Where the Mind Grows

We have been asking Nature some big old questions about life, work & beyond, inspired by the problems & potentials of the people & teams we work with.

Today, we want to know what questions you want us to ask nature? Is there a pressing life or work problem we can work with nature to answer?

So far we have asked nature:
- How we can deal with Imposter Syndrome?
- Why nature is good for our mental and physical health?
- How can us humans learn to slow the chuff down?
- How can we be more confident?
- How can we improve communication as a team?
- How can we become more comfortable with managing change?
- How do we make more time for ourselves in the busy hustle and bustle of life?

Drop us a message with your question for nature!

Each week, I take a moment for myself, zoom out on my week - or day - and take a purposeful pause.

In a complex and ever-changing life, the essence of simplifying life and the notion of 'the path of least resistance' help to make life that little bit easier and calmer.

There is a natural principle called 'Manage your energy, not your time'.

Natural Principles are strategies learned from nature - evolved out of Permaculture - the Think Like A Tree approach.

I've had so many coaching clients choose this as a standout principle in their sessions, and it's one I LOVE to come back to as a SSS.

When I begin to think in energy levels instead of focusing on time I can be more responsive to my well-being needs, and I also design my week in a simpler way identifying tasks in order/accordance with the energy levels I have.

As a coach, energy has always been crucial for me. I have a whole set of simple things (Ready-ritual) I do in advance of and after a coaching session, so I am present and connected throughout. I've done this since 2017 - I tweaked the ready-ritual a little when I started coaching outside.

Are you a leader or someone who works with people? Have you considered establishing a 'ready ritual'? This can be a set of actions you do to boost your well-being, the SSS rule has to apply here - and it helps if you can identify the 'type' of energy you want to evoke.

So this week, your invitation is to consider simple, significant, solutions that lean into your awareness of your energy levels, the type of energy you'd love to yield in your life and how to make some tiny, and impactful changes this week to make that difference for yourself.

Wild workspaces!

The concept is simple
A 'Pop up' co-working space for you. Step out of the office and back into inspirational and relaxing locations and mindsets.

People and Planet health are at the core of what we do at Where the Mind Grows, and we believe we all have a place in nature.
Our wild workspaces may not have ALL the mod-cons you have come to expect in your working day. Instead giving you permission to minimise distractions, 'rest your tech' and attune your attention. Switch off 'busy'. A calm and clear mind, to do things differently.

Simplicity is the theme of our events. We help you find a simple, still, and spacious setting to work creatively, calmly, or productively - You Choose!
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Whether you own your own business or work for someone else, you've probably found yourself having to work in a different way over the past few years. Working approaches have certainly become more flexible, with work-from-home, hybrid models, and flexible-working becoming the norm these days.

And while for many of us, there are many benefits, you may have also experienced some challenges along the way.
Maybe you find yourself relating to some of these:
- Blurred boundaries with work and life.
- A greater effort to self-motivate and focus.
- Longer screen times.
- Communication challenges (at work and home).
- Less movement and task variation.
- Disconnection from teams & people.
- Displacement of roles and expectations.
- Isolation and Loneliness.
- Struggle to 'switch off' from work mode.
- Loss of purpose or direction.
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Our Wild Workspaces events, hosted by Where the Mind Grows, invite a new culture for remote & co-working. A refreshing and relaxing space to find focus, get stuff done, and reconnect. In stunningly beautiful locations guaranteed to inspire.

Find out more here - https://www.wherethemindgrows.co.uk/event-details/wild-workspaces-co-working-in-nature-event-1

Did you know you can grow some really unusual trees in our UK climate?

Laura is currently tending to a Szechuan lemon pepper tree - all be it a very small one! This incredible tree's spines grow as part of the trunk to create an amazing feature! It will be many many years until Laura's looks like this but it is still exciting!

The scent of the leaves is INCREDIBLE and they are lovely in tea, salad or stir fries!

What unusual trees are you growing?

Each week, we're asking Nature some big old questions about life, work, and beyond, inspired by the problems and potentials of the people and teams we work with.

