Matthew Wilburn King

Matthew Wilburn King—author, writer, and explorer | advocate for people, planet & peace | TEDx speaker | systems & stories for cultural & ecological transformation.

My journey has taken me around the planet—through more than 45 countries, beneath three oceans, and over mountain ranges on four continents. Along the way, I've sought wisdom in nature, philosophy, and spirituality. But my most transformative journey has been from head to heart.

After surviving a rare form of Stage IV cancer with less than a 15% chance of survival, I turned inward—trading prestige for presence and choosing a more grounded, creative life. This life-changing experience has deeply influenced my work, which focuses on helping others find clarity, resilience, and purpose in our rapidly changing world.

I write Elemental, a newsletter of reflections on living with clarity, courage, and integrity. Through my stories and essays, I explore themes of personal transformation, ecological awareness, and global engagement. My work also spans fiction—my first novel, Vanished, imagines a world undone and reawakened.

As the founder of Our COMMON Foundation, I am deeply passionate about empowering creativity, ecological stewardship, and human resilience—for people, planet, and peace. My writing and public speaking have been featured by the BBC, Earth Island Journal, Mongabay Journal of Biological Conservation, World Watch Institute, Marine Policy Journal, Euronews, NBC Universal, affiliates of ABC and CBS, TEDx, podcasts, and more.

I've been diving in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans and I've hiked the Rockies, Alps, Andes, and Cascades yet it’s been volunteering with dozens of purpose-driven organizations that has offered the deepest form of exploration.

I firmly believe in the transformative power of storytelling. It's not just a mission for me but a calling to explore and share the insights that help us all live more aligned with ourselves, each other, and the planet.

If you’re looking for writing that connects, inspires, and challenges us to live more consciously, I invite you to explore my books, essays, and reflections here. This is a place for storytelling with substance—rooted in clarity, purpose, and ecological awareness.