Anti-Hustle Culture with guest Rachel May and Emily Golden (Ep187)
Release Date: 05/14/2025
Aligned Author Podcast
PATREON: Thanks to new patron Heidi Walker! Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast. I've just revamped my Patreon Page. I'm so so so pleased with it and proud of my work in simplifying it. Too many pay walls and exclusions. Now it is fresh and easy. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS...
info_outlineAligned Author Podcast
Hello Writers! I'm Valerie Ihsan, and this is Episode 208 of the podcast and it's April 8, 2026 as I record this. Main Topic: Infusing Self into Your Work When You Come Back to the Page (with ) (Part of the series on "Starting Over Again, or Coming Back to Yourself and Your Writing") Become a patron of the arts and of me at . And you can support my friend and colleague and Resident Ghostwriter and Friend of the Podcast author Erick Mertz at for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre. He's a really great writer. Announcements/Author Updates: doctors...
info_outlineAligned Author Podcast
Hello Writers! I'm Valerie Ihsan, and this is Episode 207 of the podcast and it's March 31, 2026 as I record this. Main Topic: Changing the Way You Put Words on the Page: A conversation between two writers recovering from burnout and trying to get back to the page (Part of the series on "Starting Over Again, or Coming Back to Yourself and Your Writing") In this conversation, we talk about: burnout and then fear of burnout learning in public podcasting/building business/creating content journaling is still writing doing things gives us energy and structure/managing energy levels...
info_outlineAligned Author Podcast
5 TAKE HOME TIPS FOR GETTING STARTED ANYWHERE ON YOUR JOURNEY HOME Starting a series on "Starting Over Again, or Coming Back to Yourself and Your Writing" (Next several episodes will have this flavor because I think we all get lost sometimes and struggle to get back to the page, get back to ourselves. I'm been struggling with this for a couple of years (I'm not going to lie and Instagram filter for you) and with my long journey to Costa Rica via car and my one-month anniversary of living in Costa Rica, I thought today would be a great day to talk about AND to revisit this struggle. I...
info_outlineAligned Author Podcast
Erick is stepping away for some time. His mom just got diagnosed with cancer, so he wants to spend more time and bandwidth on her. And I'm moving to Costa Rica this month! In 2 1/2 weeks, so it is cray-cray over here. Fresh new episodes will arrive in February (with a little bit of a revamp) and a special series on getting back to your writing or creative practice after grief, loss, addiction, or big life stress, but do look for some bonus episodes from the road. Went to Breitenbush, Portland (Powell's), Seattle, Write in the Harbor writing conference in Gig Harbor, WA (*heart*), sold...
info_outlineAligned Author Podcast
Flawed Female Leads with guest Heather Snodgrass PATREON: Thank you to our existing patrons for believing in our work offline and here in the podcast. Become a patron of the arts at for books, writing instruction, coaching, and planning. Also, the Planner Plays and Monthly Reflections are always free for all members on my Patreon page. But I don't list them as Public", so click correct tier for updated links, dates, and cancellations. Go to for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre. Magic Mind Mental Performance Shot and Sleep Shot. Up to 48% off your first...
info_outlineAligned Author Podcast
How POV Affects Your Story PATREON: Thank you to our existing patrons for believing in our work offline and here in the podcast. Become a patron of the arts at for books, writing instruction, coaching, and planning. Also, the Planner Plays and Monthly Reflections are always free for all members on my Patreon page. But I don't list them as Public", so click correct tier for updated links, dates, and cancellations. Go to for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre. Magic Mind Mental Performance Shot and Sleep Shot. Up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one...
info_outlineAligned Author Podcast
Main Topic: Finding Voice and Author Identity Through Social Media, PATREON: Thank you to our existing patrons for believing in our work offline and here in the podcast. Become a patron of the arts at for books, writing instruction, coaching, and planning. Also, the Planner Plays and Monthly Reflections are always free for all members on my Patreon page. But I don't list them as Public", so click correct tier for updated links, dates, and cancellations. Go to for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre. Magic Mind Mental Performance Shot and Sleep Shot. Up to...
info_outlineAligned Author Podcast
(Valerie): launching my four-month book coaching container Aligned Author TODAY. The price is drastically cut this week (it's $667 off the regular price, and for 24 hours only starting now, the paid in full price -- with an extra whole month of coaching for free and ANOTHER LIVE discount on top-- is $1333 for FIVE months of coaching. The price will never be this low again. There is also a monthly payment option. Go to for all the details. The replay to last night's masterclass The Alchemy of Memory is up for another 24 hours, and then it goes away, along with the LIVE Launch price. Aligned...
