Did I Just Find My Next Book Idea?

Do you guys remember the documentary Super Size Me? The one where the guy ate McDonald’s for 30 days to see how it would affect his health?

Personal experiments like this are always super fascinating to me! It’s probably why I absolutely loved the books The Year of Less by Cait Flanders, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, and Seven (or Simple & Free) by Jen Hatmaker. Each one of these authors created an experiment in life to better understand themselves and the world we live in, which strikes me as a super fun challenge.

When talking with my literary agent about different books I can see myself writing in the future, I told her I’ve always wanted to do a personal experiment book that forces me onto a journey…the problem is, I haven’t been able to think of a premise!

Until now.

Hear me out. Maybe this is a bad idea to put it into the universe before actually committing to do it, but during my first week here in Finland, I found out that getting mail is going to be a major challenge.

I know this sounds dramatic, but I’m actually not at liberty to say anything more than that. Just know that we aren’t allowed to get mail from the U.S. sent directly to our home. We’ll have to drive three hours to receive anything…from Amazon orders to Christmas cards. And it could take anywhere from 2 weeks to a few months to get things.

So I started thinking…what if I wrote a book about going a full year without ordering anything online?

The first thought from my inner critic is that this is a ridiculously lame idea because all humans went a full year without ordering anything online until like, 10 years ago. Maybe even more recently—some people became exclusive online shoppers as a result of the pandemic. So only 6 years ago.

Plus, there are plenty of cultures around the world where people still primarily shop in person.

But then I stopped policing myself and realized that a personal experimental memoir has nothing to do with other people. It’s about my own journey to flip a part of my life on its head, and it would be a pretty huge change to not order anything online.

Now, this story wouldn’t be as extreme as some people prefer. Readers like giant transformations, but that would require me to start as a total overconsumer…which I’m not. But I remember Gretchen Rubin facing this dilemma as she began her happiness project, too. She was a wealthy, privileged white woman with no mental health struggles, a supportive marriage, and all the reasons in the world to be happy. Why in the world should she write a book about changing her life to become happier?

But lo and behold, The Happiness Project resonated with millions of readers.

Beyond the consideration of this experiment as a public project, I’m also just genuinely excited about this idea for my own growth. Yes, I’m more compelled to do it because I’m a writer, but I’d also like to see what life is like in 2026 without ordering anything online.

What if there’s not a Halloween costume shop in Rauma, Finland? Will I have to get more creative for my kids? What if my kids need snow gear…will I have to drive far to find a store? What if I want to order some new beach towels, or I need a new dog leash? Are there items I’ll just go without? Borrow? How will this affect my patience, my resilience, my planning, my relationships?

It’s particularly interesting because I’ll need to learn about how shopping works in Finland, and what’s available near me in our tiny coastal town…certainly there’s not a Target or Walmart in sight. I imagine the thread of being an American in a small Finnish town will run through the entire project.

Why am I telling you all this?

Well, I don’t think I’m the only one who tries to talk herself out of creative ideas because they’re not “perfect.” Maybe hearing about my half-baked idea will remind you that it’s okay to chase your own…or at least give it a little more thought to turn into something great.

I wonder how many interesting discoveries and helpful insights are lost because we’re too afraid that our ideas are lame. Sure, on the surface, “no online shopping for a year” is a bit boring…but when you peel back the layers, there’s so much to learn! So many opportunities to grow and meet people and see the world in a new light.

The lessons we learn from life are rarely the ones we expect to learn. If we try and predict exactly where our ideas will take us (or won’t), we’re not letting life shape us and reveal itself to us in extraordinary ways. We’re closing the door on alternate paths, serendipitous encounters, and personal revelations.

So whatever it is that you’re curious to pursue…why not? Why not go for it and see what happens?