Heart of the Story

201 To celebrate Nadine's June 18 masterclass with author Peg Conway called "Inviting Yourself Back to the Page" we're bringing back Peg's episode about memoir writing and self compassion. Registration for the class will be live on June 3 at nadinekenneyjohnstone.com/classes. About the episode:Nadine talks with memoirist Peg Conway about her book, The Art of Reassembly: A Memoir of Early Motherloss and Aftergrief.About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today's top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a weekly column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

200 To celebrate 200 episodes and to honor the publication of Jane's new book, we're bringing back this listener-favorite episode!Writing guru Jane Friedman answers all your burning questions about the business of being a writer (which also happens to be the title of her latest book). Covered in this episode:-How the pandemic changed the publishing industry (for the better)-How to have an honest outlook about getting published and still have hope-How to give yourself yourself grace when you're burnt out-Marketing approaches that actually work-How to write newsletters that people want to read-The best writing advice books-The best writing advice given and receivedAbout Jane:Jane Friedman has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2023. Her latest book is THE BUSINESS OF BEING A WRITER (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. In addition to serving on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund, she works with organizations such as The Authors Guild to bring transparency to the business of publishing. Learn more at JaneFriedman.comTwitter: @janefriedmanInstagram handle: @janefriedmanYouTube: http://youtube.com/@janefriedmanJane's upcoming newsletter classAbout Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a writing professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She interviews today's top female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. She writes a weekly column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

199 Nadine is taking a semi-sabbatical this year to study, try new things, & travel, and she's sharing her adventures with you in a podcast series that will air monthly throughout the year. In this 4rd episode, she shares the highlights, challenges, and takeaways from her April areas of interest: applying to residencies, untangling her codependent behaviors, and grappling with being enough when she's not trying to prove her relevance. Covered in this episode:Updates on her year-long projects like local food sourcing How HRT (hormone replacement therapy) has been goingWhy she's applying to writing residenciesWhat she's discovering about high-functioning codependencyHow she's asserting boundaries and taking care of her nervous systemHow to release our desire to prove our relevance One important question that's changing everything*This is the fourth episode in a year-long series for paid subscribers. Access for the full episode is available when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She has helped those writers publish countless books and hundreds of essays in The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. She interviews renowned female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story, and writes a weekly column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

198 If you've ever felt crippled by loss and utterly uncertain about your next steps, this episode is for you. In her new book, The Mother of All Decisions, Betsy Armstrong navigates the impossible--the early death of her mother, the wrath of her stepfather, chronic pain, and a harrowing adoption journey--with the kind of steadfast resilience that gives us boundless hope. This conversation is no different. It will leave you thinking about the impact we have on each other and the powerful legacy you can create.Covered in this episode:The moments that led Betsy to consider becoming an adoptive parent at age 47How her mother's death spurred Betsy to create a powerful legacyHow she and her children bravely navigated the unknown with hope, even after heartacheHow Betsy stayed dedicated to her book project for more than a decadeHow Nadine' coaching impacted the manuscriptHow Betsy and Nadine have watched each other growAbout Betsy: Betsy Armstrong grew up on a farm in Minnesota, but Chicago captured her heart thirty-plus years ago, so she stayed. Betsy is a writer, mom, athlete, and philanthropist who wants to change the world. She had careers in sales, counseling, and the non-profit space. Still, her true passion was running, which led her to become the Executive Director of Girls on the Run-Chicago and the Chicago Area Runners Association. Her writing has been published in the Brevity Blog, The Pinch Journal, and WOW-Women on Writing, and she has been recognized in essay contests in Writer's Digest and WOW-Women on Writing. She and her husband, kids, and pets divide their time between the mountains of Nevada and the lakes of the Midwest.About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is an award-winning author, podcast host, and writing coach. After fifteen years as a professor, she founded WriteWELL workshops and retreats for women writers. She has helped those writers publish countless books and hundreds of essays in The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal. She has been featured in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. She interviews renowned female authors on her podcast, Heart of the Story, and writes a weekly column about mid-life reclamation on Substack.

197 To celebrate Melanie and Nadine's collaborative masterclass, Publishing Your Stories, on May 13, we're bringing back this chat with Melanie Brooks. If you can't make it live, you can still register and catch the replay.---Many of us have carried at least one hard story for years, suffering under the weight of secrecy and silence. But what if you didn't have to carry it anymore? What if writing or telling it could not only free you, but deepen your relationships with your loved ones? Melanie Brooks--author of Writing Hard Stories and A Hard Silence--is here to help us write and tell our hard stories. Covered in this episode:The life changing impact that Writing Hard Stories had on NadineMelanie's surprising experiences with renowned authors as she researched her bookThe benefits of writing a hard story How and why it gets easierWhat you discover when you're writing hard stories and how it's able to help you processThe phases we go throughout when telling hard stories What prompted Nadine to write and publish her hard storyThe 2 books Nadine reread while writing her memoirThe hard silence Melanie had to keep for almost 10 yrsThe long term impact of not being able to speak your truthWhat helps us stay centered while writing hard stories The guilty pleasure TV show that Melanie and Nadine both watch when they need to escape How it felt for Melanie and Nadine to have their vulnerable books be published What it was like for both writers to write about real life characters and what their family's reactions wereWhat narrative medicine is and how it's changing health care Hear Melanie read a moving passage that gives anyone permission to share their hard story About Melanie:IG: melaniejmbrookswriterwebsite: melaniebrooks.comMelanie Brooks is the author of the memoir A Hard Silence: One daughter remaps family, grief, and faith when HIV/AIDS changes it all (Vine Leaves Press, 2023) and Writing Hard Stories: Celebrated Memoirists Who Shaped Art from Trauma (Beacon Press, 2017) She teaches creative nonfiction in the M.F.A. program at Bay Path University and in the M.F.A. program at Western Connecticut State University and professional writing at Northeastern University. She holds an M.F.A. in Creative Nonfiction from the University of Southern Maine's Stonecoast writing program and a Certificate in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University. She has had numerous interviews and essays on topics ranging from loss and grief to parenting and aging published in the The Boston Globe, HuffPost, Yankee Magazine, Psychology Today, The Washington Post, Ms. Magazine, Creative Nonfiction, and other notable publications. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, two children (when they are home from university), and chocolate Lab.About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir,

196 To celebrate the publication of Dr. Hillary McBride's latest book, Holy Hurt: Understanding and Healing from Spiritual Trauma, we're bringing back this beloved conversation about how to hold ourselves when we are hurting.Why does it hurt so badly when things don't go as we'd hoped? How do we hold ourselves when we're in great pain? How do we talk to others so that we can reestablish loving connections when they've hurt us or we've hurt them? Psychologist and embodiment expert Dr. Hillary McBride answers all these questions and more in this profound conversation that offers deep solace to anyone who's hurting. Covered in this episode: Transitions that Hillary and Nadine are currently navigatingWhat's bringing them delight Why there is a deep grief when our plans don't play outHow to tune into our own bodies to see how we're feeling How to identify what we need and then self-sootheHelpful dialogue for hard conversationsThe 7 words that can lead to great repairHow to cultivate profound self-trust About Hillary:Dr. Hillary McBride is a registered psychologist, a researcher, and podcastor, with expertise that includes working with trauma and trauma therapies, embodiment, at the intersection of spirituality and mental health. Her first book, Mothers, Daughters, and Body Image: Learning to Love Ourselves as We Are, was published in 2017; she was the senior editor of the textbook Embodiment and Eating Disorders: Theory, Research, Prevention, and Treatment, which was published in 2018. Her bestselling book The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding wholeness, healing and connection through embodied living came out in the fall of 2021, and in January she released Practices for Embodied Living. Her next book Holy Hurt: understanding and healing from spiritual trauma, comes out April 2025. She has been recognized by the American Psychological Association, and the Canadian Psychological Association for her research and clinical work. In addition to being a teaching faculty at the University of British Columbia, she is an ambassador for Sanctuary Mental Health, and the host of CBC's award winning podcast Other People's Problems. Hillary makes her home in the pacific northwest in British Columbia, Canada.www.hillarylmcbride.com IG: @hillaryliannamcbride About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back...

