00:09:48] interesting for me because the way you were describing how you're using your poetry as kind of a, an entryway into your, you know, people that work with you can maybe go a little deeper on their own. It's a, it's a wonderful entryway for that. And it, it's interesting for me because, wow, we are so synergistic, because that's similarly what I'm doing with

[00:10:13] my podcast and in my coaching program. I weave verses from my poems or my songs into specific concepts within the coaching program. 

[00:10:24] Sam: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. 

[00:10:24] Jenny Leigh: And then there's a workbook that, you know, they have prompts and things and, and they're kind of meditative. Whereas, you're using maybe words and visuals, I'm using

[00:10:34] sound and words 

[00:10:35] Sam: yeah. 

[00:10:35] Jenny Leigh: To kind of get you immersed in... Inter-... We are so similar but different. 

[00:10:40] Sam: Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. I love that. Pretty cool. 

[00:10:43] Jenny Leigh: It's a great way for people because your poetry, your poetry is, very accessible for people, I think. And, and, you know, reading it very, on your own time, in your own space through your emails is the entryway for anybody to kind of get acclimated to what you do and how, the work that you do. But also it's, you know, from, from my experience, from just experiencing reading it, it opens up that connection to your own creative: "Oh wow!" That really evokes something in the reader. So I love that. It's just a very natural way to show people that they can connect with their own creativity through what you're doing with yours.

[00:11:23] And I have a similar take on it in my stuff.

[00:11:26] But the metaphor of the unseen garden blooming within really resonates with something that I often I, I observe people, in people that I've worked with or coached, especially people who are feeling blocked or uncertain, lacking confidence or they're creatively curious, but they don't really know how to, you know, connect or reconnect with it, with their sense of purpose, really.

[00:11:50] Or you know, the possibility of their creative energy. And people who don't often recognize this gorgeous potential, you know, of a naturally blooming garden, is actually inside themselves. And so your imagery is perfect for that, you know, for helping people tap into that. 

[00:12:10] Sam: Mm-hmm. 

[00:12:10] Jenny Leigh: And have you had moments where you yourself were searching outside of yourself for creative or emotional clarity?

[00:12:17] And then how did turning inward help you reclaim your voice or your vision? 

[00:12:24] Sam: Yeah. Um, so I spent a long time in my life looking outside of myself. You know, I think I always had a really deep connection to my inner knowing from very early on. And I'm only just starting to realize that not everybody has that.

[00:12:37] But I didn't honor it. I suppressed it, resisted it, shut it down. I created a life that I thought I was supposed to create that I was told would be fulfilling. And I spent 20 years in business and finance, far away from my creativity and, kind of the song of my soul, so to speak.

[00:12:55] So I did that for a long time. And the opposite side of the brain as well. Yeah, I did work with creative people, so there was definitely some overlap. And I'm a naturally quite a creative person in terms of the way I present myself, the way I look, the way that I interact with people. So there was definitely elements of it. But the bulk of my time was spent in a very non-creative way.

[00:13:18] So yeah, it was actually when my life really started to unravel and fall apart that I really started to listen to the creative whisper within, because it had always really been there. And it seemed like a very counterintuitive thing to do. Like, you know, when your life's falling apart, why would you start painting or drawing?

[00:13:35] You know, like, what, what? Um, but it's actually the thing that really helped me to build safety within myself, to build strength within myself, and to really learn to trust myself, trust that inner knowing. So that then I could honor my truth and I could then authentically express my truth.

[00:13:54] Not just within my creative work or experiences, but within the rest of my life, like a ripple effect, you know? Because I'm building that in a landscape or in a connection or in a relationship or whatever you wanna call it. 

[00:14:06] Jenny Leigh: Love that. And I'm laughing not at you, but you know, with you, because I can think back to many times in my life where my life struggles were massive, but I was prolifically writing music and poetry,

[00:14:20] Sam: mm-hmm. 

