Nikki Welty

For a long time, I felt uneasy about not knowing exactly what I was meant to do. (And, to put it in context, that feeling was amplified by motherhood — something I wrote about at length here.) But now, I think the French have it right: you don’t have to know. You don’t even have to ask.

What they value instead is curiosity. Culture. Taste. The art o... See more

But what if your purpose is simply to build a good life? To raise kind children. To cook a little better each year. To read a few excellent books. To notice the seasons. To build meaningful relationships. To help others. To give time - and money if you can - to causes you care about.

Not everything that falls apart is a failure.

Some things are collapsing because you’re no longer willing to carry what was never yours. The patterns, the pressure, the pretending.

At first, it might feel like losing control. But it’s really the beginning of alignment. Of building a life that fits the version of you that doesn’t settle anymore.

Let it... See more

Most people I know are walking contradictions. They care about the environment but drive gas-powered cars. They want authentic connections but spend hours on their phones. They believe in working hard, but also think the system is broken.

People are complicated. Thank God.

The problem is that complexity doesn't generate clicks, nuance doesn't go vira... See more

Now, my natural wiring leans toward clear lines and judgments. I like to quickly file things away in neat little categories: good or bad, right or wrong, love it or hate it. It makes the world easier to manage. But life isn’t quite that simple, and sometimes the best response isn’t a label—it’s space. Space to let things breathe, settle, and show y... See more

That is: A person — often a founder, or someone similarly empowered — needs to have compelling ideas, establish a voice and perspective, and use it. Tools like brand books and style guides are important so agencies and partners know how to speak the same language. But the actual opinions and values can’t be algorithmically generated or offloaded to... See more

Sometimes, I think silence used to be quieter. Before we were all online, before updates and photo dumps and “seen” receipts and Instagram stories that tell you someone’s alive, even if they’re no longer in your life. Back then, silence was space. Now it’s static. It’s the absence of a ping that should’ve come. The profile you could check, but don’... See more