Hi Subscriber First Name,

I've been thinking lately about the different parts of myself. I'm learning to appreciate all of them, even the ones I used to hide away.

Last week I wrote the appreciation and lessons from the more stormy parts of our lives. They can give us a way of noticing things, reading situations and understanding people that we might otherwise miss.

It got me thinking about another thing that keeps us stuck - fear. Not always the big, obvious kind but the more subtle fears of starting something new, of being judged, of wondering if anyone will actually show up.

Two years ago I hadn't run a single event.

The idea of bringing people together through the curiosity of exploring something meaningful with other people felt exciting and terrifying in equal measure.

Looking back at everything we've built since then, I feel a real sense of pride, not because it's been perfect but because a small idea has grown into something much bigger than I could have hoped.

I'm so grateful for every single person that has been part of this shared curiosity. Of what happens when we try something different and accept that fear might be the fuel we need to keep pushing.

Every time we put something new in the calendar, I feel the fear coming back to the surface. I still hear that voice asking if anyone will be interested, if I'm getting ahead of myself.

It's a younger part of me, I imagine it as me as a 6 year old wondering if anyone will turn up at my birthday party. And I think it's a deep fear for some of us, what if nobody chooses us?

And that's where the power of creating deep roots within ourselves comes in. What if we can choose ourselves? Having the deep roots to know that no matter how things turn out, we have the self-compassion to know that things will be okay?

I don't want that to sound like a solo pursuit. Quite the opposite. It's the basis of reciprocity with others - the more I know myself, the more I spend time with others who are also on this path. And then I help them, they help me. We grow through belonging.

We need people around us who believe in what we're creating when our own confidence wavers and that's the real power of community: not that we've got it all figured out but that becoming something is easier together.

And it's why I'm so grateful to be co-creating these gatherings with Kate at Four Acre Farm and Karley at Patch in Bournemouth. Without realising it, they keep that 6 year old part of me safe in the knowledge that I'm not doing this alone.

Upcoming Events

Some people say that August is a terrible time for events due to summer holidays. But if I stopped living to the natural rhythms of life, then I think I’d be giving in to the fear. So we actually have a bumper month of things to enjoy:

The Natural Network at Patch

30th July: 10am - 12pm at Patch. Tickets here

This is our monthly gathering as a collaboration between The Natural Network and Patch. We're passionate about bringing people together to explore how we work, lead and do business in more sustainable, human and natural ways. This month our guest speaker is Amanda Shorey who will share insights from her passion as an adventure cyclist and her role in BCP Council’s Active Travel team. It’ll balance the being and doing of a sustainable and exciting life.

The Longer Table Brunch at Four Acre Farm

8th August: 11.30am - 1.30pm at Four Acre Farm. Tickets here

This time we're trying something new - a brunch in the orchard trees instead of our usual dinner, to see how it lands. This gathering's theme is Belonging, a seasonal feast built around good food, honest conversation and the simple act of sitting at a table with people you may not have met yet.

The Natural Network Workshop at Four Acre Farm

14th August: 9.30am - 1.00pm at Four Acre Farm. Tickets here (newsletter £20 discount code - Naturalnetwork20)

The Shift. The light has slowly begun to turn. Have you?

It's time for our next gathering in The Natural Network wheel - the eighth and final gathering in this round. Today, most of us spend the majority of our time indoors, under artificial light, glued to screens, trying to force ideas on demand. The result is well documented - burnout, exhaustion and a persistent sense of not doing 'enough'.

The earlier parts to the summer gave us full abundance with the sun at its peak, everything in bloom, all outward-facing energy. This is about what comes next to help us navigate the next seasons of our work and life.

Wrapping up

We spend so much of life waiting for the fear to disappear before we start, when really it's just the fuel that comes with doing something that matters.

The deep roots we build within ourselves, the self-compassion to know we'll be okay whatever happens, aren't a replacement for community, they're what let us show up for it. Fear and belonging grow side by side.

If you've been meaning to come along to one of the gatherings I’m part of but haven't quite taken the leap, maybe this is your invitation. Sometimes the first step is simply trusting yourself enough to begin.

I'd love to hear what this brings up for you. As always, just hit reply, I respond to every email.

With compassion and curiosity,

Nick