Knock, knock

(please consider this message the virtual equivalent of me showing up at your door with a basket of homemade muffins)

It’s been quite some time since I’ve popped into your inbox.

Hi, friend! Thanks for letting me back in.

If you need a quick refresher on who I am and why you’re receiving this newsletter,

I’m Amanda Stern. Five years ago, I made it my goal to figure out LinkedIn. And I somehow fell into talking about journaling.

I’ve been a journaler since I was an angsty teenager, and it’s helped me in so many ways throughout my life that I made it my mission to help others capture the magic of journaling in their own lives.

My daily activity on LinkedIn bloomed into this newsletter, blossomed into running all kinds of journaling groups and leading workshops to groups and individuals.

Though I have no way of knowing how many people I’ve really impacted, I am still feeling the ripples -

The messages I get from friends and connections, telling me they’ve been journaling, the DMs I get from strangers, telling me their friends have shared wisdom and advice that I’ve given them.

It’s powerful stuff.

No one was more surprised than I was earlier this year when I felt called to pause.

To suspend my journaling group, cancel a program I had been crafting for years, to go inward for a little while, and get ready to change direction.

What does that mean?
And how do I give up something I’ve worked so hard to build?
What does that say about me?

For the last six months I’ve been sitting in the discomfort of these questions, learning to be comfortable with the discomfort.

For the last five months, I’ve been juggling four part-time gigs:

• Working the reference desk at a local library

• Doing fundraising and development for a nonprofit

• Hosting events at a large outdoor public event venue

• Working at a wellness center

Though I’ve been working more hours than I had ever planned each week, I’m learning so much about who I am, how I want to show up in the world, where I am needed.

It feels like journaling in action.

(And, yes, my journal is getting plenty of action!)

It’s interesting how we have to step away from something -

Sometimes to better appreciate it
Sometimes to figure out how to build on it
Sometimes to figure out how to let it go

I don’t have any good answers yet, though I know they’re on their way. I just have to keep waiting. And working. And showing up.

If you are in the waiting place, you’re not alone.
*waves arms*

I see you.
I see you try.
I see you work.
I see you show up.

I am so proud of you. 💛

If you need a place to work through all you’re thinking and feeling,
To help you figure out your direction,

I encourage you to turn to your journal.

If you don’t have a journaling habit, or it’s gotten a little stale or rusty, I’m here to help.

• If it’s a matter of not knowing what to write about, my paid Substack newsletter offers you a daily journal prompt, carefully curated to help you go within and get to know yourself a little better each day.

(When you subscribe, you’ll also get access to the entire archive of journal prompts!)

• If you want someone to hold your hand as you figure out which ways of journaling are best for you, I do have some limited availability for consults and 1:1 work. Email me to get the conversation started.

And I’m thinking journaling groups and workshops will be making a comeback in Q4! Stay tuned to learn more.

Now, enough about me. How are you? What have you been up to since we chatted last? What’s been bringing you joy? Where are you finding beauty? I want to hear all about it! 💛