Soulful Visual Maps to Creatively Navigate Life | Tina Bernstein

FOR EPISODE LINKS & MORE INFO VISIT: https://samhorton.co/blog/ep65

Discover how creativity, emotional wellbeing, and bold visual design intersect in this soulful conversation with Tina Bernstein, designer and creator of the globally-loved Mapology Guides.

Tina is a creative entrepreneur and self-proclaimed cartographer of emotions. In this episode, we dive into the story behind her beautifully illustrated self-help maps and why creativity is the secret ingredient in helping people move from overwhelm to insight.

Tina shares her lived experience with mental health, the importance of visual learning, and how combining therapy, design, and emotional intelligence became a lifelong mission to support others through playful, accessible tools for personal growth.

💫 Why You’ll Love This Episode

1. Explore the link between creativity and healing – and how it can change the way you navigate life’s challenges.
2. Learn how visual metaphors unlock self-awareness and make self-help more approachable.
3. Discover the surprising power of playfulness, curiosity, and colour in emotional wellbeing and self-development.

Episode Summary

Tina Bernstein’s Mapology Guides are not your average self-help tools. They’re fold-out, A2 illustrated maps that use metaphor, humour, and emotional wisdom to help you move from one state to another – whether it’s from overthinking to clarity, or from self-doubt to empowerment.

In this heartfelt conversation, Tina shares the evolution of Mapology Guides, the deeply personal experiences that fuelled her mission, and the incredible way visual storytelling and creative thinking support mental health, resilience, and spiritual connection. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by conventional self-help or disconnected from your creativity, this episode will spark a whole new way of seeing yourself and your journey.

Key Takeaways

• Why everyone is born creative – and how we lose it (and reclaim it)
• The healing potential of visual metaphors in emotional learning
• How design, therapy, and creativity combine to form a toolkit for personal growth
• Why curiosity and playfulness are vital superpowers for wellbeing
• How Mapology Guides support mental health, creative thinking, and personal development
• The connection between creativity, spirituality, and emotional transformation
• The power of non-linear, bite-sized visual learning tools in a fast-paced world

FOR EPISODE LINKS & MORE INFO VISIT: https://samhorton.co/blog/ep65

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Chapters

• 0:00 Introducing Tina Bernstein
• 1:38 Tina's Journey to Create Mapology Guides
• 4:31 What are Mapology Guides
• 8:41 What is the Aim for People to Take Away from Mapology Guides
• 10:34 What Do These Guides Capture That Other Resources Don't
• 14:30 How Important Is The Visual Aspect of Mapology Guides
• 16:51 Why is Creativity So Powerful in Supporting People Through Challenge
• 22:59 Does Creativity Have the Power to Connect Us to Something Bigger Than Ourselves?
• 30:01 Powerful Message for YOU to Ponder
• 36:06 Connect with Tina Bernstein

Transcript

Ep 65: Soul-led Creative Women - Tina Bernstein

[00:00:00]

Sam Horton: So today I have Tina Bernstein with me. Tina is a designer and creative entrepreneur, also known as cartographer of emotions. she founded Mapology guides, which are illustrated self-help maps for life's ever evolving journey with her longstanding background in psychology and having suffered from addictions and mental illness herself, mapology guides arose from her desire to give back.

Passion to find different ways to empower individuals to adopt their own approach to mindfulness, wellbeing, and personal development. So welcome Tina. Thank you so much for having me. Hello. So today we're gonna be talking all about your, mapology guides. and your work as a self-proclaimed cartographer of emotions.

I love that term. That's amazing. So let's jump straight in and, and start with your journey. Tell us about. Um, how you've ended up here and what's led you to create these? My Mapology guides. [00:01:00] Wow. 

Tina Bernstein: How long have you got? It actually took me a long time to come up with the mm-hmm. Uh, idea for mapology guides.

people think sometimes that, you know, you're having an aha moment, you know, you are someone, but I think it's to do with very, very long term reading. Thinking, knowing what you're about, knowing what you want to do, maybe looking at your meaning and purpose, you know, and that was the case for me. I dabbled in a lot of things before I started, um, mapology guys, because I couldn't settle a lot on anything that I knew I wanted to take forward.

Sam Horton: Mm-hmm. 