[00:14:20] Jenny Leigh: and lyrics. 

[00:14:21] Sam: Mm-hmm. And 

[00:14:22] Jenny Leigh: If you're a non-creative by label, if you're labeling yourself as a non-creative, and many people do that. Though I don't believe in that. I think we're all creative. When they look at that process from the outside, you know, like you were saying, it seems like the counterintuitive that you would in the worst part of, you know, struggle, start doing something creative just, but I, I really, um, connect with a similar experience in that.

[00:14:48] Sam: Mm-hmm. 

[00:14:48] Jenny Leigh: And looking back at that. And even now when I, you know, explore my creative process, it does-- not only does it open up our creativity, but for me it's a cathartic, self awareness discovery through that process. And it's 

[00:15:06] Sam: mm-hmm. 

[00:15:07] Jenny Leigh: so grounding and so illuminating, you know, and I know that I can tell that you experienced similar things with that, so 

[00:15:15] Sam: mm-hmm.

[00:15:16] Jenny Leigh: glad that we're both speaking on that because a lot of people put the creative thing away, thinking that it's not important or we'll get to it later. 

[00:15:26] Sam: Mm-hmm. 

[00:15:26] Jenny Leigh: But part of your message that I see in your podcast and all of your offerings is that it's there in you and it's there waiting for you, and it's, and it's ready for you.

[00:15:36] And your experience shows, and mine, too, tapping creativity is, it's a holistic healing and self-improvement betterment process. So there's no reason to not do it. 

[00:15:49] Sam: And you don't have to wait until everything's falling apart to lean into it. 

[00:15:53] That's the point. Right. So you fast track your experiences in life and the empowerment piece by grabbing hold of it earlier.

[00:16:03] Jenny Leigh: Yes. Yeah. I'm glad you hit that point. Hard. You don't have to suffer to create. That is not the thing there. I mean, I have created some great experiences with my own creative process through difficulties. But I also can express my joy and have done so many times and expressed appreciation and the wonderful things that we experience in nature and relationships and things like that.

[00:16:25] Sam: Yeah. 

[00:16:25] Jenny Leigh: So, yeah. I wanna clear the record that it's not all about suffering. And I've also noticed that your work, as we touched on a little bit earlier, it really does reflect a strong message of feminine beauty and empowerment, which I love. And I'd like to ask you how you define

[00:16:43] feminine power? 

[00:16:45] Sam: Mm-hmm. Yeah, so I kind of, there's a few layers to it, I think. I really do think that the heart of it, it's about honoring the truth within you and finding ways to express that. And the reason why the feminine part of it is so important, and to me anyway, is because we are taught, in society, we're taught to really prioritize a very masculine energy within, within us. Productivity, efficiency, all this, doing energy: striving, achieving, ticking all the stuff off the list. Whereas I think that what we need to have, for optimal wellbeing and optimal empowerment, we actually need a really firm balance of both that masculine energy and the feminine energy that lives within all of us.

[00:17:30] Man, man or woman. And so I think that going back to that feminine power within us all and remembering that and really finding meaningful ways to connect with that is really what empowerment is to me as a woman. So I hope that explains it. 

[00:17:47] Jenny Leigh: Yeah. Very much. And, and I appreciate you highlight the feminine aspect of creativity

[00:17:54] as an empowerment tool. Because we're in a society where the, the, you know, the whole grind and the hustle and trying to, the perfectionism and the productivity, and it's really counter to what we as a society or as just people need. 

[00:18:15] Sam: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. 

[00:18:16] Jenny Leigh: It's just marketing, I think.

[00:18:18] And so that's what I really appreciate about the way that you share your creative approach. It really does come across as a much more gentle, feminine approach to things, which I... you know, if women could rule the world, yeah, it'd be a different, a different kind of place. But I do appreciate the gentleness of it.

[00:18:44] And again, in your art itself, the imagery, the colors and the blooms, that really does have a lot more, it brings to mind at least a lot more of the feminine power. And that's very intentional, or did it just come naturally for you? 

