Almost Grown...Up

I was watching a video of someone’s cosy autumn plans, with a pile of board games sitting right in front of me, unplayed. Oh. This week: the difference between living something and performing it (or planning it, or watching other people do it). I explore where it creeps into seasonal living, mothering, and creativity, and why “how did that look?” is such a hard filter to switch off. Then I set mys...

Sometimes "just give yourself permission" isn't enough. Sometimes you have to make the permission with your hands. I sat down with my playbook, opened Pinterest first (as you do), and started hunting for the perfect page to make. Then I stopped, grabbed one of my son's stubby crayons, and wrote, big and ugly, "The point is to have fun." Once the page was already messed...

This summer I gave myself a playbook, a loose structure of prompts and questions to keep creativity alive during six weeks of full-time toddler care. In this episode I'm looking back at what actually happened: a library book that spiralled into a Cy Twombly rabbit hole, a shared-notebook ritual with my son that never quite became a ritual, and a summer of "failed" games that turned o...

Six weeks of summer. A toddler at home full-time. An honest attempt to remember how to play again... In this unscripted episode, Lucie shares the questions she has no answers to yet; how to stay present and playful with her son, and how to rediscover what she personally loves doing for fun. Inspired by Lynda Barry's Syllabus, she's building a daily "playbook," and deliberately chasing randomness o...

What do you do when the inspiration just... stops? Not a creative block exactly - more like the tap has run dry and you can't remember how to turn it back on. In this episode I've been thinking about inspiration as a practice rather than something you wait for. I share six tiny side quests that have been helping me find my way back to curiosity and creative energy over the last few weeks - includi...

What does it take to become more of yourself? Eight years and 100 episodes ago, I started this podcast because I felt like I was in a race I was going to lose - a race against aging, against "should," against what it meant to be a grown-up. I decided to redefine growing up for myself: with play, with wonder, with permission to not know. This is episode 100. And while I haven't found all the answer...

What if we stopped trying to control outcomes and instead focused on creating conditions for play, wonder, and silliness to grow? This spring, I ran three experiments: daily silliness, returning to stop-frame animation from childhood, and exploring personal style without fear of "trying too hard." I had no idea what would grow from any of them, and that was exactly the point. In this episode: Why...

What if instead of pursuing perfection, we did the complete opposite—and pursued imperfection instead? In this episode, I share what happened when I got stuck in creative fear and decided to try something counterintuitive: deliberately making bad art, chasing mistakes, and embracing the mess. I explore the philosophy of wabi-sabi, why our flaws show our humanity, and how deliberate imperfection ca...

What does it actually mean to live seasonally beyond pumpkin spice lattes and fall bucket lists? I've been noticing we've reduced the seasons to things we consume and curate, but what if there's a deeper invitation here? This episode explores seasonal living as a practice of attention, connection, and remembering that we're not separate from nature - we ARE nature.  In this podcast: Iris Murdoch's...

Welcome back to a new year of Almost Grown...Up Today we are kicking off the season with the question: Are questions better than answers? If you have ever felt the desire to get on with something but the doubt that you're not quite sure what exactly that something is then this episode is for you.  Let's figure it out together: Instagram → @lucie.lincoln Website → www.lucielincoln.com YouTube → / @...

Seasonal change can feel like we're losing the energy, curiosity, and joy of the last chapter, but it doesn't have to be that way. In this episode, I'm sharing five playful practices to help you carry the magic of summer (or any season) into what comes next. You'll hear: ✨ Why rituals like special meals can help us feel connected and grounded ✨ The simple end-of-day habit that supports rest, rhy...

A month long digital detox turned into an analog creativity challenge - learn the habits that revived my imagination. In this episode of Almost Grown...Up I walk you through my month‑long analog summer experiment - a conscious screen‑free challenge designed to combat digital overload and spark fresh creative routines . What you'll discover: Beginner mindset: How diving into new analog hobbies (pho...

