Rich Monday Paper- Who Do You Trust?

As we reach the 70th edition of Rich Monday Paper, we pause, not for nostalgia, but for clarity. Trust has always been the most powerful currency. But today, it’s the currency. When facts are filtered and algorithms shape our realities, controlling the narrative, trust becomes the new luxury—rare, essential, earned.

In a world spinning faster than ever, where information comes at us fast and from all directions, screen by screen, scroll by scroll, it’s not the noise that gets us. It’s the uncertainty. Who do you trust? In relationships. In business. In leadership. In self. In the future.

What happens when the people we elect bring men in combat boots to your neighborhood? What happens when a city becomes a staging ground for political muscle?And most of all—where are the people we can trust? They’re not on a stage shouting slogans. They’re walking with protesters, not against them. Trust isn’t built with weapons. It’s built with compassion. And compassion, as we have seen this weekend, is under siege.

This week, more than ever before, we struggled to find good news. But with your help, we unearthed real good news.

Trust begins with action. We trust when we see someone show up, not once, but consistently. We trust when someone listens without agenda, leads without ego and creates without compromise. This edition is packed with stories worth sharing, beautiful minds and movements that do just that.

Happy Table

Is Your Snack Lying to You? How Ultra-Processed Foods May Be Rewriting Your Mood, Mind and Motivation. – Explore the impact of ultra-processed foods on brain health, energy and emotional wellbeing with expert insights and practical steps for mindful eating.

The Trust Deficit That No Supplement Can Solve

Here’s what most don’t talk about in the wellness world: Self-distrust is profitable. The more you second-guess your body, your choices, your voice—the more someone can sell you a plan, a cleanse, a coaching package. Somewhere along the line, they figured out that if they keep us uncertain, they can keep us consuming.

The Retirement Mirage: Time to Think Differently

Policymakers and investors face a complex dilemma: America’s national debt continues to climb while retirement accounts hold over $39 trillion in largely untaxed assets that won’t generate revenue until workers begin withdrawing them decades from now. 

Don’t be fooled by the retirement mirage. Are you still buying into the retirement mirage, hoping that, once you stop working, your life will be a perpetual enjoyment, exploration, and pleasant experience? It’s time to think differently. 

Your ideas about retirement are dissipating before your eyes. People are living longer, and the world is changing faster because of advancing technology. Twenty-first century notions about retirement are antiquated.

The Reading and Writing Room

The Corridors of Power Unfold a New Saga: ‘The Emperor of California’ by Lee R. Brand, a Supernatural Fiction as Lee R. Brand Embraces Storytelling

What compels a former mayor to trade city budgets and council meetings for the mysterious world of supernatural visions and political prophecy?

Lee R. Brand, who served as mayor of Fresno, California, has made this unusual transition with his debut novel ‘The Emperor of California’, creating a character whose power flows from both political cunning and paranormal foresight. Brand isn’t the first political figure to turn to fiction writing.

Former President Bill Clinton recently released his third political thriller with James Patterson, whilst historical figures like Benjamin Disraeli and Winston Churchill famously balanced statecraft with storytelling. Brand’s choice to blend the political with the supernatural, however, creates something distinctly different.

We explore the anatomy of trust through unexpected voices—from quiet innovators building truth-based technology to bold thinkers who redefine success not in numbers, but in integrity. You’ll read about the power of informed instinct—what happens when intellect meets inner compass—and how the future of leadership isn’t about commanding, but connecting.

And if you’re wondering what’s next: everything is. We’re on the edge of something extraordinary. The second half of 2025 is poised to bring seismic change, economic shifts, AI with soul, cross-border collaborations, and yes, a wave of conscious entrepreneurs who refuse to trade values for visibility.

Everything happens twice, but first it happens in your mind. That’s the secret. The vision you hold in the silence of early mornings. The idea you sketch on napkins. The truth you carry but haven’t yet spoken. This is where reality begins. Thought, then form. Imagination, then impact.

So here’s our invitation: Dream big. Trust yourself. Keep creating as though the future is here—because it is.

With clarity and courage,

Your Story Steward