Writing with Purpose – Inspiring Readers, Writers, and Nature Lovers

Anna Woolliscroft
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Do you dream of a life filled with creativity, calm, and connection? Join me, Anna Woolliscroft, writer, journalling guide, and outdoor enthusiast, as I share my love for putting pen to paper and exploring the great outdoors. Through heartfelt conversations and practical tips, discover how writing and nature connection can help you find clarity, spark creativity, and live a more fulfilling life. Whether you’re a seasoned writer, a curious beginner, or simply someone seeking a deeper connection to life, this podcast is for you. Please tune in and let's explore together.

  1. 73: Visual Journalling for Grief, Healing, and the Art of Becoming with Evie Lindemann

    Jun 6

    73: Visual Journalling for Grief, Healing, and the Art of Becoming with Evie Lindemann

    Writing with Purpose Podcast 73: Visual Journalling for Grief, Healing, and the Art of Becoming with Evie Lindemann What if the image you made without thinking was already holding something you hadn't yet found the words for? In this episode of the Writing with Purpose podcast, I'm joined by Evie Lindemann, an art therapist, marriage and family therapist, and author who bridges creative expression with depth psychology and end-of-life care. Evie's work spans clinical practice, teaching, and humanitarian projects, helping people navigate grief, trauma, and life transitions through visual journalling and expressive arts. Her unique approach invites us to explore what images can reveal that words alone might miss. In this conversation, Evie draws on a remarkable life, from illustrating children's literacy materials in Afghanistan to working with combat veterans, supporting communities through critical incident debriefing, and sitting with families in emergency room grief. We explore William Worden's four stages of grief, including the often-overlooked fourth stage of finding an enduring connection with those we have lost, and why grief has no timetable. At the heart of the conversation is Evie's own 'pick up your pen' moment, and the simple, powerful invitation it carries for anyone who feels their creative voice has gone quiet. "I think our fractured and wounded places lead us to things that will ultimately matter." In This Episode Geographic loss as a form of griefThe difference between productive art making and reflective art making What happened when Evie walked into a room of combat veterans and admitted she had no answers How the blend of visual image and expressive writing carries a power that neither holds alone The inner cast of characters we all carryPractical Wisdom Evie shares practical starting points for anyone curious about visual journalling or expressive arts, including: The scribble technique: fill a blank page with marks until an image appears, then outline it and begin a written conversation with itUsing a line of poetry as a place to begin, with no expectation of where it will leadApproaching creative resistances with gentleness rather than force, finding a settled internal place before pushing throughConnect With Evie Please connect with Evie Lindemann to follow her work and stay connected. WebsiteLinkedInAlso Mentioned in This Podcast The Light of Days: Women's Resistance Fighters in the Ghettos by Judy BatalionThe Wind in the Willows by Kenneth GrahameFerdinand the BullKitchen Table Wisdom by Rachel Naomi RemenKay Adams and the Center for Journal TherapyWilliam Worden, grief therapist and researcherElizabeth Kübler-Ross, grief researcher and authorCarl Jung's 'active imagination' conceptMeher Baba / Meher Archive CollectiveInternational Poetry Therapy AssociationThe Bamiyan Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site, AfghanistanPodcast Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:39 Exploring Grief and Courage Through Literature 06:27 The Role of Art in Therapy and Personal Journey 08:56 Childhood Experiences on Creativity 14:14 The Intersection of Travel, Art, and Cultural Understanding 16:41 The Significance of Children's Literature 24:18 The Stages of Grief and Personal Reflections 27:03 Finding Meaning in Loss and Moving Forward 37:33 Enduring Connections and Memory 41:27 The Power of Shared Stories 46:05 Art as a Healing Medium 51:07 Engaging with Creativity 55:06 Self-Discovery through Art 01:04:08 Future Endeavours 01:09:05 Community Engagement 01:09:30 The Benefits of Journalling Workshops _ _ _ A new episode is released every other Saturday at 8 am. Loved this episode? Leave a review or share your thoughts on social media – your feedback helps others discover the podcast and keeps the conversation going. Download a free PDF journal planner and entrance meditation to kickstart your journalling journey.Connect with meJoin my bi-weekly newsletter

