Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Write Your Story with Ally Fallon

Have you ever had a situation where your mind said “yes” but your body said “no”?

Or vice versa — your mind said “no” and your body said “yes”? 

Maybe someone asked for your help and your mind told you that helping was the kind, generous thing to do but you also felt your stomach tighten, your breath constrict and voice shake as you agreed to be of assistance. 

We’re quick to dismiss our bodies but at what cost? 

The body speaks in whispers; but then when we don’t listen, it speaks louder and louder until it gets its message across. 

What might your body be saying that you aren’t hearing?

How much louder will it have to speak before you listen?

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are only two real responses to suffering:

Push it away.

Or say to it: “yes and thank you”

There is no “right” way to suffer, and in fact, most of us have tried both responses many different times. 

But once you discover what’s possible when you soften into suffering, you can’t unsee it.

In today’s episode I’ll share an update on my health and talk about what I’m learning lately about loss, failure, heartbreak and suffering.

I hope this lesson finds its home with you too. 

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are so many things falling apart right now and if you’re someone like me who likes to:

- Hold things together 

- Bring things together

- Keep things together 

This time is probably uncomfortable at best and maybe painful at worst. 

I’m today’s episode, I’ll share with you something that is currently falling apart in my world and share how I’m coping.

Not because I have the answers. But because sharing stories is how we survive. 

I hope you’ll find the courage to share yours too.

What’s falling apart for you?

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you noticed how the worst people in the world — those with the least character, next to no ethics and the lowest possible bar for human decency — have the most confidence?

They have no issues taking up space, asserting their ideas or taking the lead role.

Meanwhile those of us with huge hearts, a million skills and good intentions sit around questioning our ideas, holding back our gifts and second guessing ourselves after every interaction.

It’s time for this to change. And it starts with us (yes, YOU and me) deciding we have every right to lead, to love and to make a massive contribution.

What if your confidence could shift the world around you? 

What if all of us joining together in confidence could shift the world at large?

Visit abookin6months.com to start your writing journey!

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’ve wondered again and again how I can make a meaningful contribution during this dark time in human history and I keep coming back to this: 

The power of our breath. 

The simple act of showing up and intentionally breathing changed my life irrevocably many years ago and still continues to sustain me when I’m feeling “off” or desperate or stuck or frustrated that things haven’t gone my way.

Many cultures think of breath as Spirit. 

Even the Christian tradition I was raised in uses the word “breath” to describe God’s Spirit. 

Meanwhile the Buddhist tradition has a meditation practice called Tonglen that is based on the idea that we can transmute complex, thick, unsolvable suffering by simply bringing intention to the breath. 

There are many other things you can do too (like protest, write a book, use your voice, create, call your representatives, march, etc) but… why not also try this? 

In today’s episode, I’ll show you how.

Visit abookin6months.com to start your writing journey!

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes the world feels like it's becoming more dark and depraved by the day. 

If you’re taking any amount of news or current events, you have to be feeling some measure of fear, frustration, rage and helplessness (or you’re not paying attention). 

What do we do with all of these feelings coursing through our bodies? 

On today’s episode, I’ll share the invitation I’ve been feeling. It’s unexpected and not at all intuitive but I think it just might be the way forward. 

Can you soften in the face of this uncertainty?

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might think that when you sit down to write a book, you use mostly your brain, your intellect, or your thoughts to concoct the perfect argument, the most interesting story.

I believe there’s more to it than that. 

I’ve written 14 books and helped hundreds of authors write, edit and publish their works and I’ve witnessed an invisible and inexplicable x factor responsible not only for bringing the idea to you, but also for growing that idea to fruition. 

While I don’t know how to name this “x factor” or to define it, I have experienced it again and again and can’t imagine writing a book without it. 

If you have a book you’re meant to write, maybe you don’t need to be “smart enough” or “good enough” to make it happen.

Maybe all you need is to listen closely to what this “x factor” is trying to say.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the 14th floor of a hotel room in downtown Nashville while the entire city is under a layer of ice, I send you this not-so-subtle nudge to use your voice.

You may have told yourself that you’d write your book “someday,” or that you aren’t a real writer anyway, or that nobody would listen to what you have to say, or that you’d speak up if you had a bigger platform. 

