Growing your dream natural health practice asks you to show-up to get all the things done…over and over and over again.

The experience of crippling perfectionism is a real thing that can side-swipe this process. Often it starts with one essential aspect or task lagging because it’s “not quite right”. If not diverted early, this spreads to other areas of business too.

Do you experience this too?

It seems other people's perceptions of you don’t reflect the deeper nature of your natural health craft and business.

You might even feel swayed by their energy, fed by a subtle underlying anxiety about being open with people who don’t quite get it.

If you relate, you could feel like you’re living a double-life. Where showing up authentically as your full self doesn’t somehow have a place (even though you deeply crave authenticity).

A common belief amongst natural health practitioners is that they HAVE to be extroverted and constantly OUT THERE to be noticed in their offerings. Have you noticed this yourself? Even when you’re an introvert. And even if you have to force it. This is a major challenge considering authenticity is one of your greatest assets.

Can you see how telling your stories has purpose & function? Story-telling is a foundational social technology us human beings.

Never underestimate that which is ephemeral. Like this nature mandala at Renew Fest @renewfest recently.

They are but micro mirrors and small maps for the journey each of us are on in our lifetime.

It’s fair to say our brains were sufficiently fried by this stage 😵‍💫

David Holmgren (co-originator of permaculture) and his wife Su Dennett were lively contributors to last week’s Northern Rivers Bushfire Convergence in Mullumbimby, organised by Renew Fest.

Sitting under a Melaleuca paperbark tree in a group of 40 people to explore collaborative & shared leadership via sociocracy sounds like visionary fiction describing desired future times. Yet, this is exactly what happened at the recent Australasian Permaculture Convergence on Quandamooka Country, south east of Brisbane, in mid April.

Declutter! Serious life advice here. And I’m not one to give advice so blatantly. The Scorpio full moon made me do it. But if there’s anything I’ve learned as my years slowly yet surely mature (for which I’m so grateful) is this…

IT’S A PLEASURE” A common response to being thanked for doing or giving something. It communicates joy, satisfaction, gratification, and delight. Saying this is a feedback loop to self, and to the other, that goodness has been experienced in the act of giving.

Embodying this type of love is a…

GAME
CHANGER

I call it unconditional love.
Partnered tightly with unconditional trust.

Self love is a cultivation of relationship. Much like a living garden. One with seasons and diverse elements.

Travelling the world without stepping on a plane is a thing. Vintage world music on vinyl records is my portal ⛩

My first ever self-bought vinyl was ‘Herb Albert and his Tijuana Brass Band’ - a 50c score from an op shop crate. Little did I know, this would define the style of music I find sooo flippin’ exciting on record.

Humans have been losing track of each other. We haven’t been seeing & witnessing each other. Or effectively sharing what we’ve learnt along the way.

Coach listens, feels, senses, observes, perceives, allows. Coach tells stories, asks questions, shares anecdotes, encourages, & holds the big picture through the murk of details.

Receiving coaching is like receiving an ongoing soul hug.⠀

When we feel slighted, misunderstood, hurt and rejected, it can be so easy to hit back. Either at them who we feel hurt by. Or by projecting hurt onto to others in a victim-cum-perpetrator maneuver. ⠀

Role descriptions. Boring, right? Well, maybe they’re not the most exciting part of a job or group effort. But really, they are super useful. And when done right, they bring life, focus and coordination. Without them, there can be confusion, double-up of effort, and dropped balls.

Oh my heart - receiving this type of message is deffffinitely a heart warmer! Presenting at events like Newkind Conference is usually a winner of a time for me. Sharing insights on topics I'm passionate about to a load of people is such a special thing. 

Life is not, and never will be, all flower petals and fluffy feels. Just like so many, I look for the path of the feel-good whenever I can. Marie Kondo is definitely onto something when she advises us to ask “Does this bring you joy?”.