Take Your Broken Heart & Make It Into Art: Turning Challenges Into Creativity, Author Cindy House

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Cindy House, the author of 'Mother Noise,' whose real-life story reads like a riveting novel. Cindy shares how her journey through the shadows led her to write her inspiring memoir. She survived a harrowing heroin addiction, overcame personal storms such as a difficult divorce, and weathered times of despair. But most importantly, she navigated the complexities of sharing her troubled past with her son. She’s a testament to the power of recovery, second chances, and sheer determination. Cindy transformed her experiences into artistry and literary success, and she’ll share why we should make art out of the worst things that happen to us. And she’ll encourage us to turn our life’s challenges into creativity because we can all craft a new ending and create a life filled with love. 

Cindy House is an essayist, short story writer, artist, and regular opener for David Sedaris on his tours across the country. She studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and 2017, earned an MFA from Lesley University. She lives in New Haven, Connecticut, with her son.

Cindy House shares her inspiring journey through addiction, personal challenges, and recovery, highlighting her transformation into an accomplished writer and artist. She brings a wealth of wisdom and experiences to the conversation. Topics include;

· Cindy shares her harrowing experiences, from battling heroin addiction to overcoming personal storms like a difficult divorce. She emphasizes the importance of not hiding or denying one's past, as facing discomfort leads to personal growth.
· Understanding Addiction: Cindy dives into the challenges of her 20s, lost to addiction. She sheds light on the complexities of addiction that others might not understand.
· The Importance of Mentorship: Cindy speaks about the impact of mentors, especially David Sedaris, in her life. She highlights how having even one person believe in you can transform one's life.
· Finding Meaning Beyond Suffering: Inspired by Tim O'Brien's book The Things They Carried, Cindy emphasizes believing in something beyond suffering. This belief can be a guiding light through difficult times.
· Embracing Change: Cindy's story exemplifies that it's never too late for change, personal growth, or pursuing dreams. Her experiences show that transformation is always possible.
· Cindy opens up about her divorce when her son was young, explaining that it was as challenging as overcoming her addiction. She offers advice for those facing similar struggles.
· Turning Challenges into Creativity: Cindy advocates making art from life's challenges. She discusses the healing power of expressing oneself through creative outlets and writing about difficult experiences.
· Cindy explains how sharing her story has been a healing process for her. Vulnerability can foster connection and provide a sense of closure.
· How love and fulfillment can be found in various aspects of life, not solely through romantic relationships. Teaching, performing, and spending time with loved ones make life meaningful.
· Strength in Connection: Finding strength often involves leaning on mentors friends, or connecting with something that inspires you, such as a book or a song.

The episode ends with these takeaways: embracing new stories, letting go of self-imposed limitations, and finding inspiration and hope in various forms to navigate life's challenges. You can purchase Mother Noise in bookstores and on Amazon. To learn more about Cindy, go to https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Cindy-House/177732249 and follow her on Twitter or Instagram @cndy_housea.