The Spark File with Susan Blackwell and Laura Camien

This week on The Spark File, we’re asking a question that might just unclench your whole nervous system: How Easy Can It Be? Susan shares a beloved Spark from our brilliant colleague Kate Kayayan (“How would this feel if I let it be easy?”), then takes us on a joyride through filmmaker Cyrus Bates (aka The Mental Level), NBA legend-in-the-making Tyrese Haliburton, big-wave surfing wisdom from 100 Foot Wave, and a simple magic phrase from choreographer Ohad Naharin: “Piece of cake.” We talk about the stories we’ve swallowed whole—nothing worth having comes easy, hard work has to feel unpleasant—and the radical possibility that ease and excellence can coexist. Come play with us. Come loosen your grip. Piece of cake, baby. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Window; Not a Mirror is your new permission slip. In this episode, Laura shares a line she overheard in a NYC café that snapped her nervous system into clarity: “You cannot walk into the asylum and let it convince you that you’ve gone mad. Remember: it’s a window, not a mirror.” Together, Laura and Susan unpack the difference between healthy self-reflection and chronic self-blame—why “everything is a mirror” got oversimplified, how discernment changes everything, and how to tell when something is yours to own… versus yours to walk away from. This episode starts with Cocoa Puffs perfume and ends with a mic-drop truth bomb: sometimes it’s not your “growth edge”… it’s your exit sign. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Life attracts life. So if you want more creativity, more connection, more possibility… you can’t wait it out on the couch. In this episode of The Spark File Podcast, Laura revisits The Alchemist and uncovers why pursuing your creative calling isn’t about chasing a guaranteed outcome—it’s about choosing aliveness. We talk fear, failure, love, upper limits, and the quiet danger of staying “safe.” If your creative spark has been knocking, this is your reminder: movement creates momentum. Curiosity attracts opportunity. Life finds you when you show up for it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this wintery, true-crime-meets-ghost-story episode, Susan shares the chilling tale of the 1892 “hex murder” at the Stone Arch Bridge. A poor farmer accused of witchcraft, a family convinced they’re cursed, a killing “three ways over water,” and a graveyard full of family members. Inspired by the old tradition of telling scary stories at Christmas, this eerie spark is perfect fodder for your next play, film, story, or artwork. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Spark File, Susan shares a spark that hit her straight in the nervous system: From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brooks — a book recommended by the late, beloved Gavin Creel. Together, Laura and Susan explore the “striver’s curse,” what it means to feel your brain changing as you age, and why the shift from fluid intelligence (raw speed + innovation) to crystallized intelligence (wisdom + synthesis) might be the best news you’ve heard all week. If you’ve ever worried you’re “not as sharp,” felt tempted to rage against time, or wondered how to build a creative life that gets richer—not smaller—with age… this one’s for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices