The Imperfect Impulse w/Bree O'Connor

When the Impulse Don’t Stop, Mini-Episodes Gotta Drop!While cruising through my IG feed between rest areas on I-90 (don’t worry, it’s not my turn to drive) I am having thoughts about feminine desire and its evolutionary enmeshment with the male gaze, procreation, commodification, and resources (both physical and emotional). Is there a point when a lusty stare will fall out of fashion? Or would that be a denial of an inescapable, primal truth? Will we ever be able to tell truly nuanced vampire stories in which they wear sweatpants and listen to Adele while crying over their mortal lover’s gravesite? Will we ever be able to stage a Tennessee William’s play without lingerie? I dunno. That’s kind of up to us, isn’t it? Keep checking in. Mini-episodes will drop sporadically throughout the summer break and I’ll keep you up to date on all the Playful Substance shenanigans including our participation in Reading Resistance at The Old Stone House in Brooklyn on May 30th, the release date for our self-directed online courses, some exciting video interview drops including our first with playwright Niki Hatzidis who has just adapted her stage play, Setting the Sky on Fire , for audio release with Playful Substance!Keep creating. There’s room!Thanks for listening to The Imperfect Impulse. This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

I went down a rabbit hole with a triggering Reddit post this week. It started me thinking about all of the backbends we have done to make people feel more comfortable in the theatre (in particular), how those efforts may have backfired and whether we might be negating the power and purpose of the form.Being vulnerable and/or accountable are big challenges for us as a society right now. Living a perfectly curated life behind the shield of a screen helps us avoid discomfort… and growth. It is the 20th episode of our 2nd season (That is 40 total episodes!)This means I will be taking a little break before jumping into Season 3. You can expect some mini-episodes along the way as I give some thought to what I may want to cover moving forward. Have thoughts or questions? You can always reach out to me here or by email at [email protected] for listening to The Imperfect Impulse. This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

The body doesn’t lie. This is why we need to acknowledge and incorporate the body into every single choice we make. To complicate matters, a cast is an entire network of bodies that are allergic to untruths and we must work together to find the winding (and often strange) path to truth.If you are interested in our Writers’ Groups or upcoming Memoir Programs, visit our website playfulsubstance.com.This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

We know it when we see it from another artist, don’t we? The work may be powerful but it makes us avert our eyes and leaves us with a nagging feeling that the artist rushed the work and perhaps exploited their own experience. Or the work possibly feels undercooked, defensive and petulant, maybe even whiny. How do we avoid these pitfalls in our own work?Today’s episode makes the argument for continual self exploration and self-knowledge to strengthen your artistic output. To find out more about our upcoming workshops, check out our Artist Services page on playfulsubstance.com.Unreliable Narrator is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