Tina Bernstein: Um, for the long term. Does that make sense? Yeah. So. I did study graphic design, uh mm-hmm. In the eighties. Mm-hmm. Uh, so, but I wasn't really very. Artistic or creative, or at least I didn't know. But I went to a boarding school and there was an art [00:02:00] school and the teacher there saw something in me that I didn't see, obviously, and he guided me.

And that was probably one of the most extraordinary events in my life. 

Sam Horton: Mm-hmm. 

Tina Bernstein: And so I found myself in art college, not really knowing what I was doing, but I sort of managed to scrape through everything. Uh, but I do believe that. Art and creativity is something that everyone has. Mm-hmm. And in fact, the latest mapology guides, which is, um, geared more towards businesses or organizations or freelancers 

Sam Horton: mm-hmm.

Tina Bernstein: Is about creative thinking in the workplace. 

Sam Horton: Okay. And 

Tina Bernstein: there's a whole section where we talk about that everybody is born creative. We are all born creative. If we look at children, I mean, mm. They're just amazing, aren't they? What they do. Mm-hmm. Starting from crayons to building things to their imagination.

And then we get to [00:03:00] school. Mm-hmm. And things change. And so we have a section in that map that is, uh, we call it, you know, the, I'm not creative brigade, because what happens in adulthood is you say to somebody, do you think, you know, do you feel creative? Or do you think you're creative? And they go, no, I can't draw.

So everybody associates creativity with drawing. To be honest, I'm not a great draw. I admit it on the podcast. It has nothing to do with an ability to draw. No, it has to do with an ability to be, and I say to people, if you've got dressed this morning and if you've found what you want to eat for breakfast, then you are creative by nature.

Sam Horton: Yeah, absolutely. So just to be clear then, just so that people know what we're talking about, can you give us, you know, an overview of the formula or the recipe, if you like, for your mapology guides and what the finished product looks like. Tell us, tell us a bit about them. 

Tina Bernstein: Yes. So [00:04:00] basically, uh, I came up with an idea where I call them maps.

Some people call them guides. And the reason for the term maps is because I found that maps don't always have to be geographical. Of course, they mostly are, we know, but to me it was the idea of going from A to B. If I can get somebody to go from A to B with a map, then I feel I've achieved everything I've set out to achieve.

Because, you know, I cannot change somebody's entire life with an A2 sheet of paper that is totally illustrated. But some people do have or do get an insight, you know, they get some self-awareness. Mm-hmm. And then they're on the journey. So it's more about awakening. Rather than seed planting, it's seed planting.

That's a very good way of putting it. and it depends. At what stage you get to a mapology guide. But so it took quite a long time to understand how to do them. 

Sam Horton: Yeah, sure. 'cause if 

Tina Bernstein: I [00:05:00] said to any illustrator or anyone, can we do a map on overthinking? You know, they look blank at you. It is quite complex.

Sam Horton: Hmm. 

Tina Bernstein: But the way we do it is we have a whole day of brainstorming. I decide on a theme. I invite a team which consists of an illustrator and a creative writer, and we literally unpack. The theme, which are normally quite complex, you know, if you think about saying no, that people write books about it. so we unpack it and then repackage it in the mapology guides way of doing things where we use metaphors.

Um mm-hmm. So I can give you an example if I can. You know, this is what Zoom stood for, for this is the latest, this is creative thinking. In the workplace and how to drive innovation at work. Yeah. Uh, it was based a little bit on Wallace and Grommet. I don't know whether your listeners in Australia or America know about it.

It's, it's sort of an English, animation project. I [00:06:00] know about it, so hopefully they, 

Sam Horton: sorry. I said I know about it, so hopefully they do. Oh, 

Tina Bernstein: okay. Okay. But it's fully illustrated and it's like a bit like a machine, you know, and you go through it. and so we use metaphors to sort of help people understand what we are talking about in an easier way.

Okay. And so the, the, the reason why I do this is because. I'm a designer. I started graphic design at St. Martin's, uh, college in London. And when I went, uh, to therapy, I had long-term therapy starting from 26. Mm-hmm. Um, I kind of felt there was no color in anything, you know, it was all books or black and white photocopies or, you know, lots of words.

Information overload. 

It is a little bit, but also some of us are visual learners, especially for neurodiversity. You know, they would find it more challenging to read a book [00:07:00] of 400 pages on, yeah, how to say No. So I wanted to combine the two. That is why I came up with mapology guide.

