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This guided meditation helps you release the mental weight of hopes, dreams, and expectations that keep you awake, teaching you to temporarily set aside both worries and positive anticipations to make space for restful sleep.

• Identifying how hope itself can sometimes become a burden that prevents present-moment awareness and sleep
• Using breath work and body relaxation to prepare the mind for release
• Visualizing thoughts as paper lanterns on boats drifting across a lake
• Understanding that temporarily letting go of hopes doesn't mean abandoning them
• Recognizing that rest is an essential part of becoming and achieving what we want
• Creating a mental image of being supported under a starry night sky
• Learning to trust the natural unfolding of life without constant mental management
• Embracing the permission to rest before everything is resolved or completed

Support the show

🌟✨📚 **Buy 'The Places Where There Are Spaces: Cultivating A Life of Creative Possibilities'** 📚✨🌟
Dive into a world where spontaneity leads to creativity and discover personal essays that inspire with journal space to reflect. Click the link below to grab your copy today and embark on a journey of self-discovery and unexpected joys! 🌈👇
🔗 Purchase Your Copy Here: https://a.co/d/2UlsmYC

🌟 **Interested in finding out more about working with Lisa Hopkins? Want to share your feedback or be considered as a guest on the show?**
🔗 Visit Wide Open Stages https://www.wideopenstages.com

📸 **Follow Lisa on Instagram:** @wideopenstages https://www.instagram.com/wideopenstages/

💖 **SUPPORT THE SHOW:** [Buy Me a Coffee] https://www.buymeacoffee.com/STOPTIME

🎵 **STOPTIME Theme Music by Philip David Stern**
🔗 [Listen on Spotify]
https://open.spotify.com/artist/57A87Um5vok0uEtM8vWpKM?si=JOx7r1iVSbqAHezG4PjiPg

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A simple morning ritual sparked a profound realization about perception, gratitude, and finding beauty in life's small annoyances. What began as frustration with a persistent spider web across my doorway evolved into a daily practice of mindful appreciation.

Walking you through my morning routine—making coffee, preparing my reading materials, and stepping outside to enjoy my garden—I share how clearing away the inevitable spider web shifted from being an unwelcome disruption to becoming an integrated part of my ritual. The transformation wasn't in the web itself, but in how I chose to see it.

Today's revelation came when I paused to truly observe the web glistening in the sunlight—its intricate geometry, perfect symmetry, and the remarkable persistence of its creator who rebuilds this masterpiece daily without complaint. This spider doesn't create art for my appreciation; it's simply following its nature. Yet in doing so, it offers an unintended gift to those willing to notice.

This reflection touches on our tendency to project human qualities onto nature (like in Charlotte's Web) when perhaps there's equal power in appreciating nature on its own terms. I've learned to acknowledge my instinctive fear of spiders while transforming it into awe for their remarkable abilities. Though I still clear the web each morning, I now do so with reverence rather than irritation—a practice that extends beyond spider webs to how we might approach all of life's persistent challenges.

What daily frustrations might you reframe as opportunities for wonder? Join me in finding unexpected teachers in ordinary moments and discovering how shifting perspective can transform our experience of the world around us. Remember to live in the moment and find gratitude in the smallest details of your day.

If you are enjoying the show please subscribe, share and review! Word of mouth is incredibly impactful and your support is much appreciated!

Support the show

🌟✨📚 **Buy 'The Places Where There Are Spaces: Cultivating A Life of Creative Possibilities'** 📚✨🌟
Dive into a world where spontaneity leads to creativity and discover personal essays that inspire with journal space to reflect. Click the link below to grab your copy today and embark on a journey of self-discovery and unexpected joys! 🌈👇
🔗 Purchase Your Copy Here: https://a.co/d/2UlsmYC

🌟 **Interested in finding out more about working with Lisa Hopkins? Want to share your feedback or be considered as a guest on the show?**
🔗 Visit Wide Open Stages https://www.wideopenstages.com

📸 **Follow Lisa on Instagram:** @wideopenstages https://www.instagram.com/wideopenstages/

💖 **SUPPORT THE SHOW:** [Buy Me a Coffee] https://www.buymeacoffee.com/STOPTIME

🎵 **STOPTIME Theme Music by Philip David Stern**
🔗 [Listen on Spotify]
https://open.spotify.com/artist/57A87Um5vok0uEtM8vWpKM?si=JOx7r1iVSbqAHezG4PjiPg

Let us know what you enjoy about the show!