There is nothing like a blizzard for giving you some space to think. This week, I have been thinking about how and why artists succumb to negative thoughts and behaviors. This lead me to think about healthy habits in my own practice- those that I have implemented and those that I am consciously trying to develop. So far, I have come up with a list of 7:* Cultivate Self Awareness* Lean on the Wisdom of Your Discipline* Embrace the Stress Cycle* Feed Yourself* Take Your Work Beyond Catharsis to Craft* Don’t Pick It Up, Don’t Lay It Down* Give Yourself Credit for Experience and Humble Yourself for Future GrowthI am positive this in not a definitive list, but it is a conversation starter! Do you have habits you can add to this list? If you are interested, here are some useful links from this week’s episode:Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress CycleIconoclast: Dave Chappelle and Maya AngelouIf you find this podcast useful or intriguing, please consider sharing! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Today we are talking a bit more about story craft, specifically looking at what might be hidden inside repetitive images, language or anecdotes in your narrative.It happens to all of us- we find ourselves drawn to some kind of repetition and we cringe when we enter rewrites. How many times am I going to use this phrase or riff on this same image/idea? How many times, indeed!Join me in the search for meaning in a peanut butter sandwich!As promised, if you are interested in getting tickets for Jerry Palooza on March 6th, you can find tickets and information at our.show/jerry-palooza. It’s going to be a seriously good time!And don’t forget to check out some new and exciting things over on playfulsubstance.com. You’ll find all kinds of information there and we are building more resources each week. Thanks for listening to The Imperfect Impulse! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Is this week all about yelling “GIT OFFA MY LAWN!” accompanied by Jazz Hands?Maybe. This interview snippet with Carrie Coons has been making the rounds on the socials among my theatre friends and I think that the whole concept of celebrity needs to be discussed openly and WITH our audiences. It may sound like sour grapes- and maybe it is- but celebrity fuels so much of the business and the business has shrunk so much that we will reach a breaking point unless we talk to our audiences about why this is happening. If you are wondering why there is nothing new under the sun and why entertainment is stagnating you need only look as far as your own purchasing habits to see what’s what. If you want something new and exciting, you will have to go out on a limb and find it. You will have to risk not liking something! I promise, a bad movie, play or concert can fuel more spirited dinner conversation than a good one and isn’t that conversation part of the reason we subject ourselves to new experiences anyway? I am sure this topic won’t go away, but neither does your power in the marketplace. Try something new. Speaking of which, our Memoir Writers’ Group starts March 26th. You can find out more HERE. Tickets for Jerry Palooza go on sale Monday, February 16th! Check out playfulsubstance.com for updates and info!Thanks for listening to The Imperfect Impulse. This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

What? Fair. I don’t think I’ve been getting enough sleep so this ay take a few passes to make sense. I’ve been thinking a lot about the central question behind your piece and how having a clear question gives you an honest to goodness quest for your story. Oh, man. That’s good. I wish I would have thought of that line when I was recording this episode. Quick! Somebody write that down! Oh- I just did. Right. Not a lot of sleep lately. ANYHOO…A good central question can help you put your story, your character arcs, your plot points, and necessary actions all into alignment. It can help you peel away that which is cool, but superfluous, and send your characters into definitive action inside the given circumstances. Without the question, you have nothing to discover. You already know it all. Where’s the fun in that?Speaking of fun, if you are interested in our upcoming online memoir programs, our Writers’ Groups, or our upcoming events in NYC- make sure you check out our fancy new website at playfulsubstance.com. We are putting in new updates and features every week so keep coming back for more!I think it is time I took a proper nap. I’ll be back soon. Thanks for reading Unreliable Narrator! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

And Caesar fiddled while Rome burned…But Billy Joel still swears we didn’t start the fire. Maybe the only thing anyone has gotten right is that it was always burning since the world’s been turning. We are not the first or the last to experience social/political or even environmental upheaval. The question is, what do we need to survive and thrive once the smoke clears?Today we are going to talk about the pitfalls of leaving off your artistic practice just because we seem to be taking that proverbial hand basket to hell sight seeing tour. I’m being flip. But let us not lose sight of how the act of creation is an act of hope- hope that we will understand, hope we will find answers, hope we can find common ground, hope that this will all make sense in the fullness of time. (But sooner would be better than later!)Art helps us hold on to ourselves and to see our predicaments from multiple perspectives. It puts us in a problem saving state of mind which feels a whole lot better than in a hopeless and panic ravaged state of mind. So how do you create when the world feels like it is collapsing? If you are looking for artistic community, maybe Playful Substance can offer you space to feel like a person again. We have some workshops, groups and events coming up everything from Memoir programs, our ongoing Writers’ Groups for playwrights and screenwriters, and soon we’ll be releasing details about our next special reading event in early March! Check out our new and growing website at playfulsubstance.com find out if any of our programming is right for you. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

On its face, dialogue seems to be the thing you need to write your script. However, dialogue is actually the last step in constructing your story. Dialogue is the reflection of the inner work you’ve done on the characters and the circumstances of your story. The best dialogue is where character, intention, context and action all meet.Our virtual Open House for Playful Substance’s Writers’ Groups is on January 20th, 2026. If you’d like to grab a spot and sit in, fill out this form and we’ll be sending out links next week. If you are tuning in after January 20th, no worries! Our Writers’ Groups operate year round. You can peep some details at playfulsubstance.com or email me, Bree O’Connor, at [email protected] for listening to The Imperfect Impulse! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

