You don’t owe your list an apology. You owe them your truth.

Let’s start with a gentle truth:

If you haven’t emailed your list in weeks, months, or (deep breath) all year...

You are not a failure. You’re human.

Maybe life got lifey. Maybe your last launch wiped you out. Maybe you just... didn’t know what to say.

And now you’re staring at your subscriber list like an ex you ghosted.

Do I say sorry? Do I explain everything? Do I pretend nothing happened?

Here’s the answer:

No apology tour. No over-explaining.

Just an honest hello.

Lena (you know her by now) once went 92 days without sending a single email.

Not because she was lazy. Or flaky. Or not committed.

But because:

·       She felt disconnected from her own voice

·       She was burnt out from a failed launch

·       She didn’t want to send "just another newsletter"

So she stayed quiet.

And the longer she stayed quiet, the louder the guilt got.

She drafted 6 re-entry emails. She deleted all 6.

Until one night, she opened a blank doc and wrote:

"Hey. It’s been a minute. I could give you a list of reasons why I went quiet, but I’ll skip the monologue and just say this: I’m back. And I want to make this space feel more like a creative studio than a sales floor. If you’re into that, stay. If not, no hard feelings."

She hit send.

And guess what happened?

People replied. They said:

·       "So glad you’re back."

·       "I’ve been there."

·       "This was the only email I actually opened this week."

That’s the magic of honesty over apology.

When you lead with guilt, your subscribers feel it.

"Sorry I haven’t emailed in a while..." "I’ve been the worst at showing up..." "You probably forgot who I am..."

That energy? It makes people uncomfortable. Or worse—it makes them tune out.

Because your list doesn’t want shame. They want substance. They want you.

Here’s what to do instead:

Staying behind on tech trends can be a career killer.

But let’s face it, no one has hours to spare every week trying to stay updated.

That’s why over 100,000 engineers at companies like Google, Meta, and Apple read The Code twice a week.

Here’s why it works:

Join 100,000+ engineers who read The Code to stay ahead of the curve.

You don’t need to recap everything. Just be present.

Example:

"Hey friend. It’s been a minute. I’m popping in today with a simple idea that’s been on my mind..."

Or:

"I haven’t sent an email in a while, but I woke up with this thought and had to share it."

Clean. Honest. Human.

Even if you’re just sharing a thought or a meme that made you laugh—make it worth their click.

Example:

"Here are 3 things that re-lit my creative fire this month..."

Or:

"This lesson hit me like cold brew on a Monday. Thought you’d appreciate it too."

You’re not making up for the silence. You’re creating connection in this moment.

It’s not needy to say, "I want to be in your inbox." It’s clarifying.

Example:

"If you’re still down for soulful strategy and cozy, non-sleazy emails—I’m glad you’re here."

Or, if you’re ready to re-engage hard:

"Next week I’m sending a mini series called [topic]. If you want in, keep your eyes out."

No begging. Just belonging.

Let me be your Eli for a sec:

You haven’t lost your touch. Your voice didn’t get rusty. You just needed space.

Now, you get to choose how to return. And your return doesn’t have to be loud. It just has to be real.

If you need a one-liner to break the silence, try one of these:

"This one thought won’t leave me alone." "I missed this space." "Let’s make this feel like a conversation again."

Then share one thing that made you think, laugh, or reflect.

It’s enough. You are enough. And your people? They’re waiting.

You don’t rebuild connection with the perfect sequence. You rebuild it by showing up. With honesty. With heart. With your inbox open, not perfect.

"Guilt writes apologies. Clarity writes invitations."

·       📢 Reply and tell me: What’s holding you back from emailing your list?

·       🔖 Bookmark this issue for the next time you feel stuck

·       🔹 Share this with your biz bestie who needs to send that email

Tomorrow: I’ll walk you through the exact re-entry email template Lena used (with examples).

You in? 💜

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