We unpack what it means to truly own your worth without performing it, proving it, or apologizing for it. This conversation explores the difference between authentic confidence and performative self-worth.

• The misconception that client interactions are about proving ourselves rather than delivering value
• How trying to "wear hats" or personas prevents us from accessing our authentic capabilities
• The distinction between confidence (internal) and cockiness (seeking external validation)
• Confidence as a result of facing challenges and discovering your competence
• The metaphor of "wearing the shirt" without defending your choice to wear it
• Embracing negative thoughts as teachers rather than enemies
• Inviting your "inner monsters" to dialogue instead of fighting them

If you are enjoying the show please subscribe, share and review! Word of mouth is incredibly impactful and your support is much appreciated!

Support the show

🌟✨📚 **Buy 'The Places Where There Are Spaces: Cultivating A Life of Creative Possibilities'** 📚✨🌟
Dive into a world where spontaneity leads to creativity and discover personal essays that inspire with journal space to reflect. Click the link below to grab your copy today and embark on a journey of self-discovery and unexpected joys! 🌈👇
🔗 Purchase Your Copy Here: https://a.co/d/2UlsmYC

🌟 **Interested in finding out more about working with Lisa Hopkins? Want to share your feedback or be considered as a guest on the show?**
🔗 Visit Wide Open Stages https://www.wideopenstages.com

📸 **Follow Lisa on Instagram:** @wideopenstages https://www.instagram.com/wideopenstages/

💖 **SUPPORT THE SHOW:** [Buy Me a Coffee] https://www.buymeacoffee.com/STOPTIME

🎵 **STOPTIME Theme Music by Philip David Stern**
🔗 [Listen on Spotify]
https://open.spotify.com/artist/57A87Um5vok0uEtM8vWpKM?si=JOx7r1iVSbqAHezG4PjiPg

Let us know what you enjoy about the show!

We explore the importance of reconnecting with our creative essence and overcoming the blocks that dim our inner spark. This meditation guides you through remembering your creative self, beyond judgment and beyond comparison.

• Creativity exists beyond resumes or past achievements – it's about tapping into intuition and letting go of self-judgment
• Fear often blocks creativity – particularly fear that our next creation won't measure up to past work
• Visualization helps reconnect with moments when we felt creatively alive, remembering the sensations and emotions
• Personifying creativity as a spark or firefly creates a relationship with our creative essence
• Asking "What would I create if I didn't need it to be perfect?" liberates us from perfectionism
• Transforming limiting beliefs about creativity through conscious affirmations rebuilds creative confidence
• Small daily creative acts maintain our connection to creativity without overwhelming pressure
• Creativity can be quiet – "sometimes the spark is in the whisper"

Take a moment today for one small creative act that's just for you. Your spark is still here, and it's yours to tend.

Support the show

🌟✨📚 **Buy 'The Places Where There Are Spaces: Cultivating A Life of Creative Possibilities'** 📚✨🌟
Dive into a world where spontaneity leads to creativity and discover personal essays that inspire with journal space to reflect. Click the link below to grab your copy today and embark on a journey of self-discovery and unexpected joys! 🌈👇
🔗 Purchase Your Copy Here: https://a.co/d/2UlsmYC

🌟 **Interested in finding out more about working with Lisa Hopkins? Want to share your feedback or be considered as a guest on the show?**
🔗 Visit Wide Open Stages https://www.wideopenstages.com

📸 **Follow Lisa on Instagram:** @wideopenstages https://www.instagram.com/wideopenstages/

💖 **SUPPORT THE SHOW:** [Buy Me a Coffee] https://www.buymeacoffee.com/STOPTIME

🎵 **STOPTIME Theme Music by Philip David Stern**
🔗 [Listen on Spotify]
https://open.spotify.com/artist/57A87Um5vok0uEtM8vWpKM?si=JOx7r1iVSbqAHezG4PjiPg

Let us know what you enjoy about the show!

A chance encounter on a train becomes a moment to challenge assumptions about nationality and kindness. When an elderly couple attributes my patience to being Canadian, I return to clarify that values, not citizenship, define our interactions with others.

