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

Join me, Anna Woolliscroft, writer, journalling guide, and outdoor enthusiast, as I share my love for penning thoughts and exploring the great outdoors. Through honest conversations and practical tips, discover how writing and nature connection can help you find clarity, embrace creativity, restore positive wellbeing 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.

Writing with Purpose – Inspiring Journallers, Writers, Readers and Nature Lovers is a education podcast hosted by Anna Woolliscroft, with 78 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Anna Woolliscroft hosts Writing with Purpose – Inspiring Journallers, Writers, Readers and Nature Lovers, a education show with 78 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #77

  Episode 77: The Difference Between Resting and Feeling Restored

  Aug 1, 202622 min

  Episode 77: The Difference Between Resting and Feeling Restored What if the reason you still feel flat on Monday has nothing to do with how much rest you actually got? Episode Description In this solo episode of the Writing with Purpose podcast, I'm talking about rest and restoration, and specifically why so many of us can have a full weekend off and still feel pretty flat by Monday morning. I unpack a distinction I've been exploring in July's Journalling Circles: rest and restoration are not the same thing, and understanding the gap between them changes how you approach recovery. I walk through the energy audit, a simple two column journalling exercise that helps you work out what genuinely restores you rather than what you've been told should. I also share some UK statistics on stress and burnout, a couple ofjournalling prompts to try, and what's coming up in August before the podcast pauses for a summer break, returning on the 12th of September. “Rest is the pause... restoration is what that pause, that stopping doing something will give back to us.” In This Episode The real difference between being rested and feeling restored, and why the two get confused Why identical amounts of sleep can leave two people feeling completely differently recovered UK statistics on stress and burnout, and what they reveal about why rest alone often isn't enough The belief that rest has to be earned, and how that shows up in an endless to do list What's on in August's Journalling Circles, and a first look at who's joining the podcast in September Practical Wisdom I share a few techniques for anyone who feels rested but not restored, including: The energy audit, a two-column journalling exercise using 'drains' and 'restores' The rest sprint, a three- to five-minute free write on where tiredness shows up in the body A sentence stem to complete: 'A form of rest I keep putting off is...' “What restores you might drain somebody else completely.” August Journalling Circles and Events In-person Journalling Circles: 21st August at Hub and Health, Alsager, and 28th August at the Nantwich Clinic Slow Morning Sanctuary with Claudia Brown: Saturday 15th August, Nantwich Clinic, 3 hours, £49 Nature Journalling Walk at Rode Heath Rise: Friday 27th August, 10am Online Journalling Circles: Wednesday 19th August, 9am and 5pm sessions via Zoom Introduction to Journalling: Monday 7th September, 9am, online via Zoom, 2 hours Also Mentioned in This Podcast Mental Health UK, 2025 Burnout Report Brainz Magazine, article on rest and restoration Staffordshire Signal Magazine, monthly column Claudia Brown, yoga expert and Slow Morning Sanctuary co-host Free journal planner and entrance meditation Find Your Voice Again – on-demand journalling course Rachel Woods, author of Let's Take This Outside: The Business of Thinking in Nature (guest, 12th September) Ian Boyd, CEO of Mind Over Mountains (upcoming guest) Ellie Reynolds, scientist, author, and ocean rower (upcoming guest) Podcast Chapters 01:01 Understanding Rest vs. Restoration 02:55 The Gap Between Rest and Feeling Restored 07:08 The Energy Audit Exercise 11:09 Journaling Prompts for Self-Discovery 15:19 Upcoming Events and Conclusion _ _ _ 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. Download a free journal planner PDF Connect with me Join my bi-weekly newsletter Search WWP events

