10 Listen to Your Life: Finding Your Writer's Voice

SHOW NOTESFocus Words: Listen to Your LifeWhat does it look like to write from your best self — not your most pressured, depleted, or comparison-weary one?Writer and educator Bailey Gillespie joins Emily for a conversation that is honest and subtly liberating. Since age fifteen, Bailey has lived with chronic illness and long-term pain — and rather than write around it, she writes from the contemplative space of faith and formation and what it means to walk with God when life is slow and tender (and very much unresolved).If you’ve ever felt behind in your creative calling, weary of shortcuts and screens, or disconnected from the voice that first made you want to write — this episode was made for you.In this episode:- Why your limitations might be the very thing shaping your most authentic voice- How analog journaling quietly restores what digital shortcuts slowly take- What Frederick Buechner’s “listen to your life” quote means as a daily creative and spiritual practice- How restorative rhythms empower you to show up more fully — not less- Why becoming the kind of person who can make great work matters more than the work itselfBailey shares how returning to analog writing practices — pen, notebook, nature — helped her reclaim originality and create from a place of soul care rather than striving.Mentioned in this episode:Frederick Buechner — Presbyterian minister and writer; the origin of the phrase "listen to your life"Andrew Peterson — author and musician; Bailey's entry point into Buechner's workJustin McRoberts — author, podcaster, and creative coachEmily P. Freeman — author and podcaster known for her work on reflection and discernmentTelling the Truth: The Gospel as Comedy, Tragedy, and Fairytale — Frederick BuechnerABOUT THE GUEST: Bailey Gillespie is a writer and educator from Northern California who loves a good road trip to the coast. She writes from the contemplative space of faith and formation and what it means to walk with God when life is slow and tender (and very much unresolved).Website: baileygillespie.comLive Your Life Substack: baileygillespie.substack.comCONNECT WITH EMILY:Website: emilygrabatin.caThe Heart's Calling SubstackWelcoming Slow Growth communityThis is a space for the sacred, the soulful, and the slow. Welcome to the journey. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theheartscalling.substack.com