Bettering Our Nature: Nurturing Our Inherent Capacity for Wellbeing

At the heart of my approach lies a simple truth: wellbeing isn't something we need to create from scratch—it's inherent in who we are, waiting to be recognized and nurtured.

The name "Bettering Nature" reflects this understanding, speaking to both nurturing our authentic nature and discovering our deeper connection with the world around us. It's about finding our better selves and creating more wellbeing in ways that genuinely speak to us—not through products or external fixes, but by reconnecting with the inherent joy that exists within.

When we extend this sense of inner vitality to the greater world, when we see how our personal choices create positive ripples beyond ourselves, we discover something profound: in caring for ourselves authentically, we naturally begin caring for the world around us, creating healing spaces that benefit everyone.

I believe that each person carries within them everything needed for their wellbeing journey. The journey to wellbeing isn't about becoming someone different—it's about recognizing and nurturing who you already are. Through this process of bettering your nature, you naturally create positive ripples that extend far beyond yourself.

The Vibrant Middle: Finding Balance in a World of Extremes

In our culture, we often find ourselves trapped in "either/or" thinking—believing we must choose between seemingly opposing options. Is this food "good" or "bad"? Should I focus on work OR family? Is this approach right OR wrong? This binary thinking can lead us to swing between extremes, creating patterns that ultimately leave us depleted rather than energized.

The Vibrant Middle offers an alternative to this "either/or" mindset—a rich, colorful space where "both/and" thinking can flourish. Like the vibrant spectrum of colors that exist between black and white, this middle ground isn't about compromise or settling for less. It's about discovering the nuanced approaches that honor complexity and align with our natural need for balance.

This concept applies to all aspects of wellbeing, from how we approach nourishment to how we manage our energy, nurture relationships, and engage with our communities. Rather than cycling between intensity and withdrawal, the Vibrant Middle helps us find that sweet spot where we can thrive sustainably.

The Vibrant Middle isn't a fixed point but a dynamic range that adapts to our changing needs and circumstances. Just as nature finds balance not through rigid uniformity but through diverse, interconnected systems, our wellbeing flourishes when we expand beyond binary thinking to embrace the rich complexity of life.

In daily practice, this might look like creating intentional work boundaries that honor both professional commitments and personal needs, rather than swinging between total immersion and complete disconnection. What emerges isn't mere compromise but a richer, more energizing experience—a space where creativity flourishes, meaningful connections deepen, and you discover versions of yourself that wouldn't be possible at either extreme.

Key Concepts that Guide this Approach

My work weaves together several interconnected concepts that support a holistic understanding of wellbeing:

Trusting Your Nature

This concept supports authentic decision-making by helping you recognize and trust your inherent wisdom. Rather than following external prescriptions, it provides frameworks for adapting general principles to your individual circumstances, ensuring that wellbeing practices resonate with your personal truth.

Like a river that naturally finds its way around obstacles, your inner wisdom can guide you toward choices that genuinely serve your wellbeing when you learn to trust and listen to it. This manifests when you notice yourself naturally gravitating toward certain self-care practices—like morning walks or evening journaling—and honoring those inclinations rather than forcing yourself to adopt someone else's 'optimal' routine.

Practically Well

This concept bridges the gap between deep understanding and daily living. It's about making wellbeing concepts accessible without losing their meaning. Rather than creating complex systems, it focuses on revealing the wisdom already present in our daily experiences and natural rhythms.

This idea is so central to my approach that it inspired the name of my newsletter, "Practically Well," where I regularly share accessible insights and practices that can be woven into everyday life. These approaches help transform abstract wellbeing concepts into accessible wisdom, creating meaningful shifts through small, sustainable changes. You might experience this when a simple practice like pausing to truly taste your morning coffee becomes not just a moment of pleasure, but a gateway to greater presence throughout your day.

The Ecology of Connection

This framework recognizes that our wellbeing exists within a living system of relationships. Like natural ecosystems where diverse elements support each other, our connections with ourselves, others, our communities, and the natural world form an interconnected web that influences our overall vitality.

By understanding these connections, we can create small, mindful shifts that generate ripples of positive change throughout the system. This perspective reveals how personal wellbeing naturally extends to create broader positive impact. This principle comes alive when you notice how taking time for your own wellbeing naturally enhances your capacity to show up more fully for others, creating a positive ripple effect through your relationships.

Patterns of Wisdom

This concept recognizes that wisdom exists all around us, in the patterns and rhythms we observe in both natural systems and human experiences. By developing our ability to notice these patterns—whether in nature's cycles, community dynamics, or our own personal history—we gain valuable insights about resilience, adaptation, and sustainable growth.

These patterns offer valuable metaphors and practical lessons that can guide us through our own periods of challenge and transformation, helping us understand our experiences as part of larger, meaningful cycles rather than isolated events. You engage with this concept when you recognize similarities between nature's seasonal transitions and your own creative cycles, allowing you to work with rather than against your natural rhythms of productivity and rest.

How These Concepts Work Together

Like a healthy ecosystem where diverse elements contribute to the whole, these concepts aren't separate tools but interconnected aspects of a holistic approach. They work together to help you:

Recognize your inherent capacity for wellbeing
Create sustainable positive changes that feel authentic
Understand your personal patterns and cycles as natural parts of life
Draw strength from wisdom found in various contexts and connections
Build meaningful relationships with yourself and your world
Make choices that naturally benefit both you and your broader community

Just as seasons flow into one another, these concepts create a continuous framework that honors both times of growth and rest, challenge and ease. They help reveal how your personal experience connects to patterns and rhythms shared in many contexts, offering both practical guidance and deeper reassurance during life's natural transitions.

You helped me get unstuck in an area

that I had been stuck in for about a year.
Coaching Client

Moving Forward Together

Whether through individual coaching, group workshops, or written reflections, my aim is to create spaces where you can discover your own path to authentic wellbeing. I invite you to explore these concepts through whatever avenue resonates with you, whether that's joining the upcoming "Journey to Your Vibrant Middle" program, participating in an EcoWell workshop, or simply following along with the insights shared in my blog and newsletter.

Remember, the journey to wellbeing isn't about becoming someone different—it's about recognizing and nurturing who you already are. Through this process of bettering your nature, you not only enhance your own vitality but create positive ripples that extend far beyond yourself.

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