After collapsing from heatstroke during the 2024 Brighton Marathon, Holly Rowlinson faced heartbreak and the loss of a long-held goal. With reflection and the support of St John Ambulance, Holly turned her setback into a purpose. A year later, she ran the 2025 London Marathon, raising over £2,000 for the charity who helped her back to her feet. Holly’s story is a testament to community, gratitude and the strength created from having a meaningful why. With this clarity and determination, Holly focused beyond the finish line. Reframing failure, she chose not to run for time but for something greater. Holly chose purpose over pace.

KEY TAKEAWAY

‘We both pushed each other over that line and that's the spirit of the marathon.’

RESOURCE
Holly’s Fundraising page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/holsvslondonmara4sja

ABOUT HOLLY

Holly is a final year English undergraduate at the University of Exeter, having spent her third year studying at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She loves skiing, playing university cricket and parkrun tourism both as a runner and volunteer.

CONNECT WITH HOLLY

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollyrowlinson/

ABOUT THE HOST - AMY ROWLINSON

Amy is a purpose and fulfilment coach, author, podcast strategist, podcaster and mastermind host helping you to improve productivity, engagement and fulfilment in your everyday life and work. Prepare to banish overwhelm, underwhelm and frustration to live with clarity of purpose.

BOOK RECOMMENDATION*

Shortlisted in The Business Book Awards 2025 (Work and Life category): Focus on Why: Create a Purposeful Way of Life by Amy Rowlinson with George F. Kerr – https://amzn.eu/d/6W02HWu

WORK WITH AMY

If you’re interested in how purpose can help you and your business, please book a free 30 min call via https://calendly.com/amyrowlinson/call

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH AMY

Sign up for the weekly Friday Focus - https://www.amyrowlinson.com/subscribe-to-weekly-newsletter

CONNECT WITH AMY

https://linktr.ee/AmyRowlinson

HOSTED BY: Amy Rowlinson

DISCLAIMER

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guest speakers. Please conduct your own due diligence.

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Celebrating five years of the Focus on WHY podcast - 30.4.2020 - 30.4.2025!

After every five guest interviews, I take time to reflect on each episode, focusing on specific topics, unravelling different threads and diving deeper into the moments which sparked my curiosity.

In this episode, I explore themes such as The Business Book Awards 2025, promises, core values, compassion, resilience, authenticity, intuition, courage, mental health stigma, meaningful success and marathon finishers, sharing my Reflections with Actions drawn from these five recent podcast conversations:

454 Breathing Life into Conversations with Shelly Starks

455 Autonomous Awakenings with Rachel Power

456 Be Brave, Be Bold, Be You with Lucy Henshall

457 Walk Alongside You with Rhona Morrison

458 Feel the Meaning with Dave Pounds

KEY TAKEAWAY

‘Life’s greatest victories are sometimes born out of your greatest trials. Setbacks can be the start of something even more beautiful. It’s all about the meaning you choose to give them. The moments that break you open are the ones that show you who you really are.’

BOOK RECOMMENDATION*

FINALIST IN 2025 BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS

Focus on Why by Amy Rowlinson with George F. Kerr – https://amzn.eu/d/6W02HWu

RESOURCES
Holly’s Fundraising page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/holsvslondonmara4sja

Bryony’s Fundraising page: https://2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/bryony-thomas

Extended DISC - https://www.extendeddisc.org/

ABOUT THE HOST - AMY ROWLINSON

Amy is a purpose and fulfilment coach, author, podcast strategist, podcaster and mastermind host helping you to improve productivity, engagement and fulfilment in your everyday life and work. Prepare to banish overwhelm, underwhelm and frustration to live with clarity of purpose.

WORK WITH AMY

If you’re interested in how purpose can help you and your business, please book a free 30 min call via https://calendly.com/amyrowlinson/call

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH AMY

Sign up for the weekly Friday Focus - https://www.amyrowlinson.com/subscribe-to-weekly-newsletter

CONNECT WITH AMY

https://linktr.ee/AmyRowlinson

HOSTED BY: Amy Rowlinson

DISCLAIMER

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guest speakers. Please conduct your own due diligence.

