The Selfish Gift - Go public with your purpose - Reconnecting with Nature, Humanity, and the Creative Spirit with Dianne Whelan, Award-Winning Filmmaker, Photographer, and Writer

Reconnecting with Nature, Humanity, and the Creative Spirit with Dianne Whelan, Award-Winning Filmmaker, Photographer, and Writer

01/10/24 • 75 min

The Selfish Gift - Go public with your purpose

Anyone who's ever tried to create something beautiful or important must at times withdraw from everyday life to get the work done, whether that means getting up an hour early every day to write or going on a solo retreat. But how far would you go in pursuit of your art? Whatever your answer, today's guest is about to blow your mind and inspire you to go further than you ever thought possible.
Deanne Whalen is an award-winning Canadian filmmaker, photographer, author, and public speaker. In her documentary films and their accompanying books, she specializes in telling intimate stories from extreme locations. For her first film, This Land, she snowmobiled across the high Arctic. Then she embedded herself in the climbing community on Mount Everest for 40 days at base camp. For her latest film, 500 Days in the Wild, Deanne spent six years traversing the entire 24,000 kilometers of Canada's land and water trails from sea to sea to sea.
In this episode, you'll learn:

All about her incredible adventure—how she navigated, charged her emergency devices, survived several moments of life-threatening danger (bears! storms!), and more.
The wisdom traditions that indigenous communities generously shared with her along the way.
How mindfully reconnecting with nature made her feel safer and more connected to other human beings, as well.
How the journey affected her relationships—and eventually led to finding love on the trail.
Her process of adapting 800 hours of footage into a documentary that has gotten distribution with Paramount Plus in Canada and a full Canadian theatrical release, including how she financed everything.

For more, check out:
500daysinthewild.com
maggielangrick.com
wonderwell.press

And follow:
instagram.com/500daysinthewild
instagram.com/diannewhelanphotos
instagram.com/maggielangrick
instagram.com/wonderwellpress
instagram.com/selfishgiftpodcast

All about her incredible adventure—how she navigated, charged her emergency devices, survived several moments of life-threatening danger (bears! storms!), and more.
The wisdom traditions that indigenous communities generously shared with her along the way.
How mindfully reconnecting with nature made her feel safer and more connected to other human beings, as well.
How the journey affected her relationships—and eventually led to finding love on the trail.
Her process of adapting 800 hours of footage into a documentary that has gotten distribution with Paramount Plus in Canada and a full Canadian theatrical release, including how she financed everything.

For more, check out:
500daysinthewild.com
maggielangrick.com
wonderwell.press

And follow:
instagram.com/500daysinthewild
instagram.com/diannewhelanphotos
instagram.com/maggielangrick
instagram.com/wonderwellpress
instagram.com/selfishgiftpodcast

Previous Episode

From Junkie to Judge to Published Author with Mary Beth O'Connor, Former Judge, Recovery Advocate, and Author

CW: drug use, abuse, and assault
So many of us are moved to write books or create other works of art because of a traumatic life experience that we've suffered through. But when those experiences also carry a stigma, it can be tough to navigate the feelings of shame, self-protection, and privacy issues that come up. How do you free yourself to share your story when you're worried that it might affect your reputation or your career? My guest today knows all about it, and she's here to share her insights.
Mary Beth O'Connor is an addiction recovery advocate who's been clean and sober for nearly 30 years. But in her teens and young adulthood, Mary Beth was addicted to methamphetamines, shooting up daily for years. It nearly destroyed her life. Yet after getting clean, she put herself through law school, became a lawyer, and eventually a federal judge. She chronicles her journey and offers hope to others seeking to break free from addiction and level up their lives in her memoir, From Junkie to Judge: One Woman's Triumph Over Trauma and Addiction.
In this episode, you'll learn:

How writing the book helped restore her self-confidence and self-compassion.
How she transformed herself from just a legal writer with no experience in creative writing into an award-winning author. (Hint: Lots of reading, writing classes, and workshop groups were involved!)
What her process of getting an agent and publishing deal was like.
How she handles criticism from the public.
The doors that writing a book can open for you—from media appearances to speaking engagements at conferences and events.

For more, check out:
junkietojudge.com
maggielangrick.com
wonderwell.press
And follow:
twitter.com/MaryBethO_
instagram.com/maggielangrick
instagram.com/wonderwellpress
instagram.com/selfishgiftpodcast

Next Episode

How to Write a Book that Sparks a Global Movement, with Ruby Warrington, author of Sober Curious and Women Without Kids

One in four Americans is familiar with the term "sober curious", and author Ruby Warrington is the reason why. In this episode of The Selfish Gift, Ruby and host Maggie Langrick discuss the book that sparked the Sober Curious movement, as well as Ruby's new book, Women Without Kids.
A common theme tying Ruby's books together is the importance of knowing oneself and being fully present in life, questioning societal expectations that can hinder this process, and embracing a rebellious spirit. Ruby also delves into the global trend of women reconsidering motherhood and the ecological and economic implications of population decline.
As longtime book editors, Maggie and Ruby discuss the intersection of personal narrative and prescriptive nonfiction, and what new authors should consider when it comes to choosing a structure for their nonfiction book. Ruby opens up about her writing process, and how she navigates the public life/private life boundary, which can be especially tricky when writing about deeply personal—and possibly controversial—topics.
In this episode, you'll learn:
• The term Sober Curious coined by Ruby Warrington has sparked a global movement and given language to a mindset of exploring one's relationship with alcohol.
• Choosing to be sober curious or child-free is a personal orientation that should be normalized, allowing individuals to make conscious choices about their own lives.
• The decline in birth rates globally and the rise of women without kids challenge societal expectations and have ecological and economic implications.
• Ruby Warrington's work encourages individuals to know themselves, be present, and question societal messages, embracing a rebellious spirit.
• Living with integrity and authenticity means valuing the preciousness of the life you are living and standing firm in your integrity despite societal pressure.
• When writing a nonfiction book, it's important to consider your storytelling style and how you like to deliver information.
• A good structure is essential for any nonfiction book, regardless of the style.
• Ruby Warrington takes a research-heavy approach to writing, collecting articles, research, and ideas before creating a loose structure for her books.
For more, check out
https://www.rubywarrington.com/
https://www.the-numinous.com/
And follow
https://instagram.com/rubywarrington
https://instagram.com/numinous_books
https://instagram.com/maggielangrick
https://instagram.com/selfishgiftpodcast
https://instagram.com/wonderwellpress
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