New Moon. New Year. New News.

As we start another cycle, I hope we'll continue connecting.

The far side of the Moon, photographed by Apollo 16 in 1972.

Every day our moon, that charming grey satellite up above, spins around this majestic rock of gas and water and carbon that we call home. Those rotations, spinning reliably for eons, in turn create tidal bulges — surges of water that lap upon our shores in ebbs and flows. 71% of the Earth’s surface is made of water.

You too, my fellow human, are also made of water. In fact, most of us (when properly hydrated) are walkin’ around with roughly 60% of our meat suits filled with water. If you’re a Stanley Quencher groping Millennial you can probably bump that hydration number up by 2%.

So, if we’re nearly as watery as the place we live, who’s not to say we also have tides? Indigenous communities and those living in closer connection to nature have often noticed menstrual cycles, animal mating patterns, crops, and even personal moods shift in sync with the moon’s lunation.

Some of the oldest human archeological evidence of our connection to the moon dates back as far as 28,000-30,000 years ago.

In sum, the moon is a fascinating and wondrous thing that has beguiled and intrigued us for generations.

Today, you’re receiving this letter because it’s the Lunar New Year and much more than the Western Gregorian calendar, it feels like the start of the new year to me. I’m a moon guy (born under the sign of Cancer which is ruled by the moon) and frankly, the moon has often given me more to believe in than that nob Pope Gregory XIII.

If your year has been off to a shaky start, consider this a chance to reset the table. And if you’re already jamming along and had a swell January, well, now you’ve got another thing to celebrate. It’s a win win.

In the Chinese calendar this is the Year of the Dragon. I have a particular fondness for dragon years as my very sweet boy Darryl, who we lost last August, was born 12 years ago in the highly auspicious Year of the Golden Dragon (a once every 60-years occurrence). He gave me many gifts being his dog dad and so I’m glad to remember and celebrate him this year.

Dragon years are known for their good fortune. They foretell a year of evolution and abundance for those willing to receive it. In a year that we find ourselves teetering on the brink of worldwide warfare, witnessing heart-wrenching atrocities near daily, and walking into a consequential election year for 71 countries around the world, a little support from the stars could go a long way in bringing us newfound hope. In times like these I am grateful for open-hearted, empathic communities biased toward positive impact. If you’re reading this message, you’re part of the change we need. Thank you. And keep going!

As is my tradition on this day, I’m writing to share some personal updates, re-engage with my on-again-off-again Substack love affair, and generally invite you to be in touch. I would genuinely love to hear from you, learn more about about what you’re doing with your lives, and of course, offer my support if I can be helpful.

May this new year be marked with positivity and peace for all.

Take good care,

MV

New News…

Empathy is (thankfully) still a thing!

This past year I had the good fortune to share my work on empathic leadership through nearly 40 speaking engagements around the globe. From business audiences looking to lead with greater empathy, to design and culture leaders seeking to better understand their work and its place in the world, to internal teams and intimate personal retreats, it has been a true pleasure to discuss empathy with so many of you. I remain active and open to speaking engagements that help bring this important work to more people. If you’d like to chat about how to do that for you or someone you know, you’re invited to be in touch anytime.

Prioritizing Purpose is ALSO a thing!

My next book, Prioritizing Purpose, is currently in development. In parallel to its writing, I had the opportunity to host a 3-month cohort alongside 25 engaged self-workers who were keen to trial the approach I’ll soon share in the book. We met twice per month (virtually) with assignments between the sessions designed to deliver on the book’s intent to help you know “what to do once you sorta know what you’re here to do.” Here are a few testimonials from this first cohort:

Prioritizing Purpose is the support I had been waiting for - the human connection, deep introspection, and the absolute joy that comes from vulnerably and safely unearthing something so raw but so familiar. Prioritizing Purpose brings possibility into form, guiding you to expand your sense of self so that your purpose, and the many it will serve, will be on the path to realization.

This course, in its beautiful simplicity, does exactly what Michael promises. I had a sense of direction, a new path I felt I wanted to walk, but I never dared to walk it fully. I still had doubts whether or not it was really my path. With Michael's amazingly gentle, yet very grounded and clear guidance, this course has given me the courage and trust that I can, and must, walk my path with full conviction. The course, the group of people I met, and Michael's words are still a huge motivation and inspiration for me whenever I feel doubts coming up. Prioritizing Purpose has, without a doubt, been the most useful and essential course I've done in my life.