[00:18:58] Sam: It's soul deep, I suppose.

[00:19:01] But I think, there's a reason why I focus on the feminine aspects of empowerment, and I think that creativity is inherently feminine. So just to say that, why creativity is the tool, is because it's a very feminine thing to do. Right. So as we're stepping into our power, 

[00:19:18] Jenny Leigh: And to me, that lends it, sorry to interrupt, but that, what do you mean it evokes the, the feminine part of it?

[00:19:23] To me that means the intuition. The gentle, 

[00:19:26] Sam: Yeah, yeah. The gentle receiving, allowing creative flow, you know, all of these things are very feminine in nature. So the simple act of leaning into the creative process is a very feminine thing to do because it's all about surrender, trust. You know, all of this receiving energy.

[00:19:43] Whereas, you know, when we're sort of, if you think about it in terms of like the, you know, if you've got a corporate job or something, quite often it's a very linear process to get from A to B, right? We are doing the 10 steps to the master plan to get the project done, whereas in in the creative process, we're actually in not linear at all.

[00:20:04] We are leaning into a very feminine, relaxed, gentle receiving energy. So yeah. Does that clarify? 

[00:20:11] Jenny Leigh: Yes, very much. And I would go further, not even in just the corporate world, but in entrepreneurship or just in anyone's life, in retirees. It's time to really explore that side of you. And, 

[00:20:23] Sam: Yeah.

[00:20:23] Jenny Leigh: Thank you for reminding me too, that creativity, it is more feminine. It is more, yeah, intuitive, and the gentler, softer approach to things. Less analytical. The more open. I love that. The receptive. 

[00:20:37] Sam: And male or female, we really have had the feminine creative energy trained out of us in a lot of ways. And that's why it holds so much power for us now as we're at this stage in our evolution because, you know, we've kind of had it beaten out of us.

[00:20:53] And so it's time to reclaim that. So we've got the balance again. We do need that masculine doing energy as well. Like, I'm not saying we need to go all feminine. Having a balance of both is really the healthiest way I think to live life. 

[00:21:06] Jenny Leigh: It's a holistic wellness when you can uh mm-hmm match both love that. Good answer.

[00:21:14] Hey, Jenny Leigh Hodgins here. I'm coming to you today to speak really openly about my own burnout recovery and where I am in this season of my life and the challenge of setting boundaries. I'm really leaning into self-compassion and embracing stillness, rest, distraction, fun play, to really honor that ebb part of the ebb and flow of creativity, this part of creativity, this part of treating myself with compassion, allowing myself things that nurture me. Looking out the window and watching the bunnies chase each other, winding down with my mom and doing quality things like playing cards or puzzling with her, or taking her out in nature. I'm literally walking through my own version of Burnout Recovery, which is a big component of my program. More broadly, it's about nurturing creativity and enhancing it and navigating and transforming blocks of any sort.

[00:22:15] The reason this is a big part of my program is because I'm living it. I know what it feels like.

[00:22:20] As a creator, if you're feeling creatively stuck or burned out, and are ready for support to reignite your creativity, I invite you to explore my Creative Empowerment Coaching Program.

[00:22:32] Visit YourCreativeChord.com/workwithme to schedule a call and see if this program is the right fit for you. I look forward to helping you clear blockages and build a sustainable, empowered, creative, and inspired life. 

[00:22:52] What do you hope your art and your poetry awaken in those who are engaging with it, especially those who want to reclaim their own worth and expression? 

[00:23:01] Sam: I really hope that it helps people to feel seen and not so alone. Um, but you touched on it earlier in our conversation.

[00:23:10] It's really about opening people up, inviting people, inviting people to have that inner inquiry, that soul level inquiry within themselves. So if you can stimulate that in somebody, I feel like I'm winning. Um, but what I do that some artists don't do is I actually put quite heavy descriptions next to all of my art.

