It's Time For Barefoot Leadership

Have you ever paused to wonder why, after a walk on the beach or a moment in the garden, you feel so profoundly rejuvenated?

An answer lies in a simple yet powerful phenomenon: grounding.

As inhabitants of concrete jungles, we've lost touch with the world beneath our feet. The earth that provides us sustenance and life has become a mere backdrop in our fast-paced lives.

But have you considered the impacts of this disconnect and the opportunity that regular reconnection offers?

This talk explores the challenges of that disconnect, and the science and benefits to our well-being of reconnecting with the earth, through grounding. It offers a clear explanation and simple guidance for you to apply, freely, every day.

Part of The Executives Guide To Flourishing

Transcript

As a senior executive,

Your days are likely filled with back-to-back meetings,

High-stakes decision-making,

And the perpetual demands of leading a team and an organization.

Yet amidst this hustle,

Have you ever paused to wonder why,

After a walk on the beach or a moment in the garden,

You feel so profoundly rejuvenated?

An answer may lie in a simple yet powerful phenomenon – grounding.

As inhabitants of concrete jungles,

We've lost touch with the world beneath our feet.

The earth that provides us sustenance and life has become a mere backdrop in our fast-paced lives.

But have you considered the impacts of this disconnect,

And the opportunity that regular reconnection offers?

Every holiday season we revel in the bliss of nature,

Feeling rejuvenated and alive.

We take off our shoes on the beach,

Swim in the ocean,

Or walk barefoot in the garden or park.

We find ourselves drawn towards nature.

It's important to recognize that our bodies are intuitively yearning for connection,

A return to the earth,

Grounding ourselves.

It's time to bear our soul.

What is grounding?

The concept of grounding is straightforward.

It's about balancing the electrical potential of the human body,

Grounding our energy to the earth.

We are bioelectrical beings living on an electrical planet,

And our bodies operate electrically.

Our cells transmit multiple frequencies that run,

For instance,

Our heart,

Brain,

Immune system,

Muscles,

And nervous system.

Grounding,

Or earthing,

Refers to direct skin contact with the surface of the earth,

Such as with bare feet,

Or hands,

Or with various grounding systems.

Scientific research over more than a decade indicates that our bodies can be protected and helped,

And that we feel better when we are electrically connected to the earth.

Our disconnection from the earth reflects our disconnect from each other,

Our bodies and ourselves,

Leading to imbalances in every quadrant of our lives.

For some,

This even has a name,

NDD,

Nature Deficit Disorder.

This disconnect also manifests in the rising prevalence of conditions where inflammation in many areas of the body is observed and causes pain and disease.

Indeed,

The impact of this disconnect goes beyond the physical realm and seeps into our mental and emotional wellness.

Laura Conover,

MD,

States in her book,

The Earth Prescription,

We are starting to hear more and more about how our disconnect from the earth is causing a disconnect from our innate wellness.

Study reveals how decreased time spent outdoors is associated with anxiety and depression,

ADHD,

High blood pressure,

High cortisol,

Decreased immune function,

Decreased memory,

And poor quality sleep.

Time spent in nature correlates with improved health.

Study after study show how restoring time in nature decreases mental illness,

Improves mood,

Decreases stress,

Decreases cortisol level,

Increases the body's natural cancer-killing activity,

Increases the attention span,

Treats ADD and ADHD,

Lowers the heart rate,

And improves our overall wellness.

Laura Conover,

MD,

Goes on to state,

Much of this is due to the direct effect of grounding the human body to boost conductive health and to the soul support we receive when opening ourselves,

Mind,

Body,

And soul to the energetic support that goes beyond the simple physical support of being grounded.

We feel better,

We feel uplifted,

We feel energized,

We feel centered when we are spending time outdoors.

In our view,

It's important to note that grounding should be approached with care and awareness,

Especially if one is under supervision of their physician or on regular medication and especially medications such as blood thinning drugs.

It might seem odd,

But checking with your doctor before starting regular grounding is important,

Reflecting how far we've drifted from nature.

I have seen reports of people being advised by their medical professionals to reduce medication to maintain a correct dosage after a period of grounding as their underlying conditions have improved,

So please check first and maintain regular reviews with your doctor.

The Science Scientifically speaking,

Grounding is far more than just a feel-good phenomenon.

A study published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health indicated that grounding could improve sleep,

Normalize the day-night cortisol rhythm,

Reduce pain,

And decrease stress.

The Journal of Inflammation Research also reports that grounding can reduce or prevent symptoms of inflammation.

Full details of these papers are in the blog on my website.

The authority on grounding is Clint Ober,

Who literally wrote the book on the subject.

In the book Earthing,

The most important health discovery ever,

Ober,

A pioneer in the field of grounding,

Delves into the science behind the concept,

Explaining the Earth's natural negative charge and how our bodies,

When in direct contact with the Earth,

Absorb this energy,

Negatively charged electrons.

According to Ober,

This energy exchange helps to neutralize harmful,

Excess-free radicals and reduces inflammation in our bodies.

Essentially,

The ground provides the body-mind a free supply of antioxidants.