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

How do you transform deep trauma into purpose and meaning? Dave Pounds, founder of Be Remarkable, shares his powerful journey from personal tragedy and PTSD to creating a life and coaching program rooted in resilience and fulfilment. Dave discusses the impact of finding purpose, moving through addiction and the lessons learned from decades of searching for healing. With raw honesty, inspiration and actionable insights Dave reveals why it’s essential to feel the meaning.

KEY TAKEAWAY

‘If you layer your skills and your passions, you can deliver a purpose that makes a difference to somebody else. The sense of meaning you get back from delivering that purpose, once you've got that, in my view, I think you've cracked one of life's biggest challenges and it all begins to make sense.’

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS*

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk - https://amzn.eu/d/bbs8emQ

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy - https://amzn.eu/d/4Zktl71

Belonging by Owen Eastwood - https://amzn.eu/d/1oUbcq0

ABOUT DAVE

At 12, Dave’s world was shattered when he witnessed the murder of his mum. Left to ‘carry on as normal,’ he battled PTSD, fear, and at its worst, alcohol abuse and rehab. Yet, through self-leadership, he built resilience and found meaning by living out his purpose—helping others do the same. Now, through A Design for Life, his self-leadership coaching program, Dave guides individuals and teams to discover their values, define their purpose, and build the tools to thrive. His message is clear: purpose isn’t found—it’s chosen, and it has the power to transform everything.

CONNECT WITH DAVE

https://be-remarkable.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-pounds-ab253532/

ABOUT AMY

Amy is a life purpose coach, author, podcast strategist, global podcaster, professional speaker, trainer and mastermind host. Work with Amy to improve productivity, engagement and fulfilment in your everyday life and work. Prepare to banish overwhelm, underwhelm and frustration to have clarity of purpose and create a more purposeful, sustainable and fulfilling way of life.

WORK WITH AMY

If you’re interested in how purpose can help you personally and professionally, please book a free 30 min call via https://calendly.com/amyrowlinson/call

BOOK RECOMMENDATION*

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS

Focus on Why by Amy Rowlinson with George F. Kerr – https://amzn.eu/d/6W02HWu

FINALIST IN 2025 BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH AMY

Sign up for the weekly Friday Focus - https://www.amyrowlinson.com/subscribe-to-weekly-newsletter

CONNECT WITH AMY

https://linktr.ee/AmyRowlinson

HOSTED BY: Amy Rowlinson

DISCLAIMER

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guest speakers. Please conduct your own due diligence.

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Have you ever wondered how your life experiences could become powerful stories of change and inspiration? Rhona Morrison shares her extraordinary journey from forensic psychiatry to cruise ship lecturing. A passionate advocate for mental health, Rhona draws on decades of professional experience and personal loss to challenge stigma and promote understanding. Her work with mentally ill offenders, alongside caring for her sister and grieving her husband, has shaped a mission rooted in compassion. Through her books, public speaking and evocative art, she invites us to rethink how we view mental illness. Rhona’s story is one of resilience, reinvention and hope showing that purpose can thrive after adversity. Her enduring message? See beyond the labels, embrace life’s transitions and choose to Walk Alongside People.

KEY TAKEAWAY

‘It's a journey. We walk alongside people. You can't cure major mental illness like schizophrenia, so we're walking on a journey with them and it's a privilege. You get to meet the people behind the headlines, the human beings.’

