Twelve Years and a New Horizon: Jodi Ettenberg Pivots Legal Nomads Amidst Health Challenges and Global Uncertainty

April 1, 2020, marked a significant, albeit understated, anniversary for Jodi Ettenberg: twelve years since she left a career in law to embark on a global journey of exploration and storytelling. While typically a time for reflection and community celebration, this year’s milestone was overshadowed by the unfolding global pandemic and Ettenberg’s ongoing health struggles, prompting a re-evaluation of her popular travel and food blog, Legal Nomads, and a strategic pivot towards new avenues of content creation and community support.

Ettenberg, known for her immersive narratives on food and travel, traditionally commemorated this anniversary with an annual review, often punctuated by gatherings with friends in various international locales. Past celebrations included communal meals of bun cha and rice vodka in Saigon, and mezcal and quesadillas in Oaxaca, reflecting the vibrant culinary experiences that defined her early years as a digital nomad. However, this year’s April 1st found her on a transcontinental journey back to Montreal from Florida, navigating the complexities of safe travel during a pandemic while managing a persistent spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. The usual festive atmosphere was replaced by the sobering realities of a world in lockdown and personal health concerns.

This period of introspection, coinciding with her 41st birthday, has spurred Ettenberg to "kill her darlings," a metaphor for shedding beloved but no longer viable projects to make way for new growth. Her own physical limitations, stemming from the ongoing CSF leak, have significantly impacted her ability to engage in the intensive typing and long hours previously required for her extensive written content. While the creative impulse to write remains strong, the physical toll has necessitated a shift in her approach.

"I love writing, and my mind misses writing," Ettenberg stated in her reflection. "Writing this post in morning increments felt like coming home. My body, though, it doesn’t so much like me writing. My leak symptoms worsen when I do and while I have tried creative solutions like voice to text or transcription, they don’t scratch the writing itch. I love the typing itself, the act of words falling out of my brain and rearranging themselves into prose."

A Strategic Pivot: Reimagining Legal Nomads

The evolving circumstances have led Ettenberg to re-evaluate the core identity of Legal Nomads. The vibrant, globe-trotting persona previously projected on the website no longer fully aligns with her current reality. This dissonance has prompted a strategic restructuring of her online presence and content offerings, focusing on her enduring passion for storytelling and community engagement, albeit through new mediums.

"Killing My Darlings": Divesting from Unfeasible Projects

Ettenberg’s decision to "kill her darlings" translates into a strategic divestment from projects that, while once conceived with enthusiasm, are now impractical due to her health. Two such initiatives include a half-finished writing course workbook and a comprehensive outline for a product aimed at lawyers seeking career transitions. Recognizing the continued reader interest in these areas, Ettenberg has opted to partner with trusted individuals who can bring these concepts to fruition.

Revitalizing Storytelling Education: Partnerships for Growth

The planned "How to Tell Better Stories in a Digital World" course, a project with significant reader interest and many pre-registrations, is one such initiative. While Ettenberg’s health has made it challenging to personally deliver the course without compromising her limited "uptime," she has forged partnerships to ensure her audience can still access high-quality storytelling education.

• Storytelling Course with Lola Akinmade Åkerström: For those seeking a comprehensive approach to crafting and sharing impactful narratives, Ettenberg has endorsed Lola Akinmade Åkerström’s self-paced storytelling course. This program delves into the nuances of creating empathy, fostering connection, and responsibly telling others’ stories. It features lectures, video modules, case studies, and practical examples. Legal Nomads readers are offered a $50 discount upon mentioning their referral source.

• Blogging Course with Mike Sowden: Catering to individuals focused on the blogging sphere or those with budget constraints, Mike Sowden’s "Engage! A Storytelling Course for Bloggers" is presented as an accessible alternative. This 8-week self-paced course includes email and audio lessons, PDF guides, and one-on-one support, with a particular emphasis on practical editing techniques. A $15 discount is available for Legal Nomads readers using the code "donkeyballs2020." Mike Sowden has also been instrumental in editing many of Ettenberg’s posts.