This week, I'm returning to a question that motivates many of the people I work with to seek out a regenerative life coach.

This week, we are asking Nature - How do we make more time for ourselves in the busy hustle and bustle of life? Let's see what Nature might have to say about that!

Let go and Compost: The natural world understands that letting go and composting is a part of replenishing energy. As humans, consider the ways we can let go of expectations and roles that have been given to us but take up space and steal joy. Let go of saying too many yes's or seeing self-care as selfish (yes, let go of that!)

Stay purposeful: Knowing your purpose, roles, and values in life can be really helpful for staying aligned and ensuring the time we commit is purposeful. Many people need help and practice learning this because our life experiences have encouraged us not to always feel confident in who we are.

Be aware of your Magpie - Magpies love shiny things, and while it's great to have variety in life, be mindful of your inner Magpie, who might love collecting so many shiny things you don't know where or what to start with—leading to feelings of confusion, over-commitment, or indecisiveness.

Design your life with seasons in mind: Whether considering the changes in your mind and body in the natural cycles of life and Nature. Or consider your own inner seasons, defined by life experiences, learning styles, and personality. Adapting to the changes inside and out to best manage your time, create well-being strategies that support and nurture you in the present, and allow you space to tend to your needs. Have you ever considered how the anniversary of a loss may create an emotional impact on our rhythm of life or how a busy month, full of things, can shift our flow - if we try to keep the same routines? Or how our motivations can dip in the darker months? Something we learn much more about in coaching sessions.

Check out more of the questions we have been asking nature in our blog here - https://www.wherethemindgrows.co.uk/blog

Each week, I take a moment for myself, zoom out on my week - or day - and take a purposeful pause.
In a complex and ever-changing life, the essence of simplifying life and the notion of ‘the path of least resistance’ help to make life that little bit easier and calmer.

Zooming out, being curious about thoughts, feelings, commitments, and your beliefs (what you’re telling yourself about it all!) What kind and compassionate changes can you cultivate for yourself this week?

Here is your invitation to join us with the triple S approach.

Simple, Significant, Solution!

Often, I hear clients who feel frustrated with creating change when we look at the situation. Often, the change is too big, too complicated, or adds even more challenge to the week. Zapping energy and enthusiasm and leading some people to feel they are failing (not nice).

Triple S is about easy, impactful answers - guided by yourself and allowing more time for freedom and ease.

A new view and a change of perspective. Looking at a situation differently can support us to find simple solutions.

Whether you change or reframe your own beliefs about something this week or invite a family or team member to explore simple solutions with you.

If you’re feeling demotivated or unfocused in a work task, take a break and come back with fresh eyes and energy.

What in your life or work this week will value a new view?

Could you resist having a look in the cavity in this tree? For me delving into the nooks and crannies of trees an irresistible curiosity. You can find all kinds of special beasties lurking in them!

Tree holes and cavities come in many shapes and sizes, from totally hollow or fissured trees to the gaps in or behind peeling bark. The creation of cavities is not a simple process and often takes many years to form – the one on this tree must have taken many many years! Most come from some sort of natural damage such as lightning strikes, wind damage, animal behaviour or human activity.

Some of these holes are in sheltered areas and remain dry while others collect and hold water. This provides a wide range of niches for wildlife.

Can you guess what beasties I found in this tree?

We're asking Nature some big old questions about life, work & beyond, inspired by the problems & potentials of the people & teams we work with.

This week, I'm returning to a question that motivates many of the people I work with to seek out a regenerative life coach.

This week, we are asking Nature - How can we become more comfortable with managing change?

Change can come in many different forms in life or work. Whilst many changes are positive. Some may feel outside of our comfort, and control and create fear and uncertainty.

Here is what Nature has to say...

Basic Needs: Nature prioritises well-being, supporting it with energy to help it survive and thrive in an ever-changing environment. Valuing rest is often an area of our basic human needs that we overlook. Change often invites us to expand our mindset and skills; this new learning of adjustment of 'what we know and do' can require additional fuel, so rest, and recuperation is key at these times.

