Bestselling writers Anne Lamott + Neal Allen present…
Tame Your Inner Critic:
The Path to Fearless Living
Nov 17 - Nov 22, 2025 in Santa Fe, USA Led by: Anne Lamott, Neal Allen, Chip Conley, Amie Tullius, Daniel 'DL' Landes
Beloved badass author Anne Lamott & fellow writer Neal Allen show you how to break up with your inner bully and live a life of fascination instead.
That relentless little saboteur in your head... it's the voice that tells you you’re a fraud, not good enough or kind enough, and that you’ll never measure up.
Directed outward, your inner critic compels you to judge others by the same impossible standards and blinds you to the goodness and beauty that exists in the world. It can make you feel disconnected, discouraged, and alone.
But here's the liberating truth: when you finally silence that critical voice, everything shifts. You’re free to show up authentically, engage fully with the world, express your talents, and create the meaningful impact you've always wanted.
From Self-Judgment to Clear-Eyed Compassion
Join national treasure and bestselling author Anne Lamott and her husband Neal Allen for a transformative workshop blending timeless wisdom with practical tools. Discover pathways to authentic presence, radical self-care, and unshakable self-trust that you can apply to your life immediately.
Through immersive exercises, intimate group work, and real-world practices, you'll learn to quiet your inner critic and free yourself from self-judgment – opening the door to seeing the world with deeper compassion.
Join beloved writers Anne Lamott and Neal Allen as they share powerful tools to silence your inner critic and cultivate compassion over competition so you can reconnect with your ability to experience awe and beauty in the world.
What you’ll gain
By the end of 5 days with Anne, Neal, and the MEA team, you'll have powerful tools to disarm your inner critic and face the world without judgment, freeing yourself from that sense of anxiety and frustration.
Meet your faculty
Anne Lamott
Bestselling Author | Teacher | Progressive Political Activist
NYT bestselling author of Somehow: Thoughts on Love, Bird by Bird, Help, Thanks, Wow, Traveling Mercies, and many others
Anne Lamott’s words offer readers comfort, laughter, and a sense of belonging. With her candid, often irreverent, and always heartfelt style, she invites readers to confront their fears, embrace vulnerability, and find strength in authenticity.
From spiritual reflections to laugh-out-loud essays, Anne’s bestselling books encourage readers and writers alike to show up as they are and speak their truth. Her unique voice challenges us to see the world with more compassion and less judgment.
➥ Literary Luminary: Known for her candid, heartfelt storytelling that resonates with readers seeking authenticity and hope.
➥ Truth Teller: Uses humor and honesty to help people face life's challenges with grace.
➥ Creative Mentor: Guides aspiring writers to overcome doubt and express their unique voice.
➥ Transformative Guide: Leads workshops that inspire participants to embrace their imperfections and move forward with creativity and courage.
With Anne, you’ll feel seen, heard, and uplifted, ready to meet life’s messiness with humor and heart.
Neal Allen
Writer | Spiritual Coach | Author of Better Days: Tame Your Inner Critic and Shapes of Truth
Neal Allen’s journey highlights the transformative power of self-discovery. After a 30-year career as a journalist and corporate executive, he became a spiritual coach dedicated to freeing people from ego-driven suffering.
With a Master's in Eastern Classics and a deep study of diverse wisdom traditions, Neal blends intellectual rigor with spiritual insight. His coaching helps individuals recognize and release thought patterns that block their innate freedom.
➥ Spiritual Navigator: Guides people beyond ego obstacles to uncover the personal freedom within.
➥ Practical Insight Coach: Helps individuals apply spiritual wisdom to real-world challenges, fostering growth and transformation.
➥ Creative Partner: Married to Anne Lamott, celebrated author of Bird by Bird and 19 other bestsellers, bridging spiritual practice with creative expression.
With Neal, you’ll learn to quiet your inner critic – that relentless voice of self-doubt – and reclaim your life with clarity and confidence.
Chip Conley
MEA Co-Founder and Author of Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better with Age
A three-time TED speaker on the big stage, Chip Conley is one of the world's leading experts at the intersection of business innovation, psychology and spirituality.