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  Episode #76

  76: How to Rediscover Who You Are Beyond the Roles You Play with Maria Newman

  Jul 18, 20261h 9m

  Writing with Purpose podcast, episode 76: How to Rediscover Who You Are Beyond the Roles You Play with Maria Newman If the role you play every day disappeared tomorrow, would you still know who you are? In this episode of the Writing with Purpose podcast, I'm joined by Maria Newman, a certified NLP Master Practitioner, hypnotherapist, coach and author who has spent nearly a decade helping working mums rediscover who they are beyond the roles they play. After leaving a long-standing career at Rolls-Royce in 2016, Maria built her own coaching practice from the ground up and has since written two books, founded YaaMas, an online networking community, and launched her podcast, Rising from the Rubble. Our conversation moves through the roles we absorb as our identity, the life transitions that leave us asking 'who am I now', and why living consciously matters when our unconscious minds run so much of the day. Maria shares how journalling anchors her mornings and evenings, what hypnotherapy and NLP make possible when talking alone isn't enough, and why nature is one of the simplest ways to come back to yourself. "I'd rather regret something that I've done than regret something I haven't done." IN THIS EPISODE Why the childhood book Back Home became a lifelongmetaphor for life's changing chapters The car journey conversation with a senior manager thatplanted the seed to leave a secure career Building an online course in 2020 and gettingtumbleweeds instead of a Field of Dreams moment Living a balancing life rather than a balanced one, andwhy motion softens the curveballs Recognising when you are sleepwalking through life onautopilot The shrinking comfort zone, and how small acts of newness keep our world wide PRACTICAL WISDOM Maria shares simple, repeatable practices for anyone wanting to live more consciously, including: An evening journalling routine using a day-per-page diary, closing with ten things to be grateful for, no letting yourself off the hook Writing three priorities and an intention each morning to set the day's direction Mindful walking in nature, noticing what you can feel underfoot, see and hear Breaking everyday patterns deliberately, from what you eat for breakfast to the route you travel Writing a letter from your future self to break through feeling stuck Celebrating every win, whatever its size "It's not selfish to think of yourself as an individual tomeet your own needs." CONNECT WITH MARIA Please connect with Maria on social media, visit her website or follow her work to stay connected and find out about her coaching, books, workshops and podcast. Website LinkedIn TikTok YouTube Busy! Book Your Next Chapter Book ALSO MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST Karmic Management, Geshe Michael Roach Back Home, Michelle Magorian Can't Hurt Me, David Goggins YaaMas networking community Maria's workshop From Doubting to Decisive (November 2026) PODCAST CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to Maria Newman 01:47 Maria's favourite childhood book and its meaning 06:19 Reflections on journaling and gratitude practices 10:48 Leaving a corporate career for coaching and entrepreneurship 19:32 The metaphor of the tightrope and balancing life 29:34 Recognising sleepwalking through life and how to break free 44:32 Maria's second book: a practical guide to letting go of the past 48:08 The importance of nature, outdoor activities, and movement 01:04:05 A technique: writing a letter from your future self 01:05:59 Upcoming workshops and how to connect with Maria _ _ _ 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. Download a free journal planner PDF and entrance meditation to kickstart your journalling journey Connect with me on your preferred platform Join my bi-weekly newsletter for journalling prompts, curious thoughts, and writing ideas Search WWP events

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  Episode #75

  75: How to Write from the Soul Using Embodied Poetry, Moon Journalling and the Art of Showing Up with Nora Wilhelm

  Jul 4, 20261h 19m

  Episode 75: How to Write from the Soul Using Embodied Poetry, Moon Journalling and the Art of Showing Up What if the most profound writing you'll ever do isn't aimedat an audience, but at uncovering what your own soul already knows? Nora Wilhelm is a social entrepreneur, changeworker, andwriter from Switzerland who, after years of giving everything to her work, found her way back to herself through the powerful act of creating. Nora is the founder of the well, change atelier, a platform for creative regeneration, and the host of Writing with Flow, a programme that helps people build a writing routine that feels sustainable. In 2024, Nora wrote her first book, discovering along the way that showing up daily and gently is far more potent than waiting for the perfect conditions. In this conversation, we explore Nora's embodied poetry practice, which she describes as 'cranking up the volume of your own soul', and the accessible techniques she uses to help people access that depth, whether or not they've ever thought of themselves as a writer. We also talk about journalling in alignment with the lunar cycle as a gentle, natural rhythm for reflection, the raw realities of self publishing, and how Nora built a daily writing habit that carried her through writing her first book, five minutes at a time. “I... put words to the process that I go through... it's all about cranking up the volume of your own soul [–] what's already there, what you deep down already know maybe is important, the voice that's whispering always and... allowing that to come through.” In This Episode How Nora's embodied poetry process uses rapid-fire association and metaphor to bypass the critical mind and access deeper writing The collective poetry practice: how Nora channels group experiences into a single emergent poem Why Nora structures her journalling practice around the lunar cycle The five-minute writing habit that helped Nora complete her first book draft What no one tells you about self-publishing, from the editorial process to printing ethics The creative palette at Well Change Atelier Practical Wisdom Nora shares practical approaches for anyone wanting to build a more sustainable writing practice Anchoring writing to an existing daily habit, such as a first coffee or returning from a walk Adding a small reward to reinforce the habit, and applying the 'don't miss twice' principle Using rapid-fire metaphor association as an entry point into embodied poetry Journalling at the new moon to set intentions and at the full moon to reflect and release Connect With Nora Please connect with Nora Wilhelm on social media, visit her websites, or follow her work to stay connected and find out about upcoming poetry workshops, Writing with Flow, and her forthcoming book. Nora's website Well Change Atelier Parayma LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Well Change Atelier on Instagram Also Mentioned Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldry Hafiz, Rumi, and Rupi Kaur John Stubbley, Presenting Institute Chani Nicholas Atomic Habits by James Clear Elaine Brooks Human design Art of Change conference, Austria Podcast Chapters 00:00 Intro to Nora Wilhelm 03:18 The Power of Books and Childhood Reading 05:55 Exploring Poetry and Its Impact 11:04 The Role of Collective Experiences in Writing 15:10 Nora's Writing Journey and Daily Habits 36:15 Journalling Practices and Lunar Cycles 58:09 Nature as a Source of Regeneration 01:08:47 Future Endeavours and Closing Thoughts _ _ _ 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. Download your free journal planner PDF and entrance meditation to kickstart your journalling journey. Connect with me on your preferred platform Join my bi-weekly Writing and Nature Connection newsletter

