The Blueprint Your first job is taking care of yourself. with JODY LAMB Hi, Reader. I need to ask you something and I want you to answer honestly, just to yourself. When you were a kid, were you the one holding everything together? Reading the room before anyone spoke. Making dinner because no one else was going to. Managing a parent's mood like it was your full-time job at ten years old. Me, too. I've been thinking a lot about the patterns we carry from childhood into adulthood. The ones we...
14 days ago • 3 min read
The Blueprint Your first job is taking care of yourself. with JODY LAMB Reader, have you ever looked up and realized you have no idea who you are outside of someone else’s crisis? That happened to me. I had no time or energy left for anything other than coping with my mom’s drinking. My entire life had quietly organized itself around her problem — one cancelled plan at a time, one sleep-free night of worrying at a time, one “I’m fine” at a time — until I wasn’t fine at all. And I didn’t even...
28 days ago • 2 min read
The Blueprint Your first job is taking care of yourself. with JODY LAMB 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...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Learning From Scratch: Building a healthy, happy life when no one taught you how with JODY LAMB Hi, Reader. It used to happen pretty often. I’d been sitting on my couch. Sun coming through the window. Nothing was wrong. Literally nothing. And my jaw was clenched so tight you’d think I was about to take a hit. Shoulders by my ears. Chest tight. Scanning the room like a secret service agent. If you asked, “Hey, are you okay?” I would have replied, “Yeah, I’m fine.” And I’d mean it. Because I’d...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Learning From Scratch: Building a healthy, happy life when no one taught you how with JODY LAMB Hey, Reader. Can we talk about that critical voice in your head for a second? You know the one. The one that notices every mistake. That replays that awkward thing you said three weeks ago. That tells you everyone else has it together and you're the only one falling apart. Yeah. That one. For years, I thought it was just...me. Like I was wired to be hard on myself and other people got the...
2 months ago • 3 min read
Learning From Scratch: Building a healthy, happy life when no one taught you how with JODY LAMB Hey, Reader. You might notice something different. I renamed this newsletter. It's now called Learning from Scratch because that's what we're doing here. Figuring out how to live well when no one handed us the blueprint. Same me. Same emails. Just a name that fits better. Okay. On to the real stuff. I want to tell you about a trait I didn't realize I had until my 30s. I'm calm in a crisis. Like,...
3 months ago • 1 min read
THE EMPOWERED PATH FOR ADULT CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS with JODY LAMB Dear Reader, This week, I turned 43. My husband, my sister, and her fiancé took me to one of those old-fashioned dinner places. There was an emcee with a microphone. Before the guy could even finish asking, “Is anyone celebrating a birthday?”My tablemates pointed at me and shouted, “She is!” in perfect unison. He was at our table instantly. “What’s your name?”Mic. In my face. No escape. “Jody.” “Everyone meet Jody—turning 21...
4 months ago • 4 min read
THE EMPOWERED PATH FOR ADULT CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS with JODY LAMB Hi, Reader! Quick story before we dive in. Someone in our community sent me a message recently. They said they want closer friendships, but every time someone tries to get close…BOOM. Wall goes up. Heart says no. Nervous system jumps out a window. And I thought:“Oh, yes. The familiar trust issue.” Because guess what? I had barbed wire around me for several years. Years ago, I had a coworker who invited me to hang out THREE...
5 months ago • 3 min read
The Empowered Path for adult children of alcoholics healing & growing with JODY LAMB Hi, Reader! Thanksgiving is next week, which means we’re stepping into the start of the holiday season here in the U.S. And if you grew up with an alcoholic parent or in a chaotic home, this time of year can stir up a lot—pressure, old wounds, emotional landmines, and expectations you never agreed to. If you’re already feeling that, you’re not alone. I’ve lived this, too. The holiday season used to break me...
5 months ago • 4 min read