• Reassuring an anxious elderly couple that their pace wasn't inconveniencing me
• Couple assuming my kindness was because I was Canadian
• Returning to explain I'm a dual citizen and my kindness comes from within
• Reflecting on how assumptions rob us of authentic connections
• Understanding that values, not nationality, shape our interactions
• Making choices that create space for reflection and deeper understanding

Remember to live in the moment.

If you are enjoying the show please subscribe, share and review! Word of mouth is incredibly impactful and your support is much appreciated!

Support the show

🌟✨📚 **Buy 'The Places Where There Are Spaces: Cultivating A Life of Creative Possibilities'** 📚✨🌟
Dive into a world where spontaneity leads to creativity and discover personal essays that inspire with journal space to reflect. Click the link below to grab your copy today and embark on a journey of self-discovery and unexpected joys! 🌈👇
🔗 Purchase Your Copy Here: https://a.co/d/2UlsmYC

🌟 **Interested in finding out more about working with Lisa Hopkins? Want to share your feedback or be considered as a guest on the show?**
🔗 Visit Wide Open Stages https://www.wideopenstages.com

📸 **Follow Lisa on Instagram:** @wideopenstages https://www.instagram.com/wideopenstages/

💖 **SUPPORT THE SHOW:** [Buy Me a Coffee] https://www.buymeacoffee.com/STOPTIME

🎵 **STOPTIME Theme Music by Philip David Stern**
🔗 [Listen on Spotify]
https://open.spotify.com/artist/57A87Um5vok0uEtM8vWpKM?si=JOx7r1iVSbqAHezG4PjiPg

Let us know what you enjoy about the show!

This meditation creates a safe space for anyone navigating unknown territory, feeling burnout, or carrying the weight of worry and stress. It offers practical techniques to release tension and reconnect with your center, reminding you that uncertainty doesn't mean you're lost—it means you're still becoming.

• Guided body scan to release tension in the head, jaw, shoulders, and hands
• Box breathing technique (inhale, hold, exhale, hold for counts of four) to calm the nervous system
• Visualization exercise to release the "heavy backpack" of burdens you never meant to carry
• Self-compassion practice with the affirmation "I can care without carrying"
• Permission to rescript your inner dialogue and give yourself what you truly need
• Reminder that healing begins with care and acknowledging where you are

Remember, you can return to this meditation whenever you feel stressed, burned out, or uncertain. You are allowed to take care of yourself—it's what you're here for.

Support the show

🌟✨📚 **Buy 'The Places Where There Are Spaces: Cultivating A Life of Creative Possibilities'** 📚✨🌟
Dive into a world where spontaneity leads to creativity and discover personal essays that inspire with journal space to reflect. Click the link below to grab your copy today and embark on a journey of self-discovery and unexpected joys! 🌈👇
🔗 Purchase Your Copy Here: https://a.co/d/2UlsmYC

🌟 **Interested in finding out more about working with Lisa Hopkins? Want to share your feedback or be considered as a guest on the show?**
🔗 Visit Wide Open Stages https://www.wideopenstages.com

📸 **Follow Lisa on Instagram:** @wideopenstages https://www.instagram.com/wideopenstages/

💖 **SUPPORT THE SHOW:** [Buy Me a Coffee] https://www.buymeacoffee.com/STOPTIME

🎵 **STOPTIME Theme Music by Philip David Stern**
🔗 [Listen on Spotify]
https://open.spotify.com/artist/57A87Um5vok0uEtM8vWpKM?si=JOx7r1iVSbqAHezG4PjiPg

Let us know what you enjoy about the show!

What happens when a creative powerhouse learns to embrace all facets of herself? Kristen Anderson-Lopez—the brilliant songwriter behind Frozen's "Let It Go," Coco's "Remember Me," and WandaVision's "Agatha All Along"—opens up about the delicate dance between artistic ambition and motherhood, revealing how these seemingly opposing forces have actually nourished each other.

"Having children gave us both, as artists, a lot of structure," Kristen shares, reflecting on how parenthood transformed her creative process with husband Robert Lopez. Far from limiting her artistry, this structure provided a framework that enhanced their work. The lullabies she created to comfort her children during work trips later inspired pivotal moments in Coco, while her personal experiences with anxiety directly informed Elsa's journey in Frozen.

Kristen speaks candidly about navigating the dizzying heights of success—particularly after Frozen became a global phenomenon. "We're going to try to enjoy the ride but not get addicted to the ride," she recalls deciding with her husband, describing success as "peeking your head out of the water for a little while, and then going back into the water to do your work." This grounded perspective allowed them to maintain their creative integrity while processing their newfound fame.

