How to want more without feeling guilty for new moms: honest answers for Hicksville

Hicksville, NY · a reader's page

The people of Hicksville aren't ungrateful. They're busy, settled, and quietly aware that 'fine' has somehow become the ceiling. This is about what comes after that awareness.

And this is Hicksville: an established Nassau County-area community where the houses are cared for, the calendars are full, and the question 'is this all?' shows up right on schedule Which is why the smallest next step beats the biggest someday.

🎧 A note for Hicksville readers (hear it)

“Ambition is not ingratitude.” — There Is a Fine Line Between Gratefulness and Complacency

The quiet signals you'd only admit here

You laugh when people call you 'settled' — not because it's wrong, but because it's accurate.
You defend your routine passionately when anyone suggests changing theirs.
Your to-do list is full of upkeep and empty of ambition — and you know the difference.

Ask the person who knew you at 22

Text an old friend one question: 'What did I used to say I wanted? Be honest.'
Read the answer twice in Hicksville. Once for nostalgia, once for instructions.

Gratitude looks backward with warmth. Growth looks forward with nerve. A full life uses both sets of eyes.

How book clubs use it

Book clubs keep reporting the same thing — the discussion questions in the back start arguments in the best way, and someone always confesses they've felt 'grateful and stuck' for years.

Common questions from Hicksville

Do I need to be unhappy to get something from it? No — it's written for people who like their lives and suspect there's more. Gratitude is the starting point, not the problem.

What if I'm not a big reader? The chapters are short, the voice is conversational, and the paperback is Prime-shippable for a reason — it's a book people actually finish.

One chapter tonight, one change this week

Start free on Kindle Unlimited, or own the Kindle edition for $0.99 — the paperback ($14.99, Prime) is the one people pass to a friend.

There Is a Fine Line Between Gratefulness and Complacency — book cover Kindle — $0.99 Paperback — $14.99

Free on Kindle Unlimited · paperback ships with Prime · Book-club questions live on the main site.