On Water and Marketing Our Businesses

Jennie Biltek: 00:05

Hey, it's your host Jennie with an I E. And you are listening to this is Jennie Alexis, a podcast about getting curious and doing things differently. Every episode I share personal musings conversations and stories that I hope will invite you to explore ways to live outside the systems we're taught, and often believe we need to fit into. For more information about today's episode, including show notes, be sure to visit this is Jenniealexis.com/podcast. I am so glad you're here. Now onto today's show. Hello, and welcome. I am Jennie Alexis, and I am coming to you today from the traditional unceded territory of the seashell people in what is more commonly known as C Scheldt, British Columbia. And just to locate myself a little bit, I'm in a small home about a few minutes, maybe five minutes from the beach. And in the other direction is a creek a very important Creek in this community. And in that creek area, that's where the crows and ravens and herons and Eagle's Nest during the nesting season, and they hunt in the water and along the creek in the ocean. And so I'm sort of in between their flight path. And this is a really beautiful part of the world. The ocean is well protected from Vancouver Island, which is not far the way the crow flies. And we don't get a lot of snow, the way that there are on the North Shore and just outside of Vancouver, and the summers can be very hot, very dry. And the winters can be quite wet. And it's this relationship that we all have with the weather with the area in which we live that I want to explore on today's episode. And it's just going to be me talking to you. And I hope that you will reach out to me, whether it is over email or Instagram and share with me your thoughts and reflections and perhaps some commonality with what I'm going to share with you today. So enjoy. So there are a couple of threads, I want to begin weaving together. And they are, I guess two parts of me that are really relevant and top of mind for me. And I want to begin moving these together. Because I think in many ways, there's this belief that they don't have a relationship or that they can't have a relationship. And well in the work that I do I see folks weaving and tying these threads together. I don't often see folks in the role that I'm in, more so on the business support marketing support side, really tying these concepts together. Maybe the CIO concepts, but more so practices. So I own a small business, I run a small business, I support entrepreneurs, primarily folks in the wellness, spirituality, therapy industries, with their marketing, communications, and so forth. One of the things that I love about working with people in this area is that in particular, the folks that I work with is how congruent they want the work that they teach and share to be reflected in the way that they operate their business. And so sometimes there can be this conflicting sense about it because here we are living in a white supremacist, colonial patriarchal, capitalistic society and individuals who are working with the unseen who are wanting to use their practices in the wellness therapy and spirituality areas to dismantle and to disrupt those systems. Sometimes it can be challenging because we have a tendency to perhaps completely put things aside. So I love working with the folks that I do work with because There is this congruence see, they are finding a way where they can honor the work that they put out into the world while earning a living, marketing to their customers and clients. But doing all of that in a way that aligns with the work that honors the work. So as a result, and a big part, actually, because of the trainings that I've done. Over the many years, the different apprenticeships and initiations and the learnings, I often find myself looking at the relationship between what unfolds in the natural world, and taking those lessons and considering how I might apply them to my business. So specifically, today, I want to talk to you about what's really present for me right now, and where I live, we have not had rain since the end of July. And we are now in the middle of October. And here's the kicker, I live in a temperate rainforest. So for a good part of the year, we have a lot of rain. And usually that rain has started by now it's usually starts at the beginning of October, and we have rain right up through until May and into June. And then usually we see quite a dry July, August and September. This year, however, we have continued into October, with no rain. And through the summer with really one only one significant rainfall in July. And now and also a lot of heat. And so I've been thinking about what are the elements that contribute to a drought. And when I consider that from a business perspective, so when there are times in our business, when we're in an experience that maybe feels a bit like a drought, where perhaps we don't have sufficient income coming in. That could be a creative drought, where we aren't feeling we have the capacity to create more content to create more courses, or simply just to have that creative energy that is required to be with community. So there's many ways that a an experience of drought can show up in our business. So I've been thinking about this for the last few days. And so in my animist practice, what I understand is that and what I've learned, and what I believe is that everything is alive. And not just to say, like a plant is alive, because you give it sun and water and it grows, but it has qualities about it. It has these characteristics that