Explore Perspectives: Fear often comes when we only have one view or limited information on a situation, much of the natural world seeks a variety of feedback and information in which to pause and make sense. This supports it with resilient actions and change management.
Often change feels more complex because we haven't got a 'clear picture' of our role and purpose. Who or what can you ask to gain clarity and confidence?

Trust your ability to adapt: Just like Nature, we have the potential to be curious and creative in new and different circumstances. Nature has 3.8 billion years of evolution, changing to the world around it. We often have the capability to step into the space of resilience, too. Embrace your skills in adaptation, consider what will help you to feel more confident, and take some reflection time to understand where new resources or approaches will be best suited in your differing situation.

Work collaboratively: Ecosystems work so well because they work together. Even when some species may 'compete' in elements of their approaches, the overall efforts usually focus on creating conditions to thrive. Who, what, where and how can you collaborate through change, valuing the diversity of a range of skills in navigating uncertainty?

Clear Purpose: In times of change and uncertainty it's easy to feel lost, overwhelmed or confused and frustrated. In the natural world, each species has a clear purpose and life values that guide it through change. By reflecting and reconnecting to find your purpose and values you can grow your confidence and clarity in the face of change!

Check out our blog to see how Nature is answering our other questions - https://www.wherethemindgrows.co.uk/blog

Each week, I take a moment for myself, zoom out on my week - or day - and take a purposeful pause.

In a complex and ever-changing life, the essence of simplifying and the notion of 'the path of least resistance' help to make life that little bit easier and calmer.

Zooming out, being curious about thoughts, feelings, commitments, and your beliefs (what you're telling yourself about it all!)

What kind and compassionate changes can you cultivate for yourself this week?

This week, I am embracing the power of simple questions to support simple, significant solutions.

This time of year can be particularly busy (what kind of busy JK?) - Exciting event prep, team contracts, client deep work, creative content, Wild Workspace planning - kind of busy (all good stuff) - in these times, keeping balanced and upping the self-care is of great value.

Asking simple questions as a form of 'self-leadership' in life and work can be very powerful. Questions like 'What kind of busy?' help me check in with myself that the work I am doing feels purposeful.

What can be parked? Another simple question I'll call on is to balance my time and energy and prioritise tasks. Have you protected time? This helps me block out 'JK' time for balance in my calendar. What simple question can you ask yourself this week to help you discover simple, significant solutions in your week?

This tree is an amazing example of nature's courage and adaptability in its environment.

I love how much this tree reminds me of the value of caring for our well-being and the determination that comes from connecting to our purpose.

A broken branch at Little Seed Field, which as you can see - is flourishing with leaves still. I am intrigued to see how this tree adapts, heals and resources itself over the coming months.

When you consider these strategies in Nature, how can they be useful or relatable to your own challenges and experiences in life?

We're asking Nature some big old questions about life, work & beyond, inspired by the problems & potentials of the people & teams we work with.

This week's question is inspired by the many conversations I have with teams and leaders on the topic of improving communication.
Let's see what nature has to say about that….

Create Connections - relationship building is an effective part of enhancing communication. To help teams to improve communication consider the quality of relationships of staff. Is your team well connected? What opportunities are there to enhance relationships within a team to support people to work well together?

Healthy Ecosystems - In work, we can consider how the health and happiness of your organisation and team supports the way in which people communicate, connect, and collaborate. Consider investing in ways to enhance the environment and working culture. Delve into psychological safety principles to ensure teams feel open, safe, and positive.

Adaptive Strategies - In times of storms, tension, or complexity, nature shows resilience by responding to change. This is often not done alone or in isolation but as a community effort with close connections, learning from what has gone before and communicating opportunities for adaptation and change to enhance future resilience.

Communicating Inwards - As well as communicating with others, nature also engages consciously in strategies for internal communication and feedback. As humans, we may call this 'self leadership', 'mindfulness', or 'emotional intelligence' - the ability to sense or tune into ourselves and prioritise our individual well-being. By developing individual strategies to stay well and develop ourselves, we grow our ability to manage and maintain effective communication with others, too. You only have to consider how your communication changes when you have over-looked hunger, fatigue, or stress to know the impact this can have inside and out. As an organisation, encourage and support teams to be curious about their own self-leadership skills for well-being, too.

