“Sitting here next to the creek, I’m noticing I don’t have to DO anything. There are no decisions to make, no actions to take. I can just be here in nature. And this is so different from daily life which is incredibly stressful all the time.”
This young guy shared this with me during a forest therapy walk. I was stunned by both how proud he seemed by his importance, his badge of busy-ness he was proudly wearing, and I was grateful that he was seeing how he could press the pause button, even for just a few hours.
When did “busy” become a [horrible] a badge of honor instead of a signal that something’s out of balance?
The leaders I work with aren’t looking for more productivity hacks. They’re looking for a way to think more clearly, feel more energized, and to remember why they’re doing the work they’re doing.
That requires space. Stillness. Connection to something larger than the KPIs or next quarterly report.
You THINK [hope] you can just optimize your way out of overwhelm…
You cannot.
BUT you can remember what centered self-leadership feels like.
It’s the key to getting out of the bog called overwhelm.
Warmly,
Angie
PS: photo courtesy of Nelson Stegall Photography (C) 2025