Ep 38: How to create when you're in pain, emotional or physical, with artist/writer Amani

Today’s guest is the indomitable chronic pain sufferer, writer, artist and activist, Amani. This is a very real, very raw conversation where both of us are in pain as we podcast; Amani due to severe physical symptoms and me (your host, Suzy Bashford) due to the emotional pain of just losing my beloved dog Bramble (episode 37 is on that). Nevertheless, true to form, Amani is able to find the fun and feistiness in the present moment, no matter what she is feeling. Creating through pain is the norm for her... as is smashing taboos. And there are SO many taboos covered in this episode. Trigger warning: invisible illness; suicide; estrangement; having therapy; loneliness; childhood abuse/acute childhood experiences; not having children, mental health. There's quite a bit of swearing, too. If you want inspiration on, err, how NOT to wait for inspiration or perfection before you create, this episode is for you. If a you're curious type and would like to know what it's like to live with constant, severe pain, then this episode is also for you and it will change your perspective on your own pain. Amani daily reframes her purpose in life, recreates her dreams, re-finds ways of finding beauty in the small things. She credits her creative practice with keeping her alive. This is such an important conversation to lift the lid, and judgement, on what it's like to live with an invisible illness. Do you know someone who might benefit from hearing it? Please share with anyone who might also enjoy it. References: The best place to follow Amani is on Instagram, where she has two accounts: @amani_writes - dedicated to talking about the stuff we don't talk about enough @theemptyuterusclub - a space for people who don't have kids, for any reason To follow Big Juicy Creative for loads of inspiration on living creatively, see: Instagram: @bigjuicycreativeliving Facebook @bigjuicycreativeliving LinkedIn: @suzybashford contact Suzy: suzy@bigjuicycreative.co.uk And remember, you can still get your free wintspiration fridge poster (family friendly and grown-up versions available!) visit: www.bigjuicycreative.co.uk  

Om Podcasten

Big Juicy Creative is the show which nurtures your busy creative soul, so you thrive personally and professionally. You could be in a ‘creative’ career, like marketing or the arts, or maybe you wish you did something more creative. This podcast will show you how, if you approach your life with creativity – a bit more openness, curiosity, self-expression, imagination - it will become bigger, juicier and more meaningful. Creativity is about way more than painting or poetry, and this show brings you inspirational tales from beyond the creative department, from farming to fractions. Your host, Suzy Bashford, is a freelance journalist, who writes about creativity among other things, a workshop facilitator and a speaker. As well as interviews, she’ll bring you shorter, solo podcasts where she sums up and test-drives the advice she’s given, reporting back to you with her trademark honesty. Suzy is a mum on a mission to unleash our collective creativity so we can solve the world’s big problems… and we need buckets of creativity for that, so please get listening! For more info: www.bigjuicycreative.co.uk IG: @bigjuicycreativeliving FB: @bigjuicycreative LI: Suzy Bashford