Happy May 4th, gents. Hope the weekend was solid.

We just wrapped a killer event in Charleston. Getting to meet Dad Day readers in person was really cool.

Alright, let’s get into it.

And if you’re new here, welcome aboard. Glad you found us.

Spent the last couple days with dads from all over. Different cities, different stories, different stages of the dad journey.

And honestly? It was a good reminder of how easy it is to disappear into your own life.

The routines stack up. The to-do list never clears. Before you know it, you've built a moat around yourself without even meaning to. No drawbridge. No visitors. Just you, the schedule, and the same four walls.

Getting out of that takes a little effort. But the conversations you have when you do? Worth it every time.

Say yes to the thing that involves new people. Tap into your community. Put yourself out there a bit. It might feel weird at first, and then it doesn't.

Dads weren't meant to operate in silos.

Ben Towill is a restaurateur, adventurer, entrepreneur, husband, and father.

He's also one of roughly 1,000 people in history to row across the Atlantic Ocean.

Here's the kicker: he'd never rowed a boat before he decided to do it.

Him and his best friend cooked up the idea, spent two years training, and then pointed a rowboat toward the other side of the world.

They finished as the 9th fastest duo to ever make the crossing. No motor. No shortcuts. Just two guys who said yes before they knew how.

But when Ben spoke to our crew this weekend, that wasn't really the point he was making.

The point was flagpoles.

Pick something that scares you a little. Something big enough to matter. Train for it. Do it well. And bring your family along for the ride, not just the finish line.

You don't have to cross an ocean. But you should have something worth rowing toward.

Check out Ben's TED Talk below.

Everyone needs a good key chain. Not the freebie junk or the overbuilt brick, just something that works and holds up. This one’s built from braided 550 paracord with a solid carabiner and a no-nonsense black steel ring, so it takes a beating without looking like it.

Get it here

Your phone might be quietly wrecking your attention span.

In a recent randomized study, people blocked mobile internet for two weeks…calls and texts stayed, but the scroll was gone. The payoff? Better mood, sharper focus, and attention gains close to rewinding a decade of mental aging.

Here’s the real kicker: only about 25% actually stuck with it. Which feels… about right.

Try a “dumb phone” window this week. Start small, after dinner, no scroll. Just be where your feet are.