FreeWriters
Five Minutes.
One Word.
Clear the Noise.
Do any of these sound like you?
You’ve got a lot on your mind lately—
decisions, changes, maybe a version of your life
that doesn’t quite fit the way it used to.
You sit there trying to “figure it out,” but the more you think,
the more tangled it feels.
Or maybe you’re a parent,
and every conversation with your kid
feels like you’re knocking on a door
that barely cracks open...
And you’re left wondering
if you’re missing something…
or if they just don’t know
how to say what’s really going on.
Or maybe you just want a space
where you don’t have to
explain yourself, perform, or get it right.
No pressure to be insightful.
No expectation to be interesting.
Just a place to be real for five minutes.
That’s what FreeWriters is for.
What is FreeWriters?
FreeWriters is simple.
You get one random word.
You write for five minutes.
No stopping.
No editing.
No trying to sound smart.
No waiting for the perfect thought.
And if you don’t know what to write,
you write: I don’t know what to write.
Again and again.
Until something comes.
Because eventually, something usually does.
This is not journaling with better branding.
FreeWriters is different because it doesn’t begin
with a big emotional question like,
“What's your purpose in life.”
FreeWrite starts with a word like:
banana
sidewalk
window
purple
door
And somehow, that random word gives your brain permission to wander somewhere honest.
That’s the point.
The randomness removes the pressure.
Why This Works
Most of us don’t struggle because
we have nothing to say.
We struggle because
we’re trying to say it correctly
before we even understand it.
FreeWriters removes that filter.
A random word interrupts the pattern.
The time constraint keeps you moving.
The rule eliminates hesitation.
What starts as nonsense
often turns into something honest.
And even when it doesn't,
you’ve still cleared space.
That’s the shift.
Who This Is For
For adults with too much in their heads
When your thoughts feel stuck in a loop,
this gives them somewhere to go.
For parents trying to reconnect
Sometimes kids don’t need another question.
They need a different way to express
what they’re thinking.
For teens who shut down
when asked how they feel
Because not everyone knows
how to answer that question yet.
For educators and facilitators
A simple structure that invites participation
without turning it into another performance.
For anyone who’s tired of
trying to figure everything out
before they begin
This gives you a place to start.
Meet Your Facilitators
FreeWriters was developed by Nate Johnson,
a Navy veteran and former prosecuting attorney
who took an unexpected turn in his career—
choosing to work directly with incarcerated individuals to help them write a new chapter in their lives.
Through his work in Minneapolis-area jails,
Nate introduced a simple but demanding structure: one prompt, five minutes, no stopping.
What began as a writing exercise
became a way for participants to access
thoughts they hadn’t yet put into words,
without needing to justify, explain, or perform.
His work has been featured in
The New York Times and Kare11,
highlighting how this practice creates
a rare kind of freedom: the ability to write
without pressure and discover what’s there.
Billy Lahr is an educator with over 20 years
of experience working with students—
particularly those who didn’t always fit
neatly into the system.
As an English teacher and dean of students,
Billy spent years working with at-risk youth
who were willing to express themselves—
they just needed to have a way in.
Billy brings FreeWriters into spaces
where people feel stuck—
whether it’s a student searching for the words,
a parent trying to reach a closed-off child,
or someone in midlife facing a major life transition.
His role isn’t to analyze or interpret what’s written,
but to hold the structure so people can
move their thoughts out of their heads
and onto the page.
Bring FreeWriters
to Your Community
FreeWrite sessions can be adapted for:
parent-child workshops
classrooms and advisory periods
educator professional development
teen groups
community conversationsadult reflection circles
Ready to Free Your Mind?
Join a FreeWriters session
and experience what happens
when you stop trying to
figure everything out
and simply begin.
Five minutes. One word.
Clear the noise.
Spread the Love!
If you find value in FreeWriters,
we only ask two things:
**Invite at least one person
you think would benefit.
**Leave a short testimonial
about your experience.
Quick Links
Instagram: @mindful_midlife_crisis
LinkedIn: Billy Lahr
Podcast: The Mindful Midlife Crisis
Join Billy's Newsletter!
May you feel happy, healthy, and loved.
See you soon, friends!