Creativity With Purpose

Free guided meditation: https://symphonyoftheself.com/free-meditationFind Your Frequency quiz: https://symphonyoftheself.com/frequency-quizSymphony of Self: Compose Your Life: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2H8Y99CGrief in leadership is the cost nobody talks about. Dr. Princess Millens, Leadership Grief Strategist and creator of the Whole-Soul EQ™ Framework, joins Ann Mracek on Creativity With Purpose to discuss the hidden cost of carrying everything.
Many leaders, and women especially, carry grief, burnout, and unexpected loss without ever naming it. Dr. Millens created the Leadership Grief Gap™ model to explain the difference between what leaders show in public and what they carry in private. In this episode, you’ll hear [FILL IN: 2 or 3 specific topics from the conversation].
About Dr. Princess MillensDr. Millens is a Leadership Grief Strategist, resilience educator, author, and educational consultant. She taught middle and high school math for nearly 20 years before moving into full-time grief and resilience work. She is the founder and CEO of Blessed and Beautiful International in Jonesboro, Georgia, and the author of The Cost of Carrying Everything: A Grief-Informed Path to Emotional Resilience, Clarity, and Sustainable Leadership.
Connect with Dr. Princess MillensBook and author page: https://www.amazon.com/Princess-S-Millens/e/B091NC14MDLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/princessmillenseds
About Creativity With PurposeCreativity With Purpose is hosted by Ann Mracek, composer, author, keynote speaker, and creator of Symphony of Self™. Each episode features people doing meaningful work in their field.
#LeadershipGrief #WomenInLeadership #Burnout

Free guided meditation: https://symphonyoftheself.com/free-meditationFind Your Frequency quiz: https://symphonyoftheself.com/frequency-quizSymphony of Self: Compose Your Life: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2H8Y99C
Marcia Regina Cook grew up without electricity on a small rural property in Brazil, where she was told she had no future. She kept dreaming anyway. On this episode of Creativity With Purpose, Ann Mracek talks with Marcia about adversity, faith, and what it takes to begin again.
Marcia is an award-winning author, inspirational keynote speaker, and host of Dare to Dream with Marcia. She writes for people going through life transitions, rebuilding confidence, or wondering what comes next. Her message: your worth never left. It only went quiet.
Her books include:“Dare to Dream with Eyes Wide Open,” on self-love, forgiveness, and taking the next step toward the life you want.“Hanging by a Thread: A Memoir of What Holds Us Together,” her story of childhood trauma, adoption, grief, immigration, and healing.“The Distance to Morning,” a novel about a lighting designer learning to live again after survival.“Learning to Share Tomorrow,” a conversation with an AI assistant about trust, privacy, faith, and keeping human connection at the center of new technology.
MARCIA’S BOOKSDare to Dream with Eyes Wide Open:www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2KGQYXTHanging by a Thread: www.amazon.com/dp/B0HDSWK67FThe Distance to Morning: www.amazon.com/dp/B0HP5S7PCFLearning to Share Tomorrow: www.amazon.com/dp/B0HPJ1LN92 (Coming out Nov 1, 2026)
ABOUT THE SHOWCreativity With Purpose is hosted by composer, pianist, author, and keynote speaker Ann Mracek. Each episode features people who use their creativity to make a difference.
Learn more: https://symphonyofself.comSubscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@annmracekofficialchannel
#CreativityWithPurpose #MarciaReginaCook #DareToDream #Resilience #GriefAndHealing #WomensMemoir #StartingOver #AuthorInterview

Free guided meditation: https://symphonyoftheself.com/free-meditationFind Your Frequency quiz: https://symphonyoftheself.com/frequency-quizSymphony of Self: Compose Your Life: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2H8Y99C
How do independent musicians get heard? Lisa Eva Gold, host of The Sound of Gold radio show, joins Ann Mracek on Creativity With Purpose, a creativity podcast for creatives who want their work to mean something.On The Sound of Gold, Lisa handpicks her guests: independent musicians, music teachers, music venues, and music schools. She plays piano live during the show and talks openly about the challenges musicians face finding venues that pay for live music. In this episode, you’ll hear how music changes lives.About The Sound of GoldThe Sound of Gold is a talk radio show for independent music artists and music teachers, covering music history and how to keep good music alive for future generations. It airs live Mondays at 4 PM ET / 1 PM PT on K4HD Radio, Hollywood Talk Radio, and the podcast version is available on Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Pandora, Audible, and more than 100 other outlets.About Lisa Eva GoldLisa is a piano teacher, musician, actress, and author. She began piano, violin, dance, and singing lessons at age 5, has appeared in 4 seasons of Burn Notice and more than 16 independent films, and has published 8 books. She also serves on the board of a music teachers’ association in Palm Beach, Florida.Connect with Lisa Eva GoldFacebook: Lisa Eva GoldWebsite: https://justplayproductions.orgListen live: https://www.k4hd.comPodcast: https://www.talk4podcasting.com
About Creativity With PurposeCreativity With Purpose is hosted by Ann Mracek, composer, author, keynote speaker, and creator of Symphony of Self™. Each episode features people doing meaningful creative work.Learn more: https://symphonyofself.com  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2H8Y99C