[00:23:32] So I invite people into that space, not just through the visual imagery, but also through my intention for creating the piece, what I hope that they'll gain from it to stimulate that inner inquiry. Like when you add the two things together, the written and the visual, I think it provides a very powerful kind of toolkit for people to go on that inner journey.

[00:23:54] Jenny Leigh: That's great too because it's not like you're telling people how to respond to the art, but sometimes people are reticent and they hesitate, they lack a confidence on how to interact with art in general. And that's a great way to give them a kind of a guiding and reflecting, a reflecting guide.

[00:24:11] Basically a reflection guide. 

[00:24:12] Sam: Yeah, 

[00:24:13] it's an invitation. Yeah. Uh, it's, yeah, it's an invitation. So. That's how I do it anyway. But it's taken a while for that to evolve. You know, it's not like I started off doing that. So it's very intentional. It took me ages to embrace actually, you know, women's empowerment as kind of my brand and the way that I'm approaching all of this work, it's kind of my overarching theme for both the art and any coaching work I do.

[00:24:37] And yeah, so it's testament to all of that and really inviting people on that journey of empowerment. 

[00:24:42] Jenny Leigh: It's great to see the natural evolution of your own creative journey, kind of centering finally on the beacon of light of the theme of women's empowerment, which is self-empowerment.

[00:24:55] And it shows right there, in real life, in real time, how creativity can help us grow and change and evolve with things. And I like seeing that. It's inspiring for me. You, just touched on that you, you're describing yourself now as a women's empowerment specialist.

[00:25:13] So what did that mean to you and how do you help women nurture their emotional wellbeing through creativity? 

[00:25:23] Sam: Yeah, it took me a while to embrace it. The way I see it is it's reflecting the journey that I've been on this journey of not only connecting with your inner truth, but then honoring it

[00:25:34] enough to express it authentically in the world. And in terms of how I help other women to do that, I use a combination of spiritual and creative tools. So, generally we would use any creativity that I infuse into my coaching work is kind of led by spiritual empowerment themes.

[00:25:54] So, as an example, we might be exploring the concept of setting really powerful heart-centered intentions as a spiritual concept with spiritual tools tagged onto that and then, the practical, guided creative session that kind of marries with that, is, potentially about something like inner heart space, you know, as an example.

[00:26:16] So you're kind of then able to experience the deeper conversations and the deeper, spiritual tools in terms of moving along on your own path of evolution, in your own journey of empowerment. But then marry that with very intentional, creative, I call them rituals.

[00:26:31] So they're almost like, not a creative activity, but it's more of a ritual, you know, designed to really facilitate this inner connection and this expression of truth. 

[00:26:42] Jenny Leigh: Yeah. Because when you call it a ritual that really does elevate it, you, it to mm-hmm. A sense of importance and that you, your attention really needs to be here.

[00:26:52] So I like how you do that rather than just yeah, go get creative. You know, it's a real intentional space that you're creating. That's a nice way to do that. I like that. 

[00:27:02] Sam: The hope is that people can take that and create their own rituals.

[00:27:06] 

[00:27:07] Jenny Leigh: Are there any creative or self-care practices that you personally return to when you feel disconnected or overwhelmed or creatively drained? 

[00:27:21] Sam: I think for me, what I've learned to do over many years is,

[00:27:27] I actually, you know, check in with myself. So asking myself, what do I need right now when things feel hard, especially, what do I need right now? And that might look different depending on the day, the week, the month. It could look like adding in more freedom and play into my creative practice.

[00:27:48] It might look like spending more time in nature, going for a really long walk. It might look like more time with my daughter, more quality time. It might look like a hot bath, um, or it might look like a Netflix binge. It really depends on the day. I try not to have too many rules in place.

[00:28:09] I don't wanna create another to-do list out of my self-care. So yeah, it's very fluid, and very dependent on what's going on for me on any given day. 