I love maps. I love the idea of self-development and traveling from where you are now. To where you want to go. and that is how I came up with a product. I also, I'll be honest, my vision is to be, uh, the Lady Bird books of the 21st century. 'cause I think the little entities that you can keep on a desk in a drawer take with you Sure.

For lunch, read anywhere. So, you know, I, I wanted a tool. People could use and, and sort of discover something new. 

Sam Horton: That's a great aspiration. That's like, you know, shifting culture, you know? yeah. That's really powerful. That's a great thing to, to be aiming for. I love that. So if there was one thing that you would love, you know, for an individual person to take away from one of your [00:08:00] guides, what would that be?

Tina Bernstein: Self-awareness and self-knowledge that they've learned something. We've got a map on anger. Now, the reason I wanted to do this map is because a lot of women think, well, anger doesn't belong to women. It's, it's a, it's a male thing, right? And that isn't quite true, as we know. It is beautifully illustrated.

Very, very strong colors. And on there, there are lots of little things like hangry, you know? Women sometimes when they haven't eaten for a while can have low blood sugar levels and start sort of, reacting in a way that sometimes isn't what they want. And sometimes they don't know about that, right?

They don't know that if they had a little bit of nuts or a date or apple. That would subside. Mm. so I want people to see themselves in a map. There's always loads and loads of information where I'm hoping that somebody will go, oh my God, that's me. [00:09:00]

Sam Horton: Mm. That's 

Tina Bernstein: what I do. And then they're on the journey because you've got to get people.

To see themselves in something. 

Sam Horton: Hmm. 

Tina Bernstein: Um, because not everybody can go to therapy. I'm a huge fan of psychotherapy. It has changed and saved my life, but these days people don't go so much in long-term therapy for all sorts of reasons. They want something that's a bit quicker. So yeah, if somebody can walk away and have, learn something new about themselves, then um, that is really what, I think these maps are for, because you can then go on a longer journey.

Sam Horton: Mm. It almost changes the accessibility as well, because like you said, some people are visual learners.so obviously the, the art and the illustration and the color piece is huge. but what do you hope these guides capture that's missing from standard diagrams or resource guides? 

Tina Bernstein: Creativity. Yeah.

Okay. I mean, I think infographics are fantastic. Okay. I mean, again, [00:10:00] I've taken. From everywhere. I think, you know, subconsciously, you know, in my learning, I've always been curious. I have a whole library at home. I've always, you know, read books and done everything. I think when I came up with mapology guide, it was very much, a combination of many things.

One of them being mind maps, you know, from Tonyan. Okay. So. I, I, I love infographics. I think they're fantastic and they're really to the point, but I think infographics and self-help is slightly different 'cause infographics are more. Factual, aren't they? They're linear. Yeah, sure. But by some of mapology guides, I'm non-linear, so that makes Yeah, that's what I was gonna say 

Sam Horton: before.

It's a non-linear approach. It's like what, what it does for people as well is, is what I'm taking from it, uh, as you're speaking, is that it, it makes people realize that's more than one way of being, of doing, of responding, you know, of. Of being triggered. There's, there's, there's more than one way, and that's kind of mind blowing in itself, [00:11:00] potentially for people.

So that's a, that's really 

Tina Bernstein: cool. Well, I think also that's why we have so many books on similar subjects, because you and I might like a different way of writing style, so. One book will speak to you whereby another book will speak to me and the topics can be similar. But in terms of self-help and visual, I think that, for me was lacking.

You know, that I think we, we put a lot of fun into our maps. They, they, they're serious by nature. And on the anger map it does say, you know, if you have a lot of anger issues, we recommend. Anger management or therapy or, yeah, talking to somebody in the field, but they also, I just wanted to. Alleviate the sense of, oh, I've got some mental health issues or illness.

We all have mental health issues, not illnesses obviously, but we all have somewhere, some mental health issues and I wanted to make it, okay? [00:12:00] Mm-hmm. It is okay. And we can laugh about it and we can talk about it. And so the maps are very much, people do them on their own. You can do them in with friends. A lot of coaches and therapists use them as conversation starters and icebreakers.

Yeah, so sometimes when we're talking about creativity, let's say somebody maybe doesn't speak English and they're in English. You know, you could say, how do you feel about the color or about this particular illustration? And off you go into. Some subject. Um, so I think they've got a lot of purpose and a lot of ways.

