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I'm so excited to bring you this conversation with Logan Griggs-Mitchell, Lead Facilitator and Program Coordinator of Rebels for Peace, a youth-led nonprofit on Chicago's South Side. The Rebels for Peace support kids to "let their environment be a product of them,” rather than feeling like they're stuck being a product of their environment. Over the coming weeks we'll get to spend time with several of Logan's colleagues in Rebels for Peace, and we will wind up the series with a Roundtable conversation. Today, settle in for a wonderful conversation about fostering resiliency beginning at very young ages; the simple and joyful ways that Rebels for Peace brings in the money that fuels their programs; and what it really looks like to build trust with kids who so often get discounted or pushed away. Thank you for being here! Nuts & Bolts Find Logan in LinkedIn by clicking here. Learn more about Rebels for Peace by clicking here. Next up: Rebels for Peace Co-Founder and Executive Director Prince Jimmar. Invitations to Play with Coach Kay Learn more and register at my events page. Come to the retreat that I’m hosting in September Or, hear more about it Come be in company with some like-minded souls in the Dreamers and Doers Online Community Connect with me to talk about coaching or facilitation Or, apply to work 1-1 with me Cheers! Love, Kay Art Creativity & Wellbeing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kaylockkolp.substack.com/subscribe

Once I began reflecting on the verbs that got me into trouble as a kid, I got curious about two things: First, how might these verbs show me myself as I am now? And second, what are your verbs? Zoom Summary: In this episode of Art, Creativity, and Wellbeing, Kay Lock Kolp discussed the concept of identifying and examining "verbs" as a way to understand behavior, curiosity, and interests. Drawing from her experience as an early childhood educator and personal reflections on her health journey, Kay explained how focusing on verbs can help people reconnect with activities that bring joy and well-being. She shared how certain behaviors that were once seen as problematic, such as talking excessively or creating art, can be reclaimed as positive aspects of life. Kay announced a series of upcoming workshops focused on various themes including favorite verbs, creativity, and well-being, with the first workshop "A Few of Your Favorite Verbs" scheduled for April 27th. Invitations Upcoming workshop: A Few of Your Favorite Verbs Learn more and register at my events page. Come to the retreat that I’m hosting in September Or, hear more about it Come be in company with some like-minded souls Connect with me to talk about coaching or facilitation Or, apply to work 1-1 with me Thank you for being here with me. Cheers! Love, Kay Art Creativity & Wellbeing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kaylockkolp.substack.com/subscribe

What an interesting podcasting experiment, to return to the same subject matter once each month and see what shows up. March was a wild ride, in the way that whitewater rafting is. See below for links that come up today, and the invitations I'm offering now. Also, click here - my homepage in Substack - for the portrait I painted of Jesse, at the Butterhorn Bakery in Frisco, Colorado, last week. You'll find it at Episode 474, it's called The Fluffy Seedheads of Potential, Days of Creation 2026, Part 3/12. Thank you for being here with me. I’m glad to be here with you. Love, Kay Nuts & Bolts Days of Creation 2026: Read about – and play along at – the Days of Creation 2026 game (that this episode is about) by clicking here. View Art Creativity & Wellbeing in YouTube here, find it in your favorite podcast app, or subscribe below so it shows up right into your inbox. Invitations Come to the retreat that I’m hosting in September Or, hear more about it Come be in company with some like-minded souls Connect with me to talk about coaching or facilitation Or, apply to work 1-1 with me Cheers! Art Creativity & Wellbeing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kaylockkolp.substack.com/subscribe

