🌊 Catch the unstoppable AI creativity wave 📄 Don’t miss this free PDF

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Creativity Chronicles​
Unlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time

Hey [FIRST NAME GOES HERE],

📄 Don’t Miss My Latest Free PDF:
​Empowering AI Trends for Social Media Marketers​
​It’s a quick, insight-packed guide—the slide deck from a recent webinar—that outlines the creative shifts reshaping how we digital creatives work to wow audiences.

(If you recently subscribed to this list and already got this download, welcome to Creativity Chronicles!)

When Play Becomes Proof

Just this weekend, I used ChatGPT 4o to re-imagine myself as an action figure; and then, to my delight, I brought this virtual me to “life” with an AI-generated unboxing video that includes synthetic human hands. 🤯 Check it out 👇

video preview​

Yes, this was creative play, but it’s also a glimpse into how rapidly AI tools evolve. What felt impossible a month ago is now surprisingly easy! This isn’t just “cool.” It’s the future arriving in real time and a clear reminder that:

We’re in a creative revolution.

If you’re in digital or social marketing (for yourself or others), this moment matters. The tools are evolving weekly. The possibilities? Multiplying.

👉 [Download your free PDF]

Inside, you’ll find:

  • A mindset shift: from “AI tool” to creative thought partner
  • Four fast-moving trends: customization, automation, apps, and agentic AI
  • Practical ideas to fuel your next experiment

Next, I’m developing an experiential online course to help you build your AI-enhanced creative skillset—without losing your human touch. More on that soon.

Need help?

Do you have a creative itch that AI might help scratch?

You don’t have to figure it out alone. I offer personal coaching to help you get going.

​Book a 1:1 AI creativity session now →​

This wave is worth riding 🏄‍♀️,

Jon Leland, AI Creativity & Marketing Strategist
​“Spanning the Grand Canyon Gap between people and technology.”

🚀 Creative AI shifts you can’t ignore 🎨

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Creativity Chronicles​
Unlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time

I’ve seen this before—and the ending is a media revolution

Dear Reader,

You can’t ignore what’s happening in creative AI right now.

Trust me—I’ve seen this movie before.

Back in the ’80s, when digital video landed, the world cracked open for a new generation of innovative storytellers. Suddenly, you didn’t need a studio to make something meaningful—you just needed a camera and the guts to hit record.

Fast forward a few decades: YouTube, TikTok, and entire media empires were built on that digital video shift (that some people called a revolution).

Now it’s happening again. But this time, the tools aren’t cameras—they’re AI (in everything).

Two jaw-dropping updates to creative AI apps were launched just in the past week. The change the creative game (again):

ChatGPT now has new kinds of visual intelligence 🧠🎨

You can now show ChatGPT 4o (or Sora, its image and video model) an image and say, “Make (whatever else you upload) like this” while also specifying text that it usually gets right. So easy! And to make changes, as usual, ChatGPT understands common language feedback (no need for fancy prompts):

  • Mix words and images to guide ideas (like the one above)
  • Get help with concept art, moodboards, and style suggestions
  • Play with virtually any visual style
  • Turn sketches into virtual reality

These new capabilities are so profound that ChatGPT has now taken the lead in AI image generation.

​Learn more about ChatGPT’s new image powers →​

Runway ML keeps video worlds & characters consistent 🎬🌍

Runway’s latest Gen-4 update lets you build stories with the same faces, worlds, and vibes from scene to scene. This is a breakthrough that storytellers have been waiting for.

  • Keep characters looking like themselves (finally)
  • Build cohesive visual stories, shot by shot
  • Explore full narrative arcs using AI

​Be dazzled by new Runway Gen-4 video features →​

Why this matters (a lot)

These updates aren’t just bells and whistles—they’re neon signs pointing to what’s next:

  • Visual storytelling is getting wildly accessible
  • Creative barriers are dropping fast
  • New formats and voices are ready to emerge

If you’ve got a story to tell or an idea that won’t quit, this is your green light. The tech is here. It’s weird. It’s sometimes janky. But, it’s wide open.

