Creative Autonomy

Staying True to Your Voice

In this second episode of Circle Conversations, we open the circle with Cassandra Velasco Adams who is a writer, creative, and the author of the foreword to Create Space. Together, we explore what it means to stay true to your creative voice in a world that often tries to shape it for you. Creative Autonomy is more than a phrase, it’s a practice. It’s the ongoing process of listening inwardly, trusting that what you feel, what you notice, and what you create has worth, even when it doesn’t align with external expectations. In this episode, Cassie reminds us that authenticity is not a fixed point, but an ongoing dialogue between the self and the world. It’s the courage to keep showing up, even when your truth feels uncertain or unpopular.

Cassie’s Inspirations

• "The wound is the place where the light enters you" - Rumi

• “If everything around seems dark, look again, you may be the light.” - Rumi

• Ezra Klein, who is a Journalist, commentator, and co-founder of Vox. His work invites a deeper kind of curiosity and encourages listeners to think beyond certainty.

• Nick Cave, musician and writer of The Red Hand Files, where he answers fan questions with honesty, grief, humor, and grace, reminding us how art can be a bridge between the personal and the collective.

• Elizabeth Gilbert , author and creative mentor whose writings often encourage self-compassion and the practice of writing letters to yourself as a form of healing and creative grounding. Her reflections on “creative living beyond fear” continue to inspire artists around the world.

Referenced in This Episode

Ariel’s TikTok video mentioned in the conversation: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8D8vp6K/

Guided meditation discussed by Ariel: Guided Meditation for Soothing Impatience

Audio version available on: Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio

Watch the video podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Gmv6ANdauyg