are there to teach us and to guide us. There are elements all around us in the natural world, where there are things to support our healing, and to support our understanding of a bigger concept of who we are. So when I think about my animist practice, and I think about the two Alex specs that create a drought, it kind of boils down to two things. Too much heat, not enough water, both of those things simultaneously need to occur over a long period of time. And the length of time depends on the severity and strength. If it's extremely hot, then that drought may occur sooner if it's not particularly warm. But it's been many, many months as there was rain. Again, that drought may come sooner. But if we understand the drought is essentially caused by too much heat, not enough water. I want to acknowledge before I continue on here that of course there are a lot of human and industry caused reasons why there hasn't been enough rain, and why the days are hotter. And those to be certain are major contributors to the climate crisis we are currently experiencing, not just where I live, but we've seen it all over the world, in Pakistan, in Puerto Rico, and even in the Maritimes, which is a little closer to home for many of us. So first want to name that. So let's take first take a look at consider water and consider the characteristics of water. And we can simply do this by just thinking about water taking notice of water and so other than being wet. Water likes to move it requires flow. So even though we might consider a lake or a puddle to be stagnant water, that water is actually evaporating. In a lake, there may be underground streams, there may be small creeks that run from a lake. So, water one of the rules with water is that it likes to be in flow, it wants to transform in some kind of way. And when we look at a river or creek, we see that sometimes that transformation, the water moves very slowly. And then at other times, the water moves very quickly, depending on the topography of the environment that it's moving through. So that's the first rule about water is that water wants to be in flow. And the second rule about water is that it can take several forms. So it can evaporate so that it's nearly invisible, it can have a more physical form in the form of actual water. It can also manifest as snow or sleet, or hail. And those manifestations of water are a result of this cycle that water is in. And so the other rule about water is that yes, it is constantly a state of flow, but it is constantly in a state of transforming itself. So it evaporates it then the rain falls down to earth, it either lands on the trees, it gets absorbed into the earth, perhaps it becomes part of the water table. Sometimes it flows out to the ocean, but it's constantly changing and manifesting into a different form. So those are the two rules about water. One, it needs to be in flow, and two, it's in a continual state of change. And obviously, those are inter related. So now let's put our attention to heat. So what we understand in our human experience is that the primary source of heat in our world is the sun, and the sun provides energy to plants and animals. And then that energy is essentially it's stored while the sun is up. And then when the sun goes down those plants, the animals, that energy from the sun allows the cells to grow and expand. So plants don't necessarily grow during the day that occurs at night when it's cooler. And they need the energy that they've stored in order to expand and grow. So one of the other things that we understand about the sun is that it is ever present. But the amount of heat that we experience is dependent on other factors. So in the northern and southern hemisphere, where we generally experience fairly distinct seasons, the access to sunlight on a day to day basis is inconsistent. The amount of sun that we experience in July differs vastly from the amount of sun we experience in January. So we understand that Sun is a source of energy of heat. And we also understand that the sun is ever present. And the amount of heat that we experience is based on seasons of the year. So just as a bit of a side note here in some traditions, this change is seasons is tracked by a wheel, some refer to as the Wheel of the Year, and the wheel mimics the turning of the earth as it moves closer to and further away from the sun. Sun is ever present. Its intensity is based on seasonal shifts. It provides energy and nourishment, which is stored and used for growth when the sun goes down. So this is all fine and good information, perhaps much of it you already knew, either through learning, or simply by noticing and paying attention to these two elements. So how does this information apply to our businesses? How can we think about these two elements and the experience of a drought? And think about applying this animus understanding of these elements to our business. So first when we consider water. And the two things that we understand about water is that water wants to be in flow. And tied to this of course is that water can manifest in many different ways. It transforms. So let's think about this through the lens of our business. When we are in a period of drought which Sometimes can last a few weeks, sometimes a few months. And for others longer. One of the questions we can ask if we think about the experience of water is, what does flow feel like in my business? And how does flow manifest in my business? So these questions are really great to ask as well, at any stage, because what it helps us determine is if there are any points that require attending. So I just