TrimTabs #2 – Connecting more deeply
Hello TrimTabs,
I want to start today with the question I left you with last time: “What’s the smallest shift I can make today that aligns with my deeper purpose?”
I hope you found it a useful prompt, one that provided space for reflection on the ripples we send into the world. This thought often stays with me, and I truly believe that the biggest shift we can make is to pause and reconnect with ourselves. From that foundation, we can build deep connections with our communities and the planet.
It’s an idea beautifully captured in this Rumi quote:
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”
‘Changing myself’ can feel big, maybe even overwhelming. But what if, instead of seeing it as bold transformation, we viewed it as remembering - reconnecting with the dreams we once had for our lives?
And to do that we need to learn and feel, so I’ve been reading the wonderful ‘Learning How to Learn - Psychology and Spirituality in the Sufi Way’ by Idries Shah. It’s a soulful exploration drawing on ancient wisdom (including Rumi) and more recent scholars.
So I’m building hope that we Dare to Dream of an exciting future built on love and compassion. (If you missed last week’s TrimTabs, I introduced my 4D thinking model read it here.) Having now explored Daring and Dreaming, that leaves us with Doing and Designing this week…
‘Doing’ – Events & Activities
Community plays a vital role in shaping our connections. The more we explore our thoughts, perspectives, and beliefs, the more we can find our way, together. This Thursday at 10 AM, I’ll be at Patch co-hosting the second People, Planet, Pastry event. This gathering removes any ‘sustainability shame’ and judgment, creating an open space for like-minded people from all walks of life to meet, talk, and enjoy delicious plant-based pastries. What’s not to love? Book your ticket here. I’m also excited to be delivering a guest lecture at Bournemouth University about my journey from Corporate Marketeer to where I am today. I’ll be sharing my experience of navigating business approaches toward ethical, responsible, and integrated sustainable success.
‘Designing’ – Building Trust in Ourselves
We’re living in complex and heavy times. Change is constant, unsettling, and our nervous system is continuously bombarded by divide-and-rule politics that feel more medieval than progressive.
Through my coaching and strategy work, I focus on helping us build trust in ourselves. It’s about going inward to find the answers outward. That can be personally (the way we explore our belief systems) or within our businesses (nurturing the psychological safety to accept current realities and listen to the internal wisdom of your teams, if we dare to truly hear them). So, what if the solution to our challenges is trust in ourselves? Imagine the possibilities - murmurations of connection, movement, and collective wisdom.
“A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because it’s trust is not on the branch but on its own wings. Believve in yourself”.
Small Shift, Big Impact: A thought for this week
So, I’ll leave you with this question for reflection: “What can I do today to nurture trust in myself?”
Wishing you clarity and courage,
Nick