Yeah, as you said, there's many ways to skin an onion. and you can use them in a linear way. Obviously just reading them and making notes, whatever, you can use them by just dipping in. 

We 

can use them by taking one particular piece and then doing something else and then revisiting later on. It's interesting when people revisit the maps a year or two later on and sort of see.

Where they were when they started Sure. With mapology guide and where they're now. So there, there's many, [00:13:00] many ways, but creativity is key. Mm-hmm. And I don't often talk about this, but for me it isn't just about giving back in terms of self-help and self-knowledge and self-awareness, which I'm very passionate about.

You know, I, I'm very passionate about people getting to know themselves and understanding themselves. But I'm equally passionate about creativity. Hmm. So I try to combine the two, and I'm not sure everybody gets that from a mobility guide if, if that makes sense. But for me, I, I think if you can think creatively, you can solve many problems in your life.

Yeah, 

Sam Horton: absolutely. That was kind of gonna be my next question, you know?You know, in terms of the art and the illustration side, 'cause there's two, two sides to this, right? There's the, the visual aspect, creative aspect of them, and then there's this kind of inter creative interpretation piece. So in terms of the visual aspect, you know, the art and the, the color and [00:14:00] all those things, how important do you think that piece is to making these guides work?

Tina Bernstein: I think it's everything. Yeah. Because. How do you illustrate how to say No, it's abstract, isn't it? I mean, how do you do it? Yeah, so we came up with a greenhouse and the idea of seed to plant and so saying no is very nuanced the way you will say no to me. It's probably quite different to how you would say it to a family member or somebody you've known all your life.

Right, child. Mm-hmm. So it's very, very nuanced. 

Sam Horton: Yep. 

Tina Bernstein: And it takes a bit of time, a bit of understanding. And so the metaphor of the greenhouse with plants from seed to full plant, for instance, the cactus we have on, uh, on the illustration is the hard no. So you see, all of a sudden you are [00:15:00] helping people to make associations.

And once that, because self-help is such an abstract concept. You know, if I say to you, you know, do you know yourself? You know, it's very abstract, right? Mm-hmm. So we are trying to help people with association and metaphors to understand. The concept and understand what we are saying as well as words, by the way.

Yeah, sure. They're heavily illustrated, but there's also, uh, words. Yes. Um, lots of words. 

Sam Horton: You've still got lots of words on there. well, 

Tina Bernstein: yeah. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. 

Tina Bernstein: Not, not as much as in a book, obviously. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sure, sure, sure. And so we need to, we need to, on a page puree. Yes. And because it's an A two sheet of paper folded Yeah, yeah.

Double sided. Yeah. We need to curate heavily because Yes. The subject of saying no or the subject of overthinking or the subject of, we've got a map called, um, the expedition towards a meaning for life. I mean, people write to about things like that and you only have a limited space. We distill it all into, you know, an eight two [00:16:00] sheet of paper.

Really? 

Sam Horton: Yeah. It's pretty cool. Yeah. Really cool. So. Tell us then about your thoughts in terms of the power of creativity, you know, why, why is creativity so powerful when people are struggling with life challenges? 'cause ultimately you're trying to help people through challenge, right? So tell us about why creativity is so powerful in your mind.

Tina Bernstein: You know, I'm really into creative thinking. I've, I think I've always been, in fact, when I went from foundation. To ba uh, graphic design. I actually, I applied to Central School of Art and Design. They had a library and the colleges amalgamated, and I ended up in St. Martin's, which was a very hip art school.

And, but what it didn't have was a library, and what it didn't have is time to come up with concepts. And so. I struggled a little bit 'cause I like coming up with a concept. I think even back then, you know, and, and sort of finding [00:17:00] metaphors and ways to explain things. I think creativity, I. Uh, and creative thinking are really powerful in terms of healing.

Mm-hmm. So if you're healing 

Sam Horton: mm-hmm. 

Tina Bernstein: Trauma or anything. If you are, for instance, I, uh, maintain, I have, uh, some chronic illness issues, so I eat in a certain way. But the, because I think creatively it makes it all so much easier. It makes it easier to think about the shopping, the cooking, the eating, the taking with me when I'm away, you know?

All those things I call creative thinking because you're thinking about a problem in a creative way and often that isn't black and white. Mm-hmm. And I think people often think, you know, they'll ask a question and they want a black and white answer. 

Sam Horton: Yeah, sure. Um. 

