8 July 2026

Take yourself with you ✈️

It's a brisk Wednesday morning here in Adelaide, but I've managed to find a sunny nook to feel a bit of warmth and do some morning reflection. And it's gotten me thinking about how to stay present when life moves fast. It's one of those weeks for me. Brisbane for a research conference, back to Adelaide for a workshop, then Sydney, then LA via Fiji, then New York. As I type this, it all feels a bit glamorous. (Nope, I'm flying economy all the way... ha ha) But I do have a sense of gratitude that my work is slowly reaching people outside of my immediate circle. Here's my question though. How do we make sure we're actually present for the lives we spend so much time trying to build? I know my own tendency. When something I've been working towards finally happens, I'm often already mentally somewhere else. Thinking about the next flight... the next room... the next deadline... And perhaps that's one of the stranger parts of ambition. We can spend years trying to create a life, then become so focused on keeping it moving that we forget to actually live inside it. It's easy to say... just slow down. But some seasons are fast.

For me, the work isn't about moving less. It's about learning how to stay with myself while I move.

To appreciate the sunny nook. To taste the coffee. To gaze out at the clouds if we're lucky enough to score that elusive window seat :) And most importantly, to make sure we’re not leaving ourselves behind. Perhaps being grounded isn't about having a quiet life. Perhaps it's about not abandoning yourself inside a busy one. How might you stay more present in yours this week?

Keep feeling,
Nathan