Want help making your first move?

Got a creative itch AI might help scratch—but not sure how or where to start? I know. It can be overwhelming.

You don’t have to figure it out alone. I offer personal coaching to help you get going with clarity and confidence.

​Book a 1:1 AI creativity session now →​

You’re not late—you’re right on time,

Jon Leland, AI Creativity & Marketing Strategist
​“Spanning the Grand Canyon Gap between people and technology.”

AI Note: I collaborated with ChatGPT and the Custom GPT “Mailed It!” while writing this email.

🚀 How playing with AI can spark real breakthroughs ✨

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Creativity Chronicles​
Unlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time

See how play sparked a real breakthrough—then try it for yourself

Dear Reader,

✨ How can AI spark your next creative breakthrough? Start by playing.

In a spontaneous moment of AI dream analysis (yes, that’s a thing), I let ChatGPT take the lead—and it surprised me. Together, we turned my dream into a Notion productivity template and a fresh mindset, all through creative experimentation and play. No plan. No script. Just flow.

🎥 Learn how this AI collab unfolded in this video:

​

Want to see what’s possible when you explore with AI?

🎨 Book a $99 AI creativity session—your way

This 30-minute session is personalized to support how you want to use AI to fuel your creativity. We’ll:

  • Explore how to co-create with AI 🤝
  • Break through fear, blocks, or overwhelm 💥
  • Try tools like ChatGPT, Gamma, NotebookLM, Notion, or whatever’s best for you 🛠️
  • Walk away with something real you created 💡

🔥 Book your $99 session here​

This special offer of a 30-minute AI coaching session with me is only available until April 15th.

When you treat AI as a creative partner, things get interesting fast. AI works best when curiosity is your co-pilot.

Let’s Play!

Jon Leland, AI Creativity & Marketing Strategist
​“Spanning the Grand Canyon Gap between people and technology.”

AI Note: I collaborated with ChatGPT and the Custom GPT “Mailed It!” while writing this email.

🚀 Missed the Magic? Watch the AI + Marketing Replay! 🎯🎬

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Hey, Reader,

Last week’s webinar, in which I shared my favorite apps for marketing, personal productivity, video production, and AI creativity, is now live on YouTube.

In case you missed the live event or want to review anything, here’s the recording:

video preview​

In case you’d like to click some of the links I discussed, here’s the free PDF of my presentation: AI-Marketing-Power-Tools-Webinar (1).pdf​

If you feel like supporting me in providing this kind of free, hopefully useful information, I have one small favor to ask: Click the Like and Subscribe buttons, and/or leave a comment on YouTube. That really helps! Thanks.

More soon. Stay creative!

📝 Tools Change ✨ The Creator Vibe Remains… 🚀 Join Me Thursday!

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Creativity Chronicles​
Unlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time

“Tools will come, tools will go.
Only the vibe coder remains.”
— Rick Rubin

This insight perfectly captures the essence of what I call “vibe creating”—the unique, essential human touch that stays constant amid rapid technological evolution. (It’s also my spin on an AI trend called “vibe coding.”)

In marketing, your personal vibe—the genuine human connection and creativity behind your message—has never been more crucial. AI is transformative, but even the best tools fall short without your vision and intentional guidance.

In this Thursday’s webinar, 🚀 AI + Marketing Power Tools 🎯
​Build a System That Grows Your Business & Fuels Your Creativity, you’ll discover powerful creative tools designed to streamline your workflow, automate tedious tasks, and enhance productivity—saving valuable time while keeping your ability to create human connections front and center.

This balance helps you amplify your vibe, foster deeper relationships, and ultimately grow your business in ways that feel aligned and authentic.