The truth is that your words are needed now more than ever. 

Regardless of your politics or life circumstances, the most effective and profound way you can join the revolution of this time is to pick up your pen and become the change you want to see in the world. 

This is your benediction.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here we are, at the start of a new year. 

How is it going for you? How does it feel to start fresh? 

Beginning something new can feel exhilarating. After all, anything is possible, all is new. But being a beginner can also feel intimidating and overwhelming. 

After all anything is possible, all is new. 

In today’s episode, I want to talk about what it means to be a beginner (as in: someone who begins again and again) and why it matters so much. 

Whether you’re in the “working my resolutions for the new year” camp or the “new years is an arbitrary marker on a man-made calendar camp,” I invite you into the newness of this day, of everyday. 

I invite you to see yourself as a beginner.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a time of year that seems to move at lightning speed. it can feel like, if we don’t also move at lightning speed, we’ll fall behind and miss something truly important. What if moving fast isn’t the flex you’ve been told it is?

It might seem like FAST is the way to get more out of life. Think of all the magic we can experience and things we can accomplish if we move at the fastest possible pace! 

But what if we’re wrong about that?

In this weeks episode I want to give you permission to move much more slowly than is culturally normal this time of year, and maybe even more slowly than you’re used to moving. Fast might be “normal” for you but take a minute and ask if it feels gentle or even good in your system. 

What if you could move more slowly and actually get MORE (rather than less) out of your life?

Today, I suggest exactly that. It’s a little benediction for you as you move through the busiest time of year. 

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’ve been practicing something recently that I want to share with you.

It’s pulling me out of survival mode and into pure presence.

It’s asking me to drop the ego I barely knew I was carrying.

It’s helping me get more honest about who I am and what I really need.

It’s not flashy or impressive (quite the opposite). It’s grounding and simple. 

And in case you might want to practice this too, I’m sharing it with you today.

Maybe you don’t need to do more, be more, try harder. Maybe you (like me) need to listen more deeply. 

If you’re ready to begin writing your story, please take advantage of my BIG December gift to writers: more than 75% off my signature course A Book in Six Months. Use code GRATITUDE at checkout to get this $999 product for only $222. 

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if you’re not stuck or blocked in your writing? What if you’re just confused about where the writing process actually begins? 

In this episode, I address the common feeling that come at the start of a writing assignment or creative process and help you see that what feels like “stuck” might actually be the very progress you’ve been longing for. 

Before you believe you’re stuck, listen to this.

If you’re ready to begin writing your story, please take advantage of my BIG December gift to writers: more than 75% off my signature course A Book in Six Months. Use code GRATITUDE at checkout to get this $999 product for only $222. 

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re a high-achiever who has built your life on hard work, dedication and getting difficult tasks done, you probably can’t imagine what it would be like to allow your life to happen in a way that is organic and easy. 

Just let things happen however they happen???

It might even sound kind of “wrong”. 

You might think to yourself that everything good in your life has been built by the achiever in you who knows how to get great things accomplished. 

But what if all of that power and passion you bring to your work and your life could be directed toward a life of ease?

What if “easy” doesn’t mean what you think it does? 

This is a tiny little nuance that will not only change the way you think about the word “easy” but will (hopefully) revolutionize the way you experience your life.

If you’re ready to begin writing your story, please take advantage of my BIG December gift to writers: more than 75% off my signature course A Book in Six Months. Use code GRATITUDE at checkout to get this $999 product for only $222. 

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re feeling stuck in your writing or in your life, it’s very possible your body and mind are telling two different stories. 

In today’s episode I talk not only about why this happens but also how to reconcile the two, and even share a simple writing exercise to help you do it. 

When you integrate the story your mind and body are telling, deep healing takes place. I hope you enjoy the episode and the extra resources I share below. 

If you’re ready to begin writing your story, please take advantage of my BIG December gift to writers: more than 75% off my signature course A Book in Six Months. Use code GRATITUDE at checkout to get this $999 product for only $222. 

Listen to the episode with Elizabeth Bennett HERE!

Yoga Nidtra with John Vosler

Meditations with Joe Dispenza

The Body Keeps the Score Link HERE! 

The Body is a Doorway link HERE!