Free guided meditation: https://symphonyoftheself.com/free-meditationFind Your Frequency quiz: https://symphonyoftheself.com/frequency-quizSymphony of Self: Compose Your Life: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2H8Y99CImposter syndrome wears on women's mental health and keeps capable women playing small. In this episode of Creativity With Purpose, I talk with Kemi Emmanuel, a British mental health nurse, former college principal, publisher, and author of The Woman in Red, about why women doubt themselves and how to lead anyway.
We connect Kemi's work on women's leadership with the ideas in my book, Symphony of Self: Compose Your Life, including where self-doubt starts and how to change the story you tell yourself.
In this conversation, you'll hear:- How imposter syndrome affects your mental health- What women's empowerment looks like in daily life - Where self-doubt starts, and how Symphony of Self approaches it 
ABOUT KEMI EMMANUELKemi is the founder of Kemi Emmanuel Publishing & Academy, where she helps authors, entrepreneurs, and professionals publish their stories. She hosts The Purpose Pathway Podcast and curates the BLOOM Summit for women in leadership. Her books include The Woman in Red, Money Skills for Teens Made Simple, Love Made This Happen, and Muna and Her Superhero Hair.
Connect with Kemi:Website: https://www.kemiemmanuelacademy.com/Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0DCJ7RZCFLinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/kemiemmanuelpublishing
ABOUT ANN MRACEKAnn Mracek is a composer, pianist, author, and keynote speaker. Her book, Symphony of Self: Compose Your Life, uses the structure of music as a framework for personal change.Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2H8Y99CFree guided meditation: https://www. symphonyofself.com 
This conversation is for education and inspiration. It isn't a substitute for care from a licensed mental health professional.

Free guided meditation: https://symphonyoftheself.com/free-meditationFind Your Frequency quiz: https://symphonyoftheself.com/frequency-quizSymphony of Self: Compose Your Life: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2H8Y99CWhy do the same painful patterns keep showing up in your relationships, your work, and your money? Cassandra Love Lambert lived with C-PTSD for decades before she found EFT tapping. In this conversation, she shares what finally helped her stop repeating her past.
Cassandra is a trauma-trained somatic coach, TV host, artist, and author of the memoir Into the Light: Becoming My Own Hero. She holds certifications in Clinical EFT, Brainspotting, and Somatic Attachment Therapy, and she leads a 10-week Pain into Power Process for women.
In this episode of Creativity With Purpose, you'll learn:- What EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) is and how tapping works- How childhood trauma shows up years later in work, relationships, and finances- Why Cassandra combined EFT with Brainspotting and somatic work
Content note: this conversation includes discussion of childhood abuse. Please watch with care.
CONNECT WITH CASSANDRAFree consultation: https://www.cassandralovelambert.comBook: Into the Light: Becoming My Own Hero www.amazon/com/dp/  1917724020
CONNECT WITH ANNSymphony of Self: https://symphonyofself.com  Book: Symphony of Self: Compose Your Life www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2H8Y99C
IF YOU NEED SUPPORTUS: call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-4673Outside the US: https://findahelpline.com
This podcast is for education only and does not replace care from a licensed mental health professional.

Free guided meditation: https://symphonyoftheself.com/free-meditationFind Your Frequency quiz: https://symphonyoftheself.com/frequency-quizSymphony of Self: Compose Your Life: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2H8Y99CTanya Ross taught English, history, AVID, and student leadership for 32 years. After leaving the classroom, she wrote The Tranquility Series, 3 young adult novels: Rising Up, Facing Off, and Bleeding Out.
Rising Up grew out of something she wanted for her readers and her students: a world where people are kind, compassionate, and upbeat. In this conversation, Tanya talks about writing for young adults, what 32 years of teaching writing taught her about doing it herself, and why she waited until after she retired to start.
ABOUT TANYA ROSSBorn and raised in San Diego County. Educator for 32 years, now a young adult novelist. When she isn't writing, she's reading, spending time with her husband and 2 kids, or walking her golden retriever.Website: http://www.tanyarossauthor.com/
THE TRANQUILITY SERIESBook 1: Rising Up | www.amazon.com/dp/B0GB54GMFWBook 2: Facing Off | www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZWPKPV6Book 3: Bleeding Out | www.amazon.com/dp/B0CKB1T3TP
Creativity With Purpose is hosted by Ann Mracek, composer, pianist, and author of Symphony of Self: Compose Your Life.Get the book: www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2H8Y99CWebsite: https://symphonyofself.comBooking and media: ann@annmracek.com

Free guided meditation: https://symphonyoftheself.com/free-meditationFind Your Frequency quiz: https://symphonyoftheself.com/frequency-quizSymphony of Self: Compose Your Life: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2H8Y99C
Ksenia Merck is an architect with more than 40 years in the field. She's also the artist behind the illustrations in Ghost Flower, the science fiction novel her late husband William F. Merck II wrote, and the author of the Ghost Flower Companion Journal.
Ghost Flower is a story of space, time, and fate, where love carries across eras and human survival depends on connections that outlast them. Ksenia's illustrations give that scale a visual form. The companion journal adds quotes and questions that ask readers to reach their own conclusions.
In this conversation, Ksenia talks about drawing a world someone else imagined, where her sketches come from, and what it takes to keep a creative life going next to a demanding career.
Ghost Flower and the Companion Journal: https://www.merckiipress.com/ghost-flowerAll 3 of William's books: https://www.merckiipress.com/books
Hosted by Ann Mracek, composer, pianist, and author of Symphony of Self: Compose Your Life.Get the book: www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2H8Y99CWebsite: https://symphonyofself.comBooking and media: ann@annmracek.com

Free guided meditation: https://symphonyoftheself.com/free-meditationFind Your Frequency quiz: https://symphonyoftheself.com/frequency-quizSymphony of Self: Compose Your Life: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2H8Y99C
Jerry L. Woodbridge is an award-winning Christian author and educator who writes for grieving children. Her new book, The Intersection, follows 13-year-old Colton Marshall after he witnesses the death of his identical twin brother, and it walks through grief, survivor's guilt, faith, family, friendship, and the slow work of moving forward.
Jerry is a widow and a single mom of two children who lost their dad. She taught K through 9th grade, mentored doctoral candidates, and now serves as an assistant professor at Liberty University. Her book Joy Overcame Sorrow won an International Christian Book Award.
In this episode we cover:
Why children need honest stories about death instead of protective silenceHow families can start the conversation when no one knows how to beginSurvivor's guilt in children and what healing actually looks likeFaith, hope, and resilience when the season does not end quicklyHow churches, schools, and communities fail grieving kids, and what to do differentlyWriting stories that help children name what they are feeling
Jerry Wodbridge's Book "The Intersection" is available at:  www.amazon.com/dp/B0H7TCTTQLHer book "Joy Overcame Sorrow" is available at: www.amazon.com/dp/B0F8KC864ZLearn More About Jerry at: drjerrylwwodbridge.com

Free guided meditation: https://symphonyoftheself.com/free-meditationFind Your Frequency quiz: https://symphonyoftheself.com/frequency-quizSymphony of Self: Compose Your Life: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2H8Y99C
The best book you've never read has stories from over 80 people. "Life Answers Back" by Dan Klusmann is a collection of stories that will make you laugh, make you cry, and teach you things you didn't know.
Dan spent 56 years in the movie theatre industry. In the second half of his career he built a marketing service for theatres with clients in 37 countries, and he personally wrote over 20,000 movie info pages. Along the way he collected stories. "Life Answers Back" is what came of it.
What's inside:Stories that make you laugh out loudStories that will move youStories that teach you something you never knewQuiet life lessons underneath all of it
Get the book:  www.amazon.com/dp/B0FRJ52GB9
ABOUT DAN KLUSMANN:  lifeanswersback.com
Contact Ann:  ann@annn,racek.com

My wife Nancy died of ALS while I was fighting my own cancer. Here's what that taught me about finding real joy every day.
I met my wife Nancy in 2001. She was a deeply spiritual person who practiced yoga, meditated daily, and listened with her heart to every challenge the people around her faced. We married in 2010. On the evening of May 15, 2025, after two years of fighting ALS, she died in my arms. Around that same time, I was also facing my own terminal cancer diagnosis. Both of those experiences woke me up to how little time we actually have, and that's what led me to write Finding Joy in Daily Living.
About MichaelMichael J. Riso is an author, motivational speaker, and PGA associate golf instructor dedicated to helping individuals find joy in their everyday lives. Finding Joy in Daily Living includes 72 individual sections, each one titled with a single word. Every word is designed to help you notice something in your life you may have overlooked.
Inside, you'll find heartfelt stories paired with powerful themes meant to inspire you to reach higher than you may have ever dreamed. Michael's mission is to guide others toward a more fulfilling life, filled with joy, happiness, and a level of introspection that's key to living at a higher, more conscious level.
Finding daily joy means staying conscious. It means responding to life's ups and downs instead of reacting to them. It starts with letting go of even the smallest bit of blame toward anyone or anything that's happened, and choosing to be happy anyway. We're all on this journey. Let's do it together.
Read sample chapters or pre-order your copy at FindingJoyDaily.com
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Contact Michael at FindingJoyDaily.com
Contact Ann at: nn@annmraek.comHe latest book is Symphony of Self: Compose your Lifewww.amazon.com/dp/B0H2H8Y99C
#FindingJoyInDailyLiving #MichaelRiso #ALSAwareness #TerminalCancer #FacingMortality #InnerPeace #LettingGo #AuthorInterview #FindingJoy #GriefAndPeace