In part two of Hava Gurevich’s conversation with Michael “Misha” Gurevich, they explore the idea that creativity isn’t optional—it’s a core human need. Misha shares how an existential crisis during the dot-com era led him from software development in San Francisco to meditation and creative exploration in Fairfield, Iowa, including discovering morning pages through The Artist’s Way and building a writing tool called Ilys. They discuss creativity as process over outcome, the role of play, how expectations block flow, and how “permission” opens the gates for expression. Misha also describes how he practices play through riding an electric unicycle, training to become a kiteboarding instructor, and preparing for a 1,800 km kiteboarding
expedition in Brazil—using these activities as real-world flow training.

Shownotes

● Welcome back to I Love Your Stories and framing this as “part two” of the conversation.
● Sponsor message: Art Storefronts and how it helped the host build a professional art
business (commerce site, marketing tools, supportive community).
● Misha’s background: software development in San Francisco during the dot-com boom,
followed by an existential crisis after his grandfather died.
● Moving inward: enrolling at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, where everything is based around meditation, and giving himself permission to take fun andcreative classes.
● Morning pages and The Artist’s Way (Julia Cameron): how a small daily practice created a deep internal shift and changed Misha’s trajectory over time.
● Not mixing up form with substance: there isn’t “one way” spirituality must look; tools can be used in different rhythms without guilt.
● Creativity as a need: the idea that creativity is essential “right after food and sex,” linkedto self-actualization (Maslow).
● Play vs. pressure: how intent and expectation change the experience; “the only requirement” for play is that you do it.
● Flow and letting go: not caring about typos/repetition/judgment to enter a freer state of expression; recognizing gems later in the “mess.”
● Community + presentation: Misha shares his ideas with the Ness Labs community, creates his first presentation (PDF) using Canva, and runs a workshop afterwards.
● Practical play right now: riding an electric unicycle as “flow training,” and the need to stay present because consequences can be serious.
● Kiteboarding: training in January/February to become a kiteboarding instructor as preparation for a month-long 1,800 km Brazil expedition in September (Ceará).
● Defining success: shifting toward being “comfortable in the process,” being “happy in the question,” and helping others give themselves permission.
● Where to find Misha: Instagram “Michael Garevich777” and “isl…io.yas.com” (as spoken).
● Closing reflections: Iowa/Midwest as a friendly place with space to rest; “any supermarket is as spiritual as any holy temple.”
● Final sponsor outro: Art Storefronts demo, free art review, and marketing assessment.

Memorable quotes

• “Creativity isn’t optional… a core human need, right after food and sex.”
   
• “I was living the dream… until I had an existential crisis when my grandfather died and I began asking questions.”
   
• “I really felt a deep, meaningful internal shift… when I allowed myself to do that with no outcome other than just having the experience.”

• “Not mixing up form with substance.”

• “It’s not what you’re doing. It’s why you’re doing it.”

• “The only requirement for it to be successful is that you just do it.”

• “You have to let go of the need to create in order to actually create.”

• “There’s this level of mental overseer that’s looking and judging…”

• “We might not recognize it when it comes up… it won’t be until later… to look at the mess that we’ve made and inside that mess where are the gems.”

• “When I ride it, I feel completely free… totally unbounded…”

• “In January and February, I’m going for training to become a kiteboarding instructor.”

• “This is practice for a month long expedition in Brazil in September to travel 1,800 kilometers…”

• “To be very comfortable in the process… to be happy in the question and not needing the answer.”

• “If everything is spiritual, boy does not [matter].”

• “Any supermarket is as spiritual as any holy temple.”