169. Creativity Miniseries: Preparation

Don't Cut Your Own Bangs

Welcome back to Don’t Cut Your Own Bangs and our Creativity Miniseries! I’m thrilled to continue this deep dive into the creative process alongside my friend and fellow creative, Emily H. Sutherland—a ghostwriter, published author, coach, and executive storyteller. Together, we’re exploring what it means to embrace creativity, break through resistance, and bring ideas to life.

In our last episode, we discussed the first stage of creativity: inspiration—how talking about creativity, building community around it, and applying maybe a little bit of structure can allow ideas to feel more tangible and possible.

Now, we’re moving into the next phase: preparation—the crucial but often overlooked step that turns inspiration into something real. Preparation can feel deceptively inactive—even lazy. But in reality, nothing is wasted. This stage is where clarity and intention come together, setting the foundation for everything that follows.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between having a great idea and actually making it happen, this miniseries is for you!

THE TREASURED JOURNAL

The one tool I recommend to all of my therapy clients is journaling. Getting your thoughts out of your head and down on the page is a simple act that can change your life. The Treasured Journal is for anyone who wants to dig a little deeper but doesn’t know where to start. The questions, prompts, and sentence stems in the journal will help support you in exploring the big feelings in your life. Learn more about this specially designed journal and its companion Meditation Series at https://danielleireland.com/journal.

EMILY SUTHERLAND

Website - https://www.emilysutherland.me/

Storytelling for Business (April 4, 2025) -https://www.emilysutherland.me/events

Nurturing Your Creative Self (May 9, 2025) - https://www.emilysutherland.me/events

DANIELLE IRELAND, LCSW

Thank you for your support and engagement as part of the Don't Cut Your Own Bangs community. Feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or anything you'd like to share. You can connect with me at any of the links below.

Website - https://danielleireland.com/

The Treasured Journal - https://danielleireland.com/journal

Substack - https://danielleireland.substack.com/

Blog - https://danielleireland.com/blog/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/danielleireland_lcsw

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/danielleireland.LCSW

Podcast on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@danielleireland8218/featured