info_outlineAligned Author Podcast
Free masterclass: The Alchemy of Memory — Writing the Hybrid Memoir (Wed, Oct 8, 2025). Learn to braid personal narrative with research, family history, and big ideas—plus structures, privacy choices, and momentum tools. Includes a short meditation + oracle card pull. Save your seat → *** Segment 1 (Announcements/Author Updates): (Valerie): planning my free masterclass on hybrid memoir writing for October 8th. (Erick): booked all the conferences for the rest of the year; new ghostwriting ads; working on new series of stories; What are you reading? Valerie: ...
info_outlineMain Topic: Anti-Hustle Culture with guests Rachel May and Emily Golden, book coaches and editors at Golden May Editing, and podcast hosts of the Story Magic podcast.
Up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code
VALERIE20 at checkout
You can claim it at: https://magicmind.com/VALERIE20
#magicmind #mentalwealth #mentalperformance
PATREON:
Thank you to our existing patrons for believing in our work offline and here in the podcast.
Become a patron of the arts at Patreon.com/valerieihsan for books, writing instruction, coaching, and planning. Go to Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre.
Segment 1 (Announcements/Author Updates):
- (Valerie): revamped website
- Emily: ARC just came in "Crimson Tide: Up in Molten Lights", 20K in to new book;
- Rachel: revising third book is slower than planned.
- (Erick): Preorder up for Shadow Signals , front and back matter done
What are you reading?
- Valerie: How To Be Old: Lessons in Living Boldly from the Accidental Icon (Lyn Slater)
- (Not ready to give up on them, but struggling to finish them:) Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman; The Year of the Puppy (Alexandra Horowitz) ; The Teller of Small Fortunes Julie Leong
- Erick:
- Mr. Mercedes (Stephen King), The Autopsy: Best Weird Stories of Michael Shea, (Daniel Clowes) Patience
- Rachel: Cassie Mint's new book, Wild Peak; the stack is waiting
- Emily: Assistant to the Villain (Hannah Nicole Maehrer)
- Segment 2 (Resources/Tips/Tidbits):
- Tidbit #1: • Tidbit #2:
Segment 3 (Main Topic): Years ago, in the days before COVID, they met on Twitter through the #WritingCommunity hashtag. As fantasy writers, they immediately hit it off through beta reading each other’s work, which evolved into critique partnering, and then a mutual fascination with writing craft. They became obsessed with learning a) how stories worked, and b) how writers’ mindsets could help or harm their progress. Together they dove head first into book coaching and editing training, which ultimately resulted in Golden May. Please welcome Rachel and Emily.
Value is based in what you produce = hustle culture
Pitfalls of hunger to create and make an impact on world.
Make money, make a lot, make it fast
Sustainable success comes from the opposite place
Mindset is more important, untangle perfectionism and hustle culture
Generational/societal = capitalism ranked over all; "You are only valuable and worthy if you make money."
You can't rest because ...
If you do more, you make more money. We aren't machines. Burnout. Less effective. Care for yourself so you CAN work.
Mindset breeds shame is what drives the hustle culture .
Anti-hustle is about separating mindset from the "norm."
What did you do to separate and feel worthy?
1. Come down to earth: what are the stakes? Writing is not life/death situation. If I don't ..., then I'm not worthy and I'm gonna die. (Start reframe it)
2. Awareness. Hustle culture. Learn the opposite. (Amy McNee - We Need Your Art) Ask where these thoughts are coming from? Follow the threads. Reparenting inner child. Catch the thoughts in the moment. What's my programming? 1st thought: programming, 2nd thought: what I really believe. Talking to coworkers and family about "letting them down."
3. Join a community interested in anti-hustle. Reframe daily.
4. Devon Price "Laziness Does Not Exist", "Burnout" (Nagaski sisters)
5. Affirmations
6. What is your brain trying to tell you?
Rest is a learned thing. The Power of Ritual (Casper ter Kuile)
We all rest differently.
The tenants of anti-hustle culture:
Worth is not tied to our output.
Your success isn't determined by someone else's standards.
Body and Brain deserve rest.
"I don't have time to learn how to rest." Learned how to be productive in your body.
And don't forget: Get 48% off the Magic Mind :
https://magicmind.com/VALERIE20 and use Valerie20 at checkout.
#magicmind #mentalwealth #mentalperformance
Next episode:
Find Us:
Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan (Find Passion Planner discount codes here.)
Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor
Patreons:
https://patreon.com/valerieihsan
https://patreon.com/strangeairmysteries
Tools:
ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)