195 In honor of National Infertility Awareness Week, we're bringing back our conversation with the founder of Humanize Infertility, Hillary Alberta Sherer.Whether you're experiencing infertility or want to support someone who is, you won't want to miss this profound conversation. In this episode, Nadine and Hillary discuss the emotional impact of infertility, how to support yourself or your loved one, the most important questions to ask when seeking treatment, and how best to self-advocate as a patient. This empowering and hopeful conversation reminds us all that we know our bodies best and have the right to advocate for ourselves. Hillary is the founder of Humanize Infertility and is working to humanize infertility with one woman, one couple, and one story at a time by empowering those struggling with infertility with knowledge, hope, and connection.About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her SubstackAbout Hillary:Hillary Alberta Sherer is a biotechnology researcher with expert knowledge in the policy and ethical conversations around infertility. Utilizing over 15 years of clinical science research experience, she saw a need for more robust, transparent, and accessible research on infertility and infertility technologies. This led to her dissertation work on the ethical guidelines and policies surrounding egg donation. She is an activist for positive change that enables women to make informed and autonomous decisions about their health and wellbeing. She received her B.S. in Biology, M.S. in Public Policy and Ph.D. in Biotechnology Policy and Ethics all from The Georgia Institute of Technology (aka the Georgia Tech Trifecta). Hillary resides in Atlanta, GA with her husband, two kiddos, and 100-pound goldendoodle. Website: https://www.hillarysherer.com/IG: @humanizeinfertilityResources shared in this...

194 Nadine is taking a semi-sabbatical this year to study, try new things, and travel, and she's sharing her adventures with you in a podcast series that will air multiple times throughout the year. In this 3rd episode, she shares the highlights, challenges, and takeaways from her March areas of interest: creative writing, garbage time, and perimenopause support.Covered in this episode:How Nadine developed a regular writing practiceWhat's inspiring her to stay dedicated to her writingThe surprising lessons from her recent trips to Illinois, Georgia, and South CarolinaWhat garbage time is and why it's so important What she's learning about perimenopause Why she started HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) & what it's been like*This is the third episode in a year-long series for paid subscribers. Access for the full episode is available when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

193 Disruptor and author of a Well-Trained Wife, Tia Levings shares her journey of escaping a high-control religious environment and reclaiming her identity. Tia roots for women to recognize their worth and reclaim their voices, especially in the face of patriarchal systems. Tia walks us through her daily practices for nervous system regulation and how she got to her "grandma is a bestselling author" era. Covered in this episode: How patriarchy siphoned parts of her identityHow she was able to question the brainwashing and fight backThe role grief played in Tia's transformationWhy reclamation is a long but rewarding journey that requires ongoing effort Why understanding the aftermath of trauma is crucial for healingTia's and Nadine's daily practices for nervous system regulation Why sharing your true story with the world can be so empoweringWhy midlife is a great time for new beginnings Self-care practices for sustaining creativityAbout Tia:Tia Levings is the New York Times bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife, her memoir of escape from Christian Patriarchy. She writes about the realities of Christian fundamentalism, evangelical patriarchy, and religious trauma, and is quoted in Salon, the Huffington Post, and Newsweek. She also appeared in the hit Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People. She is mom to four incredible adults and likes to travel, hike, paint, and daydream. Find her on social media @TiaLevingsWriter. Her second book, The Soul of Healing, releases with St. Martin's Essentials in 2026.About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

192 To celebrate the release of Maggie Smith's new guidebook for writers called Dear Writer: Pep Talks and Practical Advice for a Creative Life, we're bringing back this beloved chat with Maggie about writing, self-trust, and life in the ellipsis! ---What do we do when the future we thought we'd have is wiped clean, and we're stuck in uncertainty? Bestselling author Maggie Smith joins us to talk about life in the in-between and how, even when we're at a loss, we can still trust ourselves. She also explores the writerly decisions she made in her most recent bestseller (and one of Nadine's favorite books of all time), You Could Make This Place Beautiful. She closes the conversation with incredible writing advice that will make you want to grab a pen and start writing. Covered in this episode:How to find beauty, even when our lives change in unexpected waysThe difference between a midlife crisis and midlife recoveryHow to turn up the volume of our inner voice and act on itThe wise women who've inspired Maggie & Nadine in life and in writingWhy writing hard things is actually enjoyable Why Maggie wrote her story in real-time rather than waitingWhat has and hasn't changed since the publication of You Could Make This Place Beautiful Maggie's favorite small pleasure–how she's treating herself well Want more Maggie? Grab a copy of You Could Make This Place Beautiful (now out in paperback), subscribe to her popular Substack For Dear Life, and preorder her forthcoming book, Dear Writer (April, 2025).Maggie Smith is the award-winning author of You Could Make This Place Beautiful, Good Bones, The Well Speaks of Its Own Poison, Lamp of the Body, and the national bestsellers Goldenrod and Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change. A 2011 recipient of a Creative Writing Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, Smith has also received several Individual Excellence Awards from the Ohio Arts Council, two Academy of American Poets Prizes, a Pushcart Prize, and fellowships from the Sustainable Arts Foundation and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She has been widely published, appearing in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Paris Review, The Nation, The Best American Poetry, and more. You can follow her on social media @MaggieSmithPoet.About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the...

191 To celebrate Nadine + Sara's upcoming collaborative masterclass on April 15, we're bringing back this much-loved episode w/ Sara Avant Stover. Register for the class at https://www.nadinekenneyjohnstone.com/classesIf you've ever felt alone in your suffering and uncertainty, this episode is for you. Bestselling author Sara Avant Stover shares her own story of serial heartbreaks and the steps she took towards repair. Through IFS (Internal Family Systems) therapy, Sara discovered how to acknowledge, understand, and heal her parts. Covered in this episode:The midlife transition most of us go through Signs/stages of heartbreakHow to allow & be where we areGetting to the root of your suffering and healing our parts Asking others for help Fully surrenderingPatience and persistence Not giving up on ourselvesWhy everything you're feeling is normal The winding road of Sara's writing journey that ended in deep alignmentAbout Nadine:Download Nadine's mini-retreat reset for busy women here. This guided meditation creates calm and clarity so you can listen to the directions of your heart. Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

190 To celebrate Renee's April 25th women's retreat: Tending Your Wild Fire, we're brining back this fan favorite episode. Award winning author and retreat leader Renee Trudeau joins Nadine to talk about the self discernment practices she does when she feels lost, why she walked away from a book deal, how her life has changed in the last 2 years, and why retreat is so important for women. Renee and Nadine geek out on why they love leading & taking retreats. Renee's Info:Subscribe to Renee's weekly Live Inside Out blog where she shares personal stories/support for living intentionally.View all Renee's upcoming retreats Tips on Taking a Personal Planning RetreatFollow Renee in Instagram @reneetrudeau_About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

