Hanging out in the depths

We have all these grand plans and then nature shows us who's really running the show.

A covering of snow and temperatures of -8 this week left me less inclined to navigate the school run by car, so the trusty (and somewhat reluctant) hound has accompanied me on the 2 mile return schlep to drop-off and pick-up these past couple of days.

At first I was disgruntled by the whole state of affairs with lots of lofty ideas of contemplation (alongside nice coffee) and planning at my desk about growing my business, without the disruption of inclement weather, But when I allowed plans to shift and met the reality of what was being offered by life, I realised that the whole concept of work and productivity is not quite as rigid as we might imagine.

Firstly, I noticed that being at my desk is not necessarily conducive to creativity. The best ideas often occur to me on dog walks. Secondly, I saw that moving my body and being in the fresh air is healthier than prolonged sedentary periods staring at a screen.

We compartmentalise work to be in particular environments but actually ideas, connections and opportunities don't conform to prescriptive backdrops. And we're not 'less productive' if we're not shackled to a desk between specific hours on the clock.

There's also something beautiful about the white expansiveness of the landscape on snowy days that illuminates possibility and has us less 'hemmed in' by limitations. This opened up clarity for me as I contemplated the work I do on the homeward walk.

Alongside my 1-1 Wellbeing Coaching I've been cultivating a consultancy offering that is focused on working alongside businesses and non-profits to explore wellbeing in the context of leadership and organisational culture - all of which are intrinsically connected.

It struck me, as I was traversing the quiet, white terrain, that so often we jump into reviewing culture, values and brand with a clear (and sometimes pressing) endgame. It's something we feel we need to do, purely to get to the next part - be it to refresh an external brand, to fulfil an annual strategic directive or as part of a cycle of growth.

And we do this thinking predominantly about the outward manifestations and touchpoints without spending nearly enough time looking inward, despite our internal terrain as humans entirely informing how we show up in the world. What can be deemed as 'indulgent' or 'navel gazing' is actually critical when it comes to our 'way of being' as both individuals and organisations.

If we don't tend to our inner world, we see this play out in the form of incongruence and misalignment which can be felt palpably both individually and collectively. This not only undermines culture, but it can be hugely disruptive to employee retention as well as the bottom line in business.

I've come to the point in my career where I'm unapologetic about my aversion to living on the surface. I'm not here for transactional exchanges. Meaning and purpose are pretty central to fulfilment. I'm here for the profound.

I want to hang out in the depths. And it seems fitting to realise this in the midst of (albeit picture-postcard) deepest winter.

I know now that I get the most from working with clients who are curious and courageous, who aren't tied to prescriptive outcomes and want real connection, candour and integrity in the way they work, their teams and who they work alongside.

So I'm actually quite grateful for nature's gift of snow, for nudging me (quite emphatically) to wrap up warm, get my walking boots on and be open to an unexpected but revelatory exploration of my own.

Drop me a line to chat more about 1-1 Wellbeing Coaching & Consultancy for you / your organisation.