    1h 10m
  2. 72 Journalling Beyond Words About the Journeys We Never Wanted to Make with Julia D McGuinness

    May 23

    72 Journalling Beyond Words About the Journeys We Never Wanted to Make with Julia D McGuinness

    Writing with Purpose Episode 72: Journalling Beyond Words About the Journeys We Never Wanted to Make with Julia D McGuinness What if the most difficult journey you've ever faced was also the one that finally brought you to the page? In this episode of the Writing with Purpose podcast, I'm joined by Julia D McGuinness, author of six books, poet, ex-teacher, and workshop facilitator who guides people through the transformative power of poetry, journalling, and creative writing. Julia's latest book, Writing the Journeys We Never Wanted to Make, offers a blend of therapeutic techniques and poetry-based prompts to help readers navigate life's difficult seasons through the written word. Her work draws on her background as a trained therapeutic counsellor, years of running writing for wellbeing workshops, and lived experience of navigating unwanted journeys. In this conversation, Julia shares how poetry and journalling became a lifeline for her as a teenager, what prompted her to write this latest book, and how she developed her nine-part framework. We talk about the difference between writing down into a pit and writing through something, the role of nature, poetry magic, and how anyone, regardless of experience or confidence, can find their footing on the page. "Just give yourself permission to write as you can, not as you can't, to write as you are, not as you aren't." In this episode The nine-process framework that gives shape to the journeys we never wanted to makeWhy poetry reaches the places that prose cannotThe difference between writing down into a pit and writing through something, and how to protect yourselfThe ‘heart of the day’ as a gentle starting point for anyone who feels intimidated by the blank pageHow nature and imagery can open unexpected doorsJulia's own unwanted journeys, and how writing became an anchor and a creative outletPractical Wisdom Julia shares practical approaches for anyone drawn to writing for wellbeing or navigating a difficult season. Identifying one standout moment from the dayRereading what you've written, noticing, and reflectingSetting a time or page limit if writing feels overwhelmingWriting with your non-dominant hand or with your finger to bypass the inner critic Changing your writing location when you feel blockedHolding onto the three maxims: keep it simple, keep it real, keep it up"Poetry is really helpful language...because it's a different language. It uses images to convey something rather than a diagnostic factual analysis." Connect with Julia Please connect with Julia D McGuinness to find out about her workshops and books. WebsiteSubstackBooksAmazonAlso Mentioned in This Podcast A Morning Walk by Steve DilworthA New Theology by Sheila BenderThe Art of Slow Writing by Louise DeSalvoDr Megan HayesDavid KesslerStroebe and SchutJoseph CampbellDr Mark OakleyThe Write for Life conference, StockholmThe Millennium Oral History ProjectThe Weird Stone of Brisingamen by Alan GarnerLittle Women by Louisa May AlcottKidnapped by Robert Louis StevensonPodcast Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Julia 04:06 The Role of Poetry and Journalling in Healing 06:42 Exploring Childhood Influences 09:23 The Evolution of Julia's Journalling Practice 11:55 The Power of Writing Through Grief 19:53 The Connection Between Nature and Writing 22:28 The Art of Slow Writing 25:15 Reflections on Early Writing Experiences 35:43 Navigating Career Choices and Creative Paths 40:18 Teaching and Writing 51:43 The Therapeutic Power of Poetry 56:26 Overcoming Writing Intimidation 01:01:26 Nature's Influence 01:09:28 Exploring the Benefits of Journaling Workshops _ _ _ A new episode is released every other Saturday at 8 am. If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe and leave a review. It makes a real difference in helping more people find the show. Download your free journal planner PDFConnect with me by ⁠visiting my links pageJoin my newsletter

    1h 10m
  3. 71: When Pain Meets the Pen: Writing as Medicine with Elisa Friedlander