One cannot have radical honesty without self awareness and an audience will demand both. If you are interested in learning more about Playful Substance’s Artists Services, check out our website. If you want to attend our virtual Writers’ Group (for playwrights and screenwriters) Open House on January 29th from 6:00pm- 9:30 pm, make sure you fill out THIS FORM to get the link delivered to your inbox! If you want to talk to a real life person, you can email me at [email protected] or you can book a 15 minute Zoom consultation with me! If you want to support our ever expanding work, you can become a subscriber below!Unreliable Narrator/ The Imperfect Impulse is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

My mother didn’t really let me complain when I overate. She would just sigh and say, “Looks like your eyes were bigger than your stomach.”A couple of lazy weeks at the end of the year often seem like they would be perfect for non-stop creativity. If they are… you are blessed! Enjoy them! If you are finding yourself coasting on fumes and drowning in emotional exhaustion, this episode is for you. You may want to walk out of this season with some major movement on a creative project because you have time off. If that is not as easy as you thought it would be, this episode is a reminder that rest and repair are the foundations of creative energy. This time can be unexpectedly challenging. Remember that the long game is about caring for the vessel- You. You are the vessel and creative output cannot happen if you are in need of repair. Check in with yourself. Tune your system to be aware of habits, triggers, and patterns that arise during this time. Awareness converts itself to agency. You may not walk into 2026 with all those pages you were expecting to write, but you may end up with something better- discoveries that you can build upon both personally and creatively in the coming year. Wishing you all the best this holiday season.Until 2026. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Larry (Lawrence) Crabtree, my favorite dance teacher of all time, used to say, “Take your butt with you! Remember, don’t leave your butt behind!”25 years later, I cannot walk up the stairs or carry a package without hearing his voice in my head. Anyhoo… today’s Imperfect Impulse is all about the body’s role in creativity. It’s complicated- so complicated that I cut out about 20 minutes of intellectual side-quests in order to arrive at my thesis; no matter your medium of expression, your relationship with your body impacts your work. Cultivating an awareness of your body, your habits, your strengths and weaknesses can provide you with deeper insight about yourself and others. I’ll be back for one more show this month and then we will return in 2026. Remember to share with your fellow artists if you find this podcast helpful!Thanks for listening to The Imperfect Impulse! This podcast is free, so please share. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Today we are talking about the value of struggle in your work. (And in life)Listen, nobody loves struggling. But if you can cultivate the mindset that there is something of value here, in all the muck, the challenge, and strain, then you can approach struggle with curiosity and reap the rewards.When we bypass struggle in the interest of expediency, what do we lose? Ideally, when we choose art, when we choose expression, we also choose the deep questioning and struggle that comes with it. There is something we gain through the process… do we get the same gains when we shortcut the process? IKEA furniture is a triumph of design- no doubt. But none of us will be handing our IKEA furniture to our great great grandchildren as a family heirloom. It won’t last that long. So be wary of shortcuts to your creative process if you want your work to last- both as a work for the ages and as a work for the betterment of your internal world. Give it some thought. Thanks for listening to The Imperfect Impulse. This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Oh the end of the calendar year is full of scheduling SNAFUS! Due to a deluge of grant revisions, fundraising odds and ends and misc. projects and favors, today’s episode had to be recorded on my way to get groceries. I apologize in advance for the less than stellar recording quality. But the information is solid. I stand behind it. Oh, and the play I could not remember is The Stronger by August Strindberg. You may now tune in!Thanks for listening to The Imperfect Impulse w/Bree O’Connor! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Thanks for your patience! I skipped last week to do some much needed self care due to some life circumstances…How relevant!Today we are talking about circumstances and the power that lies in making conscious choices about circumstances. Emphasis is on the word conscious.The Imperfect Impulse is a free podcast. If you find it helpful, please consider sharing with others!Thanks for listening! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

