Waiting often feels responsible. Thoughtful. Even smart.

But for artists, waiting isn’t neutral and it’s rarely free.

In this episode, Antrese looks at how indecision quietly drains energy, undermines self-trust, and creates far more stress than taking the “wrong” action ever could. This isn’t about pushing harder or forcing yourself to be fearless. It’s about seeing what waiting is actually costing you—and why momentum begins the moment you decide something.

In This Episode

02:00 – Why waiting doesn’t feel like procrastination

How hesitation disguises itself as being careful, intentional, or “not ready yet.”

05:45 – The subtle signs you’re stuck in waiting mode

A few familiar patterns that don’t look dramatic—but add up over time.

07:05 – The mental weight of open loops

Why unresolved decisions create low-grade exhaustion, even when you’re “not thinking about them.”

10:00 – The opportunity cost most artists never see

What quietly slips past when you delay decisions—and why this cost is so easy to miss.

Support the show

And hey - if this episode hit home, do me a favor, leave a review on Apple Podcast or come say hi on Instagram: @savvypainterpodcast
I’d love to hear this episode resonated you. ❤️

If self-doubt shows up every time you try to paint (or finish something) and you’re tired of trying to think your way out of it, this episode is for you. Artist and tapping coach Melanie Fay explains how tapping for artists works, why your nervous system might be the real obstacle in the studio, and how to use this simple, science-backed tool to move through creative blocks and actually make things again.

Whether you’ve heard of EFT (emotional freedom technique) or not, this conversation breaks down why it’s showing up more and more in artist communities—and how you can use it right away, even if you feel silly doing it.

You walk into the studio and your chest tightens. Or you finish something and immediately start picking it apart. Or that mean voice shows up the second you pick up a brush, whispering that you don’t belong here.

Sometimes the biggest block isn’t time or skill—it’s your nervous system treating creativity like a threat.

This conversation with tapping coach and artist Melanie Fay gets into what that actually looks like—and what you can do about it.

In this episode:

• How Melanie discovered that art was the doorway to feeling herself as a being instead of machinery (and the specific moment time stopped in her high school studio)
• What tapping actually is—the mechanics of how tapping on acupressure points sends a calming signal to your amygdala and why that matters when you're stuck
• The painting teacher who took viridian green and painted over Melanie's work the night before a show
• Why "I'm not good enough" shows up when you're staring at an unfinished painting, and how to trace that thought back to its actual source
• The demonstration: where the tapping points are and what happens in your body when you use them (even if you feel ridiculous doing it)
• How to use EFT for creativity—in your studio, before a show, or when that courtroom voice starts up

BONUS: Antrese and Melanie are offering monthly group tapping sessions specifically for artists—fourth Wednesday of every month at 2:30 PM Eastern.

👉 Join the tapping group here

Plus you'll find a free demonstration video you can use anytime you need to shift your inner state here.

Support the show

And hey - if this episode hit home, do me a favor, leave a review on Apple Podcast or come say hi on Instagram: @savvypainterpodcast
I’d love to hear this episode resonated you. ❤️

If you’re feeling even a tiny bit of pressure to have this new year figured out already, I just want you to know you’re not alone.

This episode is a gentle pause before you decide what you’re aiming for. It’s about listening to your own voice first. Really listening. Especially to the quieter parts of you that tend to get rushed or talked over.

Once you get aligned with that voice, then it's time to set some goals (or intentions if you're not a goal person). Goals are helpful and I'm all for it, but let's just make sure they're the right goals for you and where you're at.

In this episode I share how I’m approaching this year, why goals sometimes start to feel heavy, and a simple question I asked my Growth Studio community that opened up way more than I expected.

You don’t need all the answers yet. You just need a little room to hear yourself so that you can start.

Episode Highlights

00:00 — That weird January pressure
You know the feeling. Everyone’s in a hurry and you’re not sure what you’re hurrying toward yet.

04:05 — The voice that keeps getting interrupted
Not the loud obnoxious ones. The quieter “eh… I don’t know about this” that usually gets ignored.

08:40 — When goals start feeling heavy
This is where things get tricky (it’s not because you’re doing anything wrong).

13:25 — A quick gut-check before you commit to anything
Something simple I use to tell if I’m stretching myself… or setting myself up to shut down.

18:35 — The permission question I can’t stop thinking about
It has nothing to do with adding more — and it might change how you approach this year.

Support the show

And hey - if this episode hit home, do me a favor, leave a review on Apple Podcast or come say hi on Instagram: @savvypainterpodcast
I’d love to hear this episode resonated you. ❤️