    May 9

    71: When Pain Meets the Pen: Writing as Medicine with Elisa Friedlander

    Episode 71: When Pain Meets the Pen: Writing as Medicine with Elisa Friedlander What if the most powerful thing you could do in the middle of chronic pain wasn't to fight it, fix it, or push through it, but simply to write about it? In this episode of the Writing with Purpose podcast, I'm joined by Elisa Friedlander, licensed psychotherapist, Certified Journal Therapist, and writing workshop facilitator. Elisa helps people transform their relationship with chronic pain and illness through the written word. Her work has appeared in outlets including HuffPost, Wordgathering, and The Mighty, reaching thousands who live with chronic conditions. She is on the faculty of the Therapeutic Writing Institute, where she teaches her original Pain Meets Pen™ curriculum and other courses. Through her business, Ink To Insight, LLC, Elisa regularly facilitates Poetry Journalling with the general population and Pain Meets Pen™ workshops that explore how therapeutic writing can quiet chronic pain. Elisa is currently working on a book centred on this topic. Along with her professional expertise, Elisa’s personal journey with chronic pain, complex spinal surgeries, and multiple medical diagnoses, including complex regional pain syndrome, has shaped her approaches to teaching and workshop facilitation. In this conversation, we explore how writing became her medicine, how she uses dream journalling to process fear her waking mind tries to quell, and why the journal is the one place we can be entirely unfiltered. We talk about Elisa's bathtub writing practice, the healing power of nature, and the profound insight she reached through journalling: that pain could take many things from her life, but it would never take her essence. In This Episode How Elisa's experience of failed spinal surgeries and a complex regional pain syndrome diagnosis led her to develop Pain Meets Pen™,The practice of illegible writingHow dream journalling helped Elisa recognise and process health fearsWhy the journal creates distance and closeness at the same timeThe role of nature, including an oak tree visible from Elisa's writing windowElisa's bathtub writing practice!Practical Wisdom Elisa shares practical approaches for anyone exploring writing as a healing practice, including: Illegible writing: write freely, then write over your words repeatedlyDream journalling as a form of body listeningGuided imagery before writingNature as a writing prompt sourceWriting from the body's perspectiveConnect with Elisa Please connect with Elisa and explore her journalling and therapeutic writing workshops and newsletter: WebsitePain Meets Pen workshops and other coursesInstagramLinkedInFacebookUpcoming workshops:  Monthly Poetry Journaling Workshops Pain Meets Pen™ Workshops Self-Compassion Writing for Quieting Chronic Pain and IllnessExpressive Therapies Summit: Pain Meets Pen™ for PsychotherapistsAlso Mentioned in This Podcast The Correspondent by Virginia EvansThe Diary of a Young Girl by Anne FrankMary Oliver Wordgathering: A Journal of Disability Poetry and LiteratureThe Therapeutic Writing InstitutePodcast Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Therapeutic Writing and Chronic Pain 09:03 The Impact of Childhood Literature on Resilience 23:34 Navigating Chronic Pain and Identity 30:43 The Role of Writing in Healing 39:06 Workshops and Community Engagement 01:05:32 Final Thoughts on Writing as a Healing Practice _ _ _   A new episode is released every other Saturday at 8 am. If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe to the Writing with Purpose podcast and leave a review. It makes a real difference in helping more people find the show. Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | wherever you get your podcasts. Please download your free journal planner PDF and entrance meditation to kickstart your journalling journey.Please connect with me on your preferred platform by ⁠visiting my links pageJoin my bi-weekly Writing and Nature Connection newsletter