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve ever stopped yourself from doing something because you were afraid, I have a question for you.  

What is *under* your fear?

This might not be the first question you think to ask yourself about your fear. But I recently started looking *behind* my fear and I found something unexpected. 

What I found is dissolving my fears in a way I couldn’t have predicted. 

I’m sharing my story today on the podcast.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do astrology and storytelling have in common? 

Both have an amazing way of taking the seemingly disconnected events of our lives and giving them meaning and order.  

On this week’s episode, I interview author, teacher and world-renowned astrologist Debra Silverman and dig into the power astrology offers to organize the experiences of our lives. Together we discover just how much our work has in common.

Whether you are curious about astrology, a devoted student, or an admitted skeptic, this conversation will help you make meaning of your life story. 

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

You can buy Debra’s latest book HERE!

You can join me in her applied astrology class HERE!

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve ever considered writing a book, you’ve also probably asked yourself this common question: is my idea any good? 

Is the story or topic I want to write about interesting to anyone other than me? 

There are many ways to answer this question and unfortunately, how you answer might determine whether or not you write your book. Imagine if the author of your favorite book had decided, before ever writing, that their book idea was “no good”.  

In today’s episode, I’ll teach you how to answer this question for yourself and talk about the common pitfalls aspiring writers fall into. 

Hopefully I inspire you to give your book idea some space to develop into what it was meant to be. 

(PS) As I mention in the episode, I’m bringing back my signature course A Book in Six Months as a self-paced workshop and offering a generous discount for loyal listeners starting Friday November 28th. I will post the link to purchase as soon as it's ready. 

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hesitate to tell our stories for a thousand reasons. It’s vulnerable, for starters, and we hate the feeling of giving others power over us. 

We decide ahead of time that our story isn’t that interesting, that nobody else would care besides us, and that our situation is 100% unique to our experience. 

But what if wisdom is buried inside of your personal story? 

What if keeping your story secret is hiding that wisdom, even from you?

Today’s episode explores this topic and encourages you to take a single step to unpack the miracle that is your personal story.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When someone asks, “how are you doing?” Do you smile and say “I’m fine”? 

Or do you tell the truth? 

You might have a thousand reasons for holding back your truth in the face of a relatively benign question like “how are you doing?” — some of which may even be justified. But I suppose a better question is: do you know what is true for you? 

Are you in touch with your own truth? 

Are you able to share it with at least one trusted person? 

And have you considered the power and possibility of sharing your truth more broadly? 

This is what I’m exploring in today's episode. No matter how impossible it might seem to tell the truth — no matter who you think it might hurt or what you worry would unravel, the old maxim is right: only really the truth can set you free. 

Watch the Martha Beck + Tim Ferris conversation that was mentioned HERE!

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you believe there’s more to life than what you can see? 

If so, how does this affect the way you move through the world? 

Does it impact how you make decisions; how you deal with disappointment; how you make meaning from your story? 

What about not getting what you want? 

In today’s episode, I share a message that came to me through my yoga practice and talk about how it brought peace to a situation where I’m not getting what I want. 

If there’s more to life than what we see, then maybe “what we want” is about much more than getting what we want. Sounds simple on the surface but tell that to yourself when you want something and you’re not getting it. 

Whatever it is that you want but can’t have right this minute, I hope this episode brings you some peace.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My five year old daughter recently asked me why sometimes we ask God for things and she doesn’t give them to us (I secretly love that she refers to God as female, even though we’ve never gendered God in our house). 

As I processed the answer to her question — and thought about all the things I’ve wanted in my life but never gotten — I recorded this episode. 

This episode is an in-real-time, thinking-out-loud kind of an episode. More of a “questions” kind of episode than an “answers” kind of episode. 

But maybe, as I talk out loud to myself about what it means to want something and not have it, you’ll hear something that resonates with you that you can take with you on your own journey of wanting and not having. 

What do you want that you don’t (yet) have? 

The answer to that question might be a powerful invitation on a journey that will change your life forever.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When life is confusing and you don’t have the answers, what is your first response?

Do you get tied into knots trying to figure it out? 

Or are you comfortable with the open-ended nature of things?

