We were lucky to catch up with Elizabeth Blake-Thomas recently and have shared our conversation below.

Elizabeth, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I’m staring at my daughter’s wall with a huge world map stuck on it. It is covered with markers showing my planned world adventures. In 6 months time I will be on my way around the world, visiting all of these places that I marked. You might think this isn’t really a big deal, maybe you did this when you were younger, maybe you’re waiting to do this once you retire. However for me, I’m taking this moment now. I’m jumping in with both feet.

As a 45 year old, single mother of one amazing 21 year old daughter, and mother of a 12 year old Maltese, I have come across a fabulous window of opportunity to travel right now.

I have had what I call a “Mid Life Transformation”. This means I want to make the most of my life, NOW, not in the future, but now, whilst I have this window.

In order to make this happen I have had to make some major alterations to my life. I have sold my home (I lived on a boat), I have sold my car (I had a VW bus), and I have altered my career. Instead of being a full-time film director, part time author and mind coach when it fitted with the film schedule, I have become a full time author and mind coach.

Selling everything has given me a feeling of “anything is possible” and the freedom to try something new. My latest book entitled “Life, Love, and Loss: Lessons from my Dog.” has been another catalyst to recognizing this opportunity.

So, would I call this taking a risk? absolutely. In fact it’s one of the riskiest things I’ve ever done. I will travel, experience new things, give talks on my book, meet new people and offer my mindful tools from Medicine with Words (my mind coaching company) in exchange for places to stay or things to do. Not knowing what will happen is exciting and adventurous, is there a risk? Absolutely, but we only have one life, why play it safe all the time. In fact for me, it’s the opposite, you can’t get anywhere in life without taking risks. the biggest risk is not taking any risk.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a Director, no that’s not right, I’m a storyteller, that’s not right either, I’m a writer! Getting warmer, OK, I’m an author and mind coach. Now that’s better. None of us know immediately who we are or what we are going to become. Some might understand from a young age they want to be a scientist or a vet, but generally we find our way through experiences and influences.

I remembered the other day how, aged 18, I borrowed my boyfriend’s car and drove to the South of France to look at a building that would work perfectly as a space to set up and run a writers’ retreat. I drove home back to the UK and for some reason forgot that was what I wanted to do with my life. Normal life took over. Since then, nearly 30 years later, I have been a mum, moved continents, run a theatre company, become a film director, but not until now have I almost come full circle and realized that what I want to do is what I almost set out to do aged 18.

Medicine with Words was meant to be. it was part of my DNA before I even knew about it. I am so proud of the fact that I have been able to create something that has helped me heal as well as many others.

I utilize practical mindfulness tools that I’ve created to support and help guide me through life. These tools have then proved equally useful for other people.

I work with individuals and corporates, I run workshops and speak at events.

All of this encouraged me to begin writing. Writing my story, my truth. It was life changing to begin sharing my story. I knew if I was to help other people I would need to share my truth and begin changing my narrative.

This lead to my third book “Living with Intention” out late 2023, and now my fourth book that I’m writing “Life, Love, Loss: Lessons from my Dog”.

From my Pyramid of Purpose to my Brain Breathing exercises and my Kintsugi Technique work, I can help individuals find clarity, purpose and peace in their lives.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I have a number of stories that illustrate my resilience. Some might say that being a Brit with no family or friends in LA might prove to be a major issue when trying to move across the pond and start a new life. but I found a way, sorted visas and found a home and an income to allow my daughter and I to live in a different country.

Secondly it could be being a single mother and setting up a production company and becoming a film director with no previous contacts or experience and earning an income and becoming a success.

Thirdly, believing in myself, which is sometimes the hardest thing to do. When you have voices in your head saying you’re no good, or listening to actual voices telling you you can’t do this. Fighting against those voices takes a huge amount of resilience.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I try to read anything and everything. As you get older, you realize that no-one really knows anything, that ideas are all amalgamations of other peoples ideas. That we are all just borrowing and regurgitating from anything and everything.

I love books from the Buddhist philosophy, or Kabbalistic practices, as well as work books dedicated to helping you find your IKIGAI. Memoirs by people such as Jen Pastiloff, a friend of mine who’s has helped influence my latest book. Malcolm Gladwell, Dale Carnegie and Eckhart Tolle are wonderful authors. Listening to anything Richard Rudd has to say.

Sometimes fun instagram videos about dogs just make me smile and laugh.

These have all lead to me writing “Living with Intention”, “More Than a Book”, and now working on my current book: “Love, Life, Loss: Lessons from my Dog”.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.medicinewithwords.com
• Instagram: @medicinewithwords
• Facebook: Elizabeth Blake-thomas
• Linkedin: Elizabeth Blake-thomas
• Twitter: @Elizabeth_b_t