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It definitely feels as though the seasons are changing. The recent storms have been pretty wild and summer has slipped away. The days are shorter, the air feels damp and the clocks change soon.

When I was in my corporate life, that shift used to fill me with dread. The thought of leaving for work in the dark and returning home in the dark, barely seeing daylight for months was soul-destroying.

Maybe that’s why the work we’re doing through The Natural Network feels so meaningful now. It’s grown out of a long process of healing, curiosity and connection with the people who have been rewilding themselves and the land.

And I’m noticing change. Slowly, steadily, I’ve been building - tending to the soil I’m part of and letting go of the things that no longer serve me. I’ve been composting the limiting beliefs, fears and internalised shame that once kept me small. All that muck, it turns out, is exactly what nourishes new growth.

As the saying goes, “the deeper the mud, the more beautiful the lotus.” There’s been a fair bit of mud in my life so it feels right that shoots are beginning to appear.

My work has always been grounded in helping people (and businesses) know themselves more deeply. When we listen inwardly, we can make choices that are more regenerative for ourselves and for the systems we’re part of.

I often imagine it like a tree - as above, so below. Here’s a simple diagram using my ‘Inner Roots. Outer Fruits’ model which I created for our ‘Harvesting Wisdom’ event. It’s an invitation to pause and reflect about how well we are balancing our inner work with outer impact.

Remember, the deeper and more nourished our roots, the more abundant our outer fruits can become. In stormy conditions, the trees with shallow roots may fall but those deeply grounded can flex, adapt and survive.

And the other amazing thing about roots is that they are connected to everything else. It’s a wonderful concept called the ‘woodwide web’ where trees and fungi share resources, nutrients and signals to help each other flourish. So it makes sense that we can do the same in our networks.

One of the ways I love doing that is through in-person events. Online is cool but physically being in the presence and energy of people is special. So I’ve been creating, speaking, facilitating and designing new things. It feels good to see an ecosystem coming to life and there’s so much going on over the next few months that I’ve dusted off my events calendar and put it back up on my website! Go check it out if you have time.

There’s a wonderful mix of gatherings from soulful conversations to breath work, to business reflection to community connection. Each one feels like a small act of hope in uncertain times and I’m genuinely grateful to be part of these circles of people doing such heartfelt work.

Lately, I’ve been feeling a new clarity around my coaching and wayfinding work too, helping individuals and organisations navigate the space between inner transformation and outer action. The markets might be tough right now but I’m reminded that if we each share what we discover, create things that align with our inner wisdom, then we can find hope together.

I won’t ever have all the answers but I’m looking, moving and noticing the small shifts. Like the bumblebee, whose precessional flight creates ripples and pollinates as it wanders, I’m trusting the process of connection, one dot at a time.

So here’s an image from my Sunday evening this week. In the past, it wouldn’t have been like this. I would’ve been dreading the week ahead rather than spending time with people in a poly tunnel while the rain lashed against the roof. We were warm both physically and emotionally.

The next few months are looking exciting so here’s the highlights for October:

October Events

🌳 The Natural Network - ‘Crossing the Threshold’

31st October at Four Acre Farm

I’m delighted that our second Natural Network event is almost full. We’ve got an incredible group joining us for a day of connection, reflection, and nourishment. There are just a couple of spaces left if you’d like to come along. The day includes a workshop, facilitated discussion, market garden lunch and a 30 minute coaching conversation with me. Tickets here

☕ People, Planet, Pastry

30th October at Patch

We have the final People, Planet, Pastry of the year on 30 October. Tickets here. We’d love you to come and join us to make this the biggest so far!

So, until next time - may your roots stay deep, your branches flexible and your light steady as the seasons turn.

Nick

Well that’s it for another week. But we don’t have to stop there.

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