🟩 Timestamps & Show Notes

[00:00:00] Intro: Meet Brownell Landrum – Author & Explorer of Metaphysical Mysteries
[00:01:00] What is The Hero’s Playbook and who it’s for – writers and personal growth
[00:02:30] Her background: marketing, training, fiction and nonfiction writing
[00:03:00] How the Hero’s Journey structure inspired the book
[00:03:50] Why learning should be fun – and why this book is not low content
[00:04:45] The “You Are My Hero” page – reframing what makes a hero
[00:05:15] Nikki on not idolizing people due to their flaws – building healthy respect instead
[00:06:20] Complex, flawed characters make real heroes
[00:07:30] Wants vs Needs: what your hero really needs to grow
[00:08:45] Growth from idolizing celebrities to respecting people’s effort
[00:10:00] Why growth means seeing people as human, not perfect
[00:11:00] Brownell’s favorite fun activity: dice-based decision making
[00:13:00] Nikki on how she uses popsicle sticks for meal choices
[00:14:30] Simplicity and choice can relieve mental overwhelm
[00:16:15] Hero’s journey steps: ordinary world, call to adventure, refusal, change
[00:17:50] If life is too easy, you’re the villain – no growth, no depth
[00:18:30] Choosing a life with challenges – spiritually and emotionally
[00:20:00] Honest self-reflection through the playbook – going deeper
[00:21:45] Writing about yourself or a fictionalized version of yourself
[00:22:30] Letting the process reveal things slowly or deeply
[00:24:00] Nikki reflects on her own healing and the distance she’s come
[00:25:45] Brownell introduces “reverse optimism” – seeing growth in hindsight
[00:27:00] Sharing your story is heroic – even when it’s hard
[00:29:00] Therapy, triggers, and courage in podcasting
[00:30:30] Pitfalls Nikki avoids now thanks to her past lessons
[00:31:15] Helping others because of what you’ve been through
[00:32:30] Trusting your experiences – not needing to be “so great” to offer help
[00:33:00] Podcast as a tool to help others avoid walls you’ve hit
[00:34:00] Brownell’s story of spiritual creativity and “The Upstairs” guides
[00:35:30] Humor, trust, and metaphysical writing – surrendering control
[00:36:30] Dice wishes and handing your desires over to guidance
[00:37:45] Letting go, letting it unfold – faith in creativity and life
[00:39:00] Nikki’s views on personal space, sound, and open beliefs
[00:41:30] Brownell on reincarnation and writing fiction with dimension
[00:43:00] Exploring metaphysical mysteries – always staying curious
[00:44:15] Shakespeare, history, and trusting people to follow the breadcrumb trail
[00:45:30] The value of questions – not always answers
[00:46:00] Final thoughts – why stories matter and growth never ends