Tina Bernstein: You know, there's a lot of gray out there.

So I think to, to train yourself to maybe, uh, go through some creative thinking exercises or [00:18:00] something will open up a whole world to some people. And to be honest, I've been reading those books forever, so of course it's now innate in me, of course. But if I can say to people, just, just get a book about.

Creative thinking or how to resolve a problem in a creative way. 'cause we all learn, you know, everything I show in the maps, obviously I've learned in like 20 years of psychotherapy and everything else. But we are not born with all of this. I do think we need to learn those skills. Mm. And if we don't learn those skills, uh, then we can be left behind.

Sam Horton: Sure. 

Tina Bernstein: Having said all that, we also now have ai. So we have. More of a reason to adapt creatively because that's something that AI would find difficult to be me, you know, to be entirely me. That that's still still a problem for ai. That's never gonna be resolved, but, you know, so yeah, I, I do think [00:19:00] create creative thinking or creativity can help people.

Throughout their lives in so many, you know, whether it's relationships, whether it's um, parenthood, whether it's jobs, whether anything, you know, it just helps, a lot. Yeah. And it's also fun. Yeah. For me, say. Yeah, it's fun to work something out, to think about it differently, you know? Yeah. But I do feel it's a skill, although I've said before, we are all creative that needs to be honed.

Yes. We can't just say, well, as a child I had crayons and I was creative, and now I'm not any longer. It has to be honed. 

Sam Horton: Yes. And part of that is just, showing up for it and being brave enough to show up for it. Because I think, you know, people struggle with that a bit because there's vulnerability in it.

you know, and it can be really uncomfortable, um, when you, you know, aren't a master. No one's a master when they start there, right? So, um, that's part of the journey. 

Tina Bernstein: But I don't think I'm a master. I, I, I think. Far from being Yeah. A [00:20:00] master in it. However, I do have enough tools, but I'll give one explanation.

In 26, I had a very major nervous breakdown that really brought my life to a standstill. Mm-hmm. And that's when I sought out, uh, psychotherapy. But I remember coming back from my first session and sort of thinking, okay, I can't work. I've got claustrophobia, agrophobia, I have panic attacks. You know, I, I'm sort of, mm-hmm.

Lost my, you know, very high power job and all those things. So, you know, what am I gonna do? And I thought, well, I'm gonna make myself the project. And I sort of started mind mapping, I suppose. This is what I mean, my project guides were sort of accumulation of many years of doing things. But I started mind mapping about, so what do I do?

I knew nothing about panic attacks, you know, it was pre-internet. You couldn't just Google. Mm-hmm. You know, I had to go to the library and I, and I did this diagram, and remember I thought. I must go and get some massages 'cause that's sort of healing, you know? And it was also, it was [00:21:00] non-sexual healing. So I think that was quite important at that time for me personally.

Yeah. But also, I, I wanted to look at food. I had an eating disorder. I, I realized in, in therapy, so I wanted to teach myself about food. I knew nothing about food, like absolute nothing. And as I said, there wasn't the internet, it was much harder. But I think there's a. You know, that's a positive thing.

'cause I had to literally work things out, figure it out, rather than just Google and get a thousand pages, which is amazing itself. But I made myself the project and um, and I think that was a creative way. I didn't realize it then, but that was a creative way. 

Sam Horton: Yeah, yeah. You went on a journey with it and Yeah.

You, you figured it out. So pretty cool. So. I mean, I believe that there is, uh, that this, our spiritual and our creative journeys are in intrinsically linked, you know? do you believe that creativity has the power to connect us with something bigger than ourselves? [00:22:00]

Tina Bernstein: A hundred percent. I mean, well, first of all, I mean, you know, not everyone believes, I suppose, in spirituality.

I'm not religious. I'm, I'm more spiritual than, than religious. But I think. When things happen, you know, sometimes there's some magic that happen and you think, how did that happen? You know, how did that happen? I mean, I believe that it happens because it's like writers, you know, the writers talk about, uh, or some writers talk about, you know, I sit on my desk from nine to five every day and I wait for the muse to visit me.

Right? So what that's saying is be consistent. You know, don't just sort of turn up once a month and expect, you know. A told story sort of magic to or something. Yes. So there's definitely practical things to it all. Mm. But I think when they coincide, sometimes I think we get rewarded. Mm. And I see that in a spiritual way.