I talk about feelings a lot. Feelings are a huge part of my work as an artist. I have them. I examine them. I share them. I even manipulate them… I’m a writer. It’s what I do. I’m also an actor- that’s my passion and my training. My acting process anchors all of the work that I do in any other medium. But I don’t “manufacture” emotion. I don’t flip a switch and perform feeling. That would be dishonest and… ugh. (Shudder. Spit. Turn around twice and stomp three times.) When I see actors rely on tricks instead of courageous exploration, it burns me up. It’s a slap in the face. I’m a little fired up in today’s episode due to the algorithm targeting me with ads from acting teachers that don’t just give me red flags but set my emotional house on fire. I’ve talked about feelings before, and have probably said much the same information but I’m ablaze with moral indignation. That is probably why this episode is a little longer than usual, but I hope it provides something that hits a little differently that the last time I discussed the topic. I promise you. This is important and I WILL discuss it again.Don’t worry. I got it all out. I’ve processed and now my poor dog will get her walk!Thanks for reading Unreliable Narrator! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

There are a lot of places where you can find detailed instructions for story structures. You can find beat by beat roadmaps and deep dives on the impact of choosing a 1,2,3 or 5 act structure. Every generation seems to have a go-to book for commercial storytelling tips and tricks.This ain’t that. I’m not good with “stereo instructions”. Once I figure out the logic of the IKEA build, I throw out the map. I don’t have patience for it. My brain doesn’t work that way.Luckily, story structure is pretty flexible and it won’t destroy your walls if you put a nail in the wrong place. That’s not to say there aren’t rules. There are. But if the rules are overwhelming and stopping you from getting words on the page… this might be for you. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

We are looking at elements of character today and one of my personal pet peeves- characters that only exist out of convenience to the plot. How do you avoid making flat, flavorless NPCs? Tune in to find out.If you are interested in reading more about Daniel Sklar’s work, check out Playmaking. It is a worthwhile read whether you are breaking down the nuts and bolts of drama for young people or trying to figure it out for yourself! Thanks for reading Unreliable Narrator! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

The word “action” is surprisingly deep. On its face, it means “something you DO”, but depending on the context of the conversation and who is speaking, ACTION has important shades of meaning that are relevant to your work. Today we are peeling back the layers of action, why and how it is crucial for your work and what it means to your collaborators. Thanks for listening to The Imperfect Impulse w/Bree O’Connor, part of the Unreliable Narrator Story Network. This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

