Podcast
Painting Your Path
Hosted by Clarissa Castillo-Ramsey · EN
If you’ve asked yourself “Am I living the life I want to live or have I been living for someone else?” Maybe you’re 40+ and asking: “What do I really want to do when I grow up?” If so, this podcast is for you. It’s time for you to do the thing you’ve been waiting to do but maybe didn’t think it was possible. Here’s what I know: You can be, do, and have whatever you set your mind to. Create life on your terms. This podcast features interviews with inspiring people who share their stories about stepping out and creating a life they love. You can also expect solo episodes where I share what’s on my mind and heart, all to help you continue to paint your path.
31episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Mid-Year Truths: What’s Actually Working
1w ago00:12:12Tap to summarizeWe’re almost halfway through the year.So…how’s it going? For real. Good? Great? Not quite where you want to be yet?In this solo episode, I’m reflecting on the space between what we imagined for ourselves at the beginning of the year, and what life is actually teaching us now.This conversation is about purpose, creativity, resiliency, redirection, and learning how to listen without abandoning yourself.I also share:why I’ve been rethinking what “success” actually meanswhat’s been feeling most aligned latelythe surprising impact of leading a resiliency workshop for the SD communityIf you’ve been feeling discouraged, uncertain, creatively stuck, or quietly reassessing your direction…this episode is for you.Reflection question: What feels alive in your life right now, and what are you trying too hard to force?Thank you for being here and for continuing to walk this path with me.Connect with Clarissa:In-person event Altadena, CA: June 6th ALTA Arts Fair at The Fraternal Order of Eagles #719, 455 E Woodbury Rd, Altadena, CA 91001Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.artSelf-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboardSupport the show
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The Cost of Staying Hidden
2w ago00:16:25Tap to summarizeWhat happens when you keep postponing yourself?In this solo episode, I’m talking about perfectionism, fear, overthinking, waiting for the “right time,” and the quiet ways people abandon what matters most to them.This conversation is for anyone who knows there’s something inside of them asking to be expressed… creatively or otherwise.Because maybe the issue isn’t that you don’t know what you want.Maybe you’ve just gotten really good at talking yourself out of it.Doors to The Art of Becoming are currently open.Learn more herehttps://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/artofbecomingConnect with Clarissa:In-person event Altadena, CA: June 6th ALTA Arts Fair at The Fraternal Order of Eagles #719, 455 E Woodbury Rd, Altadena, CA 91001Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.artSelf-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboardSupport the show
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When did We Stop Knowing What We Want?
4w ago00:10:40Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Painting Your Path, I reflect on a question many of us quietly carry — When did I stop knowing what I want? While I was in Texas, I found myself sitting with this more deeply, thinking about how women are often taught to be polite, accommodating, and small, and how that conditioning can pull us away from our own desires, creative voice, and sense of self. I share my own journey of choosing art without outside permission, and how that same inner knowing has guided me through community work after the Eaton fire, as well as my personal healing journey with spasmodic dysphonia.This episode is an invitation to pause and listen to what keeps nudging you forward, even if it doesn’t make sense yet. Choosing yourself does not have to be loud or dramatic — sometimes it starts with one small step, one honest decision, or one imperfect beginning. If you’ve been feeling disconnected, unsure, or stuck, I hope this conversation reminds you that your voice still matters and your next step is already waiting for you.🎨 Free Live Class: Activate Your Creative Voice If you’re ready to move from thinking about it… to actually beginning:📅 May 11 🎥 Live on Zoom (replay available) 🔗 Register herehttps://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/activate-your-voice-free-masterclass-clarissaConnect with Clarissa:Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboardSAVE THE DATE: June 6th ALTA Arts Fair at The Fraternal Order of Eagles #719, 455 E Woodbury Rd, Altadena, CA 91001Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.artSupport the show
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I’ll Start Soon Is a Lie