[00:28:20] Jenny Leigh: I really appreciated that answer because I think just the act that you ask yourself what you need is a feminine trait. I mean, it's the nurturing, maternal nurturing trait that women have,

[00:28:35] that we typically use on others, you know? Yeah. More than ourselves. But, really love that because if you're not asking, you're just plowing ahead. That's that, that productivity grind, and I love that you stop and just ask yourself what you need. I needed that. Thank you for my therapy for the day. I appreciate that.

[00:28:55] Really just what do I need? Yeah. Mm-hmm. So let's talk a little bit about navigating creative modes, because you do multiple, you know, modes mm-hmm, and create in different forms, whether it be painting, poetry, coaching, podcasting, email, you know, messages to your audience.

[00:29:14] How do you decide what form your creative expression should take? Well, I know in business we have things we have to do. Yeah. But how do you decide what form your expression should take, and do you find there's like a rhythm or a balance that helps you stay aligned? 

[00:29:31] Sam: Yeah, I think actually having some sort of personal boundaries, or even a personal framework that you're working to, I do believe it's seasonal, so I think that honoring the creative season you're in is really important part of this.

[00:29:47] So it's understanding what the bigger priorities are for you in this particular season, but also making time for all the things that you. Are really important to you creatively. So almost like mapping out, I do it fortnightly, but mapping out what the fortnight looks like in terms of the things that you want to, dive into creatively.

[00:30:10] Um, and within that, obviously making it achievable, and understanding what the priorities are for the particular season you're in as part of that. So an example I can give you in terms of the season I'm in right now, the season I'm in right now is heavily focused on my creative work in terms of the coaching work that I'm doing and trying to build up

[00:30:31] my presence online and get my message out there. So a lot of my time is spent creatively in that zone. But it is also important for me to have other creative time as well, which is more personal and more kind of art making based or poetry based, as we've been speaking about today.

[00:30:50] And so I just make sure that I've got time scheduled in for those things and I really try to make it non-negotiable time. It doesn't always work out that way. And if anything at the moment for me, the thing that will be neglected is my professional painting work because professionally it's kind of not my number one priority right now in my life. It potentially will change in the future, but for me now, having it there and buzzing along beside the rest of my work is important to me. But I'm not gonna, like, it's not gonna be a bigger priority than say something else I'm doing in my business, if that makes sense.

[00:31:26] Jenny Leigh: Yeah, totally. 

[00:31:26] Sam: And it's just a personal kind of realization and awareness that you build around that, I think. 

[00:31:31] Jenny Leigh: And I found it interesting that because we both are entrepreneurs, we're both coaches for creative exploration and empowerment, and we both have different modes of creativity, whether it be music, poetry, visual art, whatever.

[00:31:46] I found it interesting that you do have a rhythm for the business side of your creative work as an entrepreneur and coach. But for your, um, and I understand painting is kind of a, a less of a priority right now 

[00:32:01] Yeah. 

[00:32:02] because of the season. But you mentioned that you do actually do a non-negotiable schedule for your whatever kind of poetry. I guess at this point, as you're working through your schedule, I mean, do you literally schedule your own, not for the business, but for your own creative time? Do you schedule that and when I say schedule it, you said it's a non-negotiable, you set it aside, but do you know what you're gonna do during that timeframe?

[00:32:31] Sam: Like I said, the poetry flows from this place of whatever's coming up for me, on a personal level, like a spiritual level, so that flows from my life. And then I intend for that to flow into a sketchbook entry where I'm really honoring the play and exploration. That can really be very powerful in art making. So both of those, even though I'm sharing them from a business sense, they're actually very deeply personal. This is about the embodiment of my spiritual creative practice and being really authentic with it. One kind of blends and with the other.

[00:33:03] Yeah, so it's kind of like, it's not too separate. I feel like I'm living a spiritual, creative life and I'm sharing that as I can. 

[00:33:11] Jenny Leigh: Absolutely. 

[00:33:12] Yeah. And it's very similar to what we talked about earlier. We're both doing a similar thing. With me too, the poetry and the lyrics and the music come from my life and it weaves into the concepts that I do as a coach.

[00:33:23] And so your, your creativity right now is very, and mine is in a way, enmeshed with your, your business, you know, and, and your coaching. I just wondered if you had something completely separate. Like for me, I'm not doing a lot of composing music right now. So it's not really, like your painting, is not the focus right now.

[00:33:44] Yeah. Because I think we're both in the season of coaching and helping others with our, with our connection to it and it's coming through naturally. If that makes sense.

[00:33:53] Sam: With the painting piece, I do have like a bit of a bigger picture plan for it. So I am actively working on a particular collection at the moment, but I'm a bit more fluid and generous with the time that I allow for it.

[00:34:09] Like in an ideal world, I'd be producing a painting every two weeks. That's a long time for some artists. Some artists are churning out three or four a week. But for me, doing a fortnightly painting would be an ideal. But I, that's fairly unrealistic at the moment, you know, to, to, really be showing up creatively and be able to do that.

[00:34:29] So it's more like, one a month or one every two months. And so because of that, it slows down production. But I do have the concepts and the design kind of all in the back of my mind and I'm just gonna trust that it will flow out at the right time.

[00:34:43] And that I'll find the time when it's really important for me to lean into that. 

[00:34:48] Jenny Leigh: I can totally relate. Again, we have so much, parallel journey, so many, parallel pegs, I guess on our journeys. Because as I mentioned, my music is kind of secondary right now to, you know, my coaching and my poetry weaving in as you're doing, with yours, differently.

[00:35:06] But I also have a plan down the road to get the music on my website and do some different products from that, that sort of thing. And I have nature design calendars that I do, nature photos and things that I've designed and that's waiting for later. That was interesting.

[00:35:21] We're really talking more from the perspective of being a creative entrepreneur and coach. 

[00:35:27] Sam: I do think that for me, one of the things that's really shifted for me in terms of this kind of like honoring this creative package that I am, you know, in terms of all the creative things that I do, having, being able to put it all under one umbrella of women's empowerment in my case, has really helped me.

[00:35:45] It's really helped me like have a bit more patience with it because I know kind of what the master plan is. So I think just to say that as well, like, it's been a very slow journey to get to that point, but it helps tremendously kind of almost settle the nerves and settle the, the creative kind of like, tension, because I, I know that there is a grand plan and I'm, 

[00:36:10] Jenny Leigh: You have it under a cohesive theme. And all of that relates to that and it, it's definitely flowing in that, and I'm similar in that mine is an ocean of creativity. And so I mine are the waves within my ocean and all these different drops here and there.

[00:36:27] I feel like as a creator, when you have, and especially creative entrepreneur, when you have a very clear lighthouse or purpose, and you clearly do, it resonates through all of your work, your poetry, your art, your coaching, your podcast content,

[00:36:42] I mean, I see that thread all the way through there. It really does help, at least I feel, and I think you've just expressed that it helps relieve, I guess you called it the creative tension.

[00:36:54] Yeah.

[00:36:54] And you get clarity and you know your purpose. And you, and I love how you described how you're you're able to be patient, 'cause there's that empowerment, women's empowerment theme again that, because women are patient. I mean they have that, you know, nature so to speak. So I love how you expressed that. Sorry I went on a tangent there, 

[00:37:13] Well because you are me, just, you have the artistic visual talent that I've never explored and mine has always been sound and words.

[00:37:23] Mm-hmm.

[00:37:23] So it, but it is interesting the more you talk, you know, in depth with a fellow creative or creative, coach or creative entrepreneur, the similarities and the depth of that connection. It's so, it's beautiful to listen to, but it's also gratifying, you know? Yeah. Very affirming. Yeah. You feel like you belong.