🗓️ Join Me This Thursday
🔗 Reserve your spot now​

Stay creative,

Jon Leland, AI Creativity & Marketing Strategist
​“Spanning the Grand Canyon Gap between people and technology.”

AI Note: I collaborated with ChatGPT on the writing of this email. I used Ideogram.ai + Canva to create the webinar poster graphic. Learn more about how I create marketing stuff in the webinar.

AI + Marketing Tools to Grow Faster 🚀 (Free Workshop!)

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Creativity Chronicles​
Unlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time

Discover the exact tools I use daily—save time, grow your business, and spark creativity.

Hey, Reader,

Join me Thursday, March 13th at 11am PT / 2pm ET for a live workshop where I’ll share the exact AI + marketing tools I use daily to grow my business, serve clients, and spark creativity.

I’ve spent countless hours curating these tools, and now I’m breaking them down for you—what I use, why I chose them, and how they help.

What you’ll get:

✔️ My go-to AI & marketing stack (both free & paid)
✔️ A behind-the-scenes look at how I use them
✔️ Practical strategies to save time & scale faster

🔗 Save your spot here​

Let’s unlock new creative possibilities together,

Jon Leland, AI Creativity Over 50 Guy
​“Don’t die with your creative sparks still stuck inside.”

🚀 AI & Social Media Marketing: Free Webinar, Last Call! 😱

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Creativity Chronicles​
Unlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time

This is going to be FUN,
informative, & maybe even
game-changing.

Hey, Reader,

I’m pumped about the presentation that I’m about to deliver live for the National Institute for Social Media and you’re invited!

Charles Darwin emphasized that those who adapt are the ones who thrive:

In today’s world, to me at least, improvising means being willing to experiment with AI and learn about its game-changing powers.

That’s why I’m collaborating with the National Institute for Social Media for a webinar on empowering AI trends for social media marketers.

It’s live TOMORROW, Tuesday, February 25th
at 10am PT / 1pm ET.

🔗 Save your spot here​

I hope to see you there,

Jon Leland, AI Creativity Over 50 Guy
​“Don’t die with your creative sparks still stuck inside.”

🚀 Stop Grinding & Start Creating – A Mindset Power Move! 🧠

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Creativity Chronicles​
Unlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time

Did you know productivity
can be a trap?

Hey, Reader,

Something as simple as asking “What should I DO now?” can keep you stuck, unfulfilled, and creatively stagnant.

This email is about what to do instead.

I heard about this from the author, Martha Beck, in her podcast convo with Mel Robbins and it blew my mind.

Instead of asking “What should I do?” Beck suggests we ask: “What should I MAKE?”

🎨 The Power of a Shift in Mindset

As you read these bullet points, feel in your body the difference between “doing” and “making”:

  • “What should I do?” = Feels heavy, like obligation and pressure.
  • “What should I make?” = Feels light, exciting, full of possibility! 🎉
  • Doing keeps you in the grind. Making invites curiosity, creativity, and PLAY. It’s simply more fun.
  • Instead of “checking off boxes,” you bring something new into the world.
  • Making isn’t just about art—it’s about creating your life in a way that feels joyful and free.

So… what’s something YOU’D love to make today? Hit reply and let me know—I’d love to hear!

📈 Marketers, Join Me Live on Tuesday!

I’ll be igniting creative sparks for marketers by illuminating the latest empowering AI trends in a webinar hosted by the National Institute for Social Media next Tuesday.

If you want to create better content with less stress or simply don’t want to fall behind, join me! It’s free (and, yes, NISM will post the recording.)

📅 Date: February 25th, 10am PT
🔗 Save your spot here​

Stay creative,

Jon Leland, AI Creativity Over 50 Guy
​“Don’t die with your creative sparks still stuck inside.”

🤖 AI & Social Media: The Trends You Can’t Afford to Miss 🚀

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Creativity Chronicles​
Unlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time

AI is changing the game in social media marketing—are you ready?

