Dear Reader,

A venture capitalist, a flight attendant, and a doctor walk into a bar.

No punchline.

That was the start of our dinner last night. First night of the cycling trip I’m guiding: nine travelers from the US and Canada, plus my colleague from Paris. We met for drinks, then had one of those long, slow Alsatian dinners.

And something clicked for me.

You see, meals like this used to make me panic.
Not because of the food.
Because of the silence.

I grew up with a few clear rules:
You finish everything on your plate.
You don’t speak during meals.
You sit. You eat. You watch TV. That’s it.

So when I started guiding trips like this—sitting at the table with strangers after a long day, trying to help them connect—it felt unnatural. Exhausting. Like I had to perform.

But last night was different.

I felt open. Curious.
We had real conversations.
The venture capitalist talked about the foundations he started and his love for nature.
The flight attendant told us how people used to talk to each other on planes and how now not even the crew connects anymore.
The doctor? He’s published a spy novel and working on the sequel.

It made me realize how much I’ve changed.

A big part of that change is thanks to my partner. Tomorrow we celebrate three years together.

When we first met, she couldn’t understand why I sat silently at dinner. For her, meals were about connection. In France, you talk. You share. You take your time.

For her, silence meant something was wrong.
For me, silence was just… normal.

She didn’t shame me. She just showed me another way.
Bit by bit, I started to shift.
Now I speak when I want to. I ask questions. I’m present.

Not to perform.
To connect.

That’s healing.
That’s what a good relationship can do.
Mirror back what you’ve absorbed without knowing it and give you space to choose something new.

So I guess this letter is a quiet celebration.

For the three-year anniversary we will celebrate tomorrow.
For the dinner that reminded me how far I’ve come.
And for the version of me who no longer hides at the table.

Let me know if you see yourself in any of this.

​

Stay rooted,
​Mihai

Wake Up. Live Fully.

​

P.S. We’re getting close to 500 email subscribers. That might sound like a number, but to me it means this village is growing. You're not alone. We’re not alone.
I’m putting together a little surprise to mark it. Stay tuned.

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