As one of the creators of the boutique hotel movement and the "modern elder" to the young Airbnb founders, Chip's been a disruptor and expert on entrepreneurship and business leadership. He’s a globally-recognized thought leader on the future of work and the competitive advantages of a multi-generational workplace.
Inspired by his experience of intergenerational mentoring as a “modern elder” at Airbnb – where his guidance was instrumental to the company’s extraordinary success – Chip founded MEA and has since dedicated his midlife years to reframing the concept of aging and helping people navigate midlife with a renewed sense of purpose and possibility.
This workshop is for you if...
You’re ready to tell your inner critic to shut it and finally get some peace of mind.
You want hands-on, real-world ways to stop overthinking and start living with less judgment.
You’re into trying something different – real talk, partner work, and peeling back old beliefs.
You're not just looking to write better – you're looking to live better, by liberating yourself from the need to judge yourself and others.
You’re down for some spiritual insight that’s more about human connection than dogma.
You like a mix of wisdom and laughs – because healing doesn’t have to feel like homework.
Meet your MEA facilitators
Our trailblazing facilitators guide transformative journeys across our Santa Fe high desert sanctuary and Baja beach haven. From sunrise mountain hikes and meditations to collaborative experiences – each experience is designed to inspire growth, connection, and lasting change.
Chip Conley
Founder
View Bio
A three-time TED speaker on the big stage, Chip Conley is one of the world’s leading experts at the intersection of business innovation, psychology and spirituality.
As one of the creators of the boutique hotel movement and the “modern elder” to the young Airbnb founders, Chip’s been a disruptor and expert on entrepreneurship and business leadership. He’s a globally-recognized thought leader on the future of work and the competitive advantages of a multi-generational workplace.
Inspired by his experience of intergenerational mentoring as a “modern elder” at Airbnb, where his guidance was instrumental to the company’s extraordinary success, Chip founded MEA and has since dedicated his midlife years to reframing the concept of aging and supporting people in navigating midlife with a renewed sense of purpose and possibility.
Amie Tullius
MEA Experience Facilitator
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Amie Tullius is a New Mexico-based writer, gallerist, and creative collaborator. She’s spent over a decade as a gallery director, helped launch an international dance company, and has profiled and promoted artists and creators from around the world. She has an MFA in writing and is currently working on a book about place, home, and how our bodies keep time.
Amie has a deep passion for the mountains, history, and cultures of New Mexico. You will appreciate her creative perspective and the deep passion for the mountains, history, and cultures of New Mexico.
Daniel 'DL' Landes
Experience Facilitator
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Before joining MEA, Daniel “DL” Landes spent decades as a restauranteur, author, and publisher. As the owner of multiple restaurants in Denver, CO – and then a hostel in Mexico – he dedicated himself to creating environments where people could work out their humanity while eating and drinking (which is why he fits in so well at MEA).
Now relocated to Santa Fe, DL says that “living in the Galisteo Basin impresses a unique and humbling perspective. Under the expansive, enchanted New Mexican sky I can feel so small and so big. I made a career of kicking up dust; living in the storm until the storm lived in me. When the dust settled two guideposts appeared: Spend more nights under the stars; provide a service.”
You will appreciate his dedication to creating memorable experiences during your time in Santa Fe.
Santa Fe, USA
Rising Circle Ranch
An upscale regenerative ranch featuring traditional Pueblo architecture and spanning nearly 2,600 acres of wildlife, hiking trails in the arroyo, with ancient petroglyphs, and awe-inspiring beauty. Close to historic Santa Fe, an artisan’s mecca.
Free Yourself from Endless Judgment: A Deep Dive Into Fearless Living
Literary hero Anne Lamott and spiritual coach Neal Allen will guide you through a 5-day mind-shifing journey that dismantles your walls of perpetual criticism. Witness how your judgmental mindset sabotages your peace, then feel the freedom of letting it go. Transform harsh self-talk into compassion and watch as authentic confidence, self-care, and trust emerge – this is your invitation to a life beyond limitations.
