Bernadette writes about how our private narratives shape public messages—at work, at home, and online. Her pieces distill messy situations into simple scripts and choices you can actually use. She’s ...

Real conversations start below the surface. At DMNews, we use a simple, disciplined approach we call The Direct Message to uncover that depth. It’s more than a slogan—it’s the lens that shapes how we ...

The next time you share a meal with a boomer, maybe you’ll appreciate their frankness with servers, their eagerness to ensure they’re getting good value, or the sense of tradition they bring when they ...

I’ve often joked that once I retired, I’d settle into a predictable life: leisurely mornings in my bathrobe, afternoons volunteering at the local literacy center, and weekends chasing my three ...

Tension – Expats rave about Japan’s efficiency and harmony, yet privately feel squeezed by rules they can’t quite name. Noise – Travel vlogs and corporate brochures flatten complex social codes into ...

I write this with urgency. We are living through a slow-motion cognitive collapse – a collapse of our shared sense-making in the face of AI-generated confusion and media dysfunction. Every day brings ...

Like most people drawn to that sentence, I didn’t just want to be productive. I wanted to feel in control. Of time. Of attention. Of my life. And so, I started building systems—beautiful, tactical, ...

This article follows the Direct Message methodology, designed to cut through the noise and reveal the deeper truths behind the stories we live.

Tension: Habits once hailed as polite or hardworking—unsolicited phone calls, chain emails, chronic one-upmanship—now drain cross-generational goodwill. Noise: Nostalgic narratives defend “the good ...

This article follows the Direct Message methodology, designed to cut through the noise and reveal the deeper truths behind the stories we live. Scroll any C-suite slide deck in 2025 and you’ll find ...

Have you ever caught yourself wishing life would be more extraordinary — like scoring that perfect dream job or achieving some rare talent that leaves everyone else in awe? I used to think that being ...

The 2025 Met Gala embraced a deliberately political theme by spotlighting Black designers and the tradition of Black dandyism in fashion. Titled “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” the accompanying ...