the mayfly letter.

words worth passing down.

bite-sized wisdom.
with a belly laugh.

Just as a mayfly spends months preparing for its brief, meaningful day above water, those before us have distilled life's hard-earned lessons into powerful snippets of wisdom – if only we pause to listen for them.

Every month, I dig up and deliver these insights straight to your email inbox – wrapped in stories that'll make you think, nod in recognition, and most importantly, laugh a little.

If you want to be someone who always knows just what to say, this little magazine is for you.
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Weekly Email Articles

Sign up to get The Sunday Read, one of our best articles sent to your inbox every Sunday.

We believe life's best wisdom should be free for everyone - you can join our growing list at no cost below.

Monthly Print Editions

We send out our artfully-designed flagship print newsletter every month to subscribers.

Each edition features 4-8 "letters" capturing our best tidbits of wisdom and food for thought.

It's a real, premium newspaper. Perfect to have lying around on a coffee table, waiting to spark a special conversation.

Guest Features

Searching far and wide for a wide array of perspectives is essential to finding the salient wisdom at the heart of The Mayfly Letter.

As our unique little digest grows, we plan to increasingly support other independent writers by featuring them in our publication.

The print edition you read every month will only get larger as we become able to commission more and more writers.

What is The Mayfly Letter?

a quick note from our editor, John

Hey!

John Conrad here.

I'm an independent writer, wandering collector of timeless insights, and professional deep-thinker-in-pajamas.

This little publication was born from a simple realization: we're all searching for timeless wisdom that actually works—those insights that help us navigate relationships, find meaning in our work, handle stress, or just feel more at peace with ourselves.

The problem is that these nuggets of wisdom aren't always where you'd expect to find them, and yesterday's noise often drowns out centuries of good advice.

‍The Mayfly Letter is my attempt to uncover these simple, enduring truths and deliver them to you with fresh perspective (and yes, a healthy dose of my characteristic, trying-too-hard humor).

Think of it as an artfully designed "email magazine" landing in your inbox on Sundays, and on your front door once a month. We'll explore everything from the art of conversation to the science of habit formation, from finding peace in your morning routine to recovering gracefully when you mess up.

In a world of clickbait and hot takes, consider this your sanctuary for ideas that matter.

A mayfly spends a year preparing for just a short, single day above water. In the same way, those before us have left behind more than enough wisdom to prepare us well for our lives ahead.

So pull up a chair. We saved you a spot.

‍John Conrad‍
‍Editor and Chief Wisdom Archeologist

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‍The Mayfly Letter

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Thank you for supporting
‍The Mayfly.

I'm incredibly grateful to have you here as we explore ways to make the most of life, and of course, to have a good laugh along the way.

Your support means everything; it allows me to keep writing and doing what I love.

John Conrad
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