It feels so good to know this work is arriving in the right place and time for people who need it. As a result of this experience, I’m going to be doing a second cohort this year. Read more and submit an application before March 15th.

We’ve Got Merch

For years these Questions & Empathy cards have been a tool for connection and conversation. With more in stock they are just the thing to fire up new conversations with those you love or to turn the lens of empathy inward and do some personal reflection. Get yours or gift one to someone you love.

In addition, I decided to make some sweatshirts because I thought this was a perfect phrase to share with such an empathic community. Whether you read it as “I Know The Feeling,” “The Feeling I Know,” or “Know The Feeling I”, it’s a message that invites us to keep searching. Faded black, 100% cotton, 210 GSM, with embroidered message over the heart. $108 USD (including shipping). I didn’t make a lot of these because I have no idea if anyone will want one, but Caroline basically wears hers every day so that makes me feel good. Email me to order yours.

Advisory Boards, Leader Work, & Ways to Hang Out

Growing a company is never easy. While I can’t say I have all (or even some) of the answers, I am always happy to share the tales of scars with good stories in the hopes of preventing other leaders from making similar mistakes on their own journey. Today, there are nine companies and one noble non-profit I’m helping on their path as a board member or advisor. You can read more about these organizations or reach out to share what you’re building here.

One of the greatest gifts I get to receive with this work is supporting leaders and their teams in developing greater empathy. This past year I was able to work with nearly a dozen executive leadership teams, ranging from large, multinational organizations to high growth start-ups. From one-day trainings to multi-day and multi-session programs, It’s been wonderful to see the growing trend of leaders welcoming more empathy into their culture. To talk more about how to do this with your team, please be in touch.

Last year I experimented with offering virtual office hours every other week. It was great to connect with so many of you but admittedly, with other demands and a few personal challenges, it was hard to keep the pace. This year I’m bringing them back on a quarterly basis but structuring it a bit differently. Once per quarter I’ll open up slots to book time for one-on-one connection, advice, and general catch ups. Please feel free to snag a time here if you’d like to chat in March.

I’m also very down for some more IRL meet-ups this year. I’m planning my first one to be on March 27th at El Quijote in the Hotel Chelsea. No advance notice necessary. Just drop in the bar from 7-9pm and we can catch up.

Who Else Is Looking For A Mid Career Peer Group?

Over the course of 2023, myself and a few long time pals asked each other what it would take to assemble a group of collaborative, well-established mid-career people to meet monthly and see how we can help each other. Out of that, Equalls was born. There are presently two cohorts (both meeting monthly). One is for agency founders and CEOs, the other is for cross-disciplinary entrepreneurs, corporate execs, and individual contributors. If you’re interested in joining our monthly calls (+ WhatsApp and Slack groups), please feel invited to sign up through the links above. There will be other cohorts also launching in the year ahead so if you’d like to learn more, drop me a line.

An Actual Dream Come True

For over two decades I have been the beneficiary of the healing experiences offered at The Esalen Institute. Back in the 1950s and 60s, luminaries like Alan Watts, Aldous Huxley, Timothy Leary, and Joseph Campbell spent time thinking and sharing their work which helped to pioneer advances in human potential. Today, Esalen continues to be among the leading institutions for progressive thought and self-development. I am extremely proud to say that I have been asked to join their esteemed faculty. This July 26-28, I will be offering my first program on the grounds. Pre-registration is now open and limited to only 20 seats. I hope you’ll join me.

Supporting Indigenous Leaders Supports All of Us

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t make mention of the important work Tribal Link Foundation continues to do to support Indigenous leaders and their communities around the globe. As Board President, I’m dedicated to ensuring this organization continues to expand and influence the vital link between Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders. Whether working with organizations like Esteé Lauder to craft ethical sourcing policies for raw materials to supporting leaders who wish to share the lessons of their communities with the broader world through the United Nations and other venues, Tribal Link is a critical contributor to a better, more Indigenously-informed world. If you’d like to support us with your time or financial contributions, we’d love to hear from you.

That’s all for now. Of course, I can’t completely help myself from continuing to explore other things and there’s a very exciting announcement coming in May that I can’t wait to share with all those dog parents out there. If you’re still reading, I appreciate you. And I’ll keep working to bring more empathy and connection to a world in dire need of understanding. Please be good to each other. And to yourself. -MV