At the start of the year it’s a good time for reflection. Here’s some food for thought on the theme of wild – and specifically your own wildness. . .
If you think about being ‘wild’ – what does it bring up?
It might bring up a feeling of being out of control or of chaos. But in my work over the years with changemakers it brings up more than just this.
Try it yourself. Take a few moments with these questions:
- When have you felt most ‘wild’?
- Where were you? And who were you with?
- How did it feel in your body? And what feelings did it evoke?
In my work on ‘Inner Leadership for Outer Change’ ‘wild’ is a powerful doorway for people to access themselves and what makes them feel really alive. It’s often associated with being more physical and in our bodies. We feel more present, playful and creative. We’re less judging and worrying. Our senses are awake! We can feel ourselves as one living breathing creature among many. Often people feel most wild when they’re connected with nature and this makes sense. It’s our own inner wild nature connecting with wild spaces and places! This is who we really are!
In our so-called ‘civilised’ society wildness can be threatening or scary. It can be raw and edgy but it’s also alive and connected. It’s a way of exploring what’s true for you and what’s calling you in your life.
Most of us have been conditioned into a sense of separation – from ourselves, each other and the wonderful planet we live on.
But this is an illusion.
What the world needs is for us to reconnect on all three of those dimensions – with our selves, each other and the planet. And listening to our inner wildness is a potent way to do this. Civilisation has decimated the balance and beauty of many wild outside spaces but has also fenced in and controlled our inner wildness. I’m passionate about unleashing our aliveness and brilliance to become bold leaders for change. Our inner wildness points to our joy and passion. To being fully ourselves in the changes we stand for in the world.
This is why I believe connecting with our own unique inner wildness is vital for the necessary changes we need to make to a sustainable balanced way of life. The more we can bring our whole selves to the task at hand the more we’ll inspire others – and the more fun we’ll have doing it!
We’ll be diving deeper into this on the Living Wild & True in 2018 retreat I’m running this coming weekend at magical Minstead in the New Forest. This is about building your capacity to act for change. It’s about avoiding burnout, increasing your impact and being more ‘wildly’ you – from a connected ‘true’ place – in your work for change. There’s still A FEW PLACES LEFT!
And if you can’t come this time I’m running it again in March. You can also sign up to my regular weekly tips on Living Wild & True.
The world needs you to be fully you in your work for change!
Have 2018 be your year for living wild. Living true. Being fully and wholly You!
First published as a guest blog on the 6Heads blog here.