🐘Let's Address The Elephant In The Room. 🐘

From My Heart to Yours: Let's Talk About Life's Twists and Turns

Hey there, my journaling family,

I'm sitting here, trying to find the right words for this, and honestly, it's tough. I've been MIA, and you deserve to know why. It's not been easy deciding how to say this, but here it goes.

I've uprooted my life, you guys. After 29 amazing years in Utah, I packed up and moved to Washington state. And let me tell you, it's been a rollercoaster of emotions. Imagine leaving everything you've known for nearly three decades – it's wild and a bit scary. When we made the decision I felt so prepared and ready for this change but it has been so much harder than I ever anticipated. "What the hell am I doing?" Has crossed my mind more times than I can count.

Washington is beautiful but so different. I've been adjusting to new streets, new faces, and a whole new weather pattern (hello, rain!). Leaving Utah meant leaving memories, friends, and a part of myself behind. But it's also been about discovering new parts of me, parts I didn't know existed. It's been about growth, change, and sometimes, about feeling a little lost in it all. Okay, not a little, very lost.

This move wasn't just a change of scenery; it was stepping into a world unfamiliar and daunting. Alongside this, I embarked on a new career path. These changes, though exciting, have been emotionally challenging and unexpectedly difficult. It also has me questioning myself with this newsletter and my desire to create my own story.

For me it's those quiet moments, late at night or early in the morning that I've been wrestling with some tough questions. "Why would anyone want to hear what I have to say?" "Am I really cut out for this?" "Can I actually make this newsletter a success?" These doubts have been my uninvited guests, lingering in the back of my mind, questioning my every move.

I chose journaling, podcasts, and books for our prompts because they're my jam. I love this stuff – the stories, the learning, the escape. And writing? It's like breathing for me. It is an area of my life that I felt I could provide true value to others and not be a total waste of time in a flooded market. I truly write with the intent to help, I do care about everyone's story and when I post these prompts It is always with you in mind. But here's the deal – I'm not just doing this because I love it. I'm also hoping to turn this passion into a way to provide for my family, to be there for them more, to show my kids that dreams can come true. I am trying to make them proud and leave them with a blueprint for a better life than I had.

But, oh boy, does that dream bring its own set of fears. The worry that I might not be good enough, that I might let you and my family down... It's been a lot.

So, here's my big, heartfelt sorry for the all-over-the-place posting schedule. Life's been throwing me some curveballs, and I've been trying to catch them as best as I can.

But you know what? Despite all this, I'm still here, still standing, and still committed to bringing you the best of what I've got. Your support and patience mean everything to me. You're not just my readers; you're my community, my extended family. To all of the regular readers of this, you all keep me going. In a weird way I feel like I am letting you all down too which is why I wanted to address this.

We're in this together, right? Let's keep learning, exploring, and growing. Your stories, your feedback, they're what keep this newsletter alive. And I promise, I'll be back on track soon, bringing you content that hopefully lights up your day, even if just a little.

Thanks for sticking with me through this wild ride. Here's to more journaling adventures, more stories, and more life lessons – shared together.

Please don't hesitate to reach out with any suggestions, compliment, criticism, anything. I Promise to read it all. ♥️

With all my gratitude,

Austin S