Show notes
Episode 69: One Step at a Time: Alex Staniforth on Resilience, Nature, and the Mountains That Changed EverythingWhat does it take to keep going when everything falls apart, not once, but again and again?Alex Staniforth is a record-breaking adventurer, performance coach, author, and founder of Mind Over Mountains, a charity whose mission is to restore mental wellbeing through nature. Alex has overcome epilepsy, bullying, and mental health challenges whilst surviving two of Mount Everest's most significant disasters before the age of 19. He is the first and fastest person to run all 446 mountains in England and Wales, raising over £150,000 for charity.In this conversation, Alex and Anna explore how adversity shaped his relationship with the natural world, what two catastrophic events on Everest taught him about survival and gratitude, and why he believes that a single walk in the right place at the right time can genuinely change the course of a life. Alex speaks with characteristic honesty about burnout, mental health, and the harder question of what comes after the summit, when the goal is gone and the flatness sets in. He also shares how writing has been a constant thread throughout, from keeping a diary on the road to writing books that help him, and others, make sense of the journey.If I don't have any log of life, then it's so easy to forget it and I've got nothing to pass on. So yeah, that's how I see it really, as an investment."In this episodeHow one walk in the Lake District at age 14 gave Alex a sense of direction, confidence, and possibility he had never felt beforeSurviving two of Everest's worst disasters, and the lasting guilt and gratitude that followedThe founding of Mind Over Mountains and how combining walking in nature with professional mental health support creates something more lasting than a single retreatWhy planning for the aftermath of a big challenge matters as much as the challenge itselfHow writing, voice notes, and keeping a daily diary have informed Alex's booksAlex's advice for anyone facing their own mountainPractical wisdom from this episode:Alex talks about the value of keeping a daily record as a practical investment in memory and legacy. Even ten minutes the morning after, noting the key things from the previous day, is enough. He also talks about the importance of planning the recovery period before a challenge begins as a way to come down and have something to look forward to. And when the flatness comes, he suggests keeping busy but staying present, talking to people who were part of the experience, and accepting that processing takes time.Connect with Alex:WebsiteMind Over MountainsLinkedInInstagramFacebook YouTube Alex's booksAlso mentionedThe Chimp Paradox by Professor Steve PetersHarry Potter series by J.K. RowlingClimb the UK challengeUniversity of Chester Podcast Chapters00:00 Introduction05:14 The Power of Nature and Personal Transformation09:36 The Journey to Everest: Overcoming Challenges12:24 Commitment and the Drive to Achieve19:04 Fundraising23:30 Exploring New Sports and Personal Growth28:09 Writing as a Form of Expression33:48 The Birth of Mind Over Mountains37:37 Navigating Mental Health and Charity Work40:59 Balancing Challenges and Wellbeing46:28 Planning for Post-Challenge Mental Health51:17 Future Aspirations and Advice_ _ _ A new episode is released every other Saturday at 8 am.If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe to the Writing with Purpose podcast and leave a review. It makes a real difference in helping more people find the show.Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | wherever you get your podcasts.Please download your free journal planner PDF and entrance meditation to kickstart your journalling journey.Please connect with me on your preferred platform by visiting my links pageJoin my bi-weekly Writing and Nature Connection newsletter