    1h 18m
  4. 70: Pay Attention, Be Astonished & Finding Awe with Elaine Brooks

    Apr 25

    70: Pay Attention, Be Astonished & Finding Awe with Elaine Brooks

    Episode 70: Pay Attention, Be Astonished & Finding Awe with Elaine Brooks When did you last stop in your tracks and think: what if I never see this again? In this episode of the Writing with Purpose podcast, I'm joined by Elaine Brooks, a certified poetry therapy mentor and certified applied poetry facilitator. Through her own work and teaching collaborations, Elaine helps people uncover their gifts and reclaim their stories using the Eight Wonders of Life framework. Her background as a registered nurse and integrative nurse coach has shaped a uniquely embodied approach to wellbeing, one rooted in the belief that awe is not a luxury but a quiet, transformative force available to all of us. In this warm and wide-ranging conversation, Elaine and I explore what awe actually is and how to recognise it in your own body, why the research of Dr Dacher Keltner has changed the way we understand wonder, and how the Eight Wonders of Life, from moral beauty and collective effervescence to music, nature, and those sudden aha moments, offer us everyday doorways into something larger. We also talk about the journalling technique of the captured moment, the two questions that can shift the way you move through the world, and how sharing stories of awe can deepen relationships and anchor positive memories more firmly in our bodies. "What is the weight of the words that I put in my journal? And how many of them are often heavy because I'm writing about things that are going on that are troubling me. And that made me think, what about just kind of balancing that with some lighter words and really capturing moments of awe in my journal, along with the heavyweight words." In this episode: • The Eight Wonders of Life framework • The journalling technique of the captured moment • Two questions that change how you pay attention • How awe activates the parasympathetic nervous system, lowers heart rate, reduces inflammation, and draws us out of overthinking • Elaine's encounter with a juvenile eagle and what it taught her about transformation Practical wisdom from this episode: Elaine shares grounded, accessible ways to invite more awe into everyday life, including: Practising the captured moment after an experience of aweKeeping the Eight Wonders in mind as a compassLooking for moral beauty in daily lifeListening to awe-inspiring music with intentionSharing your stories of awe carefully and with people who can truly hear themConnect with Elaine Please connect with Elaine to find out more about her work, upcoming workshops, and her forthcoming awe wellbeing project. WebsiteContact ElaineEmailAlso mentioned: The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi A Sense of Wonder by Rachel Carson Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dr Dacher Keltner Writing Wild by Tina Welling The Good Life Project podcastJohn Muir Laws Mary Oliver The Poetry Therapy Conference Today's Headline, poem by Rosemerry Wahtola TrommerPodcast Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Awe and Wellbeing 05:44 The Power of Journaling and Reflection 12:38 Understanding Awe and Its Impact 18:35 The Eight Wonders of Life 37:01 Practical Ways to Cultivate Awe 54:32 The Future of Awe and Wellbeing 01:15:12 Introduction to Journaling and Community Engagement 01:15:37 Exploring the Benefits of Journaling Workshops _ _ _ A new episode is released every other Saturday at 8 am. If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe to the Writing with Purpose podcast and leave a review. It makes a real difference in helping more people find the show. Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | wherever you get your podcastsPlease download your free journal planner PDF and entrance meditation to kickstart your journalling journey.Please connect with me on your preferred platform by ⁠visiting my links pageJoin my bi-weekly Writing and Nature Connection newsletter

    1h 17m
  5. 69 One Step at a Time: Alex Staniforth on Resilience, Nature, and the Mountains That Changed Everything