[00:37:45] Yeah. You're my people. Yeah. So, before we wrap up though, I'd like to ask you, for our listeners particularly, and some of you know, my audience may be really overwhelmed, professional creatives. They may be creatively curious, but they don't know where to start. Or they're stuck with a creative block or something.

[00:38:05] They're not necessarily all women in my audience, but what's one thing you would say to someone listening who feels creatively stuck or they're unsure of their worth even? Or they're hesitant to share that inner voice. What kind of insight or encouragement would you offer to help them move forward with more trust in themselves?

[00:38:28] Sam: I'd actually invite them to reframe it or, you know, attempt to shift perspective. So I'd ask them to consider what if the creative whisper within you, like the creative stirring that you feel deep inside, what if that is actually your soul trying to have a conversation with you and trying to communicate to you?

[00:38:52] And so when we look at it through that angle, we're able to really reframe our experience as something that is part of like a self nurturing, self-empowering, self-healing, soulful experience. Even looking at your creative sessions as rituals as we spoke about earlier, rather than activities with an end product, can really help shift you out of that mess. And what I would also say is play, you know, when you feel stuck, the best thing you can do is try something you've never done before and just play and that will just open up so much.

[00:39:31] Jenny Leigh: Super empowering and all the things you mentioned there, you know, in all the, the interviews I've done and the research I've done with creative professionals, those are the go-tos for professional creatives to, to get through a block, you know, and tap into that energy that we all have. And you don't have to be a professional creative, you could be somebody that's just curious, you know, and wants to finally explore or come back to, you know, your creativity. So those are great tips. It makes me, what am I gonna go play? 

[00:40:02] Hmm. 

[00:40:03] It makes me think about that. So for our listeners who cannot be but inspired by your work in this conversation, how can they stay connected with you and explore your artwork and your poetry, or work with you as a women's empowerment specialist?

[00:40:19] How can they find you? 

[00:40:20] Sam: The best place to find me is on my website. I've got a podcast, so that's all on my website as well, but the website is SamHorton.co. So, nice and easy. That's where you'll find me and all the things that I do. 

[00:40:33] Jenny Leigh: Thank you so much, Sam Horton for joining us and for sharing your really beautifully creative perspective as an artist, as a poet, and as a coach.

[00:40:43] It's been very holistic and nurturing just to listen to your perspective on it, and it's been a really, for me, refreshingly insightful, you know, pleasure.

[00:40:52] And to our listeners, before we go, I wanna leave you with a gentle question to reflect on, inspired by Sam's gentleness in her way. Is there something within you, some creative impulse, some voice, some value you've been overlooking or waiting to acknowledge or to experience or to express? What might happen, as Sam just

[00:41:16] kind of prodded you gently to think about, if you gave that part of yourself a little bit of space, even just for a few moments today? And you're welcome to share that with us in the review of this podcast or just simply carry that reflection with you. 

[00:41:32] And feel free to engage further in the comments, ask questions and share your thoughts about the conversation here, and share what resonates and share your creative insights with us. And thank you again so much for joining us. And thanks again to our fabulous creative guest from Australia, Sam Horton, and I'll see you again, everybody.

[00:41:52] Goodnight. 

[00:41:55] Jenny Leigh Hodgins: Feeling burned out, blocked or disconnected? Or maybe you're creatively curious but unsure where to start. My Creative Empowerment Coaching Program helps you rebuild trust in your unique creative process. I use my Inspirational Bookmark Trio as a practical roadmap to help you reset your energy, nurture your creativity, and overcome obstacles.

[00:42:18] You'll gain clarity, self-compassion, and actionable strategies. To confidently explore and express your creativity, ready to ignite your creativity, visit YourCreativeChord.com/workwithme to learn more and sign up today.

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Your support helps spread the message of creativity and inspired living. Stay connected with Jenny Leigh and a vibrant community of creatives and curious minds. Visit YourCreativeChord.com for more resources. Remember, daily life is where your creative flow begins. Embrace the journey!