Goals, Grit, and Some Woo Woo Sh*t
"BREAKING NEWS: Your dream life (and your dream bod) isn’t just going to happen because you made a vision board. Join Oonagh Duncan (fitness expert and bestselling author of Healthy As F*ck/Ditch The Diet) to examine the habits of kicking ass every day - so you can create a life of no regrets. Whether you want to lose weight, get rich, or save the whales while writing bestselling mystery novels- get ready to be inspired. This isn’t about incantations and putting the right crystals in your bra. This is about having the courage to take responsibility for your life, the grit to do the actual work and—most importantly—constantly training your brain to be your b*tch. Here’s what you can expect: Sometimes you’ll get the most tender loving b*tch slap in your ear about why you need to exercise - even when you don’t f*cking feel like it. Sometimes you’ll get a sleep expert teach you the exact steps on how to fall back asleep at 3am so you don’t feel like a zombie all day. Sometimes you’ll hear from someone who ran the marathon, kicked the addiction or manifested their dream threesome on the beach and you’ll think “If they can do it, so can I” And when you start thinking thoughts like that… you will be inspired to stop drifting and being a victim of your circumstances - and start actively creating the life you want. It takes Goals. It takes Grit. And it takes some Woo-Woo Sh*t."
Goals, Grit, and Some Woo Woo Sh*t
What Happens When You Get Spiritual (But Not Religious) with Anne Bokma
Okay friends, we’re getting our woo on. And before you roll your eyes, let’s talk about that word for a sec. My guest today, award-winning journalist Anne Bokma, makes an amazing point: why do we call women’s spiritual practices “woo woo” while accepting some seriously wild stuff from organized religion as totally normal? Virgin births, anyone?
Anne is the author of My Year of Living Spiritually: From Woo Woo to Wonderful, and this conversation had me nodding, laughing, and getting misty-eyed in equal measure. I’d read her book once before, but re-reading it hit different. We get into everything: death, drugs, dating in your 60s, and what happens when you go looking for meaning without the rules of religion.
Anne shares how she left a strict Dutch church upbringing, lost connection with her family over it, and then spent a year trying every spiritual practice she could find, from meditation and gratitude journaling to witch camp, past life regression, and yes, magic mushrooms. We talk about what worked, what didn’t, and what she learned about trusting her own intuition.
This episode isn’t about becoming a crystal-carrying moon priestess (unless that’s your jam). It’s about finding a deeper sense of connection on your own terms. Whether you’ve got religious trauma, church nostalgia, or just an inner skeptic who still kinda wants to believe, Anne’s story will remind you that spirituality doesn’t have to come with a side of guilt.
What’s Inside:
- How Anne’s “Year of Living Spiritually” helped her heal from religious trauma and reconnect with her mom
- The difference between religion and spirituality and why women’s wisdom has been dismissed as “woo”
- What happened when Anne tried everything from witch camp to magic mushrooms
- How activism (like protesting Bill Cosby’s show) can be a deeply spiritual act
What does being “spiritual” mean to you? Is it lighting candles and meditating, or is it showing up in the world with more compassion and courage? Whatever your version looks like, it’s about feeling connected and awake. That could be you. I’d love to know what practices make you feel more grounded (or more “woo”). Message me on Instagram and let’s talk about it.
Mentioned in This Episode:
My Year of Living Spiritually: From Woo-Woo to Wonderful by Anne Bokma
Anne Bokma’s Website
Anne Bokma on Instagram
Oonagh Duncan on Instagram
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