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  Episode #70

  74: Living on Less, Writing from Life: A Conversation with Author Mike Leaver

  Jun 20, 202659 min

  Episode 74: Living on Less, Writing from Life: A Conversationwith Author Mike Leaver What if stripping your life back to almost nothing was the thing that finally gave you the space to write? In this episode of the Writing with Purpose podcast, I’m joined by Mike Leaver, author of five books, who has spent 30 years living off-grid in a static lorry in Porthmadog, North Wales. With no electricity, no mains water, and no internet, Mike writes by candlelight, spends around £15 a week on groceries, and has attracted over a million views on YouTube for simply living the way he does. Mike writes from lived experience, thinking through narrative at night and committing it to the page each morning. His autobiographies draw on contemporaneous notes made across four decades. His novels use fictional characters to explore emotions he finds difficult to own directly. This conversation explores what it means to write honestly from a life that refuses any conventional script. “Where other people are involved who I can’t actually tell their bit of the story, then sometimes I will put them situations into a fictional situation because then I’m free to go with thoughts that they might be having.” In This Episode How Mike uses fictional characters to explore emotions he cannot express in his own voice Writing from contemporaneous notes kept across four decades What Mike learned about writing female characters from being the only boy in a class of fifteen girls How homelessness, job loss, and a sunken boat became raw material for two autobiographies The off-grid life as a writing environment: candlelight, no distractions, a routine built around creativity Living the adventures first, then finding the story in them Practical Wisdom Think through your narrative before you write. Mike develops plot and memory at night before committing it to the page the following morning. Use fictional characters to explore what you cannot say directly. Fiction gives you the freedom to go there honestly. Write from observation. Read widely outside your own experience to understand perspectives you would not otherwise access. Record life as it happens. Both autobiographies were written from contemporaneous notes, not reconstructed from memory. Connect With Mike Website Facebook Books Write to Mike: Mike Leaver, Lorry Called Yr Wyddfa, Porthmadog, LL49 9GB Also Mentioned Elizabeth Gill, ‘A Sister’s Dream’ Enid Blyton, Famous Five series YouTube : Mike’s off-grid life, over 1 million views Podcast Chapters 00:00 Introduction03:40 Literary Influences and Writing Style06:30 Themes in Mike’s Novels09:21 From Life Experience to Fiction12:09 The Gritty Realities of Mike’s Writing14:58 Living Off-Grid17:21 Fame, Writing, and Daily Life20:06 Life, Happiness, and Simplicity33:45 Creating Atmosphere for Writing35:39 Off-Grid Living: The Details42:17 Finding Inspiration in Adventure46:38 Balancing Fact and Fiction51:09 Practical Tips for Simple Living52:55 Future Plans and Community57:15 Outro _ _ _ 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. Download your PDF and entrance meditation to kickstart your journalling journey. Connect with me on your preferred platform by ⁠ Join my bi-weekly newsletter

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  Episode #73

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

  Jun 6, 20261h 10m

  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 grief The 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 carry Practical 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 it Using a line of poetry as a place to begin, with no expectation of where it will lead Approaching creative resistances with gentleness rather than force, finding a settled internal place before pushing through Connect With Evie Please connect with Evie Lindemann to follow her work and stay connected. Website LinkedIn Also Mentioned in This Podcast The Light of Days: Women's Resistance Fighters in the Ghettos by Judy Batalion The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame Ferdinand the Bull Kitchen Table Wisdom by Rachel Naomi Remen Kay Adams and the Center for Journal Therapy William Worden, grief therapist and researcher Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, grief researcher and author Carl Jung's 'active imagination' concept Meher Baba / Meher Archive Collective International Poetry Therapy Association The Bamiyan Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site, Afghanistan Podcast 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. C onnect with me Join my bi-weekly newsletter

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