3 A’s Framework for Aliveness Kay discussed the final portion of a series on aliveness, focusing on the “3 A’s” framework which includes awareness, acceptance, and agency. She explained how agency represents growth that continues beyond these stages, creating a spiral of ongoing development and self-understanding. Kay mentioned that the podcast, which has over 470 episodes, is approaching its 11th birthday in May and is available on the Substack platform. Agency and Feeling Alive Kay discussed the concept of agency and its relationship to feeling alive, explaining how the words “disconnected,” “exhausted,” and “fearful” represent states before having awareness, acceptance, and agency respectively. She outlined the three components of agency as courage, choice, and creativity, using examples like a woodpecker’s creative problem-solving and the idea that people always make their best choice at any moment. Kay encouraged listeners to reflect on times when they demonstrated courage, made choices, or acted creatively, emphasizing that these actions are fundamental to experiencing agency and feeling alive. Agency and Control Diagram Discussion Kay discussed the opposite side of a diagram representing missing agency, focusing on feelings of overwhelm, paralysis, and suffering that arise when individuals don’t feel in control. She encouraged participants to reflect on when they feel most agency and invited them to use the chart as a tool for self-reflection when facing challenges. Kay shared a personal example of how the diagram helped her during a morning walk, demonstrating how it can provide clarity and guidance in navigating difficult situations. Dynamic Aliveness and Money Perspectives Kay discussed the dynamic nature of aliveness and shared insights from the book “Love Money, Money Loves You,” which describes money as beings that observe and facilitate human requests. Kay noted how people often panic when positive changes begin to happen, thinking they cannot handle the new experiences, but emphasized that they actually can manage these changes. The discussion concluded with an invitation for the audience to use the series for personal growth and experiencing life. Workshop and Community Announcements Kay announced plans to offer a workshop on the “3 A’s to feel alive” later in spring or summer 2026. She invited listeners to join her Dreamers and Doers community and mentioned that while her one-to-one coaching practice is currently full, interested parties can join a waiting list by responding to a series of questions. Kay also announced an upcoming series featuring interviews with the leadership of Rebels for Peace, a youth-led initiative in Chicago. Invitations from Me Come to the retreat that I’m hosting in September Or, hear more about it Come be in company with some like-minded souls Connect with me to talk about coaching or facilitation Enjoy some love from the pines Love, Kay Art Creativity & Wellbeing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kaylockkolp.substack.com/subscribe

In Part 3 of our series on feeling Alive, we explore the second of the three A's: Acceptance. Hope you enjoy this one! Zoom Summary: The Three A’s to Feeling Alive Kay discussed the second installment of a series focusing on the three A’s to feel alive, following awareness with acceptance. Kay emphasized the importance of personalization in learning, encouraging participants to engage with the content in a way that works best for them rather than adhering to a strict structure. Kay then transitioned to discussing the concept of awareness, inviting participants to reflect on its meaning for themselves. Venn Diagram of Aliveness Concepts Kay discussed a Venn diagram about aliveness, explaining that movement through the diagram starts with awareness and then moves to acceptance. She noted that the word “disconnected” was near the awareness circle and “exhausted” was near the acceptance circle, suggesting a connection between being disconnected and lack of awareness, and between exhaustion and acceptance. Radical Acceptance Concepts Discussion Kay discussed the concept of radical acceptance, explaining how it involves allowing circumstances to be as they are rather than trying to control them. She outlined three qualities of acceptance: “own business minding” (practicing appropriate involvement in others’ lives), curiosity, and trust. Own Business Minding Concept Discussion Kay discussed the concept of “own business minding,” which involves understanding and accepting one’s own truth while letting go of control over others’ actions. She emphasized the importance of acceptance over judgment, referencing Walt Whitman’s idea that curiosity is better than judgment. Kay encouraged participants to reflect on their own experiences related to these concepts and invited them to share their thoughts via email. Components of Acceptance Discussion Kay discussed the components of acceptance, which include curiosity about someone’s experience, open-mindedness, and trust. Kay emphasized that trusting can be challenging due to fears of betrayal or misplacement of trust, but emphasized that acceptance involves embracing reality as it is rather than wishing it to be different. Acceptance and Aliveness Concepts Kay discussed the concept of acceptance as part of a series on aliveness and agency. She encouraged listeners to reflect on how acceptance applies to their own lives and suggested exploring this topic with friends, therapists, or coaches. Kay also introduced a diagram showing the opposites of feelings that help us feel alive, including suspicion, anxiety, and over-control, which can help identify the need for acceptance. Invitations from me Come to the retreat that I'm hosting in September Or, hear more about it Come be in company with some like-minded souls Connect with me to talk about coaching or facilitation Thank you for being here with me Love, Kay This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kaylockkolp.substack.com/subscribe

A quick announcement!! See more here: https://kaylockkolp.com/events Summary (via Zoom :) Maine Camp Retreat Invitation Kay announced an invitation to join a main camp retreat in September, describing it as a combination of camp and retreat experience designed to help people connect with friends and find restoration. She shared personal experiences about how camp had positively impacted her life during challenging times in high school, and explained that she has incorporated elements from both her camper and counselor perspectives in creating this retreat. The retreat will take place from September 19-23, lasting 5 nights and 6 days, with a maximum of 9 participants and multiple lodging and pricing options available. Kay expressed her enthusiasm for creating a flexible retreat experience that could range from restful activities to more engaging activities depending on participants’ preferences. Sheepscot Pond Retreat Plans Kay discussed an upcoming retreat at a beautiful space on Sheepscot Pond in Palermo, Maine, describing it as bright, lively, and peaceful with great views and Adirondack chairs. She shared her personal connection to the location, having kayaked by it previously in 2023 and been inspired to paint the chairs. Kay expressed her excitement about hosting a retreat at this venue. Kay announced an upcoming camp retreat scheduled for September, coinciding with the fall equinox. She invited listeners to visit https://kaylockkolp.com/events to learn more and expressed excitement about creating the experience together, including potential excursions and activities like a local chef cooking class. Kay mentioned she would see attendees next week for another podcast episode and look forward to meeting them at the camp in September. xoxo, Kay Art Creativity & Wellbeing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kaylockkolp.substack.com/subscribe