May 100:10:01Tap to summarizeIf you’ve been telling yourself “I’ll start soon”… this episode is for you.I found myself saying those exact words again recently. Not in a big, dramatic way—but in the quiet, everyday kind of way that keeps things just far enough out of reach.In this solo episode, I share an unexpected moment from a simple scribble art exercise that made me realize what was really underneath my resistance to starting.This isn’t about needing more clarity or more time.It’s about what happens when we only allow ourselves to begin if we can do it well.Inside this episode:The subtle way “I’ll start soon” keeps ideas stuck for yearsWhat a scribble art practice revealed about control, perfectionism, and startingWhy most people don’t have a clarity problem—they have a starting problemA simple shift that helps you begin without overthinking every stepIf there’s something you’ve been sitting on—a creative project, a new chapter, a next step—you’ll hear yourself in this one.🎨 Free Live Class: Activate Your Creative Voice If you’re ready to move from thinking about it… to actually beginning:📅 May 11 🎥 Live on Zoom (replay available) 🔗 Register here or click this: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/activate-your-voice-free-masterclass-clarissaConnect with Clarissa:Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboardSAVE THE DATE: June 6th ALTA Arts Fair at The Fraternal Order of Eagles #719, 455 E Woodbury Rd, Altadena, CA 91001Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.artSupport the show
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When Is the Meaning of Life: Interview with Alexander AD
Apr 2400:37:51Tap to summarizeIn this episode, I sit down with Alexander AD: artist, designer, photographer, chef, and filmmaker whose work in Altadena has quietly shaped how the community remembers and reimagines life after the fires.We explore:Alexander’s journey from corporate VP to full-time creativeHow growing up with strict expectations led him back to artThe role of resilience, curiosity, and intention in his workHis deep connection to Altadena and the Eaton fire recoveryThe story behind his proposed mural installation “You Are Here” Why, for Alexander, the answer to “When is the meaning of life?” is simpler (and more radical) than you might thinkListen if: you’re an artist (or aspiring one) who’s craving permission to claim your creativity, or you want to hear how one person is helping a fire-impacted community rise from the ashes through art.Connect with Alexander: Website: www.alexander.coConnect with Clarissa:Self-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboardMay 11th FREE Activate Your Creative Voice Masterclass: Email ACTIVATE to clarissa@clarissastudio.com and I’ll get you registered!SAVE THE DATE: June 6th ALTA Arts Fair at The Fraternal Order of Eagles #719, 455 E Woodbury Rd, Altadena, CA 91001Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.artSupport the show
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What It Really Takes to Reclaim Your Voice (Even When It’s Hard)
Apr 1700:18:17Tap to summarizeIn this episode, I’m doing something a little uncomfortable… I’m speaking anyway. Lately, my spasmodic dysphonia has been giving me trouble and I also can’t let it get me down…If you’ve ever felt like you needed to “fix” something about yourself before you could fully show up: your voice, your confidence, your clarity, this conversation is for you.Today also happens to be World Voice Day, and I’m sharing more about my personal journey with spasmodic dysphonia… including a recent step I’ve taken that honestly feels both exciting and scary.But this episode isn’t just about my voice.It’s about:What happens when your identity shifts in ways you didn’t chooseThe connection between healing, creativity, and self-expressionAnd what it actually looks like to reclaim your voice on your termsI also share a story from a recent client inside The Art of Becoming, and what it took for her to finally prioritize herself.Because whether it’s your literal voice… or your inner voice, life doesn’t come back by waiting.Tune in hereConnect with Clarissa:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.artSelf-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboardMay 11th FREE Activate Your Creative Voice Masterclass: Email ACTIVATE to clarissa@clarissastudio.com and I’ll get you registered!SAVE THE DATE: June 6th ALTA Arts Fair at The Fraternal Order of Eagles #719, 455 E Woodbury Rd, Altadena, CA 91001Support the show
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Finding Home, Healing, and Resistance in Altadena with Courage Escamilla
Apr 900:44:49Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Painting Your Path™ I sit down with Courage: actor, activist, and community organizer to explore what it means to find home, rebuild after devastation, and keep showing up for your community.Courage shares how an unexpected Facebook ad, a cross-town bus ride, and a deep sense of grief led them from downtown LA to Altadena, where they discovered the kind of small-town community they didn’t know they were missing. They open up about living through the Eaton Fire, why their home’s survival felt like a miracle, and how that moment propelled them into intense community organizing in the fire’s aftermath.You’ll hear about the heart behind projects like the Altadena Community Recovery Calendar, support networks for fire survivors, and why Courage chose “resistance” as their word of the year.Tune in here (via YouTube)Connect with Courage: Courage’s Altadena Central Info Hub: couragetheactor.com/altadenaAltadena Community Recovery Calendar: altadenacalendar.orgConnect with Clarissa:April 11th Women’s Retreat in Pasadena, CA. Email the word “BLOOM” to clarissa@clarissastudio.com for more details or to sign up.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.artSelf-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboardSAVE THE DATE: June 6th ALTA Arts Fair at The Fraternal Order of Eagles #719, 455 E Woodbury Rd, Altadena, CA 91001Support the show
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Spring Is Here - Are You Actually Moving Forward?
