One of the greatest things about what you do as a coach, healer or therapist, is that you're affecting the world in ways that you can have no natural knowledge of. By helping others to heal and grow, the benefit works its way out into the environment to change the bigger picture and make real changes in human lives.
How good do you feel about this?
Just sit in this for a moment. Allow yourself to smile.
You're doing a great job.
What we can learn about the greater good from the nature of trees?
I grew up next to the sea, so for most of my life, the ocean has been the focus of my attention.
Just recently, I've been drawn to the trees around my home and upon finding out that there are ancient woodlands just a five-minute walk from my house I've been spending more and more time there.
And then I picked up a copy of Peter Wohllben's masterpiece The Hidden Life of Trees which has been an eye-opener.
Did you know that trees act as water pumps?
Remember learning about the water cycle at school? How it evaporates into clouds which then drift inland and fall as rain. Did you know that this only works for up to 400 miles from the coast and then the clouds run out of water?
What happens then?
Because of the leafy canopy of woodland, much of the water that falls there then gets reevaporated back into the atmosphere. Trees also transpire water, releasing it to be used again.
They create a cool, moist environment below for their own well-being and so by creating a healthy situation for themselves, they help to maintain a healthy ecosystem to support other life.
And the clouds get carried by the winds, driving them inland to bring life to other areas that otherwise would have remained dry.
It made me think of the parallels with what we do.
Many of the people I work with do what they do because they've been through tough times and they want to help those going through it now. They've climbed out of a hole and they're throwing the rope back.
They've also chosen the sphere they work in because it's healthy for them. Many have come out of corporate roles to pursue their dream career and feel so much better for it. They've survived burnout or trauma for example, and now that they're thriving, they want to share their wisdom, techniques, learnings and insight.
Their acts of self-compassion and self-healing kicked off a need to use those skills to help others.
Like the trees, they've created a healthier environment for themselves but by doing so, they're feeding the wider ecosystem. They're sending the healing and growth they've received back into the atmosphere.
And from there, it'll drift inland and quench the need of others looking for sustenance.
So never underestimate the power and reach of what you do.
Find your local ancient woodland here.
And get hold of a copy of The Hidden Life of Trees here.
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