What If There Is Nothing To Say?
A note from the trenches of "figuring it all out."
I’ve stared at a blank page for a few days now. The cursor blinking, as if it’s yelling at me to just type something already. I’ve tried all of the prompts I can think of from my friend Ruthie to my “hopefully someday” friend Elizabeth. Each of them falls flat.
I’ve also made up a litany of excuses to not relaunch Unscripted. Here are a few to get us started. It’s too much work (it is a lot of work, but it’s worth it). No one cares about what I have to say (I know you do). My ideas aren’t important (they are, and also, what hypocrite would I be saying that every story matters but my own?).
It all culminated in one question: Do I have something to say?
The reality is this: it’s hard to start something up again. It’s an uphill battle to get the engine running, even if the ignition is your mind and you’ve got a vehicle that knows the route you need to take very well.
I’m glad you’re on this uphill battle with me.
Unscripted was born two years ago to shine a light on the conversations that aren’t neatly tied up into bows. The discussions are equal parts challenging and insightful. The hilarious moments that we find ourselves in, whether it’s when our child mispronounces a word or we can laugh because we can’t find our footing.
What I’ve learned in our little hiatus and shift is that Unscripted’s higher mission is to be a safe place, even when we feel like there’s nothing to contribute to the conversation.
So, even as I stare at this blank page now - two specific chapters to finish up the shitty first draft of my memoir, to be exact - I know that silence won’t be permanent. I just have to come back to my knowing, as Jessi Hempel said in last week’s episode of And More with Amy Kugler. The knowing that comes only when we’re sitting still, closing our eyes, and finally listening to ourselves. Even when the cursor of our unwritten page furiously flashes.
Our challenge today: If we were to sit still, close our eyes, and breathe for just five minutes today, what would we learn about ourselves? What would be the result of us just listening to our own knowing?
A Few Housekeeping Items
Unscripted in its full form is back this coming Saturday. I cannot wait to meet you back here. Monday Night Win(e)d Downs are back next week! They’ll be an every-other-week occurrence in your inbox or the Substack app.
If you’ve migrated over here from Mailchimp, welcome! <Rolls out the red carpet>. You’ll get a special note in the coming weeks about how much I love you.
BEAM Founding Member newsletters start in November. To get in on that action, check out our campaign on IFundWomen or subscribe as a founding member on Substack!
Sponsorships Available: And More with Amy Kugler and Unscripted
As we grow these two offerings, we’re looking for people or brands who want to support our work and expand their own audiences. Are you with a company that wants to offer a fun discount to our listeners or subscribers? Know of someone wanting to align with having conversations that are real, not ones scripted by an influencer? (Yeah, I’m not an influencer.) Let’s chat!