Apr 200:11:46Tap to summarizeThis episode is a real-time check-in.Not the polished version. The honest one.As we close out the first quarter of the year and step into spring, it’s a natural moment to pause and ask:Am I actually doing the things that matter to me?In this solo episode, I’m reflecting on:what I followed through on—and what I didn’thow easy it is to disconnect from the things that bring us back to ourselvesthe tension between waiting until we feel “ready” and actually startingI also share a powerful insight from The Artist’s Way that shifted how I’m thinking about support, creativity, and trying to figure everything out on my own.If you’ve been sitting on an idea, questioning your next step, or feeling slightly out of sync with yourself… this episode will meet you there.Listen now and take a moment to reset before the next quarter begins.Connect with Clarissa:April 11th Women’s Retreat in Pasadena, CA. Email the word “BLOOM” to clarissa@clarissastudio.com for more details or to sign up.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.artSelf-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboardSupport the show
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Spring Creative Reset Retreat
Mar 2600:10:20Tap to summarizeSpring is here. It’s the perfect time for renewal and planting seeds for the year. But nothing changes or grows unless you do something about it.In this episode, I’m talking about what renewal actually requires (hint: it’s not waiting for the perfect time), and why so many of us stay stuck even when we feel the pull to move.If you’ve been circling an idea, second-guessing yourself, or telling yourself “later”… this one’s for you.I also share a simple question to help you take your next step, and an invitation to join me for the Spring Creative Reset on April 11 in Pasadena.Connect with Clarissa:April 11th Women’s Retreat in Pasadena, CA. Email the word “BLOOM” to clarissa@clarissastudio.com for more details or to sign upInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.artSelf-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboardSupport the show
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Healing After Disaster with Art Therapist & Project HOPE Leader Nadia Paredes
Mar 2100:47:15Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Painting Your Path™, I sit down with Nadia Paredes: art therapist, former president of the American Art Therapy Association, immigrant, mom, and community mental health leader with Project HOPE. After losing her son’s school in the Eaton fire, Nadia’s personal and professional worlds collided, leading her back into disaster mental health and community care. She shares how art, creativity, and community can help us navigate grief, shock, and long-term recovery.Tune in to hear how Nadia thinks about healing after a crisis, what it really looks like a year later, and why she believes we are always “becoming.”In This Episode, We Touch On:Nadia’s story of losing her son’s school to the fire and how it reshaped her sense of community Her journey back to disaster mental health work after years in other clinical roles What art therapy actually is—and how it differs from “therapeutic art” or creative self-care The mission of Project HOPE and how they’re supporting communities in crisis (including the Eaton fire response) The idea of vicarious trauma for people working closely with survivors and communities Simple micro-breaks and self-regulation tools to support your nervous system during stressful times 📺Watch on YouTube: Tune in hereConnect with Nadia:Project HOPE website: https://www.projecthope.orgProject HOPE’s Mental Health Toolkit: https://www.projecthope.org/reports-resources/e-poster/quick-reset-mental-health-pocket-toolkit/CA for the Arts Therapy Session with Nadia: https://youtu.be/OyMb0Xj4_78?si=II-p1ehnRlJfKezQPasadena Village Hope to Healing program: https://www.pasadenavillage.org/events/4367-hope--healing-supper-clubConnect with Clarissa:March 26th Free Virtual ArtfulRx (Paint with me session)April 11th Women’s Retreat in Pasadena, CA. Email the word “BLOOM” to clarissa@clarissastudio.com for more details. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarissacastilloramsey.artSelf-Paced Vision Board Workshop: https://fromemployee2entrepreneur.live/visionboardSupport the show
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