His work has sparked interest and encouraged research in the field,

Leading to a deeper understanding of the healing potential of grounding.

With a compelling body of scientific evidence and expert insight,

It's hard to ignore the profound impact grounding can have on our lives.

Benefits of Grounding The reported benefits of grounding are extensive,

Significant,

And potentially profound for leaders and their people,

And include 1.

Mental clarity from improved sleep 2.

Significant stress,

Anxiety,

And depression alleviation 3.

Enhanced mood and feelings of centeredness 4.

Harmonious interpersonal interactions due to shared enhanced moods 5.

Collective reduction in stress and tension,

Creating more supportive environments 6.

Reduced inflammation,

Enhanced immune system,

And improved blood flow 7.

Grounding can help alleviate chronic pain or disease and has even helped improve conditions like rheumatoid arthritis,

Psoriasis,

And osteopenia 8.

Elite athletes,

Particularly cyclists,

Have been using grounding for years to help them heal and recover more quickly from injuries 9.

Restoration of the cortisol and circadian rhythm,

Leading to a rejuvenated feeling every morning 10.

Promoting sustainability and an earth-centric approach in communities and organizations 11.

Healthier communities resulting from shared wellness While grounding is being rediscovered by modern science thanks to Clint Ober's work,

Indigenous populations have understood and practiced its virtues for millennia.

It's time we recognize and respect the wisdom in these ancient practices and integrate them into our lives for the benefit of our well-being and those we care for and that of the planet.

Grounding in the Workplace Organizations and their people can reap substantial benefits from grounding in their workplaces as well.

As leaders,

We need to consider implementing grounding practices in our organizations.

Grounding can enhance performance,

Reduce stress,

Lower absenteeism,

And promote a more focused,

Innovative,

And harmonious work environment.

Simple steps like incorporating grounded workstations or areas for encouraging barefoot breaks can have a profound effect.

For those regularly working from home,

This can offer more obvious and easier access to grounding than those in tall city office buildings.

I understand the challenges of grounding in the city,

But there are ways.

The hard landscaping outside your office or your path at home or driveway.

If they're uncoated stone or bare concrete,

These surfaces may potentially offer opportunities for grounding.

For those leaders and developers creating buildings and workplaces,

Considering the options and opportunity for grounding in the design of the space could yield enormous well-being and productivity benefits for the people occupying the space.

I often recommend to executive clients and friends to remove their shoes to improve energy,

Counteract jet lag,

Or even to invigorate creativity as it can yield surprising results.

The curious glances I receive are testimony to how grounding,

Though innate to our species,

Has become an unfamiliar concept in urbanized modern settings.

The integral approach to grounding.

So how do we incorporate this even more into our lives?

Go barefoot in your garden,

The park,

On the beach,

Or even on grounded spaces inside your home.

You can incorporate it in so many easy ways at work,

At home,

And even when doing exercise.

We love to practice yoga barefoot and without mats outside on the beach or the lawn,

However you approach it.

Grounding should be an integral part of your integral well-being practice.

Approaching grounding from an integral four-quadrant perspective is an enlightening endeavor,

Presenting a lens through which we can understand and experience its manifold benefits.

When we harness the I-quadrant,

We dive deeply into our subjective experiences,

Recognizing the mental and emotional transformations that grounding ushers in.

The we-quadrant emphasizes our collective consciousness,

Illustrating how grounding can harmonize interpersonal dynamics and cultivate a shared ethos of well-being.

Venturing into the it-quadrant,

We're drawn to tangible outcomes,

The evident physiological and health enhancements grounding offers.

And the its-quadrant expands this understanding to a systemic level,

Showcasing how grounding,

When embedded into organizational and community structures,

Can engender a ripple effect of benefits,

From corporate to societal well-being.

Embracing all four-quadrants provides a comprehensive interconnected map,

Ensuring that we don't just see grounding as an isolated act,

But as an integrated part of our personal,

Relational,

And societal fabric.

An Invitation I invite you to earth yourself more consciously than you already do.

Grounding is not just a one-off practice.

It can be a fundamental part of your way of life,

A way of life that may offer better balance,

Wellness,

And a deep,

Profound connection with the earth.

In an age where disconnection from ourselves,

Others,

And our environment is a growing concern,

Grounding emerges as a beacon.

It's a return to basics,

A reaffirmation of our bond with the earth and each other.

As executives,

As leaders,

As humans,

Integrating grounding into our lives might be one of the most impactful decisions we make,

Not just for us,

But for the organizations and communities we lead.

It's time to take off your shoes,

Time to bare your soul.

Grounding is available free,

Accessible to everybody who chooses it,

And in my opinion beneficial and fundamental to our well-being.

It's an essential part of our connection to the earth,

To each other,

And ourselves.

That is why I make it an integral part of my own well-being practice,

And why we incorporate it into our coaching and retreats.

As leaders,

It's time we walk barefoot towards a grounded,

Balanced,

And prosperous future.

It's time for barefoot leadership.

Reviews

Eye-opening! Thank you!

Thank you for sharing your wisdom, I see session after session how grounding helps how my clients feel on multi levels - so good to have a talk that I can share to them - thank you 🙏🏼