Dear Reader,

I'm finally catching my breath.

This past week was intense in all the best ways. Finishing a project. Being with family. Going out with Aurélie for dinner and a concert. Hosting friends. Moving between work and presence.

It’s been a full week.
And today, I feel proud.
Not the inflated kind. Just the quiet kind.
The kind that comes when you see something through.
And you know you gave it care, not just time.

I finally wrapped up something I’ve been building in the background for a while:
​The Rooted Dad Wake-Up Guide.​
I’ll tell you more about it in a second. But first—something else.

“Keeping the peace may be what’s keeping the war alive.”

That line came up during a guidance call this week.
It stuck with me.

I'm not talking about the big, global stuff. But the quiet tension we let simmer in our families. With our friends. In ourselves.

I’ve done it—shrinking myself to keep things “calm.”
Holding it in, biting my tongue.
Telling myself I’m just being “the bigger person.”
Telling myself that peace is more important than making a point.

But I’ve started to see it differently.

When I don’t speak up, I’m not avoiding conflict—I’m just postponing it.
Burying it deeper.
And confusing the people I love by acting like everything’s fine when it’s not.

One example from this week:
I’ve been using these small, specific earplugs to sleep. They’re the only ones that work for me.
A few nights ago, Aurélie started using some of them too.
Not a big deal… at first.
But something in me was bothered.

So I sat with it.
Talked about it in therapy.
And realized—this was about more than earplugs.

It was about saying something when something matters.
No matter how small.

So I told her.
Gently, honestly.
And she heard me.
Then she bought her own.

Now, it’s not a thing anymore.
Not between us.
Not building up inside of me.

And that’s the part I keep learning, over and over:
It’s not about avoiding discomfort.
It’s about staying honest in the little things—so they don’t turn into big things.

That’s what this new guide is about, too.

Not fixing or doing everything right.

Just showing up.

I made it for dads who feel stretched thin. Who want to be more present. Who want to show up with more clarity, not more pressure.

And I called it The Rooted Dad Wake-Up Guide for a reason.

Because to me, being rooted means…

• Strength without rigidity
• Presence without perfection
• Leading with calm—not control
• Letting go of what doesn’t matter
• Organizing around what does

And doing all of that from a place of connection.

With yourself.
With your people.
With the season of life you’re in.

If that resonates, you can download the guide here:
👉 The Rooted Dad Wake-Up Guide​

You won’t need me to make it work.
It’s something you can read, apply, and grow from on your own.

One thing to reflect on this week:

Say the thing.
Even if it’s small.
Even if it’s just about earplugs.

Because that’s where real presence starts.
Not with doing more—
but with being more honest.

Stay rooted,
​Mihai

Wake Up. Live Fully.

​

P.S. If the guide resonates, I’d love to hear how it lands for you. And feel free to share it with a friend who might need it.

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