In a world obsessed with productivity and endless achievement,
has discovered something revolutionary: the power of stopping time. As the creative force behind Unraveling, Unmoored, Libby's journey from burnout and generational trauma to what she calls "contemplative creativity" offers a profound roadmap for anyone seeking to heal through slowness and presence.What makes Libby's story particularly compelling isn't just her academic credentials—degrees from Bath Spa University, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and the University of Iowa—but her willingness to completely reimagine what creative success looks like. After years of pushing through exhaustion and operating from a dysregulated nervous system, she made a radical choice: to put healing first and let creativity emerge from that foundation of wholeness.
Her transformation reveals something many of us desperately need to hear: that our deepest creative work often comes not from forcing or striving, but from creating space for what wants to emerge. Through practices like meditative circle drawing, morning pages, and intuitive writing, Libby has learned to become what she beautifully describes as "a state of receiving."
Show Notes
[00:00] Opening: The Art of Meditative Drawing
Libby shares her practice of drawing thousands of tiny circles on large sheets of paper
How repetitive, meditative art creates natural flow states that bypass mental resistance
The importance of loving your creative work at every stage: "I walk by it and say 'you're such a sexy drawing'"
Why forcing creativity rarely works—and what does
[08:00] From Burnout to Breakthrough: A Personal Transformation
Growing up neurodivergent in a small Minnesota town with generational trauma
The moment of recognition: working only 6 hours a week but needing 24 hours to recover
How traditional productivity models fail sensitive, creative people
The shift from "writing first" to "healing first"
[24:00] The Healing Journey: Practices That Changed Everything
Starting with yoga and meditation in early 20s (when it was still "weird")
The pandemic revelation about nervous system taxation
Discovering breathwork, EFT tapping, Reiki, and morning pages
How incremental shifts create massive transformation over time
[30:00] Learning to Trust Intuition
The toxic relationship that became a spiritual wake-up call
Developing clairvoyant abilities while learning to actually listen to inner wisdom
Why taking action on intuitive guidance is often the hardest part
Living from intuition vs. traditional planning and goal-setting
[32:00] Understanding Trauma Release
How healing happens in layers, not linear progression
Observing thought patterns shift word by word through practice
Why "spending days crying on the floor" can actually be progress
The Buddhist concept of impermanence as a healing tool
[37:00] Morning Pages as Prayer and Guidance
Using Julia Cameron's morning pages practice for clarity and connection
How stream-of-consciousness writing clears "ego gunk" and opens channels
Receiving answers to questions through automatic writing
The subtle shift when creativity becomes channeled vs. forced
Key Quotes
"It's like a state of receiving... but how to get there? We literally have to just relax and relax and relax and relax until we can allow that receiving." - Libby Walkup
"Everything that's coming forward, especially when I'm in practice, is like a layer of something being released. It makes those days I spent crying on the floor less hard... they're coming forward and they're being released." - Libby Walkup
"I think people can be creative without being aligned. But there's something that drops down... I'm being guided or receiving that thing like it just sort of takes over." - Libby Walkup
"Understanding that nothing is permanent, even when it's really fucking hard, has been really useful in this journey." - Libby Walkup
Resources Mentioned
Books: Brené Brown's work, Carla McLaren (emotion work), Thich Nhat Hanh, Julia Cameron's morning pages, Liz Gilbert's Big Magic
Practices: Zentangle drawing, morning pages, breathwork, EFT tapping, Reiki, yoga
Educational: Domestica.com for art tutorials, University of Iowa Center for the Book
Concepts: Autism spectrum awareness, complex PTSD healing, nervous system regulation
Where to Find Libby
Website: UnravelingUnmoored.com
Personal site: LibbyWalkup.com
Email: hello@LibbyWalkup.com
Instagram: @LibbyWalkUp
Thank You
A heartfelt thank you to
, , and everyone who joined us live for this conversation, and to for her extraordinary wisdom and vulnerability. Your willingness to share the messy, sacred work of choosing presence over productivity and healing over hustle offers a beacon of hope for anyone learning to trust their own contemplative path.What's Next
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