189 To celebrate the release of Susan's new book, Inexplicable Joy, we're bringing back this fan-favorite episode!Buddhist teacher and writer, Susan Piver, talks about the surprising path that landed her on Oprah and the NY Times bestseller list. She candidly opens up about the pitfalls of publishing that lead her to start her own press. Nadine and Susan share the secrets and support systems that help them as authors, and Susan explains the benefits of the Buddhist Enneagram as a tool for understanding ourselves and each other.About Susan:Susan Piver is a Buddhist teacher and the New York Times bestselling author of The Hard Questions, The Wisdom of a Broken Heart, Start Here Now, The Four Noble Truths of Love, and others. Her latest book is The Buddhist Enneagram: Nine Paths to Warriorship. Piver has been a student of Buddhism since 1993. She is founder of the Open Heart Project, a virtual meditation community with 20,000 members all over the world. She lives in Somerville, MA, and Austin, TX. The Open Heart Project The Buddhist Enneagram: Nine Paths to Warriorship Instagram FacebookAbout Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

188 Nadine is taking a semi-sabbatical this year to study, try new things, and travel, and she's sharing her adventures with you in a podcast series that will air multiple times throughout the year. In this 2nd episode, she shares the highlights, challenges, and takeaways from her February areas of interest: creative writing, local food sourcing, and perimenopause support.Covered in this episode:Why Nadine chose to focus on these three topicsWhat's inspiring Nadine's writing lifeHow and why she's supporting local food growersWhat perimenopause symptoms she's noticing and what she's doing about themThe thought-provoking video that gave her pauseHow she's taking steps to reclaim her agency in her creative, nutritional, and hormonal life*This is the second episode in a year-long series for paid subscribers. Access for the full episode is available when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

187 We're bringing back this encore episode to celebrate Faith and Nadine's March 11 masterclass: Applying to Residencies and Fellowships. Replay will be sent if you can't make it live. Episode originally aired in June 2023.Want to know how to fulfill your writing and traveling dreams (& receive full or partial funding)? Grab a notebook because this episode with travel memoirist Faith Adiele is FULL of helpful info and resources. In addition to chatting about Faith's memoir, her travel column, her 20+ residencies, and her fascinating experiences as Thailand's first Black Buddhist nun, we discuss:-How to find writing residency opportunities-The amazing places you can visit while on residency-How to make your application stand out-Why you don't need publication credentials in order to be chosen-How to ask for the funding and opportunities you want About Faith:FAITH ADIELE is author of the memoirs Meeting Faith, an account of flunking out of Harvard and ordaining as Thailand's first Black Buddhist nun that won the PEN Open Book Award, and the humorous The Nigerian Nordic Girl's Guide to Lady Problems. She has attended 20+ artists' residencies around the globe and writes a syndicated travel column that appears in Detour: Best Stories in Black Travel and the Miami Herald. Named one of Marie Claire magazine's “Five Women to Learn From,” Faith speaks and teaches workshops in memoir and travel writing at Esalen, Open Center NYC, InsightLA, VONA/Voices and elsewhere.WebsiteFacebookInstagram @meetingfaithTwitter @meetingfaithLinkedInAbout Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around

187 Nadine is taking a semi-sabbatical this year to study, try new things, and travel, and she's sharing her adventures with you in a podcast series that will air multiple times throughout the year. In this kick-off episode, she shares the highlights, challenges, and takeaways from her recent two-week trip to California to study conscious dance at Esalen and meditation at a 5-day, device-free, silent retreat.Covered in this episode:What conscious dance is and why Nadine wanted to study itThe surprising lesson she learned about self compassion via danceWhy dance has become so important for processing emotionsWhat it was like renounce devices and live in silence for 5 daysWhich rules Nadine broke and whyHow her time away impacted her life-outlook and her creativityWhat she's trying to incorporate into her everyday life*This is the first episode in a series she'll be doing throughout the year for paid subscribers. Access for the full episode is available when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

185 We're bringing back this encore episode to celebrate Emily and Nadine's Feb 27 masterclass: Integrating Research into Writing. Replay will be sent if you can't make it live. Episode originally aired in Summer 2024.We want to protect our children but we can sense that our over protection is doing more damage than good. In this eye-opening conversation, parenting expert Emily Edlynn explains why controlling parenting is taking its toll on our kids, and how to make small changes that can make a big difference. This hopeful conversation will help you compassionately release control so that your children can thrive and become the capable, confident, connected humans they were meant to be. Covered in this episode:-The signs of controlling parenting-What autonomy-supportive parenting is and why it works-How to integrate parenting practices that will encourage our children's independence -Identifying how you were raised and the ripple effect that's had on you-The pitfalls Nadine is noticing in her previous parenting approach and how she's trying to change. About Emily Edlynn:Her mission is helping families find calm in the chaos of modern parenting. She is an academic, practicing therapist, and mother of 3. She dives deep into complex parenting topics so you don't have to! Her book, Autonomy-Supportive Parenting: Reduce Parental Burnout and Raise Competent, Confident Children, is now available on Amazon or Bookshop!About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her

184 This chat w/ bestselling memoirist Molly Wizenberg covers it all: partnership, parenting, writing, teaching, navigating midlife, and taking brave action. At it's heart though, it's a chat about following our desire, even when it disturbs the status quo.About Molly's latest memoir, The Fixed Stars: At age 36, while serving on a jury, author Molly Wizenberg found herself drawn to a female attorney. Married to a man for nearly a decade and mother to a toddler, Wizenberg tried to return to her life as she knew it, but she felt that something inside her had changed irrevocably. Instead, she would discover that the trajectory of our lives is rarely as smooth or as logical as we'd like to believe.Covered in this episode:Why The Fixed Stars had such a big impact on NadineHow to develop self-trust even when the path forward is unclearWhy we must not abandon ourselvesHow to grow as individuals within a partnershipHow Molly and Nadine (both mothers and teachers) prioritize their writing time How to become an emboldened writer even when we're afraidWhat their mid-life journeys have looked likeThe impact of books on their lives and on the mainstream conversation around women and mid-lifeMid-life body empowerment The brave action they've taken this past yearAbout Molly:Molly Wizenberg is a memoirist, essayist, and teacher of personal narrative writing. She is the author of The Fixed Stars, a Stonewall Honor Book and a 2021 finalist for the Washington Book Award in biography and memoir. Her previous books, A Homemade Life and Delancey, were both New York Times bestsellers. Her work has appeared in The Guardian, The Washington Post, and Bon Appétit, where she was a columnist for three years. She also cohosts the weekly comedy-and-food podcast Spilled Milk, where, with co-host Matthew Amster-Burton, she's been chewing on-mic since 2010. In other lifetimes, she wrote the James Beard Award-winning blog Orangette (2004-2019) and co-founded the Seattle restaurants Delancey and Essex. Today she writes the newsletter I've Got a Feeling, which a very astute person once described as “a chronicle of enthusiasms.” She teaches writing workshops online and around the world. Newsletter: https://mollywizenberg.substack.com/Website: https://www.mollywizenberg.com/Current workshop offerings: https://www.mollywizenberg.com/upcomingworkshopsPodcast: https://www.spilledmilkpodcast.com/Instagram (though I'm not there much): https://www.instagram.com/molly.wizenberg/About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir,

183 In this candid episode, Nadine reviews the highlights and hardships from the past year. She shares the god, bad, and the complicated when it comes to navigating mid-life, parenting a middle-schooler, living in FL, having difficult conversations w/ loved ones, prioritizing fun, and everything in between. Access for the full episode will be available on Fri Jan 31st when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