Yeah. I [00:23:00] think it's something about showing up. Mm. That helps. Yeah, I, I just think, you know, spirituality wise, sometimes I've reached out to angels. Some people might find that strange who know me, uh, but actually when I was really in quite despair. And so, uh, the trick there is to talk out loud, so don't internalize it, but ask for help out loud.

Sam Horton: I talk 

Tina Bernstein: to myself all the time and every single time. It has helped. Okay. You know, so there's loads of things that I think we don't know about that are out there. Yeah. Um, that I don't know what they are, whatever. But I believe in them, you know? I think, yeah. Yeah, I think there's, there's many more things than, than us.

I think, you know, sometimes I, I, I think of myself. Well, you know, the more I know, the less I know. The older I get, the more there is to learn. And sometimes I feel, you know, I don't know. But of course, also age brings wisdom and everything else. But [00:24:00] yes, of course spirituality is a big thing, with creativity, definitely.

And I think it's like in, it enhances it, you know? 

Sam Horton: Yeah. Or evolving, aren't we? So, you know, it helps us on that journey. You touched on that before, you know, we're, we're just trying to master the journey of life, right? So it all helps. life is 

Tina Bernstein: tough. Can I just say? 

Sam Horton: Yeah. 

Tina Bernstein: I mean, I like to be direct about it life.

Yeah. Yeah. Is tough. It can be, yeah. What help you can have from yourself. Yeah. And then others. So I learned at a very young age. To just ask. So I'm very, very good at asking for help. Okay. Yeah. 'cause what I know is that people can either say yes or no. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. 

Tina Bernstein: But if you don't ask, you don't get. Yeah. So another thing I find people are not good at asking for help, but there is so much help out there.

So one of my big passions is to do mapology guide on suicide prevention. Okay. But that would need to be sponsored because I'd like it to be [00:25:00] free everywhere. Yeah. Sure.but I always feel if people could just ask for help, there is tons and tons and tons of help out there, but people don't always know how to reach it.

Um, sure. So I'm, I'm a little bit passionate about that. 

Sam Horton: Yeah, it's so true. I, I mean, and it's, it's. You know, help can also equip you with the resources to be able to solve the same problem again in the future. Right. So you're talking about, you know, kind of enhancing your toolkit as you, as you kind of seek, um, help for the problem that's facing you in this current stage of life.

 I 

Tina Bernstein: talk about mapology guides being a, a toolkit. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. 

Tina Bernstein: Okay. For emotional wellbeing. Yeah. So. As you said, we have tools and like any tool, if you use a hammer, you're not just gonna use a hammer just for one thing. You can use a hammer. Yeah. For multiple purposes. And as you say, once you've got a tool, you can adapt it.

Yeah. To so many things. And that's a creative way of living. I. 

Sam Horton: Yeah, well I was, when you were talking earlier, I was actually [00:26:00] thinking about how useful it potentially would be for, a whole range of different, you know, professionals in terms of, in the mental health space, but, or you know, more than that schools, you know, there's lots of, places that I could see that this would be actually a really attractive resource.

For people because it's, you know, so engaging, and not boring and fun like you said. Right. So, yeah, it's pretty cool. 

Tina Bernstein: I, I just had somebody who I met, uh, recently on a business trip and I just gave her sort of a, a couple of maps and she's a teacher and she just sort of commented on Instagram saying.

I used your maps, uh, in a class and it was really, really helpful. And many teachers buy them, you know, for that reason. Yeah. Okay. I mean, uh, yeah, they're, they're meant to inspire in whichever way people want to be inspired. There's no right or wrong here. It's, that's a good 

Sam Horton: word. Yeah, that came up for me before actually, I was thinking actually, you know, if nothing else, it potentially, um, provides a little bit of, uh, creative [00:27:00] inspiration, either visually or from, you know, the journey of going through the map.

So, yeah, it's pretty inspiring and many 

Tina Bernstein: people hang them as posters. And what they tell me is that let's say you hang it in your living room and you pass it every day, some of the information will. Subconsciously enter you. Do you see what I mean? Yeah, 

Sam Horton: yeah, yeah. Well that's the, because that's the greater than ourselves thing.

Again, we're ta we're talking spiritual now. 

Tina Bernstein: Exactly. So if you just wanted, because you like the illustration or you like the colors, which is great, you know? Yeah. Something will rub off on you. 