Hey, Reader,

As you may well know, AI is shaking up social media marketing in ways we couldn’t have imagined just a few years ago. It has totally changed how I work.

If you’re not leveraging it yet, you’re already behind—but don’t worry, I’ve got you covered, and I can’t wait to share these new “power tools” with you.

I’m honored to team up with the National Institute for Social Media for a free webinar on Tuesday, February 25th at 10am PT, where I’ll break down the AI-powered tools and trends that I’m using to supercharge content creation, engagement, and workflow.

📚 What You’ll Learn

✅ Custom GPTs & AI-Branding Tools – Get AI to write in your brand voice and get better at it every time you post.
✅ Automated Graphics & Social Posts – How to use Canva AI to bulk design inspiring quote graphics.
✅ AI-Powered Presentations – Discover the mind-blowing power of Gamma to radically streamline slide deck and PDF design, including the leverage of multiple image generation models.
✅ AI-Optimized Marketing Workflows – Meet MindPal, the Swiss-army knife of AI apps that helps streamline your creative processes with input from multiple AI “agents.”

This isn’t just theory—these are real apps you can use today; and I’m going to show you how they work with hands-on demos so that you can get started upgrading your posts, presentations, and documents ASAP.

📅 Date: February 25th, 10am PT
🔗 Save your spot here​

Let’s explore together how AI can take your marketing to the next level while also saving you a ton of time!

I’m speaking from experience: these are skills you’ll want to learn because AI is opening whole new worlds of creativity.

See you there,

Jon Leland, AI Creativity Over 50 Guy
​“Don’t die with your creative sparks still stuck inside.”

🚀 Embracing the Journey: Lessons from 40 Years of Creativity 🎭

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Creativity Chronicles​
Unlocking Creative Joy, One Week at a Time

What Does It Take to
Stay Creative and Independent?

Hi Reader,

It’s hard to believe but true: As of last month, I’ve been a self-employed creative entrepreneur for 40 years. It’s been a journey—sometimes exhilarating, sometimes uncertain—but always filled with learning, reinvention, and, most importantly, creative freedom.

I co-created this image with my “AI friend,” Ideogram, to express the self-reflective spirit of this adventure:

🎧 Telling My Story on a Podcast

In my latest podcast interview, I got to dive deep into the lessons learned from this 40-year journey. I sat down with David Shriner-Cahn of Smashing the Plateau to talk about how I made the leap from traditional employment to media innovation, what’s changed over the years, and what still holds true for anyone looking to carve their own creative path—especially in this new era of AI and social media.

👉 Listen to the full conversation here.

🤔 What Does This Mean for YOU?

If you’ve ever felt the pull to create something on your own—whether it’s a business, a creative project, or even just a more meaningful way of working—here’s what I want you to know:

✨ The path isn’t linear, but it’s worth it. Creative careers evolve. Reinvention isn’t failure—it’s growth.

✨ Community makes the journey easier. You don’t have to figure it all out alone. That’s why I started the Creativity Sandbox Community—so we can embrace the creative journey in relationship with others.

✨ AI and media innovation are changing the game. The way we create and connect is evolving faster than ever. The Grand Canyon Gap between people and technology—something that I’ve been talking about since 1990—is bigger than ever and very rapidly widening further!

This moment presents an opportunity to embrace new AI & digital media tools while staying true to what makes your creativity uniquely yours.

If that resonates with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts. How have you navigated the twists and turns of your own creative path?

Hit reply and let me know—or better yet, listen to the podcast and share your takeaways with me.

🙋‍♂️ How Can I Help?

If you’re ready to embrace your own creative journey, let’s talk. I’m happy to chat and see if the Creativity Sandbox Community or some other form of what I can offer might be a good fit for you.

📅 To book a quick conversation with me, click here.

Let’s keep creating,

Jon Leland, AI Creativity Over 50 Guy
​“Don’t die with your creative sparks still stuck inside.”