The Forces We Carry (No. 14)
Every building is in a quiet, constant negotiation with physics. We’re trained to see the forces at play: compression, tension, bending, torsion. But physics doesn’t stop at the building. And it doesn’t stop at our skin.
No. 13 Playing Your Opposites: Stretching Out of Your Comfort Zone
Before we left Canada for our honeymoon, we had booked exactly one accommodation. As someone who starts packing three days before a trip, I was convinced I was doing my honeymoon wrong. By the third drive in a row spent booking that night's stay from the passenger seat, I caught myself thinking: huh, this is actually fun.
This issue talks about how, contained doses of discomfort can widen your window of tolerance, both personally and professionally.
No. 9 Three meters (10’) made all the difference
Today's theme: how can we set ourselves and our projects up for success by paying attention to our environment?
Environmental cues play an important role in reminding you to do the things you intend to do. If you're setting an intention to regulate your nervous system (aka entering a healthier relationship with your fear response), environmental cues can support that.
No. 6 When Good Change Still Feels Scary
Everybody wants transformation, but nobody wants to change.
I didn't fully understand that until one of the best days of my life: my partner proposed and I got a raise on the same day. I was ecstatic! And then I woke up the next morning feeling anxious.
No. 5 Surge Time: Staying Steady When Life Speeds Up
“Surge time” is a busy season when we face more demands than usual, either personal or professional. Sometimes you see them coming, and other times you don’t.
I like to surf, so the analogy of a wave is apt here. How do you ride the wave of surge time, rather than be taken over?
No. 4 Loop-de-Loop: Becoming aware of burnout patterns
I’ve been exploring the neurobiology of burnout. While we often focus on external pressures, deadlines and demands as the main contributor to burnout, research shows that burnout is frequently driven by "unclosed loops", which is the lingering mental and emotional stress cycles we carry through the day.
Thinking of your incomplete to-do list or that performance review with your boss can impact your stress response.
No. 2 Sustainable success starts with a regulated nervous system
What happens in our nervous system when we’re under pressure?
Whether you’re coordinating complex details with consultants, keeping the LEED points from slipping away, or trying to keep your inbox from eating your soul alive… sustainability work can stretch our limits. The more we understand our internal stress responses, the more skillfully we can show up in our work.