Empowering Legal Professionals: Career Transition Support

Ettenberg’s "Thrillable Hours" series, which aimed to inspire lawyers to explore alternative career paths, is another area where she is now collaborating with external experts. While a personal course for lawyers was a planned initiative, Ettenberg has partnered with Casey Berman and Adam Ouellette, who offer "Leave Law Behind," a program designed to guide legal professionals through career changes. This program addresses the psychological barriers, self-sabotage, interview preparation, resume building, and career exploration crucial for a successful transition. Ettenberg intends to facilitate a video interview with Berman and Ouellette for her readers.

The "Ask a Jodi" Podcast: A New Voice for Connection

The concept for "Ask a Jodi," a platform for answering reader questions about life, resilience, grief, and hope, initially envisioned as video content, was shelved due to the physical demands of filming and a past incident that aggravated Ettenberg’s CSF leak. Recognizing the need for an accessible content format, she is now developing a short-form podcast (10-15 minutes per episode) as a primary avenue for engaging with her audience. This shift acknowledges the reality that her health necessitates prioritizing formats that are less physically taxing.

The development of the podcast is expected to take time, as Ettenberg has learned that all endeavors require extended timelines when managing chronic illness. Readers with questions for the podcast are invited to submit them through a dedicated Google Form.

Redesigning Legal Nomads: A Fresh Identity

The Legal Nomads website, which has undergone several redesigns since its inception in 2008, is set for a significant overhaul. The new design aims to streamline existing content categories into a more manageable structure and prominently feature the new courses and resources. Visually, the site will be updated with brighter colors and revised imagery to reflect Ettenberg’s personal evolution.

Crucially, Ettenberg will be updating the site’s slogan from "Telling Stories Through Food" to "Curious About Everything." This change signifies a broader scope that encompasses her present interests and acknowledges her long-standing inquisitiveness.

Enhancing Accessibility and Community Engagement

As part of the redesign, Ettenberg plans to implement audio recordings for select blog posts, particularly those addressing meditation and her journey with the CSF leak. This initiative is driven by requests from readers with similar health conditions or chronic illnesses who find reading challenging. The audio recordings will serve as a stepping stone towards the podcast, allowing Ettenberg to become more comfortable with audio production while simultaneously improving content accessibility.

The "Links I Loved" newsletter, previously paused due to Ettenberg’s fluctuating health, is also being relaunched. This newsletter will feature curated links, general updates on her work, and insights into podcast planning. Interested readers can sign up for the newsletter via a dedicated link.

Supporting the Legal Nomads Community

Ettenberg consistently receives inquiries from her community about how they can offer support. She expresses profound gratitude for her dedicated and caring readership, acknowledging their continued concern, especially during these "bewildering times."

• Amazon Gift Cards: The most straightforward method of support remains Amazon gift cards, directed to jodi-at-legalnomads.com. These are invaluable for sourcing specialized items not readily available in local grocery stores, particularly relevant during the pandemic when external assistance for grocery runs has been essential.

• Patreon: Ettenberg’s Patreon page, established at the request of her community, offers a platform for more intimate engagement and ongoing support.

  

Looking ahead, Ettenberg encourages her community to support the upcoming podcast and to share her work if it resonates with them. She emphasizes that the most critical support she receives day-to-day comes from her family, neighbors, and friends, who provide practical assistance and companionship, especially during the ongoing pandemic.

Reflecting on her journey, Ettenberg references her friend Cheryl’s life mantra: LSAT – Love, Surrender, Acceptance, and Trust. While acknowledging the difficulty in embodying these principles compared to fear and anger, Ettenberg finds solace and a guiding principle in them. She posits that choosing surrender over resistance is key to navigating challenges, a philosophy that underpins her approach to managing her health and evolving her professional endeavors. The post concludes with a note on the simple pleasures that sustain her, including a shared appreciation for soup, a reminder of the grounding elements that continue to bring joy amidst life’s complexities.