Inner development to become the change – Heather Lynch

Today, we are learning from Heather Lynch. Heather is deeply committed to creating a more regenerative world where people live in harmony with themselves, others, and nature. Her mission is to empower those working toward positive change to find greater happiness, fulfillment, and peace—helping them feel more aligned with the change they want to create in the world. She helps changemakers reconnect with themselves, to work in alignment with the change they want to see, and take inspired action towards systemic change. She previously spent 10 years working in international development and sustainability in corporates, start ups and government, but began to feel that her work wasn't addressing the root causes of the challenges she cared most deeply about. Alongside this, she struggled with climate grief, overwhelm, and feeling incongruent and unfulfilled in her change work. Heather has shifted her focus to supporting people who are trying to make the world a better place — helping them transform from the inside out, so that they can become the change they want to see in the world. Let's get started... In this conversation with Heather Lynch, I learned: 00:00 Intro 02:35 Her start at the large consultancy firm PWC. 04:40 Questioning whether she made an impact. 09:20 It starts with me. Where can I contribute? 12:30 Is focusing on inner development a selfish act? 15:40 Trying to make the business case for sustainability drained me. 17:00 Focus your time and energy on your circle of control. 20:00 If you are working towards something that matters to you, it brings people along the journey with you. 22:50 Be aware of your ego; when it comes up, choose how you want to respond to it. 28:00 We can't change the inevitable. But we can change how we respond. After all, life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react. - Charles Swindoll 29:20 I always have a choice about how I respond. 31:45 Finding training every day in how to respond, like with the puppy and starting with Zumba. 35:50 I became a corporate version of myself at PWC. 39:00 Getting away from the question, how do I have the biggest impact? 43:15 At the time, I didn't have enough emotional intelligence to manage the grief I was feeling about the state of the world, and to lean into the emotions 45:20 The people who have contributed the least to the world's problems are going to be the people who are most impacted. 46:25 “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” - Rumi 51:05 What is your conditioned self versus your authentic self? 54:50 Four years, four themes in her life. 56:20 Our mind is 80% negative and 70% repetitive thoughts, based on the past. 1:02:15 The more I find inner peace with myself, the less external things I need. 1:04:50 Falling in love with nature. We are nature. 1:06:50 If you feel that you don't have enough, give something away. More about Heather Lynch: https://heatherlynch.substack.com  https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherlynchcoaching/ https://linktr.ee/heatherlynch  https://heatherlynch.substack.com/podcast  https://www.linkedin.com/video/live/urn:li:ugcPost:7191406423707123712/ Resources On Purpose Understanding the Circles of Control, Influence & Concern Stoicism - Wikipedia Jon Kabat-Zinn Chuck Swindoll De bermudadriehoek van talent - Simon van Teutem Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī Eckhart Tolle - The power of now Climate Coaching Alliance James Altucher - write down 10 ideas per day South Downs Way Video of the conversation with Heather Lynch https://youtu.be/GXZfk59lupU Watch the conversation here https://youtu.be/GXZfk59lupU