I Used to Have a Plan

Alessandra Olanow built a following on Instagram by sketching the feelings that came with a sudden divorce and a shaken sense of who she was. Her drawings and short observations, first shared to make sense of her own struggle, drew a large audience that grew quickly, and this book carries that voice into print. Here she offers advice, commiseration and gentle humor about sudden upheaval and loss, with new illustrations throughout. The chapters trace a familiar arc: the shock of a change, the self-blame that follows, the slow work of self-forgiveness, and finally the return of a steadier, more hopeful sense of self. It is meant as a companion for anyone in the middle of a hard stretch, offering comfort rather than a rigid program.