Hey, Reader.

Years ago, someone asked me what I do for fun.

You know what's embarrassing? I didn't have an answer. Not a real one. Not one that wasn't secretly about being productive.

Because when you grow up spending all your energy just surviving — managing the chaos, holding everything together, making sure nobody falls apart — you kind of forget about the fun part. There's just no time, energy, or space for it.

And then one day somebody asks you what your hobbies are and you're standing there like...😐

I made a video about this. About why so many of us who grew up in difficult homes genuinely don't know what we enjoy and what to do about it.

In it, I share the 5 steps that helped me go from "I have no hobbies" to actually having things in my life that bring me joy. Including the story of how finding my childhood journals led to a creative writing class, which led to a book, which led to volunteering with kids at a treatment center, which led to...well, I'll let you watch:​

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Fair warning: step 4 is the one that changed everything for me. Stick around for that one.

And if the video resonates, I made a free companion guide called the Hobby Exploration Starter Kit. It has 30 low-stakes hobby ideas organized by energy level (because some days the couch is as far as you're going, and that's fine), a printable permission slip, and 5 reflection prompts to reconnect with what you actually loved as a kid.

👉 Download the free Hobby Exploration Starter Kit​

Here's the thing I want you to take away from all of this:

Play is not a luxury. For people like us, choosing to do something just because it's fun — with no purpose, no productivity, no audience — is one of the most radical things you can do. It's how you take back the parts of your life that got buried under survival mode.

So, what did seven-year-old you love, Reader? Hit reply and tell me. I read every single one.

Talk soon, Jody

P.S. If you know someone who'd stare blankly at the question "what do you do for fun?" — forward this to them. They need it.

Quick note: You might notice things look a little different today. The newsletter has a new name: The Blueprint. Same me, same emails, same honest stories and practical stuff. Just a name that better fits what we're building here: the guidebook you never got.

👋 P.S. If you’re new here… You're getting this email because you grew up being the responsible one and you're learning that your first job is actually taking care of yourself. I'm Jody Lamb. I'm an author and memoirist who had to figure all of this out from scratch. I've been writing and making videos about it since 2009. Every email is a mix of honest stories, practical stuff, and the kind of permission I wish someone had given me years ago. My memoir, My Job is Me, comes out September 2026. I'm really glad you're here. 📖 Grab the free Blueprint: jodylamb.com/guide​ 🎥 Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/jodylamb 🌐 Visit: www.jodylamb.com​