Embrace diversity - A range of diverse perspectives can offer a wealth of opportunities in your team and support teams to embrace individuality and dynamic ways of thinking. Your ideas should be vibrant and varied, consider if you encourage diversity of thought and voices across internal and external communications.

Value Pause - Nature has a whole season for pause. Take time for stillness and pause. This is also valuable to communication. Consider the elements of active listening, feedback, and reflection that can enhance your organisation's confidence, clarity, and learning.

For more nature-inspired ways to well-being why not sign up to the newsletter or get in touch to discuss your individual or team needs.

Check out our blog to see what other questions we have been asking nature - https://www.wherethemindgrows.co.uk/blog

Each week, I take a moment for myself, zoom out on my week - or day - and take a purposeful pause.
In a complex and ever-changing life, the essence of simplifying and the notion of ‘the path of least resistance’ help to make life that little bit easier and calmer.

Zooming out, being curious about thoughts, feelings, commitments, and your beliefs (what you’re telling yourself about it all!)

What kind and compassionate changes can you cultivate for yourself this week?

Here is your invitation to join us with the triple S approach.

Simple, Significant, Solution!

Often, I hear clients who feel frustrated with creating change when we look at the situation, often, the change is too big, too complicated, or adds even more challenge to the week. Zapping energy and enthusiasm and leading some people to feel they are failing (not nice).

Triple S is about easy, impactful answers - guided by yourself and allowing more time for freedom and ease.

This week, I am inviting you to join me in exploring those SSS changes for yourself, to help enhance your well-being.

Our invitation together this week focuses on the theme of MAKING SPACE.

There are all sorts of ways to make space for yourself - physical, mental, spiritual, social, creative, relaxing.

What simple, significant solutions can you choose for yourself to help create a positive impact on your health and well-being this week (The easier and kinder, the better!)

How will you make space this week?

What kind of space?

Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below.

This week's Tree of the Week is a special and proper gnarly one!

Check out this fab Holly I found hidden in the corner of the woods at Little Seed Field.

Many people think Hollys are just a bush, but when left to grow and thrive, and without human interference, this tree is a stunning example of what they can become!

Have you found any hidden gems?

We're asking Nature some big old questions about life, work & beyond, inspired by the problems & potentials of the people & teams I work with at Where the Mind Grows.

This week, we're broaching the topic of CONFIDENCE, something that often shapes coaching and team day sessions here in the woods.

Whilst the natural world might not know our human version of confidence. It can certainly give us some great ways to embrace the being and knowing of ourselves.

This week, we are asking Nature how can we be more confident?

Here's what Nature had to say about that!

Embrace your unique self - Just look at the woods, and you'll see all sorts of trees of all shapes and sizes. It's often the most unique tree that might stand tall in the woods. There is no comparing in the woods; we are just learning and adapting for Nature's sake to thrive.

Let go of perfectionism - Perfectionism and 'being good enough' are two very strong topics that crop up in our sessions. Reading to people who feel they need to seek perfectionism (and, of course, feeling many negative effects of this endurance), look around at the trees, plants, and animals; their imperfections are what make them beautiful!

Know your purpose - The natural world is super clear on its purpose, meaning it can align strategies and priorities to maintain and grow towards a purposeful way of being and doing.
There are times in our life, often after a change, that you may find yourself feeling lost, confused, or outgrowing the situation you are in. Return to your purpose to help you feel the positive benefits in mind and body. Your purpose doesn't have to be some big over-ambitious goal (remember what we've learned about letting go of perfectionism) - it could be as simple as living a healthy, balanced life. Consider then what to do and how to create these conditions for yourself.

Keep rooted - One of the central elements of coaching is to help you align your life with your values, this whole approach at WTMG is very much inspired by the woodland's ability to stay rooted. Trees' roots help anchor it in times of change and resilience, they support the tree to nourish its basic needs and they provide connection to many life-giving properties allowing it to learn and adapt through the years.

