For just a quick moment I want you to imagine me walking up to a lone microphone standing on an empty stage. It’s lit by a spotlight and everything else is dark. The stage. The audience. Darkness. Then I emerge and walk up to the microphone. I even tap it a couple times for comedic effect and somewhere a sound guy is cringing because: don’t tap the mic.

“Is this thing on?” I ask, a stupid joke but we all laugh.

We’re having fun.

All of that is how it feels to be returning to this blog right now. What started off as a small break to work on my book turned into three years of silence that was wildly unintentional but happened. It happens. I’m just as human as anyone reading this.

Actually it was a fun spiral that I’m sure we’re all used to in some fashion. I took a break to write a book and had fallen out of the habit of sitting down and writing posts for this blog in particular. Every once and a while I would think to myself “I should really write a blog post!” And then I wouldn’t. And then I’d get stressed about it and swear I was going to do it but it had been so long I just didn’t do it.

Now just imagine that for the past couple years. Then, just for fun, insert a global pandemic that shuts everything down, including me. It’s been over a year since I last stood in front of an audience and I really miss it!

I, honestly, reached a massive burn out point that I never saw coming. I was spending a lot of time on the road doing what I love: speaking to all of you! The downside was that I was spending a lot of time away from home and the constant travel was taking a toll on me and it became hard to worry about the little things that started to fall through the cracks.

Now, you’d think that slowing down like that would have given me plenty of time to catch up on all the things I have been putting off. I thought so too! I was so ready to become one of those awesome people who got locked down and instantly became amazing with exercising and creative projects and making sourdough bread (does anyone know why that was a thing?). Instead, life had other plans for me and life on my end got a little crazy and weird and wildly unpredictable.

2020 was full of a lot of stress, heartbreak and loss. This past year left me feeling frustrated with so much and I just didn’t have the energy to be an awesome person, I barely had the energy to be me. I know so many people have felt the same. Soon the year turned into one of reflection and learning for me. Sitting down and shutting up and listening instead of adding more noise to the fray.

A small part of me wanted to believe that come the new year a switch would be flipped and suddenly things would be looking up in the world but that was something I knew wasn’t going to happen. I’ve far more realistic than that. So I’ve been sitting here on the sidelines watching the world start to come back together piece by piece. I’ve been excited to be receiving speaking inquiries again and I look forward to the day I’m able to get back out on the road and see everyone again.

I’m looking forward to laughing with ya’ll again.

So while this isn’t a very educational post, I wanted to hop on and let everyone know that I’m still here. Hopefully getting the little notification of a new post brings something of a smile to your face. Or you rush to smash that unsubscribe button. I promise there’s no hard feelings there!

My goal is to get back to at least  bi-weekly posting if not weekly. I have a lot of catching up of my own to be doing on top of working on some all new projects that I’m really excited about and I hope you will be as well!

For now I’ll mention that my book “Cyberbullying: Perpetrators, Bystanders and Victims” is now available in its Second Edition! It was the one majorly productive thing I managed to do last year! You can find it on Amazon by clicking here or wherever you like to buy books!

Additionally, my memoir “You’re Doing It Wrong” is also available for your reading pleasure. I share my own personal stories from growing up and the lessons learned along the way through good times and bad. It was a labor of love that took me ten years to write and I’m super proud of it so I hope you enjoy. It’s also available on Amazon by clicking here!

For now, friends, be well and I look forward to entertaining and educating you again very soon!

Josh Gunderson is an award-winning Bullying Prevention and Social Media Specialist. Josh has appeared on MTV, Comedy Central and National Geographic. For more information about Josh and his educational programs please visit www.HaveYouMetJosh.com

You can purchase Josh’s book “Cyberbullying: Perpetrators, Bystanders & Victims” on Amazon! Available in paperback or for Kindle.