I am a little behind on posting the inaugural episode of Season 2. My time blindness convinced me that I could learn an entirely new editing platform and crank out an episode in 2 hours. This turns out not to be true. But we soldier on! In Season 2 we will be exploring more of the nuts and bolts of story creation while bringing in some of the awareness work that we covered in Season 1. In today’s episode, we are looking at the RULES OF THE UNIVERSE (…verse verse verse verse…) and the different methods of portraying those rules for your audience. As usual, the first step in defining rules of the universe is by becoming aware of how the rules function in real life. I give a few examples in this episode that are worth checking out for your own entertainment if not edification.First, a nod to Mike Judge who brilliantly breaks the first rule I offer- Show Don’t Tell. Somehow that guy seems to find ways of showing AND telling with painfully funny insight. I give you the opening section from Idiocracy. Rowan Atkinson’s character Mr. Bean has a way of defining the rules of his specific universe by transgressing upon every one of them. While this is at the heart of most of Atkinson’s comedy, this scene (accessed through the link above) illustrates it beautifully.Finally, this social experiment highlights a feature of human behavior that explains why understanding the Rules of the Universe in your storytelling is integral to your story’s effectiveness. I feel safe in assuming that your stories are FOR human beings. To earn the trust of your audience, you must acknowledge social realities and be true to them even when the world you may be creating is utterly fantastical. We respond to what we relate to!Thanks for joining me for the first episode of Season 2. If you are interested in exploring Writers’ Groups or Memoir Workshops, I offer several options through my theatre company, Playful Substance. We are also active on Instagram as @playfulsubstance. This podcast is offered for free through my Substack Unreliable Narrator where you can support our work by becoming a free or paid subscriber. You can always message or comment here! Reach out. I’d love to hear from you!Unreliable Narrator is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Write what you know!Does this mean you are stuck writing only about the life you have lead? Absolutely not! Emotional responses are the great human equalizer, but don’t stop at assumptions! One of the greatest pitfalls in storytelling and performance is painting with broad strokes in only primary colors. Sure, the shorthand for loss is “sad”, but in reality a loss can be so much more complex than that. We need to have a deep understanding of ourselves in order to give our characters the full, rich, compelling lives that draw audiences in. Unreliable Narrator / The Imperfect Impulse is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.It is all about making detailed, thoughtful, conscious choices.We can’t get into ALL of the possibilities in 18 minutes, but we can take a step in the right direction. Tune in to the last episode of Season 1 for some thoughts on emotional responses and inviting the audience into a deeper experience.The Imperfect Impulse will be taking the rest of August off, but we will be back later in September with all new episodes. If you find these episodes enlightening, please share your favorites! We need help getting the word out! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Giving supportive feedback is a skill. If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of unusable feedback, you know what I mean. I liked it. It was cool. It was a travesty. Your protagonist is whiny. I didn’t think he should have killed her in the third act. He should have … (done X, Y, Z instead)Sure. Those are valid opinions, but what does the artist DO about them? Especially if the artist feels the listener missed the point entirely!In today’s episode, we look at The 4 Vital Questions that help the listener/reader examine their emotional responses to the work and translate that experience into useful information for the artist without eviscerating their work or dictating to them the work you wish they had done.These questions also provide useful information for self-assessment as well. The best part? These questions are simple and open up probing conversations that can be beneficial for every artist in the room. Thanks for listening to The Imperfect Impulse w/ Bree O’Connor. This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s episode is all about my experience with memoir work, how it started and how it grew. To date, I have written my own solo show and am in the process of editing my memoir, plus I have helped others develop their own books and solo performances. Memory contains powerful secrets that can be uncovered and understood through the process of excavation, examination with an honest lens, and editing for clarity and meaning. It is not for the weak of heart! But you are stronger than you know. I promise. You will excuse me. It was my intention to completely overhaul the Playful Substance website with dates and links for the memoir workshops that I mention in this episode. However, one of my personal issues is Time Blindness. I tend to believe I can accomplish a lot more tasks in the time allotted than is humanly possible. Have a listen. If your interest is piqued, reach out to me at [email protected] and I can answer questions and get you on the “first to know” list when dates are released in early August. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

When emotions are at the core of your work (Hello, American-trained actors) it can be fairly common to run into an emotional experience that can upend your daily life.Don’t panic.Your emotions (yes, even the big ones) are not the enemy. You don’t need to suppress, exchange or ignore that big experience. In fact, doing so could lead you to unhealthy coping mechanisms and risky behaviors (see damn near every story of famous artists who died young). Instead, embrace and acknowledge the big feeling while also looking around for the companion experiences that helped you pull through. Your spark. Your hope. Your inner fire. Your self-love. These will be your port in the storm, every time. Thanks for listening to The Imperfect Impulse. This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s episode was recorded on a walk with my dog, Momo:Please pardon the wild audio! I will return to a protected sound environment next week. This week, we are talking about the power of weird little moments that insert themselves into your work and when good collaborators find patterns that you cannot see for yourself. I hope this summer walk inspires you to look for connection, patterns and meaning in the strangest places. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

