S3 E7: Creative Paths: Amelia Wilson's Journey to Happy on Purpose

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In this episode of I’ll Meet You There, host Paige Nolan sits down with her friend Amelia for a candid and inspiring conversation about living intentionally, reclaiming joy, and the winding path that led to her Substack newsletter, Happy on Purpose.

Amelia reflects on her joyful, fearless early childhood in Australia before dysfunction and violence changed life at home. Leaving at 19 became the first step toward building a life of her own—one that would take her from London to New York, where she gradually found a sense of belonging after 9/11, met her husband Jim, and began raising a family. Along the way, she navigated fertility challenges, the adoption of her second child, and growing dissatisfaction with careers in financial services and nonprofit fundraising. In midlife, therapy helped Amelia confront long-held fears, reconnect with the spirited “little girl” she once was, and begin defining work that felt genuinely meaningful.

The conversation explores how Amelia turned her desire to publish into a newsletter, gradually embraced writing about happiness and habits, and built a community of 16,000 readers through persistence, experimentation, and thoughtful outreach. She also shares what inspired her to launch a second niche newsletter for women who love recreational tennis. This episode is a heartfelt reflection on reinvention, purpose, and the courage to create a life that feels joyful by design.

00:04 - The Breaking Point: A Career Change

02:26 - Finding Purpose Through Adversity

30:08 - Navigating Career Transitions and Personal Growth

40:38 - Navigating the Journey of Self-Expression

01:03:05 - Finding Fulfillment in Midlife

"You can't think your way out of a feeling problem."

"It just feels so terrifying before you say it, but then once you say it, it's just not that big." — 32:39

"If you can add passion to your discipline and your hard work and your motivation, wow, you can really do a lot."

The Artist's Way — morning pages exercises

Substacks by Amelia Wilson:

Happy on Purpose

Tennisette

The North Star by Martha Beck — referenced career/self-help book

The Well column (The New York Times)

Real Simple magazine

Previous episode of I'll Meet You There with Trey Callaway (screenwriter/showrunner) —

Website - Substack

LinkedIn - Amelia Wilson

Instagram - @amelia.w.wilson (personal) @thetennisette

Website - https://paigenolan.com/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paigenolanwrite

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/paigenolanwriter

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paige-nolan-0932751/

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Music by Boyd McDonnell

Cover art photography by Innis Casey

Podcast production & marketing by North Node Podcast Network