Newsletter, May 2023
I love the changing of the seasons and as temperatures begin to drop in the southern hemisphere, I find myself embracing the beauty of winter and I especially love this time of the year. 🍂
I've been exploring regenerative practices and how leaders and organisations can take a living systems approach to how they lead people and businesses. One of the principles of regenerative leadership is our connection to change and how we navigate change through seasonality drawing inspiration from the rhythmic and cyclical nature, convergence and divergence of the seasons.
As I reflect on my own journey, it's only fitting that I've been in a personal winter season for the past six months. Stepping away from the corporate world after two decades was a profound experience that required me to let go, slow down, heal, deepen relational connections while tending to the metaphorical soil in preparation for spring and cultivating conditions for emergence.
Throughout May, I have cherished the power of connections – to self, to new partnerships, and to the communities I hold dear. In this month's update, we delve into the theme of connection, exploring its significance and impact and uncover the power of meaningful relationships and the magic that unfolds when we foster connections.
Connecting on a deeper level and inner development
Several months ago, I reached out to an email address listed on the global Inner Development Goals (IDG) hub list for Australia that led to nine strangers coming together to form the Australian IDG Hub. Together, we embarked on an incredible journey, culminating in the successful launch of our first event earlier this month.
The Keynote speaker, Thomas Hübl, PhD, Founder of the Academy of Inner Science, Co-Founder of the Pocket Project: Restoring a Fragmented World, and visiting scholar at Harvard Medical School’s Wyss Institute, shared his wisdom about what we as individuals and as a collective need to do to create a sustainable society.
He shared the importance of a trauma-informed society on many levels to create systemic awareness to integrate what we were born to. If you missed the event or like me just ready to listen again (there was a lot to digest), tune into the audio recording which is the perfect companion for a walk outside in nature and connecting with the beautiful environment around you.
Why connection matters in the workplace
Recognising the significance of connection and intentionally dedicating time to foster it is vital for leaders who seek to engage with their teams effectively. A couple of week ago I attended The Serenity Collective’s flagship event The Thriving Workplace.
This year, the event centred around the theme of connection – the powerful force that binds us as individuals, teams, workplaces, and communities, enabling us to move forward together. In one of the keynotes, The Oranges Toolkit shared a compelling research piece on connection in the workplace.
As a participant in this research last year, I found the findings both insightful and unsurprising. It revealed that employees are craving meaningful connections and place immense value on fostering them. However, many employers are falling short in this crucial area.
To delve deeper into this important topic, I highly recommend reading the report by The Oranges Toolkit.
How to cultivate a deeper connection with the world around you
Encountering something vast, beautiful, or inspiring can evoke a sense of awe and wonder, which research shows can improve mental and physical well-being. The feeling of being in awe can be described as a sense of wonder and amazement that is often accompanied by feelings of humility and connectedness to something greater than oneself.
Studies have shown that people who frequently experience awe and wonder are more likely to have higher levels of life satisfaction, feel more connected to others, reduced stress levels, and improved overall health.
Nature is a powerful tool for cultivating awe and wonder and this month, I share strategies on how to incorporate awe and wonder into daily life and how leaders can cultivate awe and wonder within team teams. You can read the full article here.
What I am listening to 🎧
In this episode of the On Being podcast, the former Surgeon General of the United States, Vivek Murthy, shares his insights on the vital role of healing and connection in our lives.
As I listened to this episode from my playlist while returning from a gathering focused on connection, Murthy's insights resonated deeply. He discusses the power of human connection, highlighting the importance of cultivating deep and meaningful relationships. Murthy also delves into the transformative potential of empathy and compassion, advocating for a shift in our societal norms to prioritise healing and connection.
What I am reading 📖
TextI am currently re-reading Presence: Human Purpose and the Field of the Future. Although this book was first published almost two decades ago, it is very relevant for today.
Drawing from diverse disciplines and experiences, the authors state that true presence involves transcending our habitual ways of thinking and perceiving, allowing us to tap into a deeper source of wisdom and potential. By accessing this state of presence, individuals and organisations can navigate complex challenges and bring about transformative change.
The book offers practical tools and frameworks for cultivating presence and through captivating stories and insightful analysis, "Presence" invites us to explore the power of being fully present and its capacity to shape a more purposeful and sustainable future.
Quote I'm pondering 💬
"All things are connected like the blood that unites us. We do not weave the web of life, we are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.”
I hope this was helpful and sparked some insights. I would love to hear your thoughts!
If you've been enjoying these emails, please forward this to a friend and encourage them to sign up for my monthly newsletter here. Thanks so much!
Warmly,
Cherry
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