Isn’t it true that when you go out on a first date—or at the beginning of a relationship—there’s this pressure and uncertainty about where things are heading, and all you really want is some clarity? So what happens? You turn to a close friend, who doesn’t always fully understand what you’re feeling. She gives good advice, but somehow it’s always slightly off—maybe because she wants to please you, or because she’s coming from her own perspective. So I took that need to share and created Amanda—a kind of “smart friend” who truly understands all the spirals we go through when he doesn’t reply or when something just feels off. She helps separate what’s actually happening from the stories our fears are telling us. And it dramatically lowers stress levels. Most importantly, it worked for me, after 20 years of nothing really helping.