Grief & Inner Wisdom with Branka Cubrilo, writer, journalist, and artist

Creativity, Grief & Inner Wisdom with Branka Cubrilo, writer, artist, and journalist What do you do when the words desert you? In this deeply moving episode of The Motivate Collective Podcast, Melanie Suzanne Wilson sits down with Branka Cubrilo — novelist, journalist, broadcaster, interpreter, painter, and former yoga teacher — to explore what it truly means to live a creative life. When Branka's brother passed away, she returned to Sydney heartbroken and unable to write. Not because of writer's block — but because of what she calls "paralysing sadness." What emerged instead was something unexpected: painting. Over one hundred works in five months. A lifeline she didn't plan for, but that her inner voice led her to. This is a conversation about creativity, grief, storytelling, yoga, social media, visualisation, and the wisdom that lives within all of us — if we are willing to get quiet enough to hear it. In this episode we cover: Living a multidisciplinary creative life — novels, journalism, yoga, painting and more Why storytelling is how we connect with ourselves and the world How Branka's creativity works in pictures — even when she writes The character who visited her in dreams at 4am until 550 pages were written Social media as a curated fragment — not real life What radio broadcasting taught her about voice, clarity, and presence Grief, emotional paralysis, and the difference from writer's block How painting became a lifeline through the darkest period of her life Yoga as a lifelong discipline for creativity, focus, and wellbeing The single lesson that runs through everything: listen within Quotes from this episode: "If you are not in contact with yourself, then with what are you in contact with?" "I don't even consider my work as work. I consider it as great time that I dedicate to myself." "It was not as much writer's block as paralysing sadness." "I think all the answers are within. You know, people ask psychiatrists, psychologists, priests, friends. I think you can work that out. Everyone can work that out." "I listened to my inner voice that led me towards finding the right remedy for myself, which was painting." "That's how we connect with the world. We tell our stories for very different, very various reasons." Timestamps: 00:02 — Welcome & introducing Branka Cubrilo 00:32 — A life across novels, journalism, interpreting, yoga, and painting 02:11 — Grief and her brother's passing — why the words disappeared 04:34 — Storytelling as human connection in the age of AI and social media 06:49 — Looking within — what yoga taught Branka about the inner life 08:30 — Social media as a curated fragment of who we are 11:28 — Radio broadcasting — voice, clarity, and holding an audience 13:50 — Podcasting vs. traditional media 15:00 — How creativity works in pictures — even in writing 18:44 — Showing her most recent painting live 20:00 — Visualisation and the inner eye — something everyone can learn 21:30 — The woman who came in dreams and demanded 550 pages 26:22 — When obsession is not a problem but a calling 28:49 — Growing up in Croatia — Dostoyevsky at twelve, yoga at nineteen 31:00 — Coming to Sydney and opening one of the city's first yoga studios 33:00 — Yoga as discipline and stress relief in a creative life 35:57 — Accepting grief and returning to work 37:00 — What painting unlocked 40:20 — The canvases left untouched through COVID 43:00 — Writer's block vs. emotional paralysis 44:53 — Listening to inner wisdom when everything goes quiet 47:07 — Having conversations with yourself 48:40 — The lesson: listen within Connect with Branka Cubrilo: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/branka_cubrilo_author/ ▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@brankacubrilo4072?si=ThlELKFTPIEo6jXy Connect with The Motivate Collective: 🌐 Website: https://www.motivatecollective.com 📸 Instagram: [your handle] 💼 LinkedIn: [your handle] ▶️ YouTube: [your handle] 🎙️ Subscribe, rate, and review The Motivate Collective Podcast — it means the world and helps more people find these conversations. Join The Motivate Collective Community: If this conversation resonated with you, come and continue it with us. The Motivate Collective is a community of purpose-driven professionals building lives of meaning, wellness, and conscious growth — through conversations, events, and resources designed to help you live and lead with intention. 👉 www.motivatecollective.com