    Apr 18

    69 One Step at a Time: Alex Staniforth on Resilience, Nature, and the Mountains That Changed Everything

    Episode 69: One Step at a Time: Alex Staniforth on Resilience, Nature, and the Mountains That Changed Everything What does it take to keep going when everything falls apart, not once, but again and again? Alex Staniforth is a record-breaking adventurer, performance coach, author, and founder of Mind Over Mountains, a charity whose mission is to restore mental wellbeing through nature. Alex has overcome epilepsy, bullying, and mental health challenges whilst surviving two of Mount Everest's most significant disasters before the age of 19. He is the first and fastest person to run all 446 mountains in England and Wales, raising over £150,000 for charity. In this conversation, Alex and Anna explore how adversity shaped his relationship with the natural world, what two catastrophic events on Everest taught him about survival and gratitude, and why he believes that a single walk in the right place at the right time can genuinely change the course of a life. Alex speaks with characteristic honesty about burnout, mental health, and the harder question of what comes after the summit, when the goal is gone and the flatness sets in. He also shares how writing has been a constant thread throughout, from keeping a diary on the road to writing books that help him, and others, make sense of the journey. If I don't have any log of life, then it's so easy to forget it and I've got nothing to pass on. So yeah, that's how I see it really, as an investment." In this episode How one walk in the Lake District at age 14 gave Alex a sense of direction, confidence, and possibility he had never felt beforeSurviving two of Everest's worst disasters, and the lasting guilt and gratitude that followedThe founding of Mind Over Mountains and how combining walking in nature with professional mental health support creates something more lasting than a single retreatWhy planning for the aftermath of a big challenge matters as much as the challenge itselfHow writing, voice notes, and keeping a daily diary have informed Alex's booksAlex's advice for anyone facing their own mountain Practical wisdom from this episode: Alex talks about the value of keeping a daily record as a practical investment in memory and legacy. Even ten minutes the morning after, noting the key things from the previous day, is enough. He also talks about the importance of planning the recovery period before a challenge begins as a way to come down and have something to look forward to. And when the flatness comes, he suggests keeping busy but staying present, talking to people who were part of the experience, and accepting that processing takes time. Connect with Alex: WebsiteMind Over MountainsLinkedInInstagramFacebook YouTube Alex's books Also mentioned The Chimp Paradox by Professor Steve PetersHarry Potter series by J.K. RowlingClimb the UK challengeUniversity of Chester Podcast Chapters 00:00 Introduction 05:14 The Power of Nature and Personal Transformation 09:36 The Journey to Everest: Overcoming Challenges 12:24 Commitment and the Drive to Achieve 19:04 Fundraising 23:30 Exploring New Sports and Personal Growth 28:09 Writing as a Form of Expression 33:48 The Birth of Mind Over Mountains 37:37 Navigating Mental Health and Charity Work 40:59 Balancing Challenges and Wellbeing 46:28 Planning for Post-Challenge Mental Health 51:17 Future Aspirations and Advice _ _ _   A new episode is released every other Saturday at 8 am. If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe to the Writing with Purpose podcast and leave a review. It makes a real difference in helping more people find the show. Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | wherever you get your podcasts. Please download your free journal planner PDF and entrance meditation to kickstart your journalling journey.Please connect with me on your preferred platform by ⁠visiting my links pageJoin my bi-weekly Writing and Nature Connection newsletter

    57 min
  6. 68 Writing with the Earth: Your Wild Soul Story with Mary Reynolds Thompson

