Change, Creation, and Contribution
From African Wildebeests to Himalayan Fields: Crossing Rivers, Changing Skins
šš¼ Hi, this is Mani. We might have crossed paths as a coach, facilitator, social entrepreneur, Bakri Chhap storyteller, fellow traveller, or simply as friends.
Iāve been sitting on the idea of writing a newsletter for a while now, rather like wildebeests lingering at the riverbank, eyeing the crocodiles before crossing. My ācrocodilesā have been doubts: Will this just be another inconsistent attempt? Will it feel like an unnecessary drop into someoneās inbox?
But here I am, choosing to wade in. Unlike the wildebeests, Iām not doing it purely for survival. Iām doing it to exercise creativity, reconnect after long silences, and (hopefully) add something meaningful to your month. Perhaps, as evolved Homo sapiens, our survival lies more in exercising our creativity and putting ourselves out there when we feel called to.
The wildebeest image isnāt random. Iām writing this whilst in Kenya, digital nomading across the African continent for a month and a half. Turns out, sometimes you have to change your scenery to challenge your courage.
Reflection question: What is one thing youāve been standing at the edge of, waiting to cross?
Youāll find more reflection prompts at the end of this newsletter. If any of them jump out at you and you feel like sharing your thoughts, Iād be delighted to hear from you.
Identities in Motion
Here in Kenya, when Iāve stepped away from my laptop, Iāve found myself walking through endless tea gardens, listening to stories of colonisation and the deep ties between India and Kenya that date back to that era. A week later, I was transported to the far north-east coast, to the island of Lamu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where, by deliberate choice, motor vehicles are absent. Life here still runs on the slow (āpole-poleā in the Swahili language), rhythmic pace of donkeys: for daily commutes, transporting goods, and even for sport. Yes, donkey racing is very much a thing.
In those moments, Iāve imagined myself in different skins ā as a tea picker, a donkey wrangler, someone whose identity is tied not to a job title but to the rhythm of the land. Changing identities, dissolving the old ones, and embracing new ones has come far more naturally to me in recent years than it once did. Itās also very much going back to the fluidity I once held as a child.
That fluidity showed up again recently when I joined Lyra Health, a US-based organisation, as a mental health coach. I now hold space for individuals across geographies and cultures, whilst continuing my roles at Impact Investors, my independent coaching practice, and my writing endeavours.
Itās a reminder that our identities arenāt fixed. They can stretch, blend, and evolve to meet the moment weāre in. Sometimes we choose them; other times, they quietly choose us.
Some Lessonsā¦
This ability to adapt didnāt come overnight. It was shaped in 2022, during a major career transition, when I learnt a set of foundational lessons about letting go of outdated versions of myself and stepping into the unknown with intention. Those lessons have stayed with me, and they continue to guide how I choose ā and sometimes allow ā my identities to evolve.
If youāre in the middle of a change, or feel one quietly approaching, you might enjoy a blog which I recently re-published with some changes:
From Soil to Soul
As much as Iāve been wandering in tea gardens and along donkey trails lately, my heart is still firmly rooted in the Himalayas. This September, Iām bringing together two things I care about deeply ā my coaching practice and my long-standing work with mountain communities ā for a very special programme Iād be co-facilitating alongside my dear friend and Impact Investors colleague, Isneesh.
From Soil to Soul: Life Lessons with Himalayan Farmers
If this program speaks to you, then over four days in the crisp mountain air, you will:
Live and work alongside Himalayan farmers in their fields and homes
Learn about indigenous farming methods that have sustained these communities for generations
Join guided reflections and coaching sessions Iāll be facilitating, connecting what we learn on the farm to how we live in our own daily lives
Share slow-cooked, locally grown meals, and conversations that stretch well into the evening.
This programme is an intentionally designed invitation to pause, breathe, and re-examine your relationship with work, self, and the earth ā all whilst being part of a warm, welcoming mountain community.
If youāve been craving clarity, perspective, or simply a reset, Iād love for you to join us in the Himalayas this October. Spaces are kept limited to keep the experience intimate, so if this resonates, have a look at the details and secure your spot.
Thank you for crossing this little wildebeest river with me for the first edition of Change, Creation, and Contribution. If something in these words has stirred a thought or memory, Iād love to hear from you.
This monthās reflection prompts:
Which part of your identity have you quietly outgrown?
What new role, skill, or way of being is quietly calling you?
If you had to live one month in a completely different profession, what would you choose ā and why?
If any of these prompts jump out at you and you feel like sharing your reflections, reply to this email ā Iād be delighted to read them.
Until next month, may you keep creating something your future self will thank you for.
With love,