Friends, I’m thrilled to share that the podcast is back for Season 6 — and we’re kicking things off with a powerhouse conversation that I cannot wait for you to hear.

This season is about sharpening our communication edge, nourishing our creativity, and finding new ways to thrive in a world that seems busier (and noisier) than ever. And who better to launch with than Natalie Nixon?

My guest today is Natalie Nixon, PhD — creativity strategist, president of Figure 8 Thinking, and one of the most generous, provocative thinkers I know. Natalie has spent her career helping leