Where do we go from here?

A new direction for this newsletter. But also, not really.

Hi, hello! After a very long hiatus and way too much thinking and overthinking and rethinking, I’m changing things up here a wee bit.

I started this Substack without much direction or focus. I just knew I needed an outlet for writing all the thoughts taking up space in my crowded brain.

But having too much freedom can be overwhelming, and in my case, cause decision paralysis. I had so many things I wanted to write about, but without a common thread, it was hard for me to pick a topic or idea. So instead, I often picked nothing, closed my laptop, and went to bed.

Lately, though, I have that itch again. I spend a ton of time reading other Substacks (if you don’t have the app yet, I highly recommend getting it), and I want to jump back in and join the party. I write every day for work, and I love it. But it’s not the same as writing in my own voice, about what’s on my mind.

So where do we go from here?

I looked back at some of my most popular posts to see what resonated with readers. I also thought about the discussions I’m having with friends or on social media. I paid attention to the articles I’m drawn to and the newsletters I subscribe to.

I noticed many common themes—the main (broad) ones being: parenting; identity; creativity; mental health; aging.

The parenting umbrella stood out, because I’ve thought about it many times, but I never wanted to define myself as a “parenting writer” or define this newsletter as one “for parents.” It felt a bit obvious and uninspiring—the parenting space is very oversaturated. I also didn’t want to alienate non-parents from reading.

But then! THEN…

I thought some more.

Sure, there are tons of people writing about parenting. But they’re not me, and I’m not them. And I’m sure non-parents still read stuff written by parents. Most people read my cancer-themed writing even though they didn’t have cancer. After all, we like learning about lives and experiences that are different from our own.

Ok, cool! Parenting! Now I was really onto something.

But I don’t want to write about my kids. Not in a traditional mommy blogger sense of revealing the intimate details of our lives. But without that, what is there to talk about?

Everything.

There is so much about parenting and mothering that I want to talk about. To the point that I have tons of notes on my phone with ideas upon ideas. (Please don’t steal my phone and my thoughts, I realize it’s not a great system, but it’s what I’ve got.)

I’m not so interested in the “Here’s how I got my kid to sleep through the night!” realm of parenting writing. I’m all for other people sharing those kinds of hacks and insider tips. It’s just not my jam.

What is my jam is unearthing the stuff that’s on most of our minds, the stuff that makes us feel connected during what otherwise can feel like a painfully isolating journey.

So this is what I’ve landed on: Thank You For Sharing is a newsletter that explores the intermingling of parenthood + self-discovery. Voila!

I’m still interested in tackling subjects like writing, getting older, feminism, anxiety, the meaning of life, and all that good stuff. But I’m going to focus more on viewing all those things through the lens of motherhood.

So kind of the same, but more purposeful.

I have a lot to say—I hope you’ll come along with me to see how this all plays out.

---

Things I’m enjoying right now 😍

• Sara Petersen
  on not finding beauty in everything

• Evil Witches Newsletter
  on making friends as an adult

• Emily McDowell
  on going viral and burning out

• Melinda Wenner Moyer
  on why we shouldn’t sacrifice our needs for our kids

• Cindy DiTiberio
  asks if motherhood is bad for marriage

• Anne Helen Petersen
  on longing for less choices

• Joanna Schroeder
  on supporting boys’ emotional well-being

• The Scamanda podcast about cancer scammer Amanda Riley (Note: I did actually have cancer, in case you’re now wondering)

• The NY Times on social media replacing women’s magazines

• You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah on Netflix

• The Shift podcast with

  sam baker
  on being a woman post-40

• Season 2 of The Summer I Turned Pretty on Prime

• The Retrievals podcast about the shocking events at a Yale fertility clinic

  This newsletter is currently free to read, but you can still support me by:

  • Subscribing if you haven’t yet

  • Sharing this with a friend or posting on social media

  • Hiring me when you need a freelance writer

  • Leaving me a (kind) comment