Dear HRart Worker,

When we operate under the belief that we’re separate from nature, pushing ourselves beyond our limits, it’s like swimming against the current in open water. You might eventually reach your destination, but at what cost?

How exhausted, depleted, or disconnected will you feel? Will you be able to truly appreciate and savor your achievements when you arrive?

For many, the struggle becomes too draining, and they end up giving up, never quite reaching their goals.

The invitation I’m extending is to release the preconceived path and let go of rigid definitions of success. Instead, allow yourself to flow with the current—a state of being that can lead to outcomes far beyond what we ever imagined.

This mindset encourages us to embrace self-care and healing, but it also sparks curiosity about how this philosophy can transform business operations and people management.

“It’s Not the Destination, It’s the Journey”

This timeless insight from Ralph Waldo Emerson is more than a catchy phrase. It embodies a way of living known as the Dao, emphasizing harmony, balance, surrender, and trust. The Dao leads to fulfillment and peace, yet it requires us to honor natural rhythms.

Author Lorie Eve Dechar captures this beautifully in her book Kigo:

“For the ancient Daoist physicians and sages who developed many of the most important theories and practices of traditional Chinese medicine, nature is not only the physical matrix of our being but also the doorway through which the mystery of the Dao—the Divine path or Way of the Cosmos—manifests as a reality in our lives. Spirit is not ‘far away in Heaven’ but here, now, and visible in the world around us. It is only through devoted attention to the natural world, through a direct encounter with the wisdom of nature, that we can come anywhere closer to knowing the unknowable Dao and grasping the essence of an embodied spiritual experience.”

Purpose and passion are spiritual experiences in the business world, too. We expect employees to feel deeply connected to their work, contributing with care and dedication. Yet, when we examine how we operate, we often find ourselves fighting against nature’s rhythms.

Winter: A Season of Reflection and Restoration

Consider the season of winter. In nature, everything slows down: days are shorter, nights are longer, and the cold encourages rest. What we often call the “winter blues” is nature urging us to embrace stillness and introspection.

Winter invites us to reflect deeply, to turn inward, and to assess our journey. It’s a time to sow seeds of insight, preparing for growth in the spring. Yet, our cultural and business practices often fill this season with relentless action—year-end deadlines, holiday pressures, and rushed goal-setting come January.

What if, instead, we honored winter’s call for deep reflection in our organizations? Imagine using this season for a Leadership Retreat focused on celebrating and acknowledging each individual’s unique contributions. A safe space to explore vulnerability, to confront inner barriers, and to heal from within.

Could we resist the urge to fill this retreat with strategic planning? Could we trust that this deep reflection might reveal possibilities we never imagined, contributing to a culture of genuine engagement, connection, and well-being?

Trusting Nature’s Rhythm in Business

The resistance you may feel to these ideas is a sign of how deeply we’re conditioned to push against the current. But what if we harnessed the natural flow instead?

Each season brings lessons uniquely suited to that moment, guiding us toward a state of harmony. By respecting these rhythms and allowing space for self-awareness and healing, we can unlock new levels of creativity, connection, and growth.

Let’s embark on this journey together, honoring the wisdom of nature and embracing the power of flow.

Sincerely,

Samm Smeltzer, DMQ