Last week I unpacked the power of “I don’t know” and this week I’m continuing the conversation about how life improves when you let it be ok that you don’t know.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Human beings don’t deal well with uncertainty, which is why a mystery draws you in and why a cliffhanger on a TV show can keep you watching well past your bedtime. 

Your brain is wired for answers. 

Yet life is full of uncertainty. So how do we manage this tension? 

When a story is unfolding and you wonder, “how will this end?” Or when the big questions of life go unanswered and you lie awake wondering, Who is God? What am I here for? What does all of this mean? 

How do we handle not knowing? 

In today’s episode, I want to share a practice I’ve been using that is helping me live with the inevitable uncertainty of life. 

But I’m not just living with it. I’m using it as leverage to unfold into the fullness of myself. 

Check out the episode and I’d love to hear what you think.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if your life was meant to feel good?

I don’t mean that in a “if you can dream it, you can do it!” kind of a way as much as I mean… what if your life—as it is—was meant to be pleasurable? 

What if you could learn to slow down enough to see every single day, every breath, every new opportunity, every inconvenience, every hiccup, even every heartbreak as an absolutely gripping reminder that you get to be here and to experience this?

If you’re like me, it’s not always easy to get there. 

But I think it’s worth a try, don’t you? 

Come along with me on today’s episode where I discuss this very topic and invite you to practice with me: going slow and finding pleasure in everything.

The two books I mention are below: 

Fawning by Dr Ingrid Clayton (Link HERE)

A Rebellion of Care by David Gate (Link HERE)

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you’re in the middle of your story and it appears that no resolution is on the horizon, it’s easy to assume that you must be doing something wrong. 

Maybe if you were stronger, wiser, or more "positive" you would be able to find a solution and bring your story to resolution. 

But what if the point of the story is not to resolve the story?

What if the unresolved, chaotic, painful middle of a story is exactly where you belong? 

In today’s episode I’ll talk about our very human impulse to relieve the pain and pressure of our stories, to find resolution, and I’ll also explore what happens when we allow the middle of the story to be exactly what it is: confusing, unsettling, upsetting and painful. 

Are you in the middle of a story?

What would it be like to soften into the middle and let it change you? 

Book mentioned: When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you ever get the feeling like you’re telling the same story over and over again? The details may change (new boss, new partner, new hometown) but the cycle of the story stays the same. In today’s episode I talk about what to do when you seem to be stuck in the same frustrating story on repeat. I’ll share my own experience with finding myself in this rut and talk about how to move when you’re ready to finally make an edit. 

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever felt derailed by failure in your life? 

Perhaps it was the end of a relationship, the loss of a job, a public embarrassment, or a mistake that cost you more than you felt ready to lose. 

Or maybe you don’t experience failure much. It’s possible you tiptoe around failure, making sure that you’re never too far out on a limb so as not to fall. 

In that case, you might feel blocked or stuck, too insulated to experience failure but too protected to receive real freedom or joy. 

In today’s episode I talk about failure: why we avoid it, how we survive it, and how to make meaning of failure in our lives. I normalize it, de-stigmatize it, and invite you to do something that might feel counterintuitive to you; to move toward failure, rather than away. 

What might failure be trying to show you in your life right now?

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do disciplining a child, teaching preschool and taking good care of yourself have in common?

The answer might surprise you. 

This week’s episode is inspired by a parenting technique that seemed too simple to actually work. But as soon as I watched this alarmingly unsophisticated tactic have wild success with my four and five year olds—and their friends—I had to ask myself: maybe there’s value in even the adults taking a break?

How long should the break be? Why is this straightforward tool so powerful?

Perhaps it has to do with putting us back in touch with our higher selves, our creative nature, our intuitive voice. 

To learn how taking a short break can combat burnout, calm big emotions and get you unstuck (and even how it can bring order to unruly preschoolers) take a listen and let me know what you think.

Where do you need to take a break?

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you ever feel an inherent tension between the pull of your creative passions and the need to pay for groceries? 

When you think about developing the more creative parts of your life and yourself, do you get stuck worrying if it's selfish, entitled, or unwise to give into these desires? 

Do you feel that your spirit gets deadened or dulled sometimes by the monotony of day to day living? 

