All Episodes

May 9, 2024 28 mins

Send us a text

 Shirin Etessam, author of transformative book, "Free to Be." shares her journey of self-discovery and healing, emphasizing the importance of play in overcoming life's challenges. 

Key Points:

  • Introduction to Shirin Etessam:
    • Shirin's background in the film and media industry.
    • The pivotal breakup that led to her soul-searching journey.
  • The Journey to Writing "Free to Be":
    • She felt "dead inside" despite outward glamorous success.
    • The six-year process of rewriting her life's story ( distilled into six weeks in the book).
  • The Writing Process:
  • Overcoming the "monkey mind" and internal gremlins to stay focused on writing.
  • Structured approach: Committing to writing a chapter a month, working with editors, and testing exercises with a focus group.
  • Daily Purge and Morning Routine:
    • Importance of the "daily purge": A six-minute exercise to clear negativity and declutter the mind.
    • Different forms of the daily purge, including writing, dancing, and outdoor activities.
  • Week-by-Week Breakdown of "Free to Be":
    • Week One: Decluttering and detoxing the mind.
    • Week Two: Taking care of and protecting the heart.
    • Week Three: Detoxing the body and resetting the relationship with it.
    • Week Four: Embracing play as an essential part of life.
    • Week Five: Finding your true north and understanding the difference between soul and spirit.
    • Week Six: Rewriting your story from the inside out.
  • The Importance of Play:
    • Play as an unintentional yet essential activity for creativity and emotional well-being.
    • Examples of play: Dancing, playing with pets, exploring new places, and engaging in creative activities.
    • Encouraging listeners to identify their "play personality" and incorporate play into their daily lives.
  • Practical Applications and Spiritual Wellness:
    • The continuous journey of self-discovery and the importance of integrating spiritual wellness into daily life.
    • Shirin's mission to redefine spirituality as spiritual health and wellness, distinct from religious connotations.

Connect with Shirin Etessam: https://shirinetessam.com/

  • Find Shirin's book "Free to Be" on Amazon and other platforms. It’s a six-week guide to reclaiming your soul. 

Free Gift:

  • Download Caryl Westmore’s free checklist, "Five Book Hook Tips to Kickstart Your Bookwriting Journey," at writethebookinsideyou.com/fr

✅ Recommended - get my FREE CHECKLIST:
5 Book Hooks you must have to Captivate non-fiction Readers: Checklist (Free): https://www.writethebookinsideyou.com/freegift

✅ Connect with Caryl Westmore on social media!

https://www.facebook.com/carylwestmoreauthor
https://www.facebook.com/groups/bookinsideyou
https://twitter.com/carylwestmoreuk

Show Sponsors: Books for Writers by Caryl Westmore: ChatGPT AI Book Writing Formula , Steps to Prompt, Write, Publish, a Non-fiction Client-Attraction Book, 10-100x faster and easier assisted by AI. Bust Writer's Block Forever www.bustwritersblock.com and The Inner Path of Writing, Make Love not War

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.