Wise Wednesdays

  Ever said to yourself: I’ll do X, when I have Y (e.g. I’ll do that thing that’s important to me when I have more time/money/qualifications? Well, you’re not alone. Most people are trained to think: Have -> Do -> Be "When I have more time, I’ll do it, and then I’ll be happy." And then we have an epidemic of burnout and people who think they need to be more ‘productive’. The problem isn’t the action. It’s the underlying reasons. If you’ve been programmed to want certain things - a stable job, money, status, luxury, without ever being asked what you really want — of course you'll keep running. But if you're reading this, some deeper part of you is starting to question the whole show. Transformational coaching flips the relationship on its head: Be -> Do -> Have You don’t even need to know what you want (which can be elusive if you’ve never had the chance to connect with what you want) to live this way. You simply have to know what kin...

 I was starting to doubt my decision and think it might be wiser to give up. That morning, it seemed like a great idea to walk the 20km or so between the Montserrat mountain in Catalunya and the Manresa Cave where St Ignatius spent a year in retreat, battling his demons and eventually attaining deep peace and clarity of vision. Many pilgrims had walked that route before. Or had they…? I thought I was walking a well-trodden pilgrim path, but later discovered it was my imagination. The actual Camino de San Ignacio was a few kilometres West… The funny thing is, I didn’t know it at the time. So I just kept walking. I had no phone signal, and the map kept disappearing. But the next step revealed itself as I went along, with many strangers helping generously when I was lost or unsure. SENSING DANGER... The biggest challenge was the busy motorways. At first, I didn’t mind winding between nature trails and occasional motorway segments. But when it looked increasingly dangerous and long, do...

  When crisis hits, whether global, political, or personal, I’ve noticed a familiar urge in myself: to lie low and ride it out quietly. Back in 2020, when the world first tipped into chaos, I gave myself permission to do just that. But the strangest thing happened. As I settled into stillness, a surge of energy hit me. I felt 100% clear that this was a time to show up and be the best leader I could be, in service to whoever I could help. It’s not an accident. It’s Network Effects and the impact of being surrounded by great role models and leaders including my own teachers and coaches. You see good leaders create more leaders (not more followers). Did you know that the word “leader” comes from the Old English lædan meaning “to go before as a guide”? This is a great time if you know in your bones that things could be better in your work or life and that problems are opportunities in disguise. Toxic environments are being challenged and purged to some extent. Time will tell where the ...

 Earlier this month, a member of The Sanctuary: Deep Roots, High Wings  made a radical move in her leadership role that she had been putting off for a long time. After a session, she took bold action. And just before our next call two weeks later, she received a positive response. We celebrated - not the outcome but the move. She was back in the flow of aligned action. The space is designed for sanctuary-makers to make liberational moves that transform everything - often in ways they thought were impossible or years away. But also in small imperceptible ways that put cracks in old walls of fear. It’s not because they suddenly have more time or resources. It’s because they become more committed to their dreams than their fears and are open to receiving support to break through paralysis and self-doubt. We dive deep to move past the voices that whisper: “I don’t have time.”   “It’s not my time.”   “It’s too late/too early.”   “I don’t have X.” “I need more Y.” “I’...

  This week: a simple but powerful 5-step framework (GRASO) to support trauma-sensitive conversations in the workplace. For leaders, coaches, and anyone navigating emotional intensity in high-stakes environments. Last week, we touched on what it means to acknowledge and address the layers of trauma present in the workplace, as professionals, leaders, and high achievers.  I’ve always found that coaching is more powerful when it’s trauma-sensitive (even if not trauma-focused) because it draws on deeper presence and insight — now more than ever. According to Gallup's Global Workforce Survey 2024, employee disconnection from organisations had already reached an all-time high. It’s compounded by the intensification of uncertainty about future life prospects, job insecurity, and alarming news. As a reminder, Trauma is an experience of overwhelming fear and aloneness that leaves us feeling powerless. This is why trauma healing involves calming fear, creating connection, and restoring...

Although I’m a doctor by background, I’ve never primarily relied on trauma-related frameworks. However, with the increasing levels of stress in workplaces — in parallel with ongoing news of war, financial instability, and geopolitical tension — the frame has become more relevant. Trauma is an experience of overwhelming fear and aloneness that leaves us feeling powerless. This is why trauma healing involves calming fear, creating connection, and restoring a sense of agency. It’s a profound path of liberation. Being a non-trauma-driven leader means not reacting to fear and panic while remaining sensitive. It means becoming a shock absorber — with space to release that shock safely elsewhere. At advanced levels, it means transforming and releasing that shock through awareness and breath in the moment. And this is a reality that leaders must face: In times of deep uncertainty, many people experience trauma being reactivated — or even triggered for the first time. Here are 6 practices to le...