S8 E97: There Is No Expiration Date To Your Creativity

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[00:00:00] YD: Welcome, welcome back everyone. Hello. Hello. How are you doing? my name is Yulia Denisyuk. I am a travel photographer, writer, storyteller, community builder, podcaster, and entrepreneur. I work with publications like National Geographic Traveler, the New York. Times B, BBC Travel afar and more traveling to some really interesting places around the world and producing stories that I'm really excited about.

[00:00:29] And Travel Media Lab is our platform for helping you break into the travel media space where I share insights from the industry, advice from amazing. players, creators, story tellers in the industry, and all of that with the goal of hopefully inspiring you to, to join the space and to join this conversation as well.

[00:00:54] And if you are watching this, as a video on YouTube, then you will see that behind me there is, A virtual background because actually the, the actual background that I have right now is a bit of a mess. I just landed from Puerto Rico, where I was attending a Women in Travel conference. shout out to everyone who is listening to this and who met me at wits.

[00:01:18] It was super, incredible. Actually meeting you and talking to every one of you. And thank you so much for all the incredible feedback that you guys have given me. You know, so many people have walked up to me and, and told me, Yulia, I love your podcast. I, I love what you're doing. Keep going. So thank you for that so much.

[00:01:38] It was super, Important for me to hear that feedback, you know, because, as anyone a as, as any other human being, I'm a creator. And I also wonder sometimes if what I'm doing is resonating with people, if it's adding value, if it's helpful. So getting your feedback is always super important for me, and I was just so happy to get that feedback this weekend in Puerto Rico.

[00:02:03] So that's why if you're watching this as a video, you will see that there's a background, a virtual background behind me because my actual background is a mess I need to unpack. and it's gonna take a while. By the way, a little side note, are you team unpacked the first day or are you team.

[00:02:20] my suitcase is gonna stay unpacked for weeks. I tend to be more of a first kind of a person. I, I really like to unpack my things right away. but I have another trip coming up very soon here, so I'm almost like, well, why bother unpacking it if I'm gonna have to pack it very soon again? So I'm not sure, but right now it's kind of laying out behind me.

[00:02:43] So that's why you see this virtual background instead. So what I wanna talk to you today about is I wanna talk to you about the relationship between creativity and taking chances on yourself. I had this idea recently that just keeps coming back to me again and again and again, and that is that there is no expiration date to your dreams and to your creativity.

[00:03:08] And in fact, I, I honored this sentence, this weekend in Puerto Rico to. To some folks because, you know, I really wanted to share this, sentiment with others. There is no expiration date to your dreams and to your creativity. A while ago, I was listening to a podcast called TED Radio Hour. you know, I'm a really avid, podcast listener and.

[00:03:32] Usually when I'm walking my dog or if I'm exercising or doing anything kind of outside, I try to catch up on podcasts. And so I was listening to this one episode, from Ted Radio Hour on the topic of late bloomers when something I heard on that really stopped me in my track. On this podcast, a scientist called Albert Laslo Barabasi was discussing why so many of us feel like getting to our goals and to our dreams get so much harder as we get older.

[00:04:06] And I wonder if you recognize that too, right? We just kind of, I don't know. When you're, when you're young, the world seems big and the world seems fresh and there's so much possibility. Ahead of you. And as we get older and as we get more entrenched in our ways, it seems like, some of those possibilities are shrinking, even though it might just be in our head.

[00:04:29] But that's,how it feels. So this scientist, Albert Laslo, Barabasi, he said, don't believe that creativity vanishes with age. It doesn't, the willingness to try, that's what's vanishes. And if you can overcome that, you have a chance for success no matter your age. And when I heard that as someone who for years hasn't stopped trying, and having that willingness to try, and hasn't stopped trying to build a career of her own dreams and who eventually got the success that she was looking for, I really resonated.

[00:05:06] With that saying that what vanishes as we get older is the willingness to try, the willingness to try new things. The willingness to put yourself out there. the willingness to get outside of our comfort zone and to to, to stop listening to our fears and to pursue the thing that we wanted to do.

[00:05:23] it's true, right? It really does get harder and harder to try new things as we age, we get set in our ways, we start believing some of the things. Fears that,that, that are coming up for us and we see fewer people around us trying to do the things that we wanna do, and so we just kind of get smaller and smaller as we age.

[00:05:46] Well, I'm here today to tell you that it doesn't have to be that way because as long as you have that willingness to try new things, you can make anything you set your mind, to happen. With the right guidance and support, and I'm a true, true, true believer in that I've seen it so many times by now that I know that this is how.

[00:06:07] It works. This is how it works. If you want to accomplish something, you have to have that willingness to try new things, and you have to have some guidance and some support, and you have to kind of know where you're going and what you're doing, of course. But with those elements, you will be able to achieve whatever it is that you're trying to achieve in your life.