182 We're bringing back this encore episode to celebrate Tamara and Nadine's Jan 22 masterclass: Writing for Major Magazines. Replay will be sent if you can't make it live. Episode originally aired in 2021: How does an idea become a book? How do you find the time to write in the midst of working and parenting? How do you overcome fear of what others will think of your writing? Nadine and Tamara talk about all these things and more in this inspiring interview!About Tamara:Tamara Belinfanti is a Jamaican writer whose work explores themes of identity, transitions, and belonging. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Vogue, Barron's, Brevity Blog, The Jamaica Gleaner, and PREE, a magazine of contemporary Caribbean writing. A graduate of Harvard Law School, she is a professor of law at New York Law School.About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

181 What if a gap year wasn't only reserved for high school grads trying to find themselves? Writer, hiker, and anti-capitalist tiny biz owner, Nic Antoinette, discusses the inspiration behind her 2025 grown up gap year, and Nadine opens up about the moment of jealousy that led to her "apprentice year." This is not a new-year-new-you, live-your-best-life episode. Instead, Nic and Nadine talk openly about how they are trying to be real with their plans and expectations for 2025. Nic also discusses the other ways she has curated a values-aligned life and career. In this inspiring and permission-granting conversation, you'll feel encouraged to make choices that challenge the norm in order to live a life that is a right fit for you. Covered in this episode: Why Nic writes so transparently about money How honesty and privacy can exist at the same time Creating a values-aligned approach to work and lifeThe burnout that comes from being accessible to too many people How we can be honest with ourselves with no pressure to do anything about it How Nadine and Nic have pivoted in their lives and careersThe key question that will help us take imperfect action The price of admission that Nic was willing to pay for peace of mindHow Nic's divorce impacted her outlook on changeWhat Nic and Nadine are doing during their gap and apprentice yearTheir worries about how these changes will impact their lives and careersNurturing our off-line livesAbout Nic:Nic Antoinette is a writer, long-distance hiker, and anti-capitalist tiny business owner. She writes a weekly personal essay series on Substack called Wild Letters, and is the author of two adventure memoirs: How To Be Alone and What We Owe to Ourselves. LinksSubstack: https://nicantoinette.substack.com/Website: https://www.nicoleantoinette.com/Gap year essay: https://nicantoinette.substack.com/p/im-taking-a-grown-up-gap-year-inAbout Nadine:Want to write with Nadine in 2025? Try a free class on Monday, Jan 13!Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with...

180 This was a big year for the show, as Nadine got to interview her writing idols, including Maggie Smith, Abigail Thomas, Dr. Hillary McBride, and more! In this episode, Nadine chats with her producer about their favorite podcast moments from 2024. Learn which life bits of guest wisdom impacted them the most and how their personal lives have changed as a result.While the show is on a holiday break, catch up on any episodes you missed! Episodes referenced:179 Sari Botton177 Sarah Fay174 Hillary McBride 173 Patty McNair172 Maggie Smith167 Krystal Clark165 Emily Edlynn163 Abigail Thomas158 Sara Avant Stover155 Heather Adams153 Melanie Brooks152 Emily P Freeman147 Maria Warner About Nadine:Write with Nadine in 2025. Learn more here.Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

179 Oldster magazine creator, Sari Botton, joins Nadine to talk about the highlights and hardships of “traveling through time in a human body at every phase of life.” As a collector of stories, Sari also shares what she has learned about aging and new beginnings from others. Ultimately, Nadine and Sari explore how to embrace life's contradictions and feel less alone in the process. If you've ever asked yourself, “Am I the only one who feels this way?” this episode is for you!Covered in this episode:-What inspired Sari to start Oldster magazine-What Sari has learned from Oldster interviewees and her own aging process-Her plans for her 60s and beyond-Her self-compassion and boundary-setting practices-Two unexpected life events that made her feel the urgency of time-Why people love, leave, and come back to NYC-The benefits of being a community builder and story collector-Two things that bring Sari great joy Want access to the full episode? Become a paid Substack subscriber here. About Sari: Sari Botton is a bestselling author, editor, and teacher with decades of experience. She is the author of the memoir in essays, And You May Find Yourself…Confessions of a Late-Blooming Gen-X Weirdo, which was chosen by Poets & Writers Magazine for the 2022 edition of its annual “5 Over 50” feature. An essay from it received notable mention in The Best American Essays 2023, edited by Vivian Gornick. For five years she served as the Essays Editor for Longreads. She edited the bestselling anthologies Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving NewYork and Never Can Say Goodbye: Writers on Their Unshakable Love for New York. She publishes Oldster Magazine, Memoir Monday, and Adventures in Journalism. About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest...

178 In this candid episode, Nadine discusses her creative and professional successes and struggles of the past year. Join Nadine & Sarah Fay on Dec 10, 10-12:30 CST for a collaborative masterclass, Knowing Your “Why”: Set Up Your Substack to Grow. Replay sent if you miss. If you'd like automatic access to all of Nadine's monthly masterclasses, as well as her weekly writer workouts for women, you can join her Writer Workout PLUS Membership.About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

177 In this empowering conversation, Nadine chats with Substack Growth Strategist, Sarah Fay, about the transformative power of Substack for writers. They share their writing journeys, the challenges of book launching, and why they've both turned to Substack to take back control of their writing careers. They discuss Substack's infinite benefits, including monetization, longer book launches, and even book serialization. Writers who've felt discouraged by traditional publishing gatekeepers will love this dynamic, writer-centric approach that allows for greater creative freedom and connection with their beloved readers.Covered in this episode:What Substack is & how it's empowering writersHow Sarah exploded on Substack and how she helps others growWhat helped Sarah land her 6 figure book dealWhat it means to make oneself a proSarah's history of mental illness How Sarah and Nadine got burned by publicists and the lessons it taught themWhy you don't need a huge Substack subscriber list to make an impactWho Nadine subscribes to and whyGrowth, paid, and retention strategies How writers can use Substack to relaunch and sell a bookWhy and how to serialize a book on SubstackWant access to the full episode? Become a paid Substack subscriber. Save 20% on an Annual Membership now through Dec 2. Join Sarah & Nadine on Dec 10, 10-12:30 CST for a collaborative masterclass, Knowing Your “Why”: Set Up Your Substack to Grow. Replay sent if you miss. If you'd like automatic access to all of Nadine's monthly masterclasses, as well as her weekly writer workouts for women, you can join her Writer Workout PLUS Membership:, which is on sale now through Dec 2. About Sarah:Sarah Fay is the leading Substack Growth Strategist and founder of the Substack Writers at Work membership, a bestselling Substack community with over 20,000 members. She's mentored hundreds of writers—from award-winning journalists to bestselling authors and thought leaders—helping them achieve Substack success. As the creator of two bestselling, featured Substacks and an award-winning teacher at Northwestern University, she's widely regarded as the go-to Substack expert. Sarah is also an award-winning author published by HarperCollins, a freelance writer for The New York Times and other prominent publications, a mental health advocate, and the author of Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses.Through her signature program, the Substack Writers at Work membership, Sarah helps writers and creatives leverage their unique talents, make money, and build a loyal audience of superfans on Substack. Her singular approach combines platform-specific strategies with professional and personal growth, enabling her clients and members to produce their best work, have a platform, and earn the income they deserve doing work they love.About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of