Do you sometimes settle for following “rules” that you believe will get you stability, security and ultimately a happy life?

How is that going for you? 

In today’s episode, I unpack the topic of creativity and joy by asking questions more than providing answers. I challenge you to think critically about what it means to be a creative being, what happens when we abandon our true creative nature, and what becomes possible when we embrace our creative selves fully. 

Here’s my previous episode on the rise of AI - Click HERE to listen!

And the episode I mention about thriving in all areas of your life - Click HERE to listen!

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than a year ago, someone recommended I read the memoir called How to Stay Married by Harrison Scott Key. It reminded them, in some ways, of my memoir from 2017 about a marriage crisis, called Indestructible.

It took me more than a year to hit “play” on the audible file, but by the time I started it, I also finished in a matter of a few days. 

The speed at which I consumed the book, however, does not necessarily reflect how I felt about the story. There are certain elements that must be present in a narrative in order for it to feel complete. I detail these in my book, Write Your Story and teach the framework in my workshops by the same name. 

Some of these elements were, in my honest opinion, missing from this text.

Sign up for a yoga class taught by Ally for free on the MindBody app. 

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does your life ever feel like it moves at an absolutely break-neck pace? 

Maybe that pace works well for you or maybe, over time, you start to feel like you’re drinking from a fire hose. 

Like you’re overwhelmed with experiences and information, unable to integrate and disconnected from everything that is happening.

If that sounds true for you, today’s episode offers a meditation I’ve been using lately to slow things down and live with more peace.

Maybe you naturally move with intention through your life.

Maybe you LOVE moving quickly.

Whatever pace you choose to move, I hope this new phrase inspires you to reflect on how your pace might be affecting your wellbeing; and that it brings you even the smallest measure of deep peace.

Sign up for a yoga class taught by Ally for free on the MindBody app. 

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is inspiration a luxury? A privilege? Do we have to go without inspiration in times of war or chaos or change? Or, is inspiration an absolutely vital part of life? In this episode, I share why I think inspiration is essential to human existence and talk about the simple things we can do to stay inspired. 

How do you stay inspired? I’d love to hear from you. Write your list of 10 ways to stay inspired and tag me on Instagram!

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you ever get the feeling like everybody else is thriving and you’re the only one struggling?

Maybe you’re scrolling social media and see a hundred smiling faces. Or maybe you bump into a friend at the grocery story who says they’re doing great! Everything is going great! All is well with their world!

You might start to wonder if maybe it’s just you that is struggling financially or stuck in a dead-end job or circling the same block in your relationships again and again and again. 

Self-help (and all of culture) seems to say, “you can fix this!” “You can change this!” “Just three easy steps!” but can you… really? What if you’ve tried to “fix this” and not been successful? What does that say about you? We’re unpacking off of this on today’s episode. 

If you need a permission slip to be imperfect, this one is for you.

Sign up for a yoga class taught by Ally for free on the MindBody app. 

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, I want to offer some straightforward writing and publishing advice that might hurt your feelings; but I’m willing to hurt your feelings since it is in service of awakening your inner artist (see: last week’s episode). 

Even if you’re “not a writer” or don’t have any aspirations for publishing, this advice is for you. It’s for any creative person who questions the validity of their art because they don’t make much (or any) money from their creative pursuits, because they don’t have a big following, or because their art doesn’t look like the art of those who have had commercial success. 

Before you give up, or if you already have, check out today’s episode. What I have to say might just change the way you approach your art altogether. I hope it helps you and I can’t wait to see what you make.

Sign up for class for free on the MindBody app. 

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you have an artist in you that you’ve tucked away because…

• Obligations and responsibilities took precedence over art? 
• You were shamed or ridiculed for being “unrealistic” or having your “head in the clouds”?
• You’ve forgotten what it felt like to be creative?
• You got hurt and had to close your heart to survive? 
• You were told you’re “not very creative”? 
• Something you made was criticized or rejected?
• You think you need to be the best at something and you can’t just do it for the joy? 

In today’s episode, I invite you to come back to your inner artist. Not only for the sake of your own healing, but for the healing of your community and the world. 

Never have we been in such dire need of creative ideas, creative solutions and open, creative hearts to shape and shift the path in front of us. 

