Ali McDowall

Ali McDowall lives in Bath with her husband and two children. She is a designer, life coach, and creative mentor, best known as the co-creator, co-author, and illustrator of The Positive Planner range. What began as a single self-care journal has grown into a collection of four published titles; The Positive Planner, The Positive Wellness Journal, The Positive Student Planner, and The Positive Doodle Diary, with a fifth edition due to launch in 2026. A graduate of Central Saint Martins in Design for Performance, Ali began her career in the theatre, working across a range of creative disciplines before moving into entrepreneurship.

After becoming a mother in 2013 and navigating her own mental health challenges, she was inspired to combine her creative background with a new focus on wellbeing. This led to the founding of The Positive Planner and, later, training as a life coach, paving the way for her to support others on their own journeys of reflection and growth. Today, Ali works with individuals and groups through 1:1 coaching and mentoring, Vision Board workshops, creative wellbeing sessions, and community events. Her practice is rooted in fostering open, honest conversations about the challenges and rewards of being a founder and a creative. Ali continues to champion the power of creativity, connection, and self-care as tools for navigating modern life.