[00:06:27] Right. And of course this is a travel media lab, channel and podcast. and we're always gonna be talking about travel media and the travel industry here. But I, I do believe that this message is larger than that, right? It's not just about travel media, it's about anything that you want to pursue in life that is worth.

[00:06:47] Pursuing anything that lights up your fire, anything that you are dreaming about. Right? Maybe it's a life of independence. Maybe it's a life of trouble, of storytelling, of influencing, of working with brands, right? Um,On this conference that I was just at at Witz, I met so many brilliant women influencers who were just really carving out their own path in this world, right?

[00:07:12] and, and the beauty of the age that we live in is that that's possible. It's so much more possible than ever before to carve your own path, right? But you have to have that willingness to try. And willingness to try. Another way to put it is that it's all about taking action, right? And if you've known me for a while, if you've listened to me speak before, whether it's in person or on the podcast, or on the use YouTube channel or on Instagram or wherever else you came across me and, and my messages, you know, that I truly strongly believe that taking action is the only thing.

[00:07:52] That separates our reality, our current reality from our desired reality, from what we want for ourselves. And taking action takes many forms, but there is one very important thing that it is that's gonna get you the results that you want. Taking action by definition has to be active and not passive, right?

[00:08:17] It has to be externally focused and not internally focused. So you might think that listening to a podcast or going on YouTube and searching for answers is, you know, you taking action. But actually it's not. It's a passive way. Of doing something in the world. It's a passive way because you are consuming content.

[00:08:40] Yes, you are listening to something, right? You are perhaps taking the messages in, but you're actually not doing anything actively about it in the world. And that's a very, very crucial distinction. And it's, I think, so important to recognize that because I, I feel like oftentimes we can be lulled into the sense of.

[00:09:01] False security perhaps where, well, I'm going on YouTube, right? I'm, I'm listening to this podcast. I follow this person and I'm listening to what they have to say. And it feels like you are participating in that, right? It feels like you're participating, but you're actually not for. You to get results and start seeing results and start, building, your career or building a new path for yourself.

[00:09:30] You actually have to actively do something about it in the world. It's not enough to just passively listen to content. The next step is that you have to actually do something about it. Right? And what does that look like? So active. Ways of taking action is, for example, going to conferences, right? Meeting people, going to networking events, writing a pitch about this idea that's been kind of stuck around in your head and sending it out, actually hitting send on that email, approaching someone you want to work with.

[00:10:04] taking a chance on a new career path, right? Taking an internship, maybe applying for a new job, surrounding yourself with people on the similar path. And you will see that there is kind of a common thread throughout all of these active ways to take action. And that common thread is other people.

[00:10:25] Right. It's other people. When you're listening to content, when you're listening to podcasts, when you're passively looking at something on YouTube, it doesn't involve other people. You're sitting there in the privacy of your room, of your space. And you know, it can feel very secure. It can feel very comfortable to do that.

[00:10:45] But in order for us to progress in life and in order for us to do anything, we need other people. Actually, we cannot be a one man or a one woman island, right? We need other people. And so that is why it is so important that for you to take action, it needs to be active and it needs to involve other people.

[00:11:06] A side note here that I wanna talk about is, Conferences and events and surrounding yourself with people. So I was just at, this conference that I just mentioned in Puerto Rico called Women in Travel Summit wis, for short. And, at the conference I was leading my own assignment, full day media workshop for.

[00:11:31] 20 plus people, and it was just such an incredible time. By, by the way, shout out again to all of the workshop attendees. If you're listening to this now, I am still under the impression of how the workshop went. I'm still remembering all of our interactions and all of the things that you said to me, you guys, it was really awesome.

[00:11:51] So thank you again so much for, for joining us and. That workshop and actually the whole conference, cuz you know, the conference went on for a few more days after that. It was another testament for me to how powerful it can be when we gather in the room with like-minded people. Because the energy, the enthusiasm, the excitement was so palpable in the air.

[00:12:17] And when you feel that way, when you surround yourself with people like that, it can really help you gain momentum and really help you propel your. Career forward, in this life. And the reason why is happening is because, you know, when we surround ourselves with people who are on a similar path, when we are having these very interesting conversations, when, when we learn about each other, when we learn about, each other's careers and what worked and what didn't work for other people, it's almost like all these little light bulbs are going off in our heads, right?

[00:12:52] That say, oh, I'm going through the same thing, or, oh, I didn't know this is possible, or, oh, you know, I should try that. I should pitch that brand, or I should position my, my efforts in this way. And it's just, there's so much energy in that, right? And there is so much excitement in that. And, it feels like whatever it is that you're trying to build is so much more within reach.

[00:13:18] When you are surrounded by people who are trying to do the same thing, right? It's so powerful. I just, I don't want us to underestimate the power of that. And in some way, I think it's Iran ironic that I'm talking about this, on a podcast or, on my YouTube channel. that's, of course disseminated to people virtually, right?

[00:13:38] So you can access this at any time, anywhere on the go. And of course, you know, there's also power in that. There's also power in messages being spread. via internet like that. But I, want us to not forget about the power of surrounding yourself with people who are trying to do the same thing and from learning from each other and from getting that energy and that excitement from each other.