Today, we’re focusing in on one of the 3 A’s that are helpful in feeling alive, Awareness. Hope you enjoy this one! Find the diagram here if for example you are in your favorite podcast app, and it doesn’t support images. Thanks for being here. See you for part three next week! Kay Nuts & Bolts In-Person Retreat! Stay tuned for more info on the epic Fall Frolic (so-named by one potential retreat-goer :) taking place on a beautiful lake, at a beautiful location, here in my home state of Maine this coming September 19-23. View Art Creativity & Wellbeing in YouTube here, find it in your favorite podcast app, or subscribe below so it shows up right into your inbox. Dreamers and Doers Group: Click this link to to learn about the online community I created to do just that… Be in community together. Art Creativity & Wellbeing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kaylockkolp.substack.com/subscribe

We are starting something new today, a series on feeling alive! Today's question: What makes you feel alive? I'll see you next week for the next part of our series. Here is the very fun Venn diagram that I reference today: Find it here if for example you are in your favorite podcast app, and it doesn't support images. Thanks for being here. See you for part two next week! Kay Nuts & Bolts Dreamers and Doers Group: Click this link to to learn about the online community I created to do just that… Be in community together. View Art Creativity & Wellbeing in YouTube here, find it in your favorite podcast app, or subscribe below so it shows up right into your inbox. Art Creativity & Wellbeing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kaylockkolp.substack.com/subscribe

What an interesting podcasting experiment, to return to the same subject matter once each month and see what shows up. I see progress with strengthening my muscles of staying with what's aligned, and of remembering that I can give my body feelings of safety and love, no matter the environment that I find myself in.Also - I am hosting an in-person retreat on a beautiful lake here in Maine in September! It is six days, beginning Thursday, 17 September to Wednesday, 23 September. The theme is Grown-up Summer Camp. It's an antidote to the stress, the overwhelm, the burnout that is so prevalent right now as we grown-ups work to find solutions for what's wrong in our society. Stay tuned for more info on that, I am so excited to be able to offer it out. Thank you for being here with me. I’m glad to be here with you. Love, Kay Nuts & Bolts Days of Creation 2026: Read about – and play along at – the Days of Creation 2026 game (that this episode is about) by clicking here. Dreamers and Doers Community: Click this link to see the About page in the Skool platform. If joining fields aligned, that’s awesome! And if you have any questions, please get in touch at https://kaylockkolp.com/contact View Art Creativity & Wellbeing in YouTube here, find it in your favorite podcast app, or subscribe below so it shows up right into your inbox. Art Creativity & Wellbeing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kaylockkolp.substack.com/subscribe

This conversation reset my perspective in a most helpful way. Today's guest, Historian Alnoor Dhanani, shares about human curiosity and ingenuity over millennia, and all across the globe. One of my favorite things about the conversation is how he speaks of ancient times in the present tense. I hope you enjoy this uplifting and elevating conversation is much as I did. Nuts & Bolts Questions and Thoughts: If you’ve got further questions or thoughts for Alnoor, please direct them to me at my contact page and I will pass them along: https://kaylockkolp.com/contact My Brain & Me Workshop: I am co-facilitating a workshop along with wonderful coach and very dear colleague Sarah-Jayne Juniper, this coming Saturday, February 28. It’s about making peace with our internal operating system. This feels important now, more than ever. Click here to read more about it. ACWB in YouTube: View the Art Creativity & Wellbeing show in YouTube here. Thank you for being here. Sending you much love – Kay This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kaylockkolp.substack.com/subscribe

My Brain & Me Workshop: I am co-facilitating a Roundtable along with today's guest! She is wonderful coach and very dear colleague Sarah Juniper, and our roundtable is about making peace with our internal operating system. This feels important now, more than ever. Click here to read more about the Roundtable, taking place on Saturday 28 February. Welcome to a conversation that I hope you really enjoy, Sarah and I being open and vulnerable about our own brains. Sarah lives with dyslexia; I live with ADHD. Or as I prefer to call it, Creative Energetic Curiosity Syndrome. Our lives have been filled with challenges and opportunities for learning and enjoyment, what with how our internal operating systems work. Knowing how they work and understanding ourselves well has been an important part of our growth, and I am so excited for you to be able to listen to how that shows up in our lives. Nuts & Bolts To connect with Sarah in LinkedIn, where she is called Sarah-Jayne, click here. To learn more about the My Brain & Me Roundtable on Saturday 28 February, click here. ACWB in YouTube: View the Art Creativity & Wellbeing show in YouTube here. Thank you for being here. Sending you much love – Kay Art Creativity & Wellbeing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kaylockkolp.substack.com/subscribe

