Hello amigos,
If you’re anything like me, your mornings are a juggle: baby wake-ups, investor calls, inbox triage. We wait for life to “calm down” before we do the inner work—and life never does. That was my wake-up call talking with Maria Leonard, a spiritual growth coach who blends energy work, psychology and a healthy dose of common sense.
The big idea
Spiritual growth isn’t a detour from performance; it’s the foundation. In longevity terms, emotional and mental health sit under everything else, including how long and how well we live. That’s not woo—that’s the work. (Outlive highlights emotional and mental health as the base layer of healthspan. )
Independence over dependency
Maria’s number one principle: your coach’s job is to make you independent. No saviours, no guru worship. Tools, not crutches. When my newborn arrived and my routines imploded, Maria’s advice was simple: be present and flexible. Growth comes from adapting to the season you’re in, not clinging to rigid checklists.
Life Scripting: Maria’s simple framework
Breath: Connected, conscious breathing to stabilise body and mind. It’s a direct line into your nervous system and a fast way to take the edge off fear.
Energy: Notice the charge behind your habits and decisions—where you feel leak vs. lift.
Words: The language you repeat becomes the lens you live through. Journalling and cleaner self-talk aren’t cute—they’re causal.
Intuition: Not mystical—just cleaner signal. Create distance from the outcome you want so you can hear what’s true.
Exec reality check
The modern workplace isn’t designed to keep you calm. Global employee engagement slid to 21%, while 40% of workers reported stress “a lot of the day” last year—managers were hit hardest. If you lead people, that stress multipliesacross your team. (Gallup, State of the Global Workplace 2025. )
Why this matters for longevity (and leadership)
If you want a longer, better life, you need more than macros and mileage. Yes, exercise is the highest-ROI “drug” we have for preserving physical and cognitive function—but your emotional health is the bedrock everything rests on. (Outlive emphasises exercise as the biggest lever and places emotional/mental health as foundational to healthspan. )
Tactics that actually lower fear and anxiety
Here’s how I translate Maria’s tools for a 12-hour day with kids and key meetings:
1) Two minutes to reset (anywhere).
Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth in a smooth loop. No pauses. 2 minutes. Stand and pace slowly if you can. Your mind will follow your body down.
2) Ground between calls.
Shoes off on a hard floor, feel your feet for 60 seconds. It sounds trivial until it isn’t.
3) Speak your day into shape.
One line in your notes each morning: “Today I’m the kind of man who ___.” Keep it concrete: finishes deep work by 11:30, shows patience at bedtime, leaves the phone in the kitchen.
4) Gratitude in the present tense.
Write one thing you’re grateful for as if it already exists: “I’m grateful for the calm I bring to my team.” You’re training expectation, not pretending.
5) Move the needle, then move your body.
When anxiety spikes, resist the urge to “do it all.” Do one meaningful action (send the tough email), then take a short walk. It clears the emotional residue so you don’t carry it into the next meeting.
6) Make your home a no-phone zone (by room, not by willpower).
Kitchen and bedroom are sacred. Everyone sleeps better, everyone fights less.
Choosing a coach (Maria’s filter, my words)
Pick someone who gives you tools, not dependence; listens deeply; holds non-judgement; and adapts the work to your season—not vice versa. If they’re attached to being your answer forever, they’re not your guide.
What success really looks like
Yes—hit the tangible wins: the business, the house, the freedom. But the clearer signal is emotional: fewer spikes of anger, shorter bouts of anxiety, more days where you feel like yourself again. That’s resilience. That’s leadership at home and at work.
Bottom line: Becoming calmer isn’t a luxury for later—it’s the compounding edge for your health, your leadership, and your family. Start with breath. Keep going with action. Build independence.
That’s it for today, amigos. If you enjoyed this, your network probably will too.
Share this post