I enjoyed reading Do the Next New Thing by Pamela Lamp. I found it to be relatable as to when my kids were going off to college, and I thought about what was going to be my next thing. I needed to figure out what to do that would give me a sense of purpose, challenge me to learn new things, and bring joy to my life. I think there are so many people who feel the same way, and may be stuck. This book will help them to see they are not alone, and maybe give them some direction. I was inspired that the author used her situation to challenge herself into learning new things, and meeting new people. She was then able to push herself further to start writing a blog, start a podcast and ultimately fulfilling a desire to write a book. It shows that even starting with something small can lead to an even greater purpose.

I like how this book has the author’s experiences and some helpful tips at each chapter. The book is a short read. Explaining about how life challenges can be.

I wanted to think the publishers and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and do a review.

Have you ever felt like you were missing something in your life? Had a desire to learn new things? Make more friends? This is the book for you. Podcaster and debut author Pam Lamp moved to a new city and, in looking for friends and new experiences, she embarked on a year-long journey of self discovery and fulfillment, trying something each day that she hadn’t before. I found this concept quite compelling.

I don’t often read self-help books, but I found inspiration in these pages. Especially if you are at a new stage of life, middle-age, in particular, and are looking for ideas and activities to mix things up from day to day. She has some great suggestions. Check out her book publishing August 6th!

Special thanks to the author and NetGalley for the advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.25/5 stars

Do the Next Thing was such an engaging and thought-provoking book! It is charming and insightful, a beautiful combination of light on the surface with depth below. Pam Lamp uses her personal journey, told in a disarmingly honest and self-deprecating way, to help readers look at their own lives differently, look clearly at what they might need to conquer, and then take ambitious but achievable steps to become happier and healthier. She helped me see with new eyes that life is a one-way journey and we have to own our own direction - and that's true whether you're in crisis or you just believe that we should never be finished with learning and evolving as humans. We have choices about what we do next, and even the smallest ones contribute to our happiness and fulfillment. The ultimate test? I keep thinking about this book and looking at my path in life differently than I did before I read it. Highly recommend!

I loved this book & the relatable way Pam speaks about her experiences. It has motivated me to change the way I live my life!

In this deceptively short book, Pam challenges us (perhaps especially those in “middle age”) not to lose our zeal, sense of fun and our purpose. She does this by sharing her year of doing new things in a new-to-her city. She fills the book with humor and sage advice. It is a book that is easy to read but one I found myself highlighting and re-reading. This is a book to buy and share joyfully!

Thanks to NetGalley for my advance copy.

“Embrace Uncertainty” is a comforting companion for those at a crossroads in life, offering relatable insights and practical steps to rediscover purpose and passion. Pamela Lamp’s approach is like chatting with a close friend, sharing wisdom gained from her own journey of self-discovery. Through relatable anecdotes and gentle guidance, Lamp encourages readers to take those first, often daunting, steps towards a more fulfilling life. Whether facing retirement, an empty nest, or other life changes, this book provides a reassuring roadmap for embracing uncertainty and finding new beginnings.

Trying one new thing everyday for a year is a bold goal and I enjoyed reading about the experiences of this author. Written in easy to understand, yet interesting language, I enjoyed this book very much.

I love this woman! Pam Lamp has written a delightful and entertaining account of her empty nest journey and mid-life move to a new city. In her friendly, conversational way Pam (a ball of energy and determination) shares a variety of experiences that have brought her exponential personal growth, thanks to her refusal to allow a sense of stagnation or lack of purpose to invade the second half of her life. Smart and refreshingly honest, Pam shares relatable things about herself that many of us deal with and might have been afraid to face -- let alone openly talk about with others. She also shares abundant ideas for changing things up for the better in our lives. Her engaging anecdotes contain a touch of Erma Bombeck humor in just the right places. You’ll be drawn in by Pam’s candor about her struggles, and her contagious enthusiasm will leave you feeling like you’ve made a new friend. Kudos to this talented writer who has managed to radically change her life while offering us her wonderful website and new book, both filled to the brim with all kinds of wisdom and inspiration.
- Lisa Clemenceau, Founder of emptynestnetwork.com, a website providing ideas, inspiration and resources for living well in an empty nest and throughout the second half of life.

Follow author Pam Lamp’s journey of self-discovery and fulfillment in her debut novel. After her children had grown, Pam was faced with leaving the comfort of her friends to start over in a brand-new city. At the same time, like so many of us at this stage in life, she was searching for her own purpose and identity.

Pam’s delightful and unique approach to her path to happiness and fulfillment was to try one new thing a day for a year. I couldn’t put the book down. She took me on her magical ride of discovery and renewed self-confidence. Her simple plan gave her a love for her new city, Nashville. Each “new thing“ was the building block for new friendships, a deepened relationship with her husband and clarity on a new career direction.

I highly recommend reading this motivating and highly entertaining book.

An inspiring, fun and quick read- this is the book you don't know you need- until you read it. A gentle reminder of all the reasons why it is important to try new things, say "yes" and look for ways to enlarge our worlds, regardless of the stage of life we're in. Do the Next New Thing isn't preachy but instead includes practical advice and humorous stories of things that worked (and didn't work) for the author. The book includes a few exercises to motivate and help the reader do their "next new thing". #dothenextnewthing

There is something I started doing yesterday as I was reading this book, and it's listing those little things I did in the day. The coffee and pastry I had, the new dress I wore, the people I spent time with, the decisions I made and suddenly my day was fulfilling and I wanted to do more including the online course I had been procrastinating.
I love that this is a reminder to embrace the tiny steps towards appreciating yourself and life, and I hope it brings joy and clarity to more readers.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.

"Do the Next New Thing" is an absolutely amazing read for really any demographic, but it really spoke to me as a 50+ year old woman. It was motivational and fun at the same time. I love the journaling component in it, as well - very hands on and encourages action steps to be taken by its readers immediately. I will be recommending this book to my community of women and buying copies for my grown children. It's never too soon to do the next new thing and reading about Pamela's adventures on this journey made it real and transferable into my own life.