MSI Press Blog

Every January, while the world is busy making resolutions it may or may not keep, something quieter and more durable unfolds in the background: National Mentoring Month . It’s a month dedicated not to reinvention, but to relationship — to the slow, steady work of showing up for another human being. Mentoring rarely looks glamorous. It’s not a movie montage of breakthroughs and tidy life lessons. More often, it’s a series of small, ordinary choices: listening when you’re tired, asking one more question, offering a story from your own life that you hope lands gently. It’s the kind of work that doesn’t trend, but it transforms. What I love about National Mentoring Month is that it doesn’t pretend mentoring is effortless. Instead, it honors the people who keep doing it anyway — the teachers, coaches, neighbors, aunties, uncles, faith leaders, coworkers, and community elders who invest in someone else’s becoming. It also reminds us that mentoring isn’t a one-directional act of charity. It’s...

  It’s a question that pops up more often than you’d think — usually right after someone realizes they’re stuck, overwhelmed, or quietly yearning for change. Do I need a mentor? Or a life coach? Or just a nap? Let’s start with the basics. 🧭 Mentors: The Wisdom-Sharers Mentors are people who’ve walked a path similar to yours and are willing to share what they’ve learned. They offer stories, shortcuts, cautionary tales, and encouragement. Think of them as experienced guides who say, “I’ve been there — here’s what helped me.” Mentoring is often informal and relational. It’s built on trust, not transactions. You might meet monthly, or just exchange texts when life gets messy. A mentor won’t always have a structured plan, but they’ll have lived wisdom — and that’s gold. 🎯 Life Coaches: The Clarity Catalysts Life coaches, on the other hand, are trained to help you clarify goals, identify obstacles, and create actionable plans. They don’t need to have lived your exact experience ...

  Every January, we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — not just with quotes and commemorations, but with a call to action: make it a day on, not a day off . The MLK Day of Service invites us to roll up our sleeves and serve our communities, to embody the justice we so often admire from afar. But service, like justice, is not a one-day event. It’s not a photo op or a resume booster. It’s a posture. A practice. A way of being in the world that says, “I see you. I care. I’m willing to be inconvenienced for your dignity.” Dr. King didn’t just preach about love and justice — he lived them. He understood that service was not sentimental. It was strategic. It was disruptive. It was a way to reorder society toward equity, not just soothe its conscience. So what does that mean for us? It means that picking up litter or volunteering at a food bank — beautiful as those acts are — must be part of a larger rhythm. It means asking not just “How can I help?” but “What systems need changing so...