You Don’t Need to Wait Until You Break: The Case for Wild Coaching

Recently, I watched a clip of Simon Sinek sharing a story about a friend — a woman close to him — who simply needed eight minutes to collect herself. Not a week away. Not a sabbatical. Just eight minutes.

But she didn’t ask clearly.
She powered on.
Until she couldn’t anymore.

That landed. Because I’ve seen that moment happen often — in clients, teams, even in myself. We’re not always good at saying:

“I need space. I need to breathe. I need… something else.”

But what if instead of waiting for the crash, we offered ourselves something gentler, sooner?
Not a retreat. Not a therapy room.
Just… a walk. Some space. Some wild.

What is Wild Coaching?

Wild Coaching is something I’ve been weaving into my work for years now. It blends the best of coaching and therapy, but in outdoor spaces that do half the work for us.

You move.
You talk.
You notice.
You breathe.

And while that’s happening, your brain starts doing incredible things:

🧠 It releases anandamide — the “bliss molecule” that helps you feel more connected and less rigid.
🌞 It boosts serotonin, shifting mood and outlook without any pharmaceuticals.
🌲 It connects different regions of your brain, allowing stuck patterns to loosen and new insights to emerge.

Basically, nature does what offices and Zoom calls never can.

Why It Works

When you’re outdoors, moving at the pace of your breath, supported by someone who’s listening without judgement — things change. It’s not about “fixing” anything. It’s about opening space to feel, reflect, and reconnect.

I’ve coached people through leadership dilemmas, burnout, grief, major life transitions, and creative block — all while walking through woodland, along ridgelines, or by rivers. And more often than not, the clarity arrives somewhere between the bramble and the birdsong.

You Don’t Need a Meltdown to Deserve Support

That’s the heart of it. You don’t need to wait until you’re broken, burned out, or on your knees. You can ask for help when all you need is eight minutes. Or an hour. Or a morning in the hills.

It’s not weakness.
It’s wisdom.

So if something in you is stirring — a quiet whisper saying “I need a reset” — listen.

Drop me a message.
Let’s walk it out.
Let’s make life and learning an adventure again.

—

Murph | Stoic Pilgrim Adventures
Coaching, therapy, and wildness for a complex world.

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