Riding With Doubt: A Conversation on Creativity with The Creative Download Podcast
I recently sat down with Christy Bruneau and Chelsea Nettleton for Season 2, Episode 2 of their podcast The Creative Download — a show “created by creatives to inspire and encourage others to live in the fullness of their creativity.”
That’s my kind of room.
We originally met at the Production Music Conference, where I was invited to kick off the conference with a talk about self-doubt, mindset, and creative empowerment. Christy and Chelsea were in the audience that day, driving in from the airport, talking about imposter syndrome and wondering if they even belonged there.
By the time we got to the interview, we were already mid-conversation.
“We all have self-doubt. Be kind to yourself.”
That’s essentially how I opened that PMC talk, and it became the jumping-off point for this episode.
What we talked about
Over the course of the conversation, we covered a lot of ground:
Starting songwriting in my 50s after a lifetime behind the drums
Releasing one song a month and aiming for 100 songs before I reassess
The story behind my keynote at the Production Music Conference
Why I think of self-doubt as a “noisy passenger” instead of an enemy
How naming your doubt voices (yes, including Mean Girls’ Regina George and Cruella de Vil) can completely shift your relationship to them
The difference between being a student and being a master — and how most of us forget we can be both at the same time
ADHD, meditation, and breathwork as practical tools to get back into the body before stepping onstage or into the vocal booth
Why I love group workshops for self-doubt work and what happens when a roomful of creatives voices their imposter stories out loud
We also talk quite a bit about my book Doubt Riding Shotgun, which started as a private journal entry and slowly turned into a framework I now use in talks, coaching, and workshops.
Naming your doubt voices
One of the themes that kept resurfacing was the idea of naming your self-doubt.
Christy and Chelsea shared about their own “doubt chorus” — those internal characters that yell things like:
“You’re too late.”
“You’re going to miss the boat.”
“You don’t know enough yet to do this.”
Instead of pretending those voices don’t exist, we explored what happens when you:
Notice what they’re actually saying
Name them (Regina George, Cruella de Vil, Sadness from Inside Out… take your pick)
Thank them for trying to protect you
Then gently move them to the back seat so you can drive
For me, that simple move has been more powerful than any “just do it” slogan. It doesn’t erase the fear; it gives me a way to stay in relationship with it while I keep making the thing.
Mastery, learning, and being “late”
Another thread we pulled on: what it means to be both a learner and a master.
I shared about taking piano and voice lessons, playing open mics, and still feeling like there’s an endless amount to learn — while also recognizing that I bring decades of creative and life experience to every song, talk, or workshop.
We talked about:
Holding the belief (borrowed from Brian Eno) that your best work is still ahead of you
Seeing yourself as an artist first, whatever the medium — song, script, painting, or tuba
Giving yourself permission to “write a terrible paragraph” or “a bad draft” just to stay in motion
If you’re someone who tries to learn everything before you start, or you’re waiting to feel “ready,” this part of the conversation might be especially helpful.
Breath, meditation, and the real reason behind the practices
We also wandered into breathwork and meditation — not as spiritual performance, but as practical ways to settle the nervous system.
Before big talks (like my NAMM sessions) or performances, I’ll often use:
Short, focused breathing
A quick cold shower
A few minutes of intentional stillness
Not because I’m chasing some perfect meditation state, but because I want to be in my body, connected to myself, and available to connect with the people in the room.
One question I offered in the episode:
“Why are you meditating? What’s your motivation?”
Even a simple answer like, “I’m doing this to feel more present with my life and my work,” can completely shift how those practices feel.
Listen to the episode
The Creative Download Podcast
If any of this resonates — if you’re wrestling with self-doubt, juggling a bus full of noisy passengers, or starting something “late” in life — I think you’ll feel seen in this conversation.
🎧 Listen to the full episode HERE.
We also talk more about my book Doubt Riding Shotgun and the self-doubt workshops I’ve been bringing to conferences, retreats, and creative communities. If you’d like to go deeper:
📚 Learn more about the book/audiobook
🎟 Interested in bringing a self-doubt workshop to your event or community?
Thanks again to Christy and Chelsea for creating such a warm, honest space for this discussion — and for the bilingual intro that made my Pacific Northwest heart very happy.
