From Quarters to Seasons: Harnessing Nature's Rhythms for Burnout-Free Results

In the northern hemisphere, the subtle signs of spring are unfurling, signaling our progression beyond the Lunar New Year and Imbolc—a traditional Gaelic festival heralding the dawn of spring. The symphony of morning birds seems to be calling the trees out of their dormancy. The rains have started quenching a thawing, awakening earth. Things quite literally look brighter as the days become longer and warmer.

While the external world comes to life, have you noticed a surge of energy and motivation stirring within?

Spring's arrival invites us to embark on new ventures, collaborate with one another, and pursue our heart's deepest visions. The air feels more vibrant and hopeful than it did in the dead of winter, and this makes our tasks feel a bit lighter. Our collaborations invigorate us, fostering a seamless flow of ideas and energy.

It's as if our inner landscape is a mirror of the natural world...

And it turns out, there is a biological truth to this.

As nature shifts into her next season, our neurochemistry and hormones shift with her. Indeed, our internal body rhythms directly mirror the rhythms of nature. 
 

As spring comes to life, we experience notable shifts in our serotonin, melatonin, testosterone and cortisol, all of which impact our productivity, creativity, and sense of well-being. If we’re aware of these shifts, we can harness our body’s rhythms for greater impact and more effective leadership. 

This profound connection to the cycles of nature has reshaped my approach to business and life.

Three years ago, I started operating on seasons, not quarters. My year-end now coincides with the Lunar New Year, and this feels far more intuitive and in alignment with my body's rhythms.

January used to be a time of forced productivity, self-created deadlines, and burnout. Apathy, resentment, fatigue and disengagement often showed up as symptoms as I ignored my body and tried to launch into new projects and lofty goals directly after the holidays. Armed with caffeine, I fought the short days and melatonin. I fought against my own body…

Now, the winter months of November - January are a period of reflection, strategy assessment, and deep personal and professional goal evaluation. It's a time for rest, for family, for "me time"—an integration phase that primes me for spring's burst of clarity and motivation. I no longer feel guilty about slowing down or resting, because I understand that it's all part of a cycle.

Harnessing the regenerative power of cycles has unlocked long-term sustainable growth in my business. Working in this way, I've realized that I do not have to sacrifice my health for success. These things are not at odds when we live in harmony with nature.

Recognizing this has been immensely healing. It's also made me wonder when we forgot that we are nature? Nature has been prototyping efficient evolution and scaling for millennia. I am but her humble student.

- Reflections from our Founder

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Self-awareness is a prerequisite for exceptional leadership.

I see conscious leaders outperforming their less self-aware counterparts all the time. Leaders who take the care to self-regulate their nervous systems, do their inner work, and communicate with care are creating healthy & sustainable cultures. 
 

They’re magnetic and they lead on purpose, with purpose. They create safe spaces where authenticity and vulnerability breed resilience, trust and connection.

They don’t lead from trauma or drama. They don’t use harmful language or gossip. They don’t make reactive, fear-based decisions from dysregulated nervous systems.

On the contrary, they understand that as a leader, they play a critical role in co-regulating the collective nervous system of their team, and that when their team feels safe, they have greater access to human potential – creativity, play, generosity, empathy, purpose, intuition, mental acuity and emotional intelligence. This environment is conducive to not only greater job satisfaction, retention, and talent acquisition, but also commitment, idea flow, and collective intelligence.

When we’re caught in a state of fight-or-flight, we lose access to the executive function of our brain. Executive function allows us to plan ahead, meet goals, stay focused (even when interrupted), hit goals, and complete complex tasks. When we lose access to our executive function, we cannot be effective leaders. We cannot solve today's great challenges if we're stuck in a contracted state of stress and fear.

This means that there’s an unspoken, unwritten requirement for leaders that isn’t explicitly named in the job description:

“Must know how to self-regulate your nervous system.”
 

We typically do this through self-care, mindfulness, breathing, time in nature, or engaging in activities that bring us peace and joy. This looks unique to each person, and may change over time.
 

"In my days as a COO, if I didn’t meditate, take nature breaks, and move my body, I literally didn’t have the bandwidth, energy or capacity to do my job effectively. I had to lead myself with care and compassion first before I could lead others in this way. I also noticed that I became more effective and efficient when I wove mindfulness into my work, so I made it a part of my work, rather than something that exists outside of it."

- Nicole Bellisle

Self-aware leaders are more attuned to their contexts. They start to notice subtle shifts in their teams, organizations and markets. They start leading their organization as a living system, not merely a machine.

And this is where it starts to get really interesting...

Ready to master the art of being a conscious leader?
Apply to our Regenerative Leader Program today.

Here are two self-leadership practices to help you regulate your nervous system on a regular basis.

Self-Reiki for Stress Management

Reiki is a holistic energy healing practice that originates from Japan, designed to promote relaxation, reduce stress, improve sleep, and enhance overall well-being. Anyone can learn how to do it. It can be used to manage your energy level and stress throughout a work day. I like to use it at the beginning of meetings to get grounded, focused and present, and at the end of my work day to let go of any residual stress or tension my body might be holding from the work day.

At-Home Cacao Ritual for Leaders & Business Owners

Cacao has many health benefits, including stress reduction, mood enhancement, and mental clarity. It is both stimulating and relaxing, making it an effective (and delicious) afternoon beverage to enjoy before major meetings or when you need an energy boost without the crash afterwards. Learn my top 3 ways to use cacao in a work context, and how to make it at home with ethically sourced, ceremonial grade cacao.

Stories from the Field

Learn from leaders who are walking the talk, and embodying a more conscious, regenerative way of doing business.

We sat down with distinguished CEO and chairman turned international business coach, Gerardo Segat, to explore the benefits of authentic leadership. In this episode we unpack an often overlooked truth – leading with vulnerability and authenticity yields far greater results than traditional, fear-based approaches.

Gerardo offers profound insights into maintaining our humanity in leadership amidst the complexities of today's tech-driven world, giving tangible examples throughout the conversation.

Inside this episode, you'll discover the keys to navigating uncertainty with radical clarity, humanity, and positivity, and learn how aligning inner values with external actions can lead to not just successful outcomes, but deep fulfillment and connection.