Sam Horton: It's energy, right? This energy, energy has gone into creating the thing. It's sitting there with all that energy from all those people that have actually created it.

Absolutely. And all the intention behind it, it's all infused in it. So of course it's gonna rub off. It's amazing. 

Tina Bernstein: That's sort of one of my favorite thing when I, when somebody first told me about it, because I knew that people hang them as posters. Yeah. But I didn't sort of put two and two [00:28:00] together as one doesn't about one's own.

Yeah. Work, if you know what I mean. And then. People started telling me and started, you know, and you know, it sort of rub off on me and now I get this and I get that. So, you know, it isn't like a book about, you know, reading from start to finish, but it is very much, uh, bite-size visual learning. Yeah, that's, that's what I like to call it.

Yeah. It's bite size and a lot of them you can use over and over and over again because you find something new. So, for instance, the expedition towards a meaningful life, if you do that at 18, when you've left college. Or you do it as a 50-year-old, you, you just, it'll just blow your mind. How different 

Sam Horton: Yeah.

Tina Bernstein: Different you think or different. So they can be reused. And that's something I like, uh, as well about it. 

Sam Horton: Mm-hmm. So good. So for all the women out there then who are curious about more creative ways to navigate mindfulness, wellbeing, and personal development, what powerful message or question would you like to leave them with today?[00:29:00]

Tina Bernstein: A very good question. I think, you know, I like to empower people. That's, I think one of my biggest purposes is because I feel I've been empowered by my journey. So, just be curious. 

Sam Horton: Mm-hmm. 

Tina Bernstein: You know, curiosity is very, very underrated. Uh, and I think it's one of the major things to stay young when we age.

Sam Horton: Mm-hmm. Not 

Tina Bernstein: to get bored. But also to learn and to understand the world and ourselves. I'm always curious, you know, I speak to street, uh, sweepers because I'm curious about their lives or their job, or, I'm, I'm just very, very curious and I think, uh, that is a superpower. To be curious. 

Sam Horton: Yeah, definitely. And that, that feeds into creativity as well, right, though, right?

So you've got, of course it all, the creative journey is a journey of curiosity, so 

Tina Bernstein: Absolutely. So cool. And we change and evolve and learn. You know, I learn something [00:30:00] new every single day. I mean, how exciting is that? 

Sam Horton: Yeah. So cool. You know, that 

Tina Bernstein: we can learn something every day. I never, I'm never bored about anything because I'm just learning all the time.

Or I read a book and I. Reread a book and I see something I didn't see before and I'm like, oh my God, that's amazing. 

Sam Horton: So cool. I'm a bit the same, so I can relate to that. 

Tina Bernstein: there's one more, there's one more caveat on this, which is Okay. Uh, and stay playful, especially as we ate. Yes. I think yes for me, that, and that's why, uh, the maps a bit playful in many ways.

Yes. I think there's too many people who have very, very serious, uh. And take life very seriously. And life is serious. Don't get me wrong. I've said that before. But I do think we can find pockets of playfulness and stay playful. Yes. I, I think that's very important. 

Sam Horton: Yeah, absolutely. I agree with that too.

Tina Bernstein: It's in our journey of wellbeing and healing and, and all of that. Yes. 

Sam Horton: Absolutely. Yeah. I [00:31:00] mean, you know, part of what I advocate is part of, you know, a creative practice, you know, a physical creative practice that you, you where you're making stuff. It, one of the elements of that is, that you've, you consistently, you know, every time you show up for it, you've gotta remind yourself.

You've gotta ask yourself, how am I going to play today? You know, like, what is it that I'm gonna do that's gonna spark play? Because it's so important in, in terms of keeping, keeping, um, everything feeling good, you know, and everything feel, feeling like it's, you know, brand new. So, so cool. 

Tina Bernstein: And that, you know, it, it also makes me keep hope, for the future.

You know, I mean, if we, if we look at the news right now, I think everyone could honestly say there's no hope for humanity. But I do think there's hope and we must never let go of that. Yeah. And I. You know, and I feel curiosity and hope and playfulness all feed into that where, yeah. I also think it alleviates [00:32:00] stress levels.

I really mean that. Yeah. I think, I. If you are curious or playful or love what you do, for instance, then you worry less about yourself or how you're feeling in that moment. Mm-hmm. Or you might have a little achey and there, which we all have. So I sometimes have, you know, aches on my knees, but I play tennis and I play pickleball and, and then I feel better afterwards.