    Apr 11

    68 Writing with the Earth: Your Wild Soul Story with Mary Reynolds Thompson

    What if the earth has been speaking to you all along, and the page is where you learn to listen? Mary Reynolds Thompson is a British-born, award-winning author, poetry and journal therapist, and eco coach whose work weaves nature connection, wild language, and therapeutic writing into a path of soul recovery and re-enchantment with the earth. She teaches that the earth speaks to us through archetypes and symbols, and that by writing with these images, we can rewild both our language and our souls. In this episode, Mary takes us on a journey that begins with a wild Bohemian childhood in Positano, roaming the hills, sleeping in caves, riding a pig called Romana, and travels through her years as a copywriter in London, her own addiction recovery, and her eventual turn toward the soul work that has shaped her books, courses, and therapeutic practice. This is a conversation about what it means to stop telling the small, fact-based story of your life and open yourself instead to the full expanse of who you are. "...View your life through this extraordinary, amazing thing that you are — a product of 13.8 billion years of evolution." "You are nested in this very particular moment in a very particular way, with very particular gifts that you have to rediscover." Mary Reynolds Thompson In this episode: How a wild childhood in Positano with freedom, cave sleeping, and animals planted the seeds of Mary's nature-based philosophyMary's addiction recovery and the moment at the Pacific Ocean that showed her she was strong enough to surviveWhat the ‘wild soul story’ isHow wild language works: using earth archetypes as metaphors for your inner lifeWhy there is no getting it wrong in wild writingHow to take your journal outdoors and let nature lead: the ‘10 things I notice’ practiceA dialogue technique for communicating with the more-than-human world, trees, stones, and the living landscapePractical wisdom: Start with 10 things I notice. Take your journal outside and list ten things you observe. Try the short write. Three minutes, a springboard word or image, no agenda. Use landscape as emotional vocabulary. Instead of saying ‘I'm fine,’ ask yourself: which landscape am I travelling through right now? Open a dialogue with a tree or stone.Write with the archetypes. Each landscape archetype unlocks a different quality of attention and language.Connect with Mary: WebsiteInstagramFacebookMary's books Reclaiming the Wild Soul: How Earth's Landscapes Restore Us to Wholeness (Nautilus Prize winner)The Way of the Wild Soul Woman: 5 Earth Archetypes to Unleash Your Full Feminine PowerEmbrace Your Inner WildThe Wild ScribeAlso mentioned in this podcast: Raising Hare memoir by Chloe DaltonThe Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson BurnettSilver by Walter de la Mare - The Poem TreeKing John's Christmas by A.A. MilneMorning Pages by Julia Cameron (The Artist's Way)Kay AdamsJosé Ortega y GassetHawkwood Center for Future Thinking Podcast Chapters 00:00 Introduction 06:05 The Power of Poetry and Childhood Influences 09:01 Wild Childhood Adventures in Positano 12:46 Landscapes and Personal Transformation 16:48 The Journey from Copywriting to Eco-Spirituality 22:14 Authenticity in a Mechanised World 24:22 Living Your Wild Soul Story 26:33 Listening to Nature's Whispers 31:46 Engaging with the Wild Language 37:54 Reclaiming the Wild Soul 42:57 Connecting with Nature through Journalling 49:25 The Creative Process: Archetypes in Writing _ _ _ A new episode is released every other Saturday at 8 am. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review — it helps more people find the show. Thank you for listening.  Join the Journalling Nook, an online community where we write for our wellbeing and personal growth.Please download your free journal planner PDF and entrance meditationPlease connect with me on your preferred platform by ⁠visiting my links pageJoin my bi-weekly Writing and Nature Connection newsletter

    54 min
  7. #67 From Soldier to Civilian: The Journey of Transition with John Stephenson

    10/25/2025

    #67 From Soldier to Civilian: The Journey of Transition with John Stephenson

    #67 From Soldier to Civilian: The Journey of Transition with John Stephenson In this episode of the Writing with Purpose podcast, I talk with John Stephenson, author of The Making of a Hunter: A Service User's Guide to Transition from the Armed Forces and Managing Director of Forces Transition Group. John reached the rank of Sergeant Major in the Army before founding an award-winning organisation that helps thousands of military and blue light personnel transition smoothly from service life to civilian careers. Our conversation explores the powerful transformation from service to civilian life and the identity shift that comes with leaving the military. John shares the story behind his compelling slogan 'Serve Well, Leave Well & Flourish', unpacks his framework of three types of people facing transition, the Sleepwalker, the Hoper, and the Hunter, and reveals why mindset is the foundation of everything. "You've got to take ownership. Nobody's going to do it for you. You can sit there and wait, but actually, if you want something, go and get it. Be proactive." In this episode: The three types of people in transition and how to become a HunterWhy mindset is the foundation of positive change – and how everyone can benefitThe five fundamentals framework for successful transitionReal struggles and practical solutions for service leaversHow Forces Transition Group grew from one to thousands "Everything starts with mindset. If you haven't got the rightmindset, you're not going to move forward. Positivity, self-awareness, and compassion - they're the three things that underpin everything." The conversation delves into the five fundamentals to success, the importance of community support through partnerships like Scotty's Little Soldiers and the Shine a Light Initiative, and practical advice for anyone navigating major life changes. Whether you're leaving the armed forces or facing a significant transition, this conversation offers wisdom to help you move forward with purpose and confidence. Connect with John To learn more about the training, coaching and services provided to military service leaders, or to enquire about business or charitable collaborations, please get in touch with John. WebsiteEmail JohnLive Transition DayThe Making of a Hunter BookGood ReadsMaddison House PressFacebookInstagram "The skills that you've got from the military are transferable. You've just got to understand what they are and how to articulate them. Don't undervalue yourself." Also mentioned in this podcast: Another Door Opens by Eleanor TweddellCareer Transition PartnershipScotty's Little Soldiers charityShine a Light InitiativeForces Transition Group events and Hot Seat interview practice Podcast Chapters 00:00 Introduction to John Stevenson and His Work 08:52 The Importance of Transitioning Well 14:31 Understanding the Sleepwalker, Hoper, and Hunter 25:36 The Five Fundamentals of Transitioning 30:35 Empowering Military Candidates 33:14 Mastering Interview Skills 36:22 Financial Literacy for Veterans 37:13 Community Support and Partnerships 43:31 The Journey to Authorship 48:49 Engaging the Next Generation 51:28 Future Plans and Collaborations _ _ _ A new episode is released every other Saturday at 8 am. Loved this episode? Leave a review or share your thoughts on social media – your feedback helps others discover the podcast and keeps the conversation going. Download your free journal planner PDF and entrance meditation to kickstart your journalling journey.Register for a free ‘Pen to Empowerment’webinarConnect with me on your preferred platformJoin my Writing and Nature Connection newsletter

