Joining Yuliana on the show this week is Meta Wagner, the author of What's Your Creative Type: Harness the Power of Your Artistic Personality, and an instructor of creative and communications writing at Emerson College. In addition to her writing and teaching careers, Meta has held executive positions in the marketing and public relations fields, receiving multiple awards from professional organizations for her work. In today’s episode, Meta recounts her tale of losing her mother as a teen and how that shaped her into creating the happy and purposeful life she desired.
She starts by describing the sudden loss of her mother at the age of 17 - the event that redirected her life - and the changes that soon followed her mother’s death including her father remarrying and her starting out in college. She goes on to talk about marrying young and quitting law school in pursuit of something that sparked her creative side, and how the loss of her mother influenced the raising of her son. Meta also delves into how she transitioned from a PR career into writing, starting a new career at a later age, and launching her teaching career. Meta and Yuliana talk about Meta’s book, What's Your Creative Type, and the episode comes to a close with Meta describing one song that resonates with her life - a song of joy, awe, and sunshine.
Episode Highlights:
- The challenging event that redirected the course of Meta’s life
- Rapid changes that followed losing her mother
- Starting out in college after the fateful tragedy
- Meta describes how the loss of her mother affected her relationship
- How Meta got into Public Relations and transitioned into a Writing Career
- Becoming a mother after losing one
- Starting a new career at a later age
- Having a childlike view
- Meta’s path to teaching
- Helping creative people dig deep
- One song that resonates with Meta’s life
Quotes:
“I wanted to keep busy because I didn't really want to deal with the reality of what had happened.”
“I think part of it was because I didn't know I was longing for connection with someone and longing for my own family in a sense.”
“It felt like it took every little ounce of creativity in me and just squeezed it out.”
“Sometimes when you're with somebody like that, it kind of gives you permission to fall apart a little bit.”
“You become aware of mortality, in a way, faster than other people.”
“I had to work to get back to who I was.”
“What's your creative type?”
“Writers are the most neurotic among the different artists. And the things we say to ourselves are so awful and so damaging, and so absurd and ridiculous.”
Links:
Phoenix Tales Homepage
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Phoenix Tales on Spotify
Phoenix Tales on Facebook
Meta's Homepage
Meta’s Instagram
Meta’s email