You know, it is all a bit strange. I know. But, but I think, you know, staying playful, uh, in life. Staying curious and, and never giving up hope, because I've learned that one day you can feel the worst you've ever felt in your life. And tomorrow something incredible happens. Yeah. That's it. That's why I'm so passionate about, uh, suicide prevention.

'cause sometimes it's, it's just, well, it can be chemical, but it can be just a thought, isn't it? Mm-hmm. And then, but tomorrow everything could have changed, you know? Mm-hmm. So, [00:33:00] anyway. Sorry. Yeah, let's get too deep. Well, it's a great conversation 

Sam Horton: starter as well. You know, I can see a map being really helpful to guide conversations about, about really difficult topics like that.

So, um, yeah. You know, it's, it could just, it could be used in a group setting as well. It doesn't have to be just an individual absorbing the information. Um, be great conversation starter to see kind of where different people end up on the map, you know? Um. Really powerful. 

Tina Bernstein: One day I want to do a game, maybe I'll take one of the maps to make a game.

I think that would be quite interesting. And I met a game designer and actually you've just reminded me that I need to, uh, follow up on that. But yes, I think it'll be lovely in a game. There are, uh, jigsaw puzzles out. There's an American Okay. Called, uh, Galison, they took three of the maps and made them into 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle.

So that's another way of discovering, you know, jigsaw puzzles traditionally are just visual, aren't they? They're lovely. [00:34:00] Seed or flowers. Yeah. Or you know, snow in New York or something like that. Yeah, yeah. But of course the maps have words and different things, and so I think it's interesting you're doing a puzzle, but then you're thinking.

Who's VI Frankl, which is a statue, you know? Yeah. And maybe you Google and you've learned something new. Yeah. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. 

Tina Bernstein: So I, I thought that was really interesting that they picked that up. Yeah, I like 

Sam Horton: that 

Tina Bernstein: because you actually 

Sam Horton: probably would absorb more of, more of the detail of it as well. Right, because you are Yes.

Trying to find the pieces and stuff, so, 

Tina Bernstein: exactly, exactly. I was very excited about that. Yeah. And, uh, yeah, so there's many applications, I think, but the main thing is to have some fun, to learn something about yourself that maybe you didn't know, to maybe have some more self-awareness, self-knowledge, and, and carry on with this beautiful.

Life. Yeah. We're living. 

Sam Horton: Yeah. So how can people get to know you better, Tina, and get a real feel for these maps and, um, the wonderful work you're doing? [00:35:00]

Tina Bernstein: The maps, you know, like anything, uh. Online they look good. But you know, people ask me, why don't you do them PDF? Because I believe in print. I'm a graphic designer.

I believe in learning through physical touch, smell. You know, I think there's online learning or whatever is great, but for illustration, I think you have to see the colors, you have to see everything. Uh, we are online, obviously. We have a website. Yep. Uh. We have Instagram, there's Facebook, there's different shops, obviously there's subscription boxes there.

You know, there's, there's loads of various ways. But the easiest way for your listeners is probably, uh, the website. As you know, Australia, we ship worldwide, so it's not a problem to ship to Australia at all. and, uh, yeah, or follow us on Instagram or, or wherever, you know, just, just to learn more about them.

Sam Horton: Excellent for, and feel free 

Tina Bernstein: to ask me any questions. I'm always open for questions. My dms are open. Um, sometimes people want some [00:36:00] advice. You know, we do offer bundles for certain mm-hmm. Groups of people. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. But, we also have pick your own, and I find more people now about the pick your own, which is really interesting because I used to think, okay, this is for, you know, the frazzled or the doer.

Sam Horton: Hmm. 

Tina Bernstein: Um, but, you know, I'm always open to people asking questions. Who's this for? And whatever, because it's not always that easy to know. 

Sam Horton: Yeah, absolutely. Great. Well, I'll put all the, links in the show notes so they'll be available. Um, but thank you so much for coming and chatting to me today, Tina. I loved our conversation.

Well, I had much fun. 

Tina Bernstein: I love talk about creativity. I, I absolutely love talking about it. 'cause I think that's what makes the world go round. Absolutely. Thank you 

Sam Horton: and thank you for being 

Tina Bernstein: such a great host. 

Sam Horton: Thanks.