The New Bittersweet Journal: my gift with an annual membership

Whatever pain you can't get rid of...make it your creative offering.

Art by David Hockney

If you react intensely to music, nature, art and beauty-

If you’ve ever wondered why you like minor-key music -

If you find comfort or inspiration in a rainy day -

Then you’re probably a “Bittersweet”.

Bittersweetness is a tendency to states of long­ing, poignancy, and sorrow; an acute aware­ness of passing time; and a curiously piercing joy at the beauty of the world.

And embracing it is the true path to creativity, connection, and transcendence.

As I wrote in my book, BITTERSWEET: whatever pain you can’t get rid of - make it your creative offering.

If this sounds like you, you might like to know about my new, year-long Bittersweet Journal! It contains 52 practices and reflections— one for each week of the year.

It’s designed to help you transcend pain (whether from a death, a breakup, or other trials of living) …while tapping into the astonishing beauty that’s all around you.

You can start working with the journal at any time - it doesn’t have to be on Jan 1.

Here’s an example of a page from the journal:

The journal costs $34.99 if you buy it on its own, but I’d like to give the journal as a gift to anyone who subscribes/upgrades to a new ANNUALQuiet Life membership, or who renews an existing annual membership during the December 2025 - December 2026 years. (Note: shipping not included; also, this offer applies only to annual, not monthly, subscribers.)

This annual membership, of course, also includes access to all past and present Kindred Letters and Candlelight Chats, including these favorites:

*What to Do When You Need a Mother

*We are the Introverts

*Our Candlelight Chat with World-Renowned Meditation Teacher, Sharon Salzberg

So, if you’ve been thinking about subscribing for, or upgrading to, an annual membership, for yourself, or as a holiday gift for a loved one, this would be a good time.

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Here’s how to receive your gift of the BITTERSWEET Journal:

If you’re currently a free subscriber: Click on the button below to subscribe for an annual membership. Then, just send an email to us, at hello@thequietlife.net, letting us know the email address you used to sign up - and we’ll send you a promo code for your free copy of the journal (shipping costs not included).

If you’re currently a monthly subscriber: You’ll need to upgrade to an annual membership. To do this, just go to your account settings and click the “Change” button. As soon as you’ve upgraded, please send an email to us, at hello@thequietlife.net, letting us know the email address you used to sign up - and we’ll send you a promo code for your free copy of the journal (shipping costs not included).

If you’re purchasing an annual Quiet Life membership as a holiday gift, and want to receive a free copy of the BITTERSWEET journal: Click on the button below to purchase your gift subscription. Once you’ve completed the purchase, just forward your receipt via email to hello@thequietlife.net, letting us know the email address you used to sign up for the gift membership - and we’ll send you a promo code for your free copy of the journal (shipping costs not included).

If you want the BITTERSWEET journal, or the QUIET LIFE journal, or both, but you don’t want to purchase the Quiet Life annual membership (or if you already have an annual membership and don’t want to wait for it to renew to get your journal): you can purchase as many copies of either or both journals as you’d like. To order either or both journals, without purchasing an annual Quiet Life membership, just use these pre-order buttons. (I partnered with my friend Gretchen Rubin to create the journals, so these buttons will take you to her Happiness Project site):

If you already have an annual membership and would like to receive your free copy of the BITTERSWEET (or Quiet Life) journal: whenever your membership comes up for renewal, whether during 2025 or 2026, just shoot us an email after you’ve renewed, and we’ll send the promo code to you then. At that time, you can claim your free copy of the BITTERSWEET or Quiet Life journal — it will be your preference as to which. (Shipping costs not included). Don’t worry - we’ll remind you of this option a few days before your subscription comes up for renewal. (I wish we could send you the free copy right now, but unfortunately certain Substack features make this tricky.)

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Note: If you want the BITTERSWEET and Quiet Life journals as a holiday gift: they’re both ready for shipping and will arrive in time for Christmas, in the U.S., if you order before December 14! And they’re available all over the world, except for the following countries; shipping costs vary depending on your location.

Afghanistan, Åland Islands, Ascension Island, Belarus, Bhutan, British Indian Ocean Territory, Central African Republic, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Congo - Brazzaville, Congo - Kinshasa, Côte d’Ivoire, Eritrea, French Southern Territories, Iraq, Isle of Man, Kosovo, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Myanmar (Burma), Niger, Norfolk Island, Palestinian Territories, Pitcairn Islands, Russia, Saint Martin, Somalia, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, South Sudan, St. Helena, St. Pierre & Miquelon, Sudan, Svalbard & Jan Mayen, Tajikistan, Tokelau, Tristan da Cunha, Turkey, Turkmenistan, U.S. Outlying Islands, Ukraine, Vatican City, Venezuela, Wallis & Futuna, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zimbabwe, North Korea

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I hope you’ll love the BITTERSWEET Journal, as much as I loved creating it for you,

xo Susan

P.S. Questions? Just email us at hello@thequietlife.net!