Hey, it's Matt

Heya,

It’s Matt :)

Long time no talk.

Damn. This is kind of wild for me. I used to write this newsletter once a week for years.

This was the place I came to process my thoughts as we were building Yes Theory. It was where I came to connect with you all on a deeper level. You guys got to see a part of me that most people didn’t.

Not gonna lie, I missed this. I missed you.

Now, as some of you may know, I’m making a mini comeback at the moment.

I recently made this solo podcast where I gave a full update on where I’ve been since I left hosting in 2021. Pretty soon I’m gonna be in upcoming Yes Theory videos. And then, on November 19th, I’m releasing Talk To Strangers, the book I’ve been working on for nearly three years.

To be honest though, I didn’t want to do any of this.

I didn’t want to come back. I didn’t want you to see me. I didn’t want to acknowledge the fact that this was goodbye.

You see, about a year after I left hosting, I realized that I was ready to exit Yes Theory completely.

The book then became a goodbye letter to you all. A way of saying thank you, of sharing what happened, of giving you stories and introducing you to characters you never got to see in our videos.

But once the book was done and I was proud of it, I just wanted to release it, throw up the peace sign, get on a plane, and start a new life.

Why the rush? you may wonder.

Well, I hate goodbyes.

I’ve hated them my whole life.

My family and I moved countries three different times growing up, and each time it was like that…no see ya laters, no tears, no acknowledgment of what was happening. We just got on a flight and bam, we were in a different world with a new life and I never saw my friends again.

But as I’ve gotten older, those Irish exits started to catch up with me.

I realized there was a problem a little over a year ago, when I started to cry at random moments.

Sometimes it was a song that triggered it. Other times it was a street sign. Often times it was just a thought. And then suddenly the tears would stream down my face and I’d have to hide myself in a room and let them out.

The grief was uncontrollable and it felt like it was going to last forever.

Unprocessed goodbyes…That’s what I eventually learned the pain was. Best friends, first loves, mentors that I never got to sit down with and say, “Hey I love you and this really hurts. I’m going to miss you more than words can express.”

And so, through this year-long grieving of my past, I decided that I didn’t want history to repeat itself. I wanted to disrupt this pattern. To change how I embrace change.

That’s why I’m writing to you here today. Because I’m about to leave and I want to make sure you know how much I love you and how much you’ve changed my life.

And in order to do it right, I want to do it incrementally.

The podcast that we’ve launched is called Matt’s Going Away Party. Every week, I’ll bring someone on that has changed my life and has had a huge impact on Yes Theory. One at a time. Saying thank you to each of them, recollecting stories, having them share their wisdom with you all.

I’m also going to be writing my very own newsletter that you can subscribe to here.

It’s under my new name, Matt Dahlia. (Yep, that’s right, I have a new last name. I know it’s strange to drop it like this but it will make more sense if/when you read the book.)

The newsletter is an honest, short and sweet look behind the scenes of my life. Much like the one I used to write here.

In it, I share anecdotes, photos, and lessons as I make my way to the book launch. And I’ll continue writing it after the book comes out.

Up until recently I was sure goodbyes were a black and white affair. That you weren’t supposed to see the person ever again. That you had to move on and pretend like it never happened.

Now, thankfully, I know that’s an old story.

The truth is that the Yes Theory guys will always be my brothers, the Yes Fam will always be my family, and I will forever cherish these memories we’ve shared together.

So let’s celebrate. Because wow is there a lot to be grateful for.

It won’t be a party without you there though, so I hope you’ll join us. It’s gonna be fun, I promise.

Love you dearly,

Matt

A little hello from my morning run in Stockholm :)