This Week’s Featured Creator
This week, I’m delighted to introduce Barbara Anderson, the writer behind Unwind, Uplift, and Thrive by Simply Harmony Coaching.
Quick Introduction
It’s been a delight to learn about Barbara’s Substack. I was immediately drawn to her commitment to uplifting voices and helping people turn their ambitions into meaningful action.
She has created a welcoming, calming space where readers are encouraged to show up as they are, find inspiration in shared experiences, and discover tools to support their personal and professional growth. Her coaching skills and expertise offer an added layer of support for those seeking greater balance, clarity, and sustainable progress in their daily lives.
I hope you enjoy reading and learning more about Barbara’s heart-centered approach to life as much as I have.
Conversation with Barbara Anderson
What is the heart of your Substack, and what do you hope readers experience when they spend time there?
Hi Lis and readers, grateful to be here!
My bimonthly newsletter on Substack is “Unwind, Uplift and Thrive” by Simply Harmony Coaching. My intention is to create a welcoming, calm and safe space for folks to land and stay a bit, maybe to gain an inspiration, a tool or a remembering of the valuable soul they are from my sharing and guest writers’ sharing of lived experiences.
May they also find support for being exactly who they are and support for their vision of who they are becoming.
I hope I bring heart, and I hope they bring their heart - that’s how connections are made. For those ready to work with a coach as a supportive guide to walk beside them, I’m available to chat about what that might uniquely look like.
What inspired you to begin writing or creating on Substack?
I began writing on Substack a year and a half ago. At the time, I was moving away from my corporate job after a major illness and moving more fully into my coaching work. Linked In had served its purpose when I worked as a nurse consultant and I didn’t realize there might be something else until someone wrote about Substack there.
That was all it took. I checked it out and I found Substack to be a perfect vehicle for me to share tools from my own lived experience and that of my clients and fellow sub stackers, at the same time that it was healing to me as I moved forward in new ways myself.
The connections with people here have been wonderful beyond expectations and as I grow organically each season, I’m grateful for all of it: the connections, the writing, the reading, the sharing.
Is there a topic, question, or idea that continually calls you back in your work? If so, what is it, and why does it matter to you?
I feel most inspired when helping myself and others find balance, meaning, and support in life, so the journey can feel as calm, joyful, and purposeful as possible.
Throughout my life, I have often struggled to integrate body, mind, and spirit, especially while making ends meet, raising children and facing extreme work pressures. This striving for balance led me to explore many different paths, tools, and practices that support a fuller life journey.
I have always searched for meaning in life, but that calling became even stronger after I experienced that major illness challenge. That unintended side path gave me additional insights for finding clarity and focus in order to thrive through difficulty.
Self-reflection, gratitude for what is, connection with nature and others, and experiencing joy in small things were key.
If your writing or creative work could make one meaningful difference in someone’s life, what would you hope that difference would be?
That one meaningful difference would be to find Joy with a capital J. Sometimes joy can feel elusive but if you can just take a few moments each day to be kind to someone, feel gratitude for what you already have and for what you trust is coming, and create intentional smiles and laughter, all will be better.
I have to add another reinforcement difference I hope is a takeaway is the knowing that they are not alone on this incredible, sometimes chaotic, sometimes challenging, sometimes grace-filled journey called life.
A Favorite Photograph
My favorite place to visit, right up there with Hawaii, is Cannon Beach, OR. I lived in Hawaii at one time and love the beauty there. When I moved to the Pacific Northwest, I missed the ocean and beaches but found a different type of experience at Cannon Beach.
Maybe it’s the energy of the massive Columbia River meeting up with the Pacific Ocean or the endless beach where you can feel solitude even with many visitors there or maybe it’s the quaint shops, beautiful art and friendly people…or maybe it’s all of it together.
As I think about it, I can smell the ocean and bonfires on the beach, while memories of family fun and stargazing dance in my mind. It’s physical, it’s spiritual. I’ve also discovered it has as many moods as I do. But even misty visits are magical. Solid Haystack reminds us to be present in strength and groundedness.
What is something that brings you joy or peace in your everyday life outside of writing?
It’s definitely been the beauty and magic of nature that has brought me joy over this lifetime. Hummingbirds always come to mind as the perfect symbols of nature joy. I’m fortunate that here in my yard, they are always flitting through year-round and I always, always smile when they visit. Sometimes they hover nearby, peek into a window or raucously announce their territory to another hummingbird. They are such fun to watch, but not easy to get a good photo!
Flowers, of course bring joy, especially sunflowers! They emote such joyful emotion, even on a cloudy day!
Featured Articles
Click the links below to read:
Beyond Survival: Life Hack Interview Series/Edition 15 with P. Mason
Won Woman’s Wisdom in the Face of Illness: Finding Light Through Dis-Ease
Anything else you’d like readers to know?
Unwind, Uplift and Thrive has two running series now:
1) Beyond Survival Life Hack Stories by contributing individuals on Substack who share what has worked for them to stay focused on internal growth in spite of outer noise and chaos.
2) Recently launched “Won Woman’s Words of Wisdom” which are stories of my own lived experiences as a woman who has won—gotten beyond a challenge. It’s a play on words as I am one woman, but I also believe we have all won when we survive and maybe even thrive beyond our challenges.
People who read my work know that I love affirmations, inspiring quotes and visualizations. My latest favorite quote is:
“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
Affirmation: I am starting anew each day to accept who I am in the moment at the same time that I move toward my fullest potential with joy and grace.
For Visualizations, join me on YouTube (Simply Harmony Reflections)
Artwork by AJ Doodles
Thank you, Lis. It’s been a pleasure to meet you here on Substack and I’m honored to be here on your “Creator Spotlight”. Much gratitude for you and your work.
Connect With This Creator
Creator Name: Barbara Anderson of Simply Harmony Coaching
Publication Name: Unwind, Uplift and Thrive
If This Resonates With You
One of the most meaningful ways to support a creator is simply to read their work and stay connected to it.
If something here speaks to you, I encourage you to take a moment to explore Barbara’s Substack.
You can also support their work in small but powerful ways:
Subscribe to their publication so you don’t miss new writing
Leave a comment to let them know what resonated
Restack or share a piece you loved
Pass their work along to someone who might need it
These small actions are what help independent writers continue creating and what make spaces like Substack feel alive.
Interested in Being Featured?
Creator Spotlight exists to celebrate writers, artists, and creators whose work brings meaning, reflection, creativity, and connection to the Substack community.
If you’d like to be considered for a future feature, feel free to reach out. I’m always open to discovering new voices and sharing work that deserves to be seen.
Want More Discoveries Like This?
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Thank you for being part of a space where creators support creators and thoughtful work is shared and celebrated. Your presence here means the world to me.
With much love and gratitude,
Lis 💖
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More From Savor Life Studio
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Savor Life Studio Weekly Schedule
Tuesdays – Anchor Reflection
Personal reflections on life, creativity, and living slowly and meaningfullyFridays – Creator Spotlight
Featuring inspiring voices and creative work across SubstackSundays – Community Table
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