Not Balance, Integration

For so long, I compartmentalized my work and my life. In work, I'd get stuck in my head, overthinking everything and feeling I had to have all the answers. It felt like pushing a boulder up a mountain. This was so draining that, in my personal life, I didn't have an ounce of energy left. Just tell me where our dinner reservation is and I'll be there (likely 10 minutes late because I'm rushing). Just book the vacation and tell me where to send the money and what climate I'm packing for. I had no space left to participate in my life, because I was too busy managing it and striving for the next achievement. I've since come to the realization that work / life balance is a total f*cking fantasy. 

It wasn't until I created some breathing room that I could see it's the things that make us feel alive that we should follow and prioritize. AND, these things can become the leverage that catapults us into the next achievement. When this happens, our experience of working, and succeeding, and contributing is not one of pushing a boulder up a hill, but instead one that's full of thrill and impact. 

SO-- I am championing work + life INTEGRATION.

Now that I'm based in LA, I find myself turning to nature to give myself some b r e a t h i n g  r o o m. One recent Sunday morning had me up before dawn, and on my way to a whale watching expedition. No whales spotted, but there was literally a hundred dolphins that surrounded our tiny boat and swam along side us for an hour. So close I could touch them.

Nature (and animals in particular), can be such a catalyst for inspiration, for purpose and for unlocking a deeper creativity. 

I'm honored that I get to bring experiences like this to my clients, entrepreneurs and corporate teams, as a way to spark deeper connection, invite new ways of problem solving, and to finally get some much needed b r e a t h i n g  r o o m. We're all so busy working IN our businesses, we seldom invest the time to work ON ourselves.

To receive these essays and stories to your inbox, you can subscribe here.