The Walk

<p>In this episode I record during a historic Dutch heatwave, on a day officially marked as code red. I talk about waking up at five to cool the house, improvising sun‑blocking with bedsheets, and trying to adapt to temperatures that feel increasingly normal in a changing climate.</p><p>I explain why I cancelled a planned storytelling workshop for seminarians, even though the topic is close to my heart. Instead, I stay home and continue editing the Camino saints series, reflecting on how much I enjoy spontaneous, on‑location storytelling and how these recordings remind me of my early podcasting days.</p><p>As I walk, I think aloud about the tension between creative energy and ADHD. New ideas give me momentum, while editing drains it. A helpful insight emerges: instead of “editing” my first novel, I can retell it with everything I’ve learned over the past year. That shift in mindset makes the work feel possible again.</p><p>I also talk about the frustrations of working within a broadcast organization where I have no control over promotion, and why Substack feels like a better home for building a community around my work. A lunch‑walk story about “a man who wanted to take his horse to heaven” reminds me how essential walking and play are to my creativity, and sparks the idea of sharing daily short stories as a way to reach readers.</p><p>The episode ends with a reflection on focus, choices, and the need to protect creative space — especially on a day when simply surviving the heat already feels like a full‑time job.</p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Father Roderick at <a href="https://fatherroderick.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">fatherroderick.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p>This week I take an evening walk through the woods during a heatwave and reflect on a surprising decision: skipping one of my favorite events of the year.</p><p>Comic Con Holland was happening just down the road. Friends were there. Authors I admire were there. Under normal circumstances, I would have spent the entire weekend interviewing writers, meeting readers, and soaking up inspiration.</p><p>Instead, I stayed home.</p><p>In this episode I talk about why I made that choice, how the fear of missing out can quietly undermine focus, and what I'm learning about protecting my energy and attention so I can return to the work that matters most.</p><p>I also share updates on my summer plans, my struggle to catch up with podcast production after the Camino, and my ongoing efforts to create a more sustainable rhythm for writing and creative work.</p><p>Along the way, I reflect on two stories that unexpectedly inspired me this weekend: the emotional finale of <em>Young Sheldon</em> and the animated film <em>Transformers One</em>. Both reminded me why storytelling matters and challenged me to bring more emotional depth to my own novels.</p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Father Roderick at <a href="https://fatherroderick.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">fatherroderick.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p>This week I'm reflecting on something that many creative people struggle with: what happens when motivation disappears.</p><p>After several busy weeks filled with podcast production, events, travel, administration, and a growing backlog of unfinished tasks, I found myself dealing with fatigue, brain fog, and procrastination. Instead of trying to push harder, I decided to take a closer look at what was really going on.</p><p>In this episode I talk about the importance of rhythm, the hidden cost of open loops, why journaling helps me make sense of difficult periods, and how I've learned to replace self-criticism with curiosity.</p><p>I also share updates on several creative projects, including the upcoming Four Days Marches saints series, the Camino podcasts, plans for a book about the saints of the Camino, and my ongoing struggle between chasing exciting new ideas and finishing the stories I've already started.</p><p>Topics in this episode:</p><p>• Recovering from mental and physical fatigue• Brain fog, procrastination, and creative work• The value of journaling and self-reflection• Preparing a special saints series for the Four Days Marches• Writing plans for the Saints of the Camino book• Revisiting the Story Mages novel rewrite• Why Ireland keeps calling me back as a writer and pilgrim</p><p>As always, thank you for walking with me.</p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Father Roderick at <a href="https://fatherroderick.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">fatherroderick.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p>For a long time, I thought that progress depended on inspiration.</p><p>If only I felt more motivated. If only I had more energy. If only I could find a few uninterrupted days to focus on the things that matter most.</p><p>But the older I get, the more I discover that meaningful work is rarely built on inspiration alone. It's built on small routines, simple habits, and the willingness to take the next step even when you don't feel like it.</p><p>In this week's episode of my podcast 'The Walk', I reflect on that lesson while preparing a new batch of podcasts, working on a book about the saints of the Camino, and getting ready to finally rewrite the fantasy novel I've been developing since last year. Along the way, I share some of the practical tricks that help me deal with overwhelm, procrastination, clutter, and the endless stream of creative ideas that compete for attention. Not because I've mastered any of these things, but because I'm still learning them myself.</p><p>The surprising discovery is that the same principles seem to work everywhere. Writing a novel. Cleaning a kitchen. Reading more books. Building a healthier life. In every case, success rarely comes from giant leaps. It comes from creating a little space, taking one small action, and trusting that momentum will follow.</p><p>Often all you need to do is to take the next step.</p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Father Roderick at <a href="https://fatherroderick.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">fatherroderick.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p class="isSelectedEnd"><span>For most of us, it happens without us noticing.</span></p><br/><p class="isSelectedEnd"><span>Our world slowly becomes smaller. The people we follow think like us. The news we read confirms what we already believe. The conversations we have rarely challenge our assumptions. Social media is especially good at creating that kind of comfortable bubble.</span></p><br/><p class="isSelectedEnd"><span>In this week's episode of my podcast The Walk, I found myself reflecting on what happens when we deliberately step outside of it.</span></p><br/><p class="isSelectedEnd"><span>The thought started with the stories of the saints that I've been recording these past weeks. Again and again, I encounter people who leave the safety of their familiar world. Princes who choose poverty. Scholars who engage with people who disagree with them. Men and women who cross cultural boundaries because they care more about truth and compassion than comfort.</span></p><br/><p class="isSelectedEnd"><span>That same pattern has shaped my own life in unexpected ways. Whether it's attending fantasy festivals, talking to people with very different beliefs, or listening to those who are questioning and even leaving the faith traditions they grew up in, I've discovered that curiosity is often far more valuable than certainty.</span></p><br/><p class="isSelectedEnd"><span>In this episode, I reflect on faith, deconstruction, critical thinking, the algorithms that shape our online lives, and why I believe genuine growth often begins when we're willing to ask uncomfortable questions.</span></p><br/><p class="isSelectedEnd"><span>Not because questioning automatically destroys belief.</span></p><br/><p class="isSelectedEnd"><span>Sometimes it deepens it.</span></p><br/><p class="isSelectedEnd"><span>And sometimes it helps us let go of things that were never really faith in the first place.</span></p><br/><p><span>It's a personal and wide-ranging conversation about saints, storytelling, empathy, doubt, and why keeping an open mind may be one of the most important spiritual disciplines of our time.</span></p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Father Roderick at <a href="https://fatherroderick.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">fatherroderick.substack.com/subscribe</a>