Tune in today for some nourishing, easy ideas to bring back the artist in you. 

I promise it will be worth it. 

Sign up for class for free on the MindBody app. 

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's been a cultural obsession recently with optimizing your life, your health, your body and more. And while optimization can provide support and scaffolding, there’s a hidden danger of focusing too much on optimization. 

I’ll unpack that silent drawback in today’s episode. 

I’ll also share an update from my most recent trip to Montana and the status of my yoga teacher training program. 

You won’t want to miss this great episode!

Sign up for class for free on the MindBody app. 

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s episode, I share a metaphor I’ve been using in my yoga classes lately that has served me in the rest of my life, too.  

If you’re new here, or if you missed it, I’m teaching yoga! For now it’s one each week at Hot Yoga of East Nashville, a free / donation based 60 minute flow class on Fridays at 4:30. If you’re in Nashville or if you come to visit, come see me at the studio!

Sign up for class for free on the MindBody app. 

I’m learning so much from returning to my yoga practice and from teaching. I’m reminded that my relationship to one thing is my relationship to everything, and so the lessons I learn in practice carry over to my life off the mat. 

I’m sharing one of those lessons in today’s episode.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Human beings have a primal need that we don’t often talk about. 

It’s not food or water or love, although we need those things too. 

It’s the human need that drives you to watch Netflix, scroll Instagram, gasp at a text message that says, “you’ll never guess what happened!?” and even binge a great audiobook (the three I mention in the episode are in the notes below).  

And yet unlike food, water and love, this primal need often gets overlooked. 

No wonder we’re depressed or bored or dysregulated or overwhelmed. We’re treating a basic need we have like it’s secondary; and that oversight is costing us. 

I invite you to find ways to bring back this “lost” art so we can rediscover meaning, clarity and connection in our lives. 

Check out THE TELL HERE!

Check out The Anxious Generation HERE!

Check out The Secret Lives of Mama Love HERE!

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AI has been a constant topic of conversation lately, mainly because we’re watching the world change at a rapid pace in ways that are unprecedented and can be unnerving. 

We’re in uncharted territory.  

As nostalgic as I can sometimes feel about a time when iPhones didn’t rule our lives, I tend toward the belief that, in general, the best times are ahead of us — not behind. 

I even recorded an episode a few weeks ago encouraging creative people not to be afraid of what AI can do for creativity: 

In this episode, I want to flag a concern I do have about the current AI takeover. It’s not a concern about AI taking over creative jobs or writing all future published books. It’s about something much more personal. 

Take a listen and tell me what you think.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If we’re all a sort of “hero” in our own personal narrative, it begs an obvious question: who is narrating the story? 

I watched Harold and the Purple Crayon on Netflix with my kids over the weekend, a children's book turned movie where the main character of a book goes searching for the narrator of his story so that he can better understand his purpose in life. 

My kids thought the movie was hilarious. I found it deeply thought-provoking. 

Who is narrating my story? Who is narrating your story? 

This is a question (and an answer) I explore in today’s episode. I hope you enjoy and I’d love to hear what you think.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the most common questions I’ve been asked in the past ten years is if I would talk about my evolving process with the Christian faith of my childhood. 

I even recorded an episode called, “Are you still a Christian?” here: 

Finally, after years of avoiding and evading the question, after nearly a decade of processing and evolving privately, I’m ready to share parts of my experience. 

The concept of deconstruction can be feared and even demonized but the reality is that the deconstruction of a story is a natural and healthy part of the creative process. We are constantly deconstructing and reconstructing the narratives in our lives — and for good reason!

As you listen, consider what you might be deconstructing in your life. 

If nothing comes to mind, ask yourself: what story that I’m currently telling might need to be deconstructed and looked at from a new angle?

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the most common questions I am asked from anyone who is writing about their life goes like this: 

How do I write about the people who hurt me? 

Maybe you find yourself wanting to write about your parents, lovers, ex-lovers, siblings, neighbors, bosses, co-workers, etc but you aren’t sure how you would do that in a way that is true and also respectful. 

Maybe you aren’t worried about being respectful but you are worried about being sued. 

In this episode, I’ll share my own process for writing about a villain in my story and discuss a guiding concept I use anytime I’m writing about others. This storytelling truth might bring healing beyond your writing.

