In this special Thanksgiving-week solo episode, Amanda invites listeners into a more intimate corner of her story. She reads from her book Improvising Adulthood: What I Wish Someone Had Told Me and shares the origin story that shaped who she is, how she thinks, and why Mighty Forces exists at all. Through scenes from her college years—loneliness, questioning, creative sparks, depression, and ultimately a reclamation of agency—Amanda reflects on what it means to veer off script, listen to your inner “yes,” and carve a life that feels true. She also closes with reflective prompts to help listeners connect to their own internal signals of belonging, misalignment, and possibility. It’s warm, vulnerable, funny, and full of the signature mix of depth and silliness that draws the Mighty Forces community together.

Topics:

• Amanda’s unexpectedly rough transition from high school to college
• Feeling like an outsider at Penn and the loneliness of not finding her people
• The long-distance relationship that made sense to her (but maybe not to everyone else)
• How switching to an English major unlocked joy, creativity, and self-trust
• The plays she wrote that helped her find her voice (and fun!) again
• The independent study that planted lifelong themes: intentionality, agency, and service
• Being honored for doing things her own way and what that taught her
• Why following your inner “yes” is messy, meaningful, and freeing

Resources Mentioned:

• Buy my book, Improvising Adulthood
• Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Resources:

• Mighty Forces
• Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn
• Follow Amanda on Instagram

Mighty Forces is produced by Amanda Hirsch and Heart Centered Podcasting. The music of Mighty Forces was written and performed by Jordan Hirsch, aka my wonderful husband.