Every creative practice begins with a choice: to start before you feel ready. In this episode, Annie uses the Fool to explore creative beginnings, tracing a path through tarot archetypes like Judgement, the Magician, and the Star to show how courage, craft, and hope work together, and why progress starts with simply showing up and writing.

Visit thepoetrylab.com to find the Show Notes for this episode. The Poetry Lab Podcast is produced by Danielle Mitchell, with special guest hosts Lori Walker, Leonora Simonovis, Ravina Wadhwani, and Annie Freshwater.

EPISODE GUIDE

Starting isn't about certainty. It's about choosing to move before you feel ready.

01:20 — The Energy of Beginning (The Fool)
Why new creative starts feel both magical and terrifying, and why that tension is part of the process.

03:30 — Stepping Into the Unknown (The Fool)
What it means to begin without guarantees and trust the path as it unfolds.

05:30 — Fear and Stagnation (The Fool Reversed)
How hesitation, over-preparing, and distraction keep you from starting at all.

07:00 — Movement Over Mastery (The Fool in Action)
A clear directive to stop waiting and start writing, even in small, imperfect ways.

08:45 — Answering the Creative Call (Judgment)
How beginning leads to deeper questions about purpose, voice, and what you are here to express.

10:30 — Turning Ideas Into Practice (The Magician)
Shaping inspiration into something real through craft, skill, and consistency.

11:45 — Writing Through Hope and Healing (The Star)
Why belief in your work and connection to meaning sustain the creative process.

13:30 — Catching the Spark (Ace of Wands)
How to act on creative impulses in real time and channel raw inspiration into action.

15:30 — From Idea to Completion (Ace of Pentacles)
Moving from inspiration into revision, structure, and the tangible work of finishing and submitting.

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In this personal episode, Leo reflects on her decision to leave a tenured academic career after nearly two decades of teaching. She explores the emotional and systemic challenges of academia, including burnout, institutional constraints, and questions of identity and creative freedom, while honoring the role poetry played in guiding her toward a more expansive, self-directed life.

Visit thepoetrylab.com to find the Show Notes for this episode. The Poetry Lab Podcast is produced by Danielle Mitchell, with special guest hosts Lori Walker, Leonora Simonovis, Ravina Wadhwani, and Annie Freshwater.

EPISODE GUIDE

What happens when the dream job no longer fits? This episode explores the courage it takes to leave and begin again.

01:20 — The Decision to Leave
After nearly two decades in academia, Leo names the moment she chose to walk away from tenure.

02:30 — The Reality Behind the Dream
What academia asks of you beyond teaching, including bureaucracy, gatekeeping, and silence.

04:10 — When Staying Becomes Survival
The emotional, physical, and mental toll of remaining in a system that no longer aligns.

05:20 — Why I Left
A clear and candid breakdown of the core reasons, from lack of growth to imbalance and emotional labor.

07:40 — You're Not Alone
Zooming out to the larger pattern of academics leaving and what that reveals.

09:15 — Life After Academia
What opens up on the other side: clarity, creative freedom, and teaching on your own terms.

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You don't need to find your voice. You need to trust it. This episode unpacks how doubt, comparison, and over-editing pull you away from your natural rhythm—and offers practical ways to reconnect with the voice that's already yours, messy, honest, and powerful.

Visit thepoetrylab.com to find the Show Notes for this episode. The Poetry Lab Podcast is produced by Danielle Mitchell, with special guest hosts Lori Walker, Leonora Simonovis, Ravina Wadhwani, and Annie Freshwater.

EPISODE GUIDE

What if the voice you're searching for is the one you've been editing out? This episode shows you how to return to it.

02:15 — The Myth of "Finding Your Voice"
Why the idea that your voice is hidden or missing might be the very thing holding you back.

04:00 — Your Voice Is Already Here
What voice actually is and how it shows up in your instincts, rhythms, and emotional imprint.

06:00 — How We Start Writing Away from Ourselves
How doubt and imitation creep in, pulling your voice further from what's already there.

09:15 — What Gets in the Way
Comparison, over-editing, feedback fear, and platform pressure that flatten your work.

10:30 — How to Build Trust with Your Voice
Practical ways in, including voice notes, writing letters, and letting messy drafts stand.

14:00 — What Happens When You Stop Forcing It
Writing becomes faster, more honest, and more connected when you stop performing.

16:00 — Finding Your Way Back (SOS Plan)
What to do when your voice feels distant, including grounding, small truths, and quiet re-entry.

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