Hi again! I know, it’s been a while since my last post. Life decided to be dramatic these past couple of months, and I just didn’t have the space or energy to devote to writing. If you’re wondering or worried, I’m ok. However, like many of you, I’ve been questioning what kind of impact I’m making and what’s important in this short life we have.
Today is my birthday, so I figure now is the time to make a re-entrance into this world of writing, to celebrate, and to share with you what I’ve learned recently. During this tumultuous time, I’ve spent my energy reflecting and also feeling gratitude for my practices so that I could be fully present and carry them forward to others when they needed them most.
What do I do? Meditation, yoga (which is meditation in movement to me), music (which is meditation in expression), small moments of presence through my senses, being with nature, seeing beauty.
I was interviewed back in February for a yoga ad that aired on Instagram last week. Thank you to Yoga Anytime for reaching out to me, taking the time to get to know me, and for creating such a beautiful video! I feel it’s a great representation of who I am outside of the office and summarizes well how I find my way back to myself so I can be the best leader I can be, both at work and at home.
While it didn’t make it into the video, Nature was a theme that came up again and again, and they asked me what it meant to me. I said that it was “joy”. Joy is the small things – the way the light reflects on a wall, the way the snow melts on the side of the road, the way a flower blooms out of the ground, the breath of the trees in the wind. It’s so interesting how others are like water and reflect back to you who you are. Oh yes, Nature! I care about you! How could I forget?
Earth Day has always had a special meaning to me. And with my birthday always around the corner from Earth Day, I feel even more connection with it. This year, I decided to treat myself and Nature for my birthday by attending a special yoga “inner ecology” retreat at the Viviculture Center in Point Reyes, California with Nicole Anami Becker. I had just spent the last couple of months with more intense caregiving and busyness than I’m used to. I felt depleted, disconnected, and really needed something to take care of myself.
This was my first yoga retreat, so just one day with a teacher I know and trust was perfect. What did I take away?
First of all, not all problems can be solved with thinking. You need to trust that Nature will always come back to balance, and we have that nature within us. You sometimes need to trust, let go, digest, and allow to see what you learn and what happens. By overthinking, you’re sometimes actually fighting the natural flow.
My second point makes me uneasy to talk about in a professional blog because it’s more personal, and it’s not a topic usually discussed in the workplace. However, there is something fundamentally important here. Many powerful leaders have some sort of devotional, spiritual, or deeper sense of belonging or centering that serves as a lighthouse to their purpose and leadership journey. For me, this has always been a bit loose and mysterious. I don’t identify with a specific religion or spiritual practice, and it’s always been a bit hard for me to connect with something unfamiliar, far away, and not quite real to me. However, this has always been an important aspect of life to me.
What I found in this retreat is that I do have a devotion, and always have, and now I am able to tap into it more deeply. It’s not surprising that this devotion could be described as Nature. It’s to being present with it, with all of it, like I used to when I would slip off into the woods when I was a child. I re-realized that nature is everywhere and is everything. Earth is in the carpet I walk on and in the food I eat. Water is in the shower that cleanses me. I can find the support of the ground beneath me when I need it most, to settle any anxieties. From that support, the flow of water within me relaxes the mud in my muscles and mind. I can allow the wind of work and life to gently move me without knocking me over, and the fire within me to burn with intention. The light of the sun draws me to grow in the direction that I need. I live in symbiosis with my family, friends, and peers, the other flowers and plants around me. It all comes together.
We all need a devotion or purpose to guide us. We need to take care of our selves. We need community to support each other on our journeys.
Ok, so yes, that got a bit deep. Still with me?
I’m sharing my experience, which may have similarities or differences from yours. I’m not trying to be prescriptive here. The truth is the experience is deeply personal. However, we do all share this life together, and we’re all connected in some way. I hope that my sharing is helpful to someone out there.
Questions for you
What is your devotion or sense of purpose? If you were recently laid off or are feeling disconnected in your work, how would this sense change your relationship with work?
Would you be interested in diving into some of these topics further in a workshop or with a community of other leaders?
Please leave a comment here or send me a direct message through LinkedIn if you’d be interested in joining me or have any sparks of ideas after reading this post.
- Intuitive action workshop to learn to address challenges through introspection and intuitive action. Not all problems are solved through data, analysis and thinking!
- Conscious leadership circle where leaders who strive to lead with intention and their deeper purpose can connect to support each other on their journeys.
Feature image: A wild iris bud at the Viviculture Center in Point Reyes, California. Shot during the Bliss Your Biome yoga retreat with Nicole Anami Becker.
Knowledge Flow & Flourish 
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