In Robert Fulghum’s 1986 book, All I Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten Fulghum has a section where he remarks upon all of the time saving devices of the modern era that fail miserably at saving us time. The microwave, the washing machine, the crock pot, and their ilk promised us oodles of free time that would have normally been taken up by lowly and distasteful tasks of survival. We lived in a golden age of time saving gadgets and yet few of us had any time to spare. How was this possible?We’ve added lots of gadgets and programs since then— air fryers, computers, email, texting… SLACK, and we are not winning the work/life balance race. Many of us feel on call 24/7 and not just at our jobs but for our friends and family as well. We have grown to despise “work” so much that it (and all of its synonyms) should be avoided at all costs. AI then steps in to save the day. The internet tells us that teenagers are passively getting rich with AI as if wealth and passivity are things we should unquestionably long for. But what is it that we give up when we give up work? And what does it mean for work to be meaningful? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Listen, we all need to check out every once in a while. Whether we indulge in true crime, cults, bro-comedies, or reality TV, we all know what it is like to switch our brains off and go along for the ride. That’s ok. It serves its purpose. There is nothing wrong with “guilty pleasures”. Unless your entire leisure time diet is guilty pleasures. If that is the case, you may find your creative mind sluggish and unmotivated. It’s a slippery slope that leads to negative self-talk and estrangement from your creative self. Today we are talking about the importance of engaging with art that challenges you. Art that requires a bit more from you as the receiver can pay big dividends. That’s my story and I am sticking to it. And if you want to watch The Wages of Fear, you should. You absolutely should. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

I talk a lot about the benefits of taking the smallest increment of time each day to hold on to a creative practice in a busy, busy life. But what if you take your 15 minutes and cannot decide what to do with it? Anyone who has ever scrolled through Netflix with an indecisive friend can relate to the frustration of watching your “indulgence time” slip away from you with indecision. The key to focusing your creative time is to embrace limitation. You will be shocked how engaged and excited you can become when you make things challenging, but not impossible. (Although, I know there are some of you that love the impossible, too. You know who you are!)Take 15 minutes of your day to inspire your next 15 Creative Minutes! Consider sharing this free podcast with someone who needs a creative pep talk. If you have questions about making room for your creative practice or a hurdle you face in your creative life, start a conversation here! Perhaps we’ll stumble upon a new topic for an Imperfect Impulse episode or (even better) we can build a community of creative wisdom together. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

I have been thinking a lot about how we compartmentalize business, art, and life as a way to survive the difficulty of seeking money and acclaim to justify our involvement in art. We all need to define our relationship to the work because the world only gives us a narrow commercial space in which to operate. If we can’t fit in that narrow space, we can experience pain, self doubt, and feelings of rejection.But what if we can create a new space for ourselves outside of those demands? What if we can provide validation and affirmation for ourselves?Below is a picture of the mosaic my sister and I made together. Tune in to find out how it destroyed my voice!Thanks for listening to The Imperfect Impulse! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

We all want to be seen and heard, but do we have the desire to see and to hear? On today’s episode we contemplate the true effort of listening. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Today I’m all over the place. We start at RRR and make our way to nationalism, propaganda, news, effective communication, talk backs, and moral and artistic integrity. You may need a safety harness and a crash helmet for today’s episode! It’s a journey!For those of you who are interested, here is the Vox article about the politics of RRR that I reference in today’s episode. As always, if you find The Imperfect Impulse useful/engaging, please share! If you would like to ask a process question, please feel free to reach out to me through the comments or by emailing me at [email protected]. Your question may influence an episode! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Low Stakes Play is a foundational concept for my theatre company, Playful Substance. We use it to program our season, relate to our audience, cast our shows, develop our plays, and structure our working sessions. Low Stakes Play is not always easy to achieve, but it is essential for open and honest work. For those of you who want to hear the .38 Special song that I reference, check out the video below. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s episode is all about using our mental state as a reason to not show up. Unfortunately, you do this too many times and you will find yourself losing connections and collaborators. I come at this topic as a person who struggles with task initiation, focus, and an intense fear of rejection, among my Chief Demons. We all have them. I am going to argue that having them isn’t the problem. Dealing with them is. It seems we are, collectively speaking) enabling defeat. It’s like that old joke- “Doc, whenever I do this with my arm, it hurts.”“Stop doing that, then.” For those of you who listen to the full show, here is the earworm I promised. For those of you who haven’t listened yet and just click on the link… sorry?Please remember to comment and share if you find this episode useful!Thanks for listening to The Imperfect Impulse! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