    1h 1m
  8. #66 Solo Chatting: ‘Output Mode’ When Productivity Becomes Numbness

    09/20/2025

    #66 Solo Chatting: ‘Output Mode’ When Productivity Becomes Numbness

    What happens when being productive starts making you feel hollow inside? In this solo chatting episode, I share my recent experience of getting stuck in what cognitive scientist Yousaf Aslam calls "output mode" - when your brain becomes trapped in constant productivity gear, shutting down the networks that support self-awareness, introspection, and creativity. After receiving an email that ‘hit me straight between the eyes, I recognised that despite being busy and productive, I felt numb, disoriented, and ironically, had stopped doing the very practice I teach: journalling. Episode Highlights What is output mode?The irony of stopping the very practice that keeps you groundedLooking out for the recognition signsSimple micro-practices to restore self-awareness and creativityHow personal transformation shifts awareness "The goal isn't to stop being productive - it's to create space for the integration and processing that makes productivity meaningful rather than numbing." I share prompts around how to spot if you’re in output modeand ways to shift your mindset and behaviour to rekindle self-awareness, creativity and reflection. Also, news about my next upcoming conversation with John Stephenson discussing his debut book, "The Making of a Hunter: A Service User's Guide to Transition from the Armed Forces", out on 25 October 2025. Free Resources FreeJournal PlannerFree ‘Pen to Empowerment’ webinar – multiple dates available Podcast Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Personal Reflection 01:24 Understanding Output Mode 05:30 Recognising the Signs of Output Mode 07:20 Reflective Practices to Combat Output Mode 08:16 The Importance of Journalling 09:03 Creating New Patterns Through Awareness _ _ _ A new episode is released every other Saturday at 8 am. Loved this episode? Leave a review or share your thoughts on social media – your feedback helps others discover the podcast and keeps the conversation going. Download your free journal planner PDF and entrance meditation to kickstart your journalling journey.Register for my free Pen to Empowerment webinarConnect with me on your preferred platformJoin my Writing and Nature Connection newsletter

    12 min
See All (74)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Do you dream of a life filled with creativity, calm, and connection? Join me, Anna Woolliscroft, writer, journalling guide, and outdoor enthusiast, as I share my love for putting pen to paper and exploring the great outdoors. Through heartfelt conversations and practical tips, discover how writing and nature connection can help you find clarity, spark creativity, and live a more fulfilling life. Whether you’re a seasoned writer, a curious beginner, or simply someone seeking a deeper connection to life, this podcast is for you. Please tune in and let's explore together.

Information

You Might Also Like