A Thoughtful Beginning: How Stories Guide the Year Ahead

What if the way we begin a new season of life isn’t by setting louder goals, but by paying closer attention to the stories that have already shaped us?

In this episode, Rebecca Hall Gruyter sits down with writer and biographer Cathryn Farr for a reflective conversation about life writing, courage, and the quiet decisions that lead us into unexpected adventures.

Cathryn shares her journey of returning to school later in life, studying creative nonfiction abroad, and discovering how facts, memory, and meaning can coexist on the page. She offers insight into her approach to “life writing,” a form of storytelling that honors truth while reading with the heart of a novel.

The conversation also centers on Cathryn’s debut memoir, The Last Mile Is Always Three, which chronicles a remarkable group of women hikers who have traversed the Teton range together every Tuesday for 35 years. Through their shared miles, challenges, and friendships, Cathryn reflects on what motivates people to do hard things, keep showing up, and walk faithfully into the next chapter.

Together, Rebecca and Cathryn explore how paying attention to our stories, both written and lived, can help us begin again with intention, perspective, and purpose.

As always, you can find our host, Rebecca Hall Gruyter, at
www.yourpurposedrivenpractice.com

ABOUT THE GUEST

Cathryn Farr is a writer and biographer specializing in creative nonfiction and life writing. She completed her Bachelor of English at BYU-Idaho at age 53 and later earned a Master’s degree in Biography and Creative Non-fiction in England. Her debut memoir, The Last Mile Is Always Three, launches February 10 and chronicles the enduring friendships and adventures of women hikers who have journeyed together for more than three decades.

Learn more at https://lifewritingcathryn.com/