Greetings!

With New Year's Day behind us, Valentine's Day upon us, and me deep in book work, here's a brief but important winter newsletter: 


• Is your 2026 all you'd hoped so far? 
  Either way, help yourself and me! Please try a quick activity using punctuation marks and your own human tools to make your year, Valentine's Day, or anything else better, on my "Book Bits" Beta Testing page, where you can share your experience to inform my book, and vote on the next round of book titles! Thank you!!!
  
• New Year's Song and Reflection
  One by Brian Buchanan shares similar sentiments to Shangri-La by bandmate Trevor Lewington, which I shared in 2024, in a very 2026 sense. 
  And in lieu of a new story in this newsletter, I'll reshare my blog upon my sister's passing one year ago, with more song links and recent reflections.

• Valentine's Day Inspiration
  Why the hearts on the people at the center of Innovators' Compass? Focus on feelings, if nothing else. As Maya Angelou said, "People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.” 
  And a lot will go better in our lives, work, and world if people can “choose love" to quote Scarlett Lewis, whose 6-year-old son Jesse was murdered in the Sandy Hook school shooting. She and her global Choose Love Movement are huge inspirations to me. So, when it feels available to you, see people—yourself included—feelings first, with a smidge of love. 

As always, please find more free resources at innovatorscompass.org and reach out to me!


With New Year's wishes and tremendous love for this incredible community,

Ela Ben-Ur, Founder of innovatorscompass.org

Help me by helping yourself!

Please take a few minutes to make your 2026, Valentine's Day, current house/work project, anything better!

Just ask these five questions, using the compass cues and especially the tips on the right.

Find a printable worksheet, tell me what happens—plus vote on book titles and possible new "Ideas" question—here!

IN PERSON

In Boston on 3/31/26! ? Join the next Collaborative Designers Unite gathering!

Thanks again to YOUR votes, we hope to see you at SXSW EDU—or reach out if you're in Austin!

YOUR stories move this work forward—please share them by email or tweet!

As always, pay cost (10¢ + shipping) or what you can.