Here we are at the finale to this series on Cultivating a Positive Money Mindset! Today we bring the ideas we’ve been discussing together and I share two tiny steps that you can take – and keep taking over time – that are super helpful in cultivating this mindset. So open up the notes app on your phone or find yourself a journal, grab a cup of tea and your favorite blanket, and let’s hop in! Important Money Mindset Resources: How to Solve All Your Money Problems Forever, by Victor Boc Love Money, Money Loves You, by Sarah McCrum Profit First, by Mike Michaelowicz Art Creativity & Wellbeing Episode 444, my conversation with Mike Michaelowicz Dreamers & Doers, the community I founded to cultivate – and be among people with – positive mindsets in general! Write to me at this link with questions and comments And/or Subscribe to the newsletter form of this podcast so that future episodes land right in your inbox Thank you for being here! It means a lot, as do you. Love, Kay Art Creativity & Wellbeing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kaylockkolp.substack.com/subscribe

If you’d like to feel some hope and know that you are among people who, like ourselves, are searching for solutions that support everyone, this is your conversation. Ashland, Massachusetts Chief of Police Cara Rossi spent a wonderful hour talking with me today, and I'm so excited to bring you our conversation. Shared with lots of gratitude to Cara – and to you for listening and for sharing your questions. (We had lots of great questions! Thank you so much.) Nuts & Bolts Questions and Thoughts: If you've got further questions or thoughts for Chief Rossi, please direct them to me at my contact page and I will pass them along: https://kaylockkolp.com/contact Rebels for Peace: Cara and I briefly talk about the wonderful youth led nonprofit supporting South Side Chicago, Rebels for Peace. See more about them and what they do at their lovely website, which I honestly sometimes visit just to feel their amazing vibe, https://www.rebelsforpeace.org/ My Brain & Me Workshop: I am co-facilitating a workshop along with wonderful coach and very dear colleague Sarah-Jayne Juniper, coming up at the end of February. It’s about making peace with our internal operating system. This feels important now, more than ever. Click here to read more about it. ACWB in YouTube: View the Art Creativity & Wellbeing show in YouTube here. Thank you for being here. Sending you much love – Kay Art Creativity & Wellbeing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kaylockkolp.substack.com/subscribe

This one's a little messy. Not a surprise, given how messy January has been. I wanted to bring it to you even though it's messy, because it's real too. It's about real things that really matter. You're here, reading and listening, so I think they’ll matter to you as well. Thank you for being here with me. I'm glad to be here with you. Love, Kay Nuts & Bolts Got a question for this coming Tuesday's guest, Chief of Police Cara Rossi? Chief Rossi is my friend and does a great job in her suburban Massachusetts Police Department of, as she puts it, "leading with love.” Ask Chief Rossi a question by clicking over to my contact page, by 9 AM Tuesday morning, February 3. Here's the link – https://kaylockkolp.com/contact. If this arrived in your inbox feel free to simply hit reply to ask your question. Read more about Chief Rossi by clicking here. Read about – and play along at – the Days of Creation 2026 game (that this episode is about) by clicking here. My Brain & Me Workshop: I am co-facilitating a workshop along with wonderful coach and very dear colleague Sarah-Jayne Juniper, coming up at the end of February. It's about making peace with our internal operating system. This feels important now, more than ever. Click here to read more about it. View the Art Creativity & Wellbeing show in YouTube here. Art Creativity & Wellbeing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kaylockkolp.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s show brings in an important idea when cultivating a positive money mindset: being curious about what we are really good at and enjoy doing. How we feel about money will improve as we do more and more of that which we are really good at and enjoy doing. Hope you enjoy this one! I keep bringing this up, because it keeps being true: the most important person who will hear your responses to the questions being asked in this series, is you. So open up the notes app on your phone or find yourself a journal, grab a cup of tea and your favorite blanket, and let’s hop in! Here’s the Days of Creation 2026 Game Book and guidelines for playing – next week I’ll share how January has shown up as related to what I wrote about the whole month, back on January 1. The following week stay tuned for the conclusion to this series on Cultivating a Positive Money Mindset. Woo hoo! Write to me at this link with questions and comments And/or Subscribe to the newsletter form of this podcast so that future episodes land right in your inbox Thank you for being here! It means a lot, as do you. Love, Kay Art Creativity & Wellbeing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kaylockkolp.substack.com/subscribe