Stand Tall - Walking with grace and power is a coaching approach I share with clients to help them adapt to the internal feelings they have inside and counter-balance their nervous or anxious feelings. Just like a tree in Nature, standing tall helps to send a message to our subconscious to approach a situation with will and clarity (just some of the elements that support that confident feeling), so next time you need to call on confidence, stand tall and notice the change within.

Reach for the light - In times of self-doubt, it's easy to feel and see the world in a negative light. Whilst it's important to process ALL emotions and understand when you need help to move through the darker times. For many situations, a healthy (not toxic) dose of positive psychology can help reframe your beliefs. Just as a tree stretches its leaves towards the nourishment of the sun's brightness to create energy and life, we can also seek out the good in our world, find positive reframes, and discover opportunities and potential in problems that help us to grow our confidence through experience and celebration of life.

Spend time in thriving environments.

https://www.wherethemindgrows.co.uk/post/ask-nature-confidence

As I mentioned last week, every week I make sure to take a moment for myself, zoom out on my week—or day—and take a purposeful pause.

I remind myself of the Triple S approach, and I invite you to join me in taking it.

Remember – Simple, Significant, Solutions!

Triple S is about easy, impactful answers - guided by yourself and allowing more time for freedom and ease.

This week, I am focusing on a theme of ‘simplifying, decluttering, and making space’ to ensure that I’m making headspace for life and rest.
I’ve …
· Organised my storage box at Little Seed Field Woods, so I didn’t have to keep carting stuff down
· Converted an old workshop audio to a text file to repurpose as a future blog (Recycling and reusing is a great version of simplifying simple solutions)
· Minimised phone use/screen time after 7pm - This one will keep showing up because it's such a powerful one; I often shift to a little more access at the weekend due to social plans, so it’s good to go back and re-create this solution for myself again regularly (especially in the working week)

What can you do this week to give yourself headspace?

We're asking Nature some big old questions about life, work & beyond, inspired by the problems & potentials of the people & teams we work with.

This week, I'm returning to a question that motivates many of the people I work with to seek out a regenerative life coach like myself.

In a world that is hurtling, busy, and full of lots of stuff, our minds are caught up in this same cycle.

This week, we are asking Nature - How can us humans learn to slow the chuff down?

There are so many great examples to inspire us of a 'slow down, with meaning' lifestyle. Here is some great wisdom from Nature and the wisdom of the woods.

1. Take in your surroundings - All elements of Nature have a 'focus' on the here and now. They take time to observe, sense, or take in the feedback of what is around them and adjust their behaviours and strategies according to maintaining well-being in the face of change. When we are moving too fast in life it's easy for us to over-look everything from basic needs to opportunities and celebrations. Take a moment to pause and sense inside and out.

2. Simplify - In Nature, whilst each species is intricate in design and evolution health and well-being is achieved through simplifying. Avoiding the comparison of others a tree, for example, focuses on its direct needs for survival. This isn't selfish, as you'll see trees contribute to the wider health of the ecosystem and benefit from a simple focus on health and thriving above other pre-occupations. They find simple solutions to help enable health.

3. Composting and letting go - From leaves falling in autumn, to the many life forms that release or compost to enrich the future. In a busy life, choose what you can let go of or learn from to help you embrace a slower, more meaningful pace of life.

4. Flexible not flimsy - Checkout the branches of a tree and see how they can bend with the wind and adjust their growth to the ever-changing environment and challenges that call on resilience. Consider your ability to adapt strategies. If life is too fast and the strategies you are using to slow down aren't working, be curious about the potential to change these. In addition, trees are sturdy and sure-rooted; they establish foundations that help keep them in place throughout their lives. Consider this as a metaphor to support you with new boundaries for yourself and help you find calmness and confidence in your life, too.

5. Share the load and the abundance - Nature works in collaboration. A woodland is an ecosystem in which many species engage in supporting each other and sharing abundance too. Just observe the natural world to see interconnections and the way species help each other for the greater good of a thriving community ecosystem.

How could this inspire you and help you with more space and a slower pace to life?