Why does even good change feel so hard? In this episode, I'm unpacking (literally and emotionally) what it means to move forward, even when the change is something we've been hoping for. As I prepare to move home, I explore how play helped me cope, and how wonder helped me let go. You'll hear: Honest reflections on navigating positive change The emotional complexity of new chapters Why play someti...

Feeling stuck, low on energy, or creatively meh? You're not alone. In this episode, Lucie shares her go-to creative reset for when everything feels a little too much. From three playful mini creative briefs to the unexpected power of a walk, this is your permission slip to step out of overwhelm and into momentum - one small action at a time. Whether you're navigating parenthood, burnout, or just t...

Ever feel like you've missed your chance? Like you're too late to begin again? In this episode, we talk about the messy, magical truth of starting over - at any age, at any time. From the myths we believe about time, to the fear of the unknown, to the playful rituals that help us take that first step, we're diving deep into the big question:  Is it too late to start again? Spoiler: it's not. You'r...

What if wonder wasn't something rare or far away, but something you could feel today - right now? In this episode, Lucie explores the beautiful, everyday wonder of small pleasures. From your morning drink to the sound of birds, we talk about how simple joys can anchor us, soften life's edges, and help us feel more alive. A gentle reminder that slowing down might be the most powerful creative act y...

This week we are back in the blanket fort for the ultimate showdown -play versus productivity. I'm kidding (kind of). Play is often put in opposition to productivity and in this episode, we are going to dive into a few of my favourite play rituals to help boost productivity. And then explore how we can escape the productivity trap!  Tune in to:   -Explore how play can support your productivity rat...

Remember that thing you used to love doing… before life got so busy ? In this episode of Almost Grown Up , we're talking about the quiet magic of hobbies - not for productivity, not for monetization, just for the joy of it. Whether it's painting, gardening, journaling, or dancing around your kitchen, those little creative acts can offer us the daily opportunity to play.   We'll explore the power o...

Feeling lost is a pretty common adulting experience. But it can feel pretty difficult to be found again. Today on the podcast Lucie shares her experiences of being lost as an adult and how in her recent 'lost moment' she used a play and wonder framework to rebuild a map and help her move forward into a new direction feeling less lost.  Tune in to get: A permission slip not to know and be figuring...

This week, we're diving into the seriousness of play. Play isn't just for kids. It's not frivolous. It's not a waste of time. In fact — play is how we learn, experiment, expand, and move forward when life gets messy. Tune in to get: a reminder of why play is so important  how play changed my life a creative framework for how we can get into a space of play Learn more about Almost Grown...Up and ge...

Welcome back! It's Season 5 and we are back in the blanket fort (now in video as well!). In this episode, Lucie shares the overview of what this season will explore. Her big aha moment from the last few months on the power of letting yourself step outside the box that other people want to put you in and instead define yourself and your life on your own terms. So if you need a permission slip to li...

This week we are exploring the wonder of kindness and the magic of wondering at the kindness of human kind.  Today Lucie dives into the theme of moral beauty as a bucket of Wonder and explores the topic of kindness in the world today along with sharing some kindness rituals and ideas for this end of year season.  In this episode you will learn  What is so special about kindness How it prompts wond...

This week we dive into the power of curiosity. Often when we see the Wonder in things we feel more curious about the world and ourselves. So it feels only right that curiosity about things would prompt wonder as well.  Today Lucie dives into why curiosity is such a great tool and how it can help us to find wonder on a regular basis.  Get practical rituals and ideas of how you can make curiosity a...

This week we are back in the blanket fort to explore how wonder can be a tool to help us through low energy and burnout.  In this episode, Lucie shares: Her own moment of burnout and why she started using Wonder to help Why Wonder is such a great tool to help us track back from burnout  3 Rituals that you can use if you are feeling low on energy or burnout 🔗 Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and r...

This week is our first wonder walk episode. Wonder can feel elusive in the every day so I wanted to create some episodes to help you get right into the heart of wonder now This short-form episode is designed to help you get out into the world and tap into some wonder. So pop in your headphones, open your front door and head out into the world and see what moments of wonder you can find hidden in t...