[00:14:01] You know, again, I'm still buzzing from the conference. I've got so many new ideas, from the conference and so many things that I now need to take action on and to follow up on after the conference. And it's just a really great way, to make some momentum in. And to create some of that energy and excitement in your life.

[00:14:23] So today with this conversation, I want to remind you that this is possible for you, right? So there is no expiration date for your creativity and, You know, the only thing that you really need is that willingness to try. And that willingness to try has to be active, not passive. And, and listening to a podcast and,watching to some videos on YouTube, that doesn't really count as that active engagement in the world because, for that engagement to be active, it needs other people.

[00:14:55] Okay? So if you want to be working in the travel media industry, if you wanna, see yourself as a storyteller, as a creator, as a writer, as a photographer, as a journalist, any of those things, right. It's a, it's a quiet, wide bucket because this is what I see myself with.

[00:15:14] as this is how I identify myself, if that is your wish, if that is your dream, if that is your aspiration, if you want to work with, Botswana, if you wanna travel to Jordan, to Turkey, to Sierra Leone, or to the A six circle, if you wanna meet incredible people, if you wanna uncover important stories and then share those.

[00:15:36] Stories on massive platforms because you believe in the power of storytelling. Then I just want to tell you that this is it right now, right here, you listening? This is it. This is your chance. If you've been listening to my podcast or if you've seen me speak, whether it's on YouTube or in person, or maybe on Instagram, and if you wanted to dig deeper.

[00:16:00] Into this career path. If you wanted to learn more about working with travel organizations, travel publications, if you wanted to get my guidance into this industry, then this is your chance this year. Okay? This is the only time that we are enrolling into my group. six month long intro to travel journalism program this year, and this is your chance.

[00:16:25] Okay? We are only enrolling until the end of this month, until the end of May. And depending on where you're listening to this, it might be a few days or maybe a week, that you have left, because on Wednesday, May 31st will be the last day when we are enrolling into this program, and I want to tell you that.

[00:16:47] If you are ready to have that willingness to try, if you are ready to start having that active engagement versus that passive engagement, right, this is your chance. I recently had a very in-depth session where I covered exactly how our program delivers results for our students. So I'm not gonna go into depth today.

[00:17:10] Today's conversation is not about that, but I'll link to it though, so you, you can find it. But consider this if you are not, doing anything new today, tomorrow, next week. Right? If you are continuing to passively engage, with some of this information, with some of these messages, if you continue listening to people like me on the internet or reading stories or daydreaming or wondering about.

[00:17:39] How else your life could unfold without taking action and without having that willingness to try that scientist, Albert Laslo Barabasi spoke about. I want you to ask yourself this question, what will change six months from now? What will change in your life six months from now? I am willing to bet you anything that not much will change, right?

[00:18:07] And this is a very simple law, let's say, of physics, right? If you're not taking action, nothing's changing. If you're taking action, something is changing, right? And if you're looking for that change, if you've been looking for that change for a while, then you know what to do. You have to take action, right?

[00:18:23] You have to be willing to try new things. And our program, this group program that I'm talking about is one such thing. It works. I know it works because we've had so many students already that went through this program and who've had really awesome results. We just spoke with Jolene Adams, whom.

[00:18:42] Published a really important story, on adventure.com about the link between travel and disappearing languages. And I was so proud of Jolene. It was so amazing. And here's the thing, in six months that could be you. That could be you Again, we're only enrolling once in 2023, so if you're listening to this, if you're still listening, we, if you haven't dropped, if you're listening to the end, then I know you are super.

[00:19:11] Into this, and you are, you want this, right? You want this in your life. So here's your chance, right? You are, you're maybe sitting on the fence. You're still not sure. This is your chance. This is your sign. You have to join us today, and you have to start taking that action. You have to start taking that active engagement with the world.

[00:19:31] That includes other people. That includes you. Sharing yourself and your work and your creativity with other people in order for you to start getting some results. Okay? I'll see you on the inside. We're enrolling until Wednesday, May 31st. So this is your only chance this year to join us in the six month long group program, and you can get access to our enrollment information by going to trouble medialab.com/class and following the steps from there.

[00:20:04] Upwards and onwards from here, my friends. And remember, there is no expiration date to your creativity and to pursuit of your dreams. I hope you have a really wonderful day. 

[00:20:14] Thanks again for tuning in today, and I hope that you found this podcast episode useful to you. And I want to remind you that we are currently enrolling into our six month long group travel journalism program, and this will be the only opportunity to join us this year because we're not going to open enrollment again until sometime in 2024.

[00:20:39] To get all the details about this, go to travel medialab.com/class. And thank you so much. Over the course of June, I will be sharing with you bonus episodes from inside our membership, the Circle, and I hope you have a really wonderful start to your summer. Thanks again for listening, and I'll see you very, very soon.