9th letter from Mihai

Fri 25 Apr, 2025 Colmar, France

Dear Reader,

This one’s a bit different. Not a story about a breakthrough with my daughter. Not a moment of presence in the forest.

It’s more like a knot in my chest I needed to untangle.

You know, I’ve only been in the online space for a bit over a year. Still feels fresh. I’m finding my voice, shaping this guidance work, slowly getting seen. And with that, obviously, comes some resistance.

Recently, a post I wrote after one year of being a father sparked a lot of hate. Some of you saw it. Some of you even stood up for me, which I really appreciate.

The people attacking it... I don’t think they even read the thread. It was just:
“Who are you to speak? You’ve only been a father for a year.”

I’ve got the emotional awareness now to see it wasn’t really about me. Something I said touched something in them—something unprocessed, something they didn’t want to look at.

And still, it stings.

It’s wild to me that we’ve reached a place where sharing your lived experience can be seen as manipulative or self-serving. I’ve been clear from the beginning: yes, this is my work. Yes, I make invitations. Yes, I hope to build a living around this. But that’s not the same as tricking people.

If I wanted easy money, I’d have stayed in luxury travel. But it didn’t align with my values. This does.

Helping fathers be more present in their lives, in their families, in their bodies—that’s the work that feels worth showing up for.

Because strong families are what heal society.

And this is just the beginning.
Only recently did I manage to name this movement—the Rooted Dad.
Only recently did I put it into a guide.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, here’s your invitation. Not because I need you to buy anything—but because I made it for you. For free. From the heart. To help.

That’s how we rebuild trust in this kind of work.
That’s how we lead.

Earlier today I had a tea with a friend I met online. We talked about all of this—the movement, the backlash, the mission.

And after that, I went to get groceries.

While I was queuing, this woman looked down at my feet and said, “Where did you get those?”
She was talking about my shoes.

They’re barefoot shoes—wide in the front, zero-drop sole, healthy for your body but, let’s be honest, they look like clown shoes.

And I knew this would happen. I knew one day someone would ask.
Because they’re unusual. They don’t look like what everyone else is wearing.

Just like this Rooted Dad movement.

It’s young. It’s different. It goes against the grain. It’s easy to look at funny.
But I believe in it.

Some people will scoff. Some will scroll past.
Some will feel threatened by the very idea.
Others—maybe you—will try them on.

That’s how new movements start. That’s how change takes root.

If you’ve been with me a while, thank you.
If you’re new here, welcome.

If you’ve read the guide, and it resonated—hit reply and let me know. It helps more than you think.

And if you ever feel like this isn’t your place, that’s okay too. Every letter ends with an unsubscribe link. I mean it—no hard feelings. I want this to be a space of choice, not pressure.

But if something in you does feel pulled…
If something in your life is quietly saying “it’s time”—

I’m here.
Still writing.
Still rooted.

Stay present,
​Mihai

Wake Up. Live Fully.

​

P.S. Here’s the guide if you haven’t seen it yet: The Rooted Dad Wake-Up Guide​
And yeah, they really do look like clown shoes.

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