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS*

I Don’t Talk to Dead Bodies by Rhona Morrison - https://amzn.eu/d/9OKYrlg

From Crime Scenes to Cruise Ships by Rhona Morrison – https://amzn.eu/d/6Yx83sl

Focus on Why by Amy Rowlinson with George F. Kerr – https://amzn.eu/d/6W02HWu

ABOUT RHONA

Rhona Morrison is a retired Forensic Psychiatrist who worked in the NHS in Scotland for 32 years. She has a grounded approach to life, a generous helping of humour and an adventurous spirit. Her bestselling memoir, I Don’t Talk to Dead Bodies, shared bizarre, funny, and at times, scary stories about her life and work with mentally disordered offenders. The second instalment of her memoir, From Crime Scenes to Cruise Ships, follows her journey through bereavement after the loss of her husband and embracing her retirement as a solo traveller in life, while also offering the reader a lesson in seizing the day. When not writing about her fascinating life, Rhona is an artist and a globetrotting cruise line speaker.

CONNECT WITH RHONA

https://www.rhonamorrison.com/

https://www.facebook.com/RhonaMorrisonArt

info@rhonamorrison.com

ABOUT AMY

Amy is a life purpose coach, author, podcast strategist, global podcaster, professional speaker, trainer and mastermind host. Work with Amy to improve productivity, engagement and fulfilment in your everyday life and work. Prepare to banish overwhelm, underwhelm and frustration to have clarity of purpose and create a more purposeful, sustainable and fulfilling way of life.

WORK WITH AMY

If you’re interested in how purpose can help you personally and professionally, please book a free 30 min call via https://calendly.com/amyrowlinson/call

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH AMY

Sign up for the weekly Friday Focus - https://www.amyrowlinson.com/subscribe-to-weekly-newsletter

CONNECT WITH AMY

https://linktr.ee/AmyRowlinson

HOSTED BY: Amy Rowlinson

DISCLAIMER

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guest speakers. Please conduct your own due diligence.

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

What if the life you’ve planned is only the beginning of who you’re truly meant to become? In this powerful episode, Lucy Henshall shares how a health crisis steered her from a conventional career as a GP onto a path of purpose, freedom and self-discovery. Guided by intuition and courage, Lucy now empowers others to embrace change and live authentically. From cycling across Cuba to mentoring fellow doctors, her story is a call to trust the unknown, embrace vulnerability as a strength and what it means to Be Brave, Be Bold, Be You.

KEY TAKEAWAY

‘Be Brave, Be Bold, Be You. It’s an invitation to live and to live fully and richly and go for it because you cannot get it wrong.’

BOOK RECOMMENDATION*

The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield - https://amzn.eu/d/4KhqTZX

ABOUT LUCY

Lucy’s GP career was defined by her love of people. She thrived on the human interactions and shared problem-solving with her patients. She intended to practice into her 60s, but shortly after her 50th birthday, a life-changing experience derailed everything. Lucy’s second career grew from the ashes of her first - and for the last 8 years Lucy has supported other GPs who seek to resume work after unexpected time out. In 2018 she founded www.welcomebacktowork.co.uk and she is now a respected expert, leader and speaker in this field. Having found her Ikigai, Lucy is now thriving and loving life.

CONNECT WITH LUCY

https://www.welcomebacktowork.co.uk/

https://x.com/DrLucyHenshall

https://bsky.app/profile/drlucyhenshall.bsky.social

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-henshall-4bb45921

https://www.facebook.com/lucy.silovsky

ABOUT AMY

Amy is a life purpose coach, author, podcast strategist, global podcaster, professional speaker, trainer and mastermind host. Work with Amy to improve productivity, engagement and fulfilment in your everyday life and work. Prepare to banish overwhelm, underwhelm and frustration to have clarity of purpose and create a more purposeful, sustainable and fulfilling way of life.

WORK WITH AMY

If you’re interested in how purpose can help you personally and professionally, please book a free 30 min call via https://calendly.com/amyrowlinson/call

BOOK RECOMMENDATION*

Focus on Why by Amy Rowlinson with George F. Kerr – https://amzn.eu/d/6W02HWu

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH AMY

Sign up for the weekly Friday Focus - https://www.amyrowlinson.com/subscribe-to-weekly-newsletter

CONNECT WITH AMY

https://linktr.ee/AmyRowlinson

HOSTED BY: Amy Rowlinson

DISCLAIMER

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guest speakers. Please conduct your own due diligence.

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.