I am having a low-focus day and need a bit of fun. You will need a piece of paper and a writing implement to get the most out of today’s frivolity. Just roll with it. If you like today’s episode (Or ANY of our episodes!) please feel free to share. These episodes are free.If you are interested in becoming a paid subscriber, please know that your subscription helps support Playful Substance, a developmental theatre company in NYC. We offer accessible Writers’ Groups, memoir workshops, full productions, and community events. Paid subscribers get access to our back catalog of Unreliable Narrator posts, and first dibs on Playful Substance events PLUS, some surprises we will be unveiling later this year. Unreliable Narrator is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Our Writers’ Groups operate online… so if you are looking for a place to develop your stage play or screenplay, reach out and I’ll tell you all about it. Email me at [email protected] this week’s episode of The Imperfect Impulse. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Social media offers a lot of instruction on what NOT to say, but offers very little guidance on the other half of communication.Listening. Sure. We are told to listen, but how? It is just assumed that we know. That we inherently understand that… DUH… listening is important.But listening is quite complex. It’s way more than hearing the words and judging them as “right” or “wrong” and responding. Listening is about taking in, analyzing and interpreting the intended message, then deciding if that information warrants your engagement in some way. In today’s episode of The Imperfect Impulse, we’re talking about taking what you need from feedback and either reframing or discarding as necessary. Thanks for listening to The Imperfect Impulse. This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Slow cooking. Man, that is a thing! Flavors develop a rich complexity and textures shift from firm to tender. Responses to art can do the same thing… if you allow yourself to be open… stew in it. Sit with it. Let your responses develop and mature. If you can practice some slow thought, nearly every work of art you encounter will have something you can apply to your own creative endeavors. It’s ok. “Bad Art” won’t injure you. In fact, it can teach you a lot about yourself. Thanks for reading Unreliable Narrator! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Gentle and practical thoughts on "getting started" with your creative practice. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, there are resources available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline can help you find resources and information. For those of you who are interested in learning more about recognizing coercive tactics, here are a few terms to get you started:Love BombingBreadcrumbingGaslightingNot all relationships that trip your internal alarm system involve evil monsters that need to be destroyed with fire. Everything is a matter of degree. Some people have learned these tactics from a formative relationship and need help understanding that these action shave negative consequences. (And sometimes that negative consequence is you keeping your distance!). HOWEVER, the exercise today is about introspection and self awareness. If you have a relationship like this in your past... congratulate yourself for having it in your past! Use this week's exercise to uncover your strengths- your intuition, your instincts and your survival skills. You can trust in those attributes moving forward. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

In my brain, the term “loose social ties” has taken root despite “weak social ties” being the predominant nomenclature. I think my mind resists using the term “weak” for something I visualize as anything but weak! I’ve got some resources for you this week- including a much more in-depth explanation of this concept from Hidden Brain. If you haven’t listened in, Shankar Vedantam provides beautiful, non-partisan explorations of behavioral phenomena that impact the way we see the world today. Hidden Brain has done many podcasts exploring weak social ties, but this one offers a good place to start: The Power of Tiny InteractionsIf you prefer a short, written article, here is one from Psychology Today. I also wanted to include some information on Polyvagal Theory if you are interested in that rabbit hole. The Polyvagal Institute provides an overview of the theory on their website. HOWEVER, I think it is also critically important to digest dissenting opinions, especially when it comes to theories. Polyvagal theory has a number of credible detractors. Here is another article in Psychology Today that provides a different perspective. Whether you buy in to polyvagal theory or not, I stand by this week’s exercise to examine our web of social contacts and how they have changed over the years due to our new daily habits and the advancements in automation. I hope you enjoy this week’s exercise! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Your third grade teacher told you to USE YOUR OWN WORDS.It turns out, this is really important life advice. This week's creative challenge is to explore borrowed terminology, how often you use it, why you use it, how you have internalized its meaning and how others tend to receive it.Thanks for checking out the first episode of The Imperfect Impulse. I hope you'll keep coming back to see how this project grows and changes. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe