This episode was originally released on October 28, 2025, and we're re-releasing it today due to the Easter break disrupting our usual scheduling — hope you enjoy it if you missed it the first time around!

In this episode, Breallyn and I discuss the essential role that hobbies and side projects play in a creative life. From my own cat-trapping adventures to furniture restoration and some pretty spectacular lapidary failures, we talk through how low-stakes creative outlets can actually prevent burnout and make your main artistic work better.

We get into the paradox of needing distractions from your art in order to make better art, the very real danger of accidentally raising the bar on a hobby until it stops being fun, and why that calm, clear creative headspace often shows up at the worst possible moment.

Pain In The Arts is a Creative Life Chronicles production.

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Recorded and produced at Morning Phase Recording Room.

Original theme music by Lyndon Wesley:

http://www.lyndonwesley.com

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