As she looks toward the next chapter of her life, with her children growing older, Kristen contemplates expanding beyond her established collaborative partnership. Whether directing an animated feature or creating a one-woman show, she's learning to embrace all her layers—not just the confident, take-charge energy she's known for, but also the "wise goddess" who finds renewal in quiet moments in nature.

Ready to discover how one of entertainment's most accomplished creators thinks about authenticity, creative collaboration, and intentional living? Listen now and be inspired to embrace your own multifaceted self.

If you are enjoying the show please subscribe, share and review! Word of mouth is incredibly impactful and your support is much appreciated!

Support the show

🌟✨📚 **Buy 'The Places Where There Are Spaces: Cultivating A Life of Creative Possibilities'** 📚✨🌟
Dive into a world where spontaneity leads to creativity and discover personal essays that inspire with journal space to reflect. Click the link below to grab your copy today and embark on a journey of self-discovery and unexpected joys! 🌈👇
🔗 Purchase Your Copy Here: https://a.co/d/2UlsmYC

🌟 **Interested in finding out more about working with Lisa Hopkins? Want to share your feedback or be considered as a guest on the show?**
🔗 Visit Wide Open Stages https://www.wideopenstages.com

📸 **Follow Lisa on Instagram:** @wideopenstages https://www.instagram.com/wideopenstages/

💖 **SUPPORT THE SHOW:** [Buy Me a Coffee] https://www.buymeacoffee.com/STOPTIME

🎵 **STOPTIME Theme Music by Philip David Stern**
🔗 [Listen on Spotify]
https://open.spotify.com/artist/57A87Um5vok0uEtM8vWpKM?si=JOx7r1iVSbqAHezG4PjiPg

Let us know what you enjoy about the show!

Have you ever wondered what might happen if you allowed yourself to truly look inward? What truths might you discover if you moved beyond surface-level engagement with yourself?

During a recent book club gathering for "The Places When There Are Spaces," something extraordinary happened. A participant—someone who confessed to rarely making time for reading and being uncomfortable talking about herself—shared a moment of transformation so genuine and moving that it deserved to be highlighted. This episode captures that powerful exchange.

Working 80-90 hours weekly, this participant had always struggled to find time for reading. Books would sit half-finished for months as life's demands took priority. Yet something compelled her to join this book club, her first ever. As she began engaging with the reflective questions in the book, she noticed herself answering only "surfacely," skimming along the top of her thoughts rather than diving deeper.

The magic happened when she recognized this pattern and made a conscious choice: "I said well, this isn't going to work, so you better just open up." What followed was a journey into self-awareness that she wished had come earlier in life. She connected deeply with discussions about tolerating things that once brought joy and confronted her fear of not being good enough—universal struggles many of us share but rarely voice aloud.

Her story reminds us of the transformative power of pauses—those spaces between interactions where tremendous growth can happen if we're brave enough to listen to ourselves. If her journey resonates with you, perhaps it's time to create your own space for reflection. What might you discover about yourself in the silence?

If you are enjoying the show please subscribe, share and review! Word of mouth is incredibly impactful and your support is much appreciated!

Support the show

🌟✨📚 **Buy 'The Places Where There Are Spaces: Cultivating A Life of Creative Possibilities'** 📚✨🌟
Dive into a world where spontaneity leads to creativity and discover personal essays that inspire with journal space to reflect. Click the link below to grab your copy today and embark on a journey of self-discovery and unexpected joys! 🌈👇
🔗 Purchase Your Copy Here: https://a.co/d/2UlsmYC

🌟 **Interested in finding out more about working with Lisa Hopkins? Want to share your feedback or be considered as a guest on the show?**
🔗 Visit Wide Open Stages https://www.wideopenstages.com

📸 **Follow Lisa on Instagram:** @wideopenstages https://www.instagram.com/wideopenstages/

💖 **SUPPORT THE SHOW:** [Buy Me a Coffee] https://www.buymeacoffee.com/STOPTIME

🎵 **STOPTIME Theme Music by Philip David Stern**
🔗 [Listen on Spotify]
https://open.spotify.com/artist/57A87Um5vok0uEtM8vWpKM?si=JOx7r1iVSbqAHezG4PjiPg