want to note that before we carry on, so what does flow feel like in my business? What does flow look like? How does it manifest? And then, once you've determined that is beginning to question whether we've been tending to that flow, so things that come to mind for me are have I been allowing space for conversation and collaboration? For me, those are really important sources of flow, flow of ideas, flow of sharing information, and the energetic flow that comes from just being in conversation with other people. The other way that I might consider this in my own businesses, are there any projects, invoices or other administrative work that I have not taken care of, because when I don't tend to those things, there is literally the flow of income stops, if I'm not invoicing, if I'm not taking care of my expenses, then I don't truly understand how much revenue My business is bringing in, where I may have some leaky boundaries around expensives. And the other piece for me is when I think about water, particularly water that stagnant, that evaporates, the water doesn't just stay there and rot and get slimy. Sometimes that occurs, but it over time is evaporating becoming something else. And so what I might offer is to ask ourselves, Is there anything that I'm holding on to too tightly? Is there anywhere? And this is a line my dear, dear friend uses? Is there anywhere that I am kinking, the hose, and so that can occur in many different ways in our business. So really, here again, what we're looking at and trying to understand is, what is the experience of flow in my business? How can I attend to it. So now let's shift focus, to heat. And so we've come to this understanding about heat that the sun is ever present, the amount of heat that we experienced is based on seasonal shifts, and other contributing factors. But for the sake of simplicity, let's consider these sort of seasonal shifts. The other thing too, that we understand about heat, and about the sun is that it is a source of nourishment that plants and animals and other living beings absorb. And then the body or the plants put to good use when the sun sets. So if I think about this, from the perspective of my business, I think I first want to turn my attention to what are the seasons in my business in which I feel the greatest capacity, I have the most creativity, there's the biggest surge of energy. Now a season could be, yeah, it could be a season, like we have, with a nature spring, summer, fall winter, a season could also be a few days or a few weeks, depending on the rhythm and the nature of the work that you do. So if you're in the kind of business that I'm in, where I'm supporting folks with a lot of marketing, in the times of year, that team to be a little bit busier, or the early fall, the beginning of the new year. And then early spring, summer usually is a little quieter. People aren't launching programs, that kind of thing. And so again, this depends on the type of work that you do. But really beginning to get curious about what are the seasons in my business? What times of year or month or week? Do I actually need more sun? Do I need more heat? I need to be more creative. And how is that creativity and capacity then being allowed to integrate and nourish when the sun goes down when there is less creativity when there is less energy? So again, really beginning to ask what are the seasons of my business? And what is My relationship, what are my relationships with those seasons? So if I take a look at my own business, the invitation then becomes to consider when would be good periods of rest and rejuvenation, when I'm planning work with a client? are we considering a period of rest and rejuvenation, after a very full time of creativity, we're launching something, there's a lot going out into the world, is there a pause and a breath on the other side of that output? So those are a couple of things that I would consider about my business, particularly looking at the seasons or relationship to seasons? And then considering how am I harnessing the creative energy, the flow, the excitement, the energy in those particular seasons, and then allowing a period of integration, a period of rest? So I want to bring this back to the beginning, where I was talking about drought. And I think what this exercise for me has highlighted is that if I am not creating some kind of flow in my business, and that flow could simply be, am I being consistent? In talking to my clients? Am I being consistent in sharing a newsletter? Am I being consistent on social media? Am I being consistent in having conversations regularly with colleagues and clients, and if I'm not, then there's no flow, the energy and the ideas kind of get stuck and trapped, they have nowhere to go, they simply become an idea, and they don't have the opportunity become something else. And so when there is no flow, then we're creating, I'm creating an ideal situation in which there may be drought, there may be a lack of revenue, and income coming into the business, this could be come more intense, if we are putting a huge amount of creative flow and energy into our clients, and there's no period of rest and rejuvenation. So we're working with work, go go, go go go all the time, nodding, allowing periods of rest not only for myself, but encouraging my clients to take those. If I'm not doing that, and I'm not being consistent and communicating, then I think I really potentially could be setting myself up for a period in which things are going to feel a little dry, a little crispy, a little dusty. So I share this because I think there's real value in