4 Aug 2026
E237: A Guided Restorative Reading & Writing Session For When Life Feels Small
I’m back!
It’s been a month since a new Restorative Reading & Writing for Wellness podcast episode has landed in your ears and while I was hesitant to take a break, I have to admit that it was exactly what I needed.
I have a very regimented way of thinking. I adore my routines, I stick with what works and I rarely veer off of my chosen path, even when it looks like it’s better than my current one. And yes, routine is good, but sometimes, so is novelty.
It might not seem like a big deal, but taking a break from the weekly routines of planning, recording and sharing the podcast gave me more space that I thought it with and I enjoyed filling it with things that matter to me: more reading, more writing, more restorative practice and more time to think.
New ideas can only appear when you have the bandwidth to receive them and the whitespace to contemplate them. This break gave me both. So, you might see some new things here on the podcast, like more regular conversations with people that inspire me or guided restorative reading and writing sessions like the one I’m sharing with you today.
On this episode of Restorative Reading & Writing for Wellness, I’m guiding you through a gentle restorative reading and writing session for when life feels small. You know, when you find yourself doing the same things in the same way day in and day out and rather than comforting you, it feels like your missing something. It’s for when you find yourself saying NO to all sorts of things in your life when saying YES might be what you need to for what’s next to find you.
Here’s a quick overview of how the guided sessions work:
* First, we begin with a bit of grounding and a few breaths to settle us.
* Then, I share a powerful short reading to orient our focus and launch our reflective writing.
* Following the reading, I guide you through three journaling invitations that build on each other and shift the energy on the page and in your body.
* Finally, we end with a short, yet powerful, affirmation to carry throughout your day and beyond.
We’ve move from examining the NO’s we’ve been saying to ourselves to contemplating the stories we’ve been telling ourselves to considering the YES’s we might allow ourselves. It’s a powerful practice on the page!
Grab your notebook, your favorite writing utensil and let’s write together!
Books:
Here are the books and writing prompts mentioned in this episode. You’ll find links to my Amazon and Bookshop affiliate stores below. Thanks for your bookish support!
THE SUMMER OF YES by Courtney Walsh (Amazon (https://amzn.to/4wxzBwt) / Bookshop (https://bookshop.org/a/13963/9780840713698))
HEART TALK by Cleo Wade (Amazon (https://amzn.to/45CoczB) / Bookshop (https://bookshop.org/a/13963/9781501177347))
Writing Prompts:
First:
* Notice the places where you’ve been saying NO in your life intentionally or automatically. These might be tiny daily choices and routines or much larger dreams you’ve set aside.
Second:
* Reflect on your list and identify one or more stories you’re telling yourself that have led you to saying NO in these areas. Are these stories actually true? Whose voice does this story sound like? Is it your own or someone else’s?
Third:
* Choose one NO and rewrite it into a YES. What would this YES feel like in your body? What’s one tiny action that would make this YES real this week?
Affirmation:
Today, I choose one small YES that helps me choose a bigger life.
Here’s the audio I used in the episode: Nature Healing Society (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh3LkeewARo&list=LL&index=2&t=1310s)
Once you’ve listened, I’d love to know what you think of this episode. Leave your thoughts in the comments!
Let’s Work Together!
I love to connect with others around our shared love of reading and writing.
Here are some ways we can work together to create a life you love where restorative reading and writing is at the center of it all:
🩷 Join my private Substack community for themed book calendars, bonus posts, book clubs and events each month!
📚 Connect 1:1 for personalized coaching to unlock the transformative power of your reading and writing life. Click here for bibliotherapy (https://stephanie-affinito-0cab.mykajabi.com/bibliotherapysessions) and click here for expressive writing therapy (https://stephanie-affinito-0cab.mykajabi.com/writingtoheal). Let’s work together!
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