176 In this mini-sode, Nadine talks about her doozy of a week and the things that brought her comfort. She also announces 2 big holidays sales, happening now through Dec 2!20% Discount on her Substack Annual Membership: Moving forward, Nadine's personal essays, reading and watching recommendations, tales of her 2025 adventures, and certain full length Hearth of the Story interviews will be reserved for paid Substack subscribers only. That's why now through Dec 2, you get 20% off your Substack annual subscription. (Only $48 for the year!)SALE on her Writer Workout Membership: If you'd like to take a class with Nadine in 2025, there's 1 place she'll be—in her online community for women writers. Join Nadine for craft talks, writing, support, accountability, and inspiration. Her Writer Workout members are women writers from all over the world who share resources, industry connections, and encouragement. They've taken back their creative time and have published countless books as well as hundreds of pieces in places like the New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, and more! Learn more here.Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comTo receive her regular essays, subscribe to her Substack

175 If your calendar keeps filling up, but your own needs are neglected, this episode is for you. Nadine shares the 5 ways she's prioritizing enjoyment, rest, and self-connection, especially as the holidays approach. She also shares a sneak peek for her 2025 plans, personally and professionally. 2 Sales now through Dec 2:20% Discount on my Substack Annual Membership: Moving forward, my personal essays, reading and watching recommendations, tales of my 2025 adventures, and certain full length Hearth of the Story interviews will be reserved for paid Substack subscribers only. That's why now through Dec 2, you get 20% off your Substack annual subscription. (Only $48 for the year!)SALE on my Writer Workout Membership: If you'd like to take a class with me in 2025, there's 1 place I'll be—in my online community for women writers. Join me for craft talks, writing, support, accountability, and inspiration. My Writer Workout members are women writers from all over the world who share resources, industry connections, and encouragement. They've taken back their creative time and have published countless books as well as hundreds of pieces in places like the New York Times, The Sun, and more! Learn more here.Two opportunities for women writers: Nov 18 12-1 CST: Try a WriteWELL class for free. The replay will be sent if you miss. Nov 19 10-12:30 CST: Join Nadine and her favorite writing professor of all time, Patty McNair, for a Collaborative Masterclass called (Extra)ordinary Content. The replay will be sent if you can't make it live. About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, Good Grit, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at

174 Why does it hurt so badly when things don't go as we'd hoped? How do we hold ourselves when we're in great pain? How do we talk to others so that we can reestablish loving connections when they've hurt us or we've hurt them? Psychologist and embodiment expert Dr. Hillary McBride answers all these questions and more in this profound conversation that offers deep solace to anyone who's hurting. Covered in this episode: Transitions that Hillary and Nadine are currently navigatingWhat's bringing them delight Why there is a deep grief when our plans don't play outHow to tune into our own bodies to see how we're feeling How to identify what we need and then self-sootheHelpful dialogue for hard conversationsThe 7 words that can lead to great repairHow to cultivate profound self-trust Two opportunities for women* writers: Nov 18 12-1 CST: Try a WriteWELL class for free. The replay will be sent if you miss. Nov 19 10-12:30 CST: Join Nadine and her favorite writing professor of all time, Patty McNair, for a Collaborative Masterclass called (Extra)ordinary Content. The replay will be sent if you can't make it live. *"Women" refers to any women-identifying people. WriteWELL is affirming of all non-binary individuals and gender identities.About Hillary:Dr. Hillary McBride is a registered psychologist, a researcher, and podcastor, with expertise that includes working with trauma and trauma therapies, embodiment, at the intersection of spirituality and mental health. Her first book, Mothers, Daughters, and Body Image: Learning to Love Ourselves as We Are, was published in 2017; she was the senior editor of the textbook Embodiment and Eating Disorders: Theory, Research, Prevention, and Treatment, which was published in 2018. Her bestselling book The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding wholeness, healing and connection through embodied living came out in the fall of 2021, and in January she released Practices for Embodied Living. Her next book Holy Hurt: understanding and healing from spiritual trauma, comes out April 2025. She has been recognized by the American Psychological Association, and the Canadian Psychological Association for her research and clinical work. In addition to being a teaching faculty at the University of British Columbia, she is an ambassador for Sanctuary Mental Health, and the host of CBC's award winning podcast Other People's Problems. Hillary makes her home in the pacific northwest in British Columbia, Canada.www.hillarylmcbride.com IG: @hillaryliannamcbride About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir,

173 Have you ever encountered a person who changed the course of your life forever? Such was the case when Nadine took Patty McNair's creative writing MFA class 19 years ago. In this episode, the two discuss why Patty's teaching style is so effective, Patty's path to becoming a writer, and the single most impactful component of a creative writing lesson.Covered in this episode:The unique components of The Story Workshop Method that Patty and Nadine were trained in as teachers The ways in which Patty changed the trajectory of Nadine's lifeWhy Patty resisted writing at firstThe personal experiences that propelled both Nadine and Patty to publish their writingThe writers that have inspired Patty's writing and teaching Join Patty and Nadine for a Collaborative MasterclassWant to experience Patty's magic? Join her (Extra)ordinary Content masterclass on Nov 19 at 10 am CT. The replay will be sent if you can't make it live. Patricia Ann McNair Associate Professor Emerita of Creative Writing at Columbia College Chicago, McNair was nominated for the Carnegie Foundation U.S. Professor of the Year. She facilitates adult writing workshops online and in-person, is Artistic Director of Interlochen College of Creative Arts' Writers Retreat, and is on the faculty of the Yale Writers' Workshop. She has left Chicago winters behind to live in Tucson with her husband, visual artist Philip Hartigan, and a yard visited by feral cats.McNair's first collection of short stories, The Temple of Air, has been re-issued in 2024 as a second edition with new stories and content. Originally published in 2011, The Temple of Air won the Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year Award, Southern Illinois University's Devil's Kitchen Readers Award in Fiction, and was a finalist for the Society of Midland Authors Award in Adult Fiction. Her second story collection, Responsible Adults, was selected for the Legacy Series in Short Fiction by Cornerstone Press and was named a Distinguished Favorite by the Independent Press Awards. And These Are the Good Times, McNair's essay collection, was a Montaigne Medal finalist.Website: https://patriciaannmcnair.com/IG: @patricia.a.mcnair.7FacebookAbout Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your...

172 What do we do when the future we thought we'd have gets wiped clean, and we're stuck in uncertainty? Bestselling author Maggie Smith joins us to talk about life in the in-between and how, even when we're at a loss, we can still trust ourselves. She also explores the writerly decisions she made in her most recent bestseller (and one of Nadine's favorite books of all time), You Could Make This Place Beautiful. She closes the conversation with incredible writing advice that will make you want to grab a pen and start writing. Covered in this episode:How to find beauty, even when our lives change in unexpected waysThe difference between a midlife crisis and midlife recoveryHow to turn up the volume of our inner voice and act on itThe wise women who've inspired Maggie & Nadine in life and in writingWhy writing hard things is actually enjoyable Why Maggie wrote her story in real-time rather than waitingWhat has and hasn't changed since the publication of You Could Make This Place Beautiful Maggie's favorite small pleasure–how she's treating herself well Want more Maggie? Grab a copy of You Could Make This Place Beautiful (now out in paperback), subscribe to her popular Substack For Dear Life, and preorder her forthcoming book, Dear Writer (April, 2025).Maggie Smith is the award-winning author of You Could Make This Place Beautiful, Good Bones, The Well Speaks of Its Own Poison, Lamp of the Body, and the national bestsellers Goldenrod and Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change. A 2011 recipient of a Creative Writing Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, Smith has also received several Individual Excellence Awards from the Ohio Arts Council, two Academy of American Poets Prizes, a Pushcart Prize, and fellowships from the Sustainable Arts Foundation and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She has been widely published, appearing in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Paris Review, The Nation, The Best American Poetry, and more. You can follow her on social media @MaggieSmithPoet.About Nadine:Try a WriteWELL class for free on Nov 18!Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She is the proud founder of WriteWELL, an online community that helps women reclaim their writing time, put pen to page, and get published. The authors in her community have published countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book,