looking at the natural world, watching, noticing. And then considering what am I learning about this? And how does it apply not only to my business, but how does it apply to my life in general. So here's the primary reason that I think there's a lot of value. And I think it's really important to consider these perspectives that tie together our understanding and experience of the natural world with our understanding and experience of our businesses, particularly as we live in this time, of white supremacy, of capitalism, of colonialism, of racism, that this consideration around applying an animistic perspective to our business, it ever so slightly disrupts it ever so slightly rubs the system in a way that is perhaps unexpected. It's not a major disruption. That's not what we're going for here. It's about beginning to consider the way we do things through a new lens, through a lens that has been here since time immemorial, through a lens that is us. The earth is such a great teacher, the natural world is such a great teacher. So many of the challenges that we encounter in our personal lives, in our businesses. When we look to Mother Earth, when we look to nature, there are answers there. There is information there for us. And all of the tenants that white supremacist, capitalistic colonial system tells us are true, like perfection, working hard for what you want, denying your feelings, rest is for the wicked. All of these things. We don't see that in nature. There is no perfect flower. The flower is simply perfect in the manifestation that it takes. We don't see certain plants working extra hard to make the best of the summer season. It's a ridiculous concept. And we see particularly in certain parts of the northern and southern hemisphere, these very distinct seasons, where there is a lot of cold or rain or snow, where we literally see the Earth and the animals hibernate. And so why we believe and continue to practice in a way that denies the way the earth and nature has functioned forever. It's illogical. It doesn't make sense, yet, we keep doing it. So my invitation for you today is when you're next spending some time looking at your business. And, you know, in many ways, this time of year is sort of the ideal time to do that. What are the plans for the coming year? What preparations do I need to make is put on this lens of looking at things through nature? Are you struggling to make something happen, yet, not tending to the things that project really needs? Whatever those resources are, are you taking time to rest and rejuvenate so that you can return to your work with more energy, and that rest may be taking a nap every day, or it may be taking a month off in the summer, but understanding our personal cycles and our personal seasons. And beginning to really apply that more regularly in our businesses. It's a small way for us to turn the dial and ultimately begin to make different choices with how we run our businesses, with how we are as leaders within our industry. And although on the grand scheme, I think sometimes it can feel like these changes are minuscule and inconsequential. I think about my partner's kids witnessing a different approach. I think about the conversations I have with my dad, who's been an entrepreneur for many years, and how the lessons that he learned have impacted the way that I do business. And how the way that I do business will ultimately impact a young person somewhere along the way. So that's why I think it's important. We're not going to completely disrupt and change the culture. But it's the small choices, the small turns of the dial, that ultimately I believe begin to really make a difference. This is a topic that I'm really curious about. So I'd love to hear from you. If there are practices in your own business that are related to the natural world, I'd love to hear about them. And certainly it will be a topic that I will speak to again, I love, love using analogies from nature to understand and express different solutions or resolutions or ways of thinking when it comes to problems or challenges that I'm facing in my own business. And the same with the businesses of the clients that I work with. So pop me a note and tell me what elements in nature, inform your own business practices. And if this concept is new to you, wonderful. I invite you to begin noticing and tracking what is happening outside and beginning to notice if and how that is informed or perhaps reflected in your own business. Thank you so much for joining me today. I look forward to our next conversation. As always, there's great information in the show notes, including a link to a Wheel of the Year guide that my friend and client nicaya seeds has created a really useful tool if you want to learn more about our relationship as humans with the seasons of the year in a way that we can honor those. Thanks so much as always for listening today. Be well and we'll see you soon. Thanks for listening to this is Jennie Alexis, I hope you enjoyed what you heard on today's show. As always, it means the world to me when you share this content. So if there was something that got you thinking or made you curious, I'd love to know. Send me a note as this is Jennie alexis.com or over on Instagram at this is Jennie Alexis. If you enjoyed today's episode another way you can show your appreciation is by leaving a review on iTunes. And if there's a person in your life who could benefit from this conversation, please share this episode with them. Thank you so much for being here. I can't wait to do it all again soon.

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