The villain in the story has a purpose. I’ll share it with you today.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Research shows that a daily practice of gratitude can make you happier but have you had a time in life when “gratitude” felt impossible? Have you ever felt like “staying positive” might be blocking you from feeling what was true for you that day? 

What is the line between “being grateful” and pretending things are different than they actually are?

Is it healthy to pretend you feel differently than you actually do? 

If you’ve ever wished you felt grateful but instead you felt sad, depressed, anxious, worried, or even despair, this episode is for you. We’ll dive into the nuance of this topic and I’ll share how I am learning (slowly) to move past positivity and find true joy.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s episode is a love letter to anyone who feels like they are fumbling and stumbling their way through something right now. Whether it’s work or working out or parenting or creativity, if you feel like a beginner or like you don’t know exactly what to do next, you’re normal, you’re doing great, and this episode is for you. 

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I heard recently about a publishing scam that would be hard to detect by an average consumer and that preys on the vulnerabilities of new, hopeful authors. And yet with just a little bit of publishing context you can arm yourself with enough information to sniff out the fakers and find a publishing path that works for you.

I hope this episode finds you before the scammers do!

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I had a conversation with a friend recently about raising boys (of all things) that reminded me of something I already know: a story without conflict or tension is not a story. 

So why are so many of us trying to avoid conflict and tension in our lives? 

Sure, problems are unpleasant to deal with but tiptoeing around potential problems causes a story (read: a life) to fall flat. A story without tension or conflict is uninteresting, dull and even a bit depressing.Problems are an essential ingredient to great, inspiring stories. It’s time we acknowledged that life is full of them and stopped wishing them away.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What will make me truly happy? 

Recently I watched an Instagram reel where a psychologist shared data that suggests parents with young children are not as happy as those couples who are child-free or who have grown kids. In the comments section, you could hear the defensiveness. The frustration. The incredulity from parents of young children who felt misrepresented.

As someone with young children myself, I could see that many of us were grasping for how to explain why this wasn’t the whole picture. Of course there are some elements of “happiness” that go by the wayside when you have kids. At the same time, having young kids is a time of profound transformation and meaning (the elements of a great story).

I wanted to speak to this — not because I have any interested in convincing someone to have children — but because I think the conversation itself is fundamentally flawed. 

What if asking the question, ‘what will make me happy?’ is actually making us miserable?

What if there’s a better question to ask? 

I’ll unpack that better question in today’s episode.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you up against a problem in your life that you don’t know how to solve? Have you tried everything you know to try in order to solve it? Maybe strategies that worked in the past are feeling insufficient this time around? 

Whether it’s a personal problem or a political, global or corporate one — in this episode i’ll offer a suggestion that may surprise you—and may trigger you (it triggered me). 

Yet it may be the only thing powerful enough to solve the current problems we are facing. 

Take a minute to think about what would happen if you gave up trying to solve your impossible problem and instead let the problem teach you what it came here to teach you.

I am anxious to hear your thoughts. 

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you ever feel like you have to be the strong one? Like you have to get your ducks in a row, get your act together, pull it all off—or if you don’t do it, who will? 

In today's episode I unpack the idea that your greatest leverage to shift any situation—personal or corporate—is not in your strength or composure or ability or even intelligence but in your capacity to tell the truth.

We avoid telling the truth because we’re afraid to face what is real; but only by telling the truth do we access the ability to shift and change the “truth” to something new.

What are ten things that are true for you today?

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever felt like — once you get your act together — then your life can start?

Once you find the right partner?

Once you finally get pregnant?

Once you write your book?

Once you finish your degree?

Once your business is profitable?

Once your house is clean?

Once you finally kicked that bad habit?

Once you master that particular skill?

And yet the trouble is, we can spend our entire lives waiting to begin when the reality is that this messy middle is precisely our life; and it is a beautiful and exquisite thing. Life is not about mastery but about presence and love.

Consider this episode a celebration of the messy middle. I pray it finds you wherever you are and invites you to sink even more deeply into the precious and beautiful thing that is the life you are living right now.

Host: Ally Fallon // @allyfallon // allisonfallon.com

Follow Ally on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allyfallon/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.