171 Nadine kicks off a new season by announcing the big projects she's been working on behind the scenes. She also shares an in-depth recap of her recent women's writing retreat in CA. In this conversation with retreat participant and podcast producer, Michelle Redo, Nadine shares top tips for hosting intentional gatherings that foster deep connection with yourself and others. If you've ever wanted to bring women together for a profoundly moving experience, this is your go-to guide. Covered in this episode:-Her must-have retreat-planning checklists-The kick-off conversation that will set the tone for your gathering -How to welcome participants to make them feel held and supported-The itinerary structure that will cultivate time for creativity and self care-The little touches that make a big impact-The key activities that lead to self-discovery and group bonding -How to collaborate with others in order to sustain your energy as a host-Michelle's experience as a participant and the moments that had the biggest impactAbout Michelle:Michelle Redo is a podcaster, independent audio producer and writer. She is the creator and host of the Daring to Tell podcast - a place where writers read and talk about memoir and personal essay. And she works with authors to who wish to narrate their own audiobooks. Michelle is also the audio producer for Heart of the Story.Michelle has been published in Brevity Blog, The Sun Readers Write, and won the Finalist Award in the 2021 Readers Write Personal Essay Competition for her essay called The Wonder, which she read on Daring to Tell. Her appearance on the And So, She Left podcast received numerous awards and was noted by the 2023 International Women's Podcast Award Nomination for the Moment of Touching Honesty Category.Before becoming a freelancer in 2020, she spent more than thirty years as an award-winning audio producer for WGBH Radio in Boston, has been requested to speak to aspiring voiceover students, and has taught audio production at the Banff Centre, Banff, Canada.About Nadine:Learn more about Nadine's online women's writing community here.Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She has helped the writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of

172 In this profound encore episode, yoga and meditation instructor, Mae Yoshikawa, talks about how to hold on when you're faced with devastating circumstances. If you feel adrift and in deep pain, this hopeful conversation is for you. About Nadine:Learn more about Nadine's Writer Workout community.Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She has helped the writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's top women writers. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comFollow Nadine on Instagram @nadinekenneyjohnstoneAbout Mae Yoshikawa:Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, she became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of Ashtanga Yoga in India. Since then, Mae has been a trailblazing force in the wellness field throughout the Asia-Pacific region as Japanese Yogini magazine featured her on 42 consecutive covers. Mae also penned a widely popular column for this magazine for ten years. As the face of adidas yoga and the Founder of VedaTokyo.com, Mae was awarded the “Yoga People's Award” in 2016 for her remarkable social impact in the wellness field. Her upcoming book, Kizuki: Life's Tidal Waves + Epiphanies = Love Beyond Time and Death encapsulates her life-changing journey of a metamorphosis of identity after the sudden loss of her husband in 2018.Website: https://maey.live/IG: @maeyoshikawa https://www.instagram.com/maeyoshikawa/Studio website: https://vedatokyo.com/

171 In this encore episode, writing guru Jane Friedman answers all your burning questions about the business of being a writer (which also happens to be the title of her latest book). Covered in this episode:-How the pandemic changed the publishing industry (for the better)-How to have an honest outlook about getting published and still have hope-How to give yourself yourself grace when you're burnt out-Marketing approaches that actually work-How to write newsletters that people want to read-The best writing advice books-The best writing advice given and receivedAbout Jane:Jane Friedman has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2023. Her latest book is THE BUSINESS OF BEING A WRITER (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. In addition to serving on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund, she works with organizations such as The Authors Guild to bring transparency to the business of publishing. Learn more at JaneFriedman.comTwitter: @janefriedmanInstagram handle: @janefriedmanYouTube: http://youtube.com/@janefriedmanJane's upcoming newsletter classAbout Nadine:Learn more about Nadine's Writer Workout community.Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She has helped the writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's top women writers. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comFollow Nadine on Instagram

169 While Nadine is on a short break, we revisit this fan-favorite episode with the Millennial Minimalists, who show you how to simplify your life while also prioritizing self compassion.About Nadine:Learn more about Nadine's Writer Workout community.Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She has helped the writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's top women writers. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comFollow Nadine on Instagram @nadinekenneyjohnstone

168 In this encore episode, writer and astrologist Heidi Rose Robbins explains why understanding our astrological charts helps give clarity to our next steps. As she says "When we know who we are, we know what to do." Heidi shocks Nadine with her spot-on reading of Nadine's chart. Heidi also gives easy tips for understanding our sun, moon, and rising signs. Want more of Heidi and Nadine? Join "Writing Our Way Home" on Aug 20 10-12:30 CT. Replays sent if you miss. About Heidi:Heidi Rose Robbins has been a professional astrologer for 25 years, helping thousands of clients all over the globe live with more authenticity and clarity. She hosts two podcasts, THE RADIANCE PROJECT, featuring poetry, astrology, and good company, and CHART YOUR CAREER, with co-host Ellen Fondiler. Twice a year, she leads Radiant Life Retreats, for people wishing to take a deeper dive into her work.Website: heidirose.comIG: @heidiroserobbinsListeners can find snapshots here: heidirose.com/astrologyAbout Nadine:Learn more about Nadine's Writer Workout community and her upcoming Women's Writing Retreat in California, Sept 15-20.Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She has helped the writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's top women writers. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at nadinekenneyjohnstone.comFollow Nadine on Instagram @nadinekenneyjohnstone

167 Our strengths are our superpowers IF we know what they are and how best to use them. In this fascinating talk with strengths coach Krystal Clark, you'll learn how to uncover your unique gifts and harness them for personal and professional growth. Krystal is a powerhouse who will leave you feeling empowered and inspired. Covered in this episode:-What a Clifton Strengths assessment is and what the results mean-Why it's so important to learn how other people experience your strengths -How to navigate others' “balconies and basements” so that you can work and live together in harmony-Krystal's shockingly spot on interpretation of Nadine's balconies and basements -How Krystal uses her own strengths to manage teams and get through difficult life transitions. About Krystal:Website: https://www.krystalnclark.com/IG: @equiptothriveLink to purchase CliftonStrengths Code online: https://store.gallup.com/h/en-usAccess codes can also be obtained by working with a Gallup-Certified Coach Bio: Krystal's mission is to equip others to thrive. As a proven speaker, facilitator, leadership educator, content creator, learning experience designer, and consultant, Krystal founded Equip To Thrive, LLC in 2020. She has worked with colleges/universities, a Fortune 500 company, an Inc. 5000 company, faith-based institutions, law firms, nonprofits, fitness studios, and fraternities and sororities, etc. sharing messages in the area of leadership development, employee engagement, and CliftonStrengths. About Nadine:Learn more about Nadine's Writer Workout community and her upcoming Women's Writing Retreat in California, Sept 15-20.Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. She has helped the writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's top women writers. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's writing and wellness workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Find out more at

About Nadine:Her new book, Come Home to Your Heart, is available on Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.Award-winning author Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's most impactful female creatives. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Follow Nadine on Instagram @nadinekenneyjohnstone Listen to Daring to TellMentioned in this episode:Doors now open for Nadine's Writer Workout Community!

165 We want to protect our children but we can sense that our over protection is doing more damage than good. In this eye-opening conversation, parenting expert Emily Edlynn explains why controlling parenting is taking its toll on our kids, and how to make small changes that can make a big difference. This hopeful conversation will help you compassionately release control so that your children can thrive and become the capable, confident, connected humans they were meant to be. Covered in this episode:-The signs of controlling parenting-What autonomy-supportive parenting is and why it works-How to integrate parenting practices that will encourage our children's independence -Identifying how you were raised and the ripple effect that's had on you-The pitfalls Nadine is noticing in her previous parenting approach and how she's trying to change. About Emily Edlynn:Her mission is helping families find calm in the chaos of modern parenting. She is an academic, practicing therapist, and mother of 3. She dives deep into complex parenting topics so you don't have to! Her book, Autonomy-Supportive Parenting: Reduce Parental Burnout and Raise Competent, Confident Children, is now available on Amazon or Bookshop!About Nadine:Her new book, Come Home to Your Heart, is available on Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.Award-winning author Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's most impactful female creatives. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Follow Nadine on Instagram @nadinekenneyjohnstone Mentioned in this episode:Doors now open for Nadine's Writer Workout Community!

About Nadine:Her new book, Come Home to Your Heart, is available on Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.Award-winning author Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's most impactful female creatives. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Follow Nadine on Instagram @nadinekenneyjohnstone

163 Nadine chats with literary legend Abigail Thomas about the interesting turns her life has taken, how she accesses hard stories, and her unique approach to structure. In this vulnerable interview, Abby shares painful moments and how she's come to embrace acceptance. In this conversation that covers an array of heartfelt topics, Abby also shares the hilarious thing she does when she's blocked. This wisdom-filled episode will resonate with writers and non-writers alike. Covered in this episode: How Abby never had a plan and the interesting twists life has takenWhat prompts she recommends to get people writingThe word that changed Abby's perspective about guiltThe hilarious thing Abby does when she's blockedHow to capture the human experience on the pageWhat she's learned with age and what advice she'd give to her younger selfAbout Abigail Thomas:Abigail Thomas has four children, twelve grandchildren, two great grandchildren, two dogs, eleven books, and a high school education.About Nadine:Learn more about Nadine's Writer Workout membership for women writers here.Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her latest book, Come Home to Your Heart, is an essay collection and guided journal that helps readers tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Nadine has helped writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, The Sun, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Follow Nadine on Instagram @nadinekenneyjohnstone Sign up for her newsletter here. Mentioned in this episode:Doors now open for Nadine's Writer Workout Community!

162 In part 1 of this this travel diary episode, Nadine shares all the details about her big trip plans. Learn when and where Nadine is going, as well as the 7 reasons why traveling is so beneficial for women. About Nadine:Sign up for the Writing Hard Stories masterclass on July 9 with Melanie Brooks and Nadine here. Sign up for her newsletter here. Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's most impactful female creatives. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Nadine has helped writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, the Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her new book, Come Home to Your Heart, is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.Follow Nadine on Instagram @nadinekenneyjohnstone

161 Nadine will be traveling and on a break for a few weeks. Now's the time to catch up on any episodes you've missed and to sign up for Nadine's newsletter so you'll be the first to hear about all of her adventures. Also, if you'd like to get on the waitlist for her upcoming workshops and retreats, you can do so here.About Nadine:Download Nadine's mini-retreat reset for busy women here. This guided meditation creates calm and clarity so you can listen to the directions of your heart. Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her new book, Come Home to Your Heart, helps women tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's most impactful female creatives. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Nadine has helped writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, the Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Follow Nadine on Instagram @nadinekenneyjohnstone

160 Beach days and BBQs, farmers markets and drive in movies--these idyllic visions of summertime can inspire us but also set up unrealistic expectations. If your summertime reality usually looks like bored kids and an anything-but-restful break, this episode is for you. Nadine shares 6 steps for approaching summer with intention so that you can experience the connection, delight, and rest you're dreaming of. Covered in this episode:Why time is an important factor in summer"time"The key reflection that will help you approach this summer differentlyHow to determine our ideal summer structureWays to weave in opportunities for connectionHow to prioritize solo time when you're surrounded by peopleNadine's upcoming travel plans and what inspired themAbout Nadine:Download Nadine's mini-retreat reset for busy women here. This guided meditation creates calm and clarity so you can listen to the directions of your heart. Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her new book, Come Home to Your Heart, helps women tap into their inner wisdom and fall back in love with themselves. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's most impactful female creatives. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Nadine has helped writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, the Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Follow Nadine on Instagram @nadinekenneyjohnstone

159 What does real self care actually look like? What are the practices that truly bring us peace? Nadine shares the books and principles that have made a lasting difference in her life. She also shares the delightful details of her recent trip to Nashville as well as the unexpected events that put her inner-peace practices to the test. About Nadine:Download Nadine's mini-retreat reset for busy women here. This guided meditation creates calm and clarity so you can listen to the directions of your heart. Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's most impactful female creatives. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Nadine has helped writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, the Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her new book, Come Home to Your Heart, is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.Follow Nadine on Instagram @nadinekenneyjohnstone

158 If you've ever felt alone in your suffering and uncertainty, this episode is for you. Bestselling author Sara Avant Stover shares her own story of serial heartbreaks and the steps she took towards repair. Through IFS (Internal Family Systems) therapy, Sara discovered how to acknowledge, understand, and heal her parts. Covered in this episode:The midlife transition most of us go through Signs/stages of heartbreakHow to allow & be where we areGetting to the root of your suffering and healing our parts Asking others for help Fully surrenderingPatience and persistence Not giving up on ourselvesWhy everything you're feeling is normal The winding road of Sara's writing journey that ended in deep alignmentAbout Nadine:Download Nadine's mini-retreat reset for busy women here. This guided meditation creates calm and clarity so you can listen to the directions of your heart. Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's most impactful female creatives. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Nadine has helped writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, the Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her new book, Come Home to Your Heart, is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.Follow Nadine on Instagram @nadinekenneyjohnstone

157 So many of us yearn to stay in a home, job, or relationship "forever," and there can be deep shame when we don't. And yet, we all know that in order to grow, change is necessary. To be human is to realize that permanence is a myth. So why do we still buy into the forever fallacy? And what do we do when the myth is busted? Nadine explores these ideas in her essay, "Forever Home." If your heart has ever broken over something that didn't last forever, this episode is for you. Covered in this episode:What Nadine wishes she could say to her 27 yr old self about the idea of "forever"The ups and downs she's encountered in the last 13 yrs since thenHow to feel at home even when you're in unfamiliar territoryAbout Nadine:Download Nadine's mini-retreat reset for busy women here. This guided meditation creates calm and clarity so you can listen to the directions of your heart. Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's most impactful female creatives. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Nadine has helped writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, the Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her new book, Come Home to Your Heart, is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.Follow Nadine on Instagram @nadinekenneyjohnstone

156 How to we go on in the wake of deep loss? How do we overcome the fear of our own mortality? In this deeply vulnerable episode, Nadine shares a personal essay that is an excerpt from her book, Come Home to Your Heart, and was recently featured in Good Grit Magazine. She also discusses the life event that prompted her to write the essay, and what she has learned in the years since that difficult period. Covered in this episode:The difficult spring of 2021 and how it impacted NadineWhy readers have resoundingly chose this essay as a favoriteThe words that changed her outlook on lossThe behind-the scenes- process of writing this essayThe wisdom she's gained since this traumatic timeWhat it was like revisiting this material 3 yrs later and what gave her hope and healing About Nadine:Download Nadine's mini-retreat reset for busy women here. This guided meditation creates calm and clarity so you can listen to the directions of your heart. Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's most impactful female creatives. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Nadine has helped writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, the Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her new book, Come Home to Your Heart, is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.Follow Nadine on Instagram @nadinekenneyjohnstone

155 As a champion of women writers and entrepreneurs, communications expert Heather Adams has helped launch over 100 NYTimes Bestsellers. Her special sauce is in helping women discern and embrace their unique offerings. If you want to share your story or biz with the world, but you're overwhelmed, self critical, or unclear, this episode is for you. Often we're just too close to our brand of magic to discover or embrace it. Covered in this episode:The childhood ritual that turned both Heather and Nadine into avid readersThe milestones and mistake Heather made in her professional journeyHow Heather learned to link arms with other women and why it's been so beneficialThe life-changing advice her husband gave her How to demand what we deserveHow Heather went out on her ownWhy we need to share our stories with the worldHow to discern and embrace your unique offeringsThe clarifying exercise that Heather encouraged Nadine to do in order to hone in on her professional values Why Heather created the Summit and why it's so different from other conferencesThe meditation and journaling workshop that Nadine is leading at the SummitWant to join Nadine at the Choice Media Summit in TN April 28-30? You can sign up here.Get on the waitlist for Nadine's upcoming workshops & retreats here. About Heather:Heather Adams is a wife, boy mom, communications expert, and CEO of Choice Media and Communications. It is her greatest passion and mission to link arms with other women as their champion and mentor, in life and in work. Whether you're a young professional, a mama, an entrepreneur, or all of the above, Heather is here to share her hard-fought wisdom and cheer you on as you design and live a life you love.https://www.choicemediacommunications.com/IG: @choicemediacommunicationsAbout Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's most impactful female creatives. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Nadine has helped writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, the Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her new book, Come Home to Your Heart, is available on

154 So many of us want to live more intentionally, but our rote habits are only producing the same inauthentic results. Today's episode is a nudge to mix things up by making small and big changes to experience different outcomes and to live in more alignment. Nadine shares what recently inspired her to make some changes, what she has been doing differently, and what has resulted from it. Covered in this episode:Upon turning 40, Nadine realized something big was missing from her life.The silly things she's integrating into her calendarThe new movement and meditation practices Nadine has integrated into lifeThe feeling that gives a good hint that you're curious to try something newThe surprising TV show that has changed Nadine's perspective Why we need community or mentorshipThe books and podcasts that are inspiring Nadine Nadine's upcoming travelsWhat help Nadine has reached out for How to avoid avoiding Mentioned in the show:Amy PorterfieldRenee TrudeauSusan OubariEmily P Freeman - How to Walk into a RoomSara Avant Stover - Handbook for the HeartbrokenThe Branding Business School PodcastWant to join Nadine at the Choice Media Summit in TN April 28-30? You can sign up here.Get on the waitlist for Nadine's upcoming workshops & retreats here. About Nadine:Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's most impactful female creatives. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Nadine has helped writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, the Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Her new book, Come Home to Your Heart, is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.Download Nadine's mini-retreat reset for busy women

153 Many of us have carried at least one hard story for years, suffering under the weight of secrecy and silence. But what if you didn't have to carry it anymore? What if writing or telling it could not only free you, but deepen your relationships with your loved ones? Melanie Brooks--author of Writing Hard Stories and A Hard Silence--is here to help us write and tell our hard stories. Covered in this episode:The life changing impact that Writing Hard Stories had on NadineMelanie's surprising experiences with renowned authors as she researched her bookThe benefits of writing a hard story How and why it gets easierWhat you discover when you're writing hard stories and how it's able to help you processThe phases we go throughout when telling hard stories What prompted Nadine to write and publish her hard storyThe 2 books Nadine reread while writing her memoirThe hard silence Melanie had to keep for almost 10 yrsThe long term impact of not being able to speak your truthWhat helps us stay centered while writing hard stories The guilty pleasure TV show that Melanie and Nadine both watch when they need to escape How it felt for Melanie and Nadine to have their vulnerable books be published What it was like for both writers to write about real life characters and what their family's reactions wereWhat narrative medicine is and how it's changing health care Hear Melanie read a moving passage that gives anyone permission to share their hard story About Melanie:IG: melaniejmbrookswriterwebsite: melaniebrooks.comMelanie Brooks is the author of the memoir A Hard Silence: One daughter remaps family, grief, and faith when HIV/AIDS changes it all (Vine Leaves Press, 2023) and Writing Hard Stories: Celebrated Memoirists Who Shaped Art from Trauma (Beacon Press, 2017) She teaches creative nonfiction in the M.F.A. program at Bay Path University and in the M.F.A. program at Western Connecticut State University and professional writing at Northeastern University. She holds an M.F.A. in Creative Nonfiction from the University of Southern Maine's Stonecoast writing program and a Certificate in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University. She has had numerous interviews and essays on topics ranging from loss and grief to parenting and aging published in the The Boston Globe, HuffPost, Yankee Magazine, Psychology Today, The Washington Post, Ms. Magazine, Creative Nonfiction, and other notable publications. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, two children (when they are home from university), and chocolate Lab.About Nadine:Download Nadine's mini-retreat reset for busy women here. This guided meditation creates calm and clarity so you can listen to the directions of your heart. Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's most impactful female creatives. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's workshops and retreats online and around the...

152 At some point, each of us must decide whether to stay in or leave a space (a job, friendship, community, home, relationship, etc.) While no one else can choose for us, there are key questions that help us decide from an aligned space. That's why Emily P Freeman's newest book, How to Walk into a Room (which immediately landed on the bestseller list), is the perfect guide for discerning the next step in your big decision.Covered in this episode: Emily and Nadine share personal stories of hard goodbyesThe scene from the book that gave Nadine permission to be human Why Emily's editor urged her to have more self-compassionWhy we didn't choose wrong even if something didn't last foreverWhat to do when our investment in something makes it hard to say goodbyeHow to give ourselves grace in the midst of transition-shameWhat to do when we experience endings we didn't see comingHow to give ourselves closure when we haven't gotten it from someone elseEmily's favorite 2-word mantra when we're in a seemingly long struggleWhat Emily knows for sureAbout Emily:Emily P. Freeman is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of five books, including The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions. As a spiritual director, workshop leader, and host of The Next Right Thing podcast (more than 25 million downloads), her most important work is to help create soul space and offer spiritual companionship and discernment for anyone struggling with decision fatigue. Emily holds a master's degree in spiritual formation and leadership from Friends University. She lives in North Carolina with her family.website: https://emilypfreeman.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/emilypfreeman/ About Nadine:Download Nadine's mini-retreat reset for busy women here. This guided meditation creates calm and clarity so you can listen to the directions of your heart. Nadine Kenney Johnstone is a holistic writing coach who helps women develop and publish their stories. Her infertility memoir, Of This Much I'm Sure, was named book of the year by the Chicago Writer's Association. Her articles and interviews have appeared in Cosmo, Authority, Good Grit, OnSite Journal, MindBodyGreen, HERE, Urban Wellness, Natural Awakenings, Chicago Magazine, and more. Nadine is the podcast host of Heart of the Story, where she shares stories from the heart as well as interviews with today's most impactful female creatives. Pulling from her vast experience as a writing, meditation, and yoga nidra instructor, Nadine leads women's workshops and retreats online and around the U.S.Nadine has helped writers in her community develop and publish countless books and hundreds of essays in places like The New York Times, Vogue, the Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Longreads, and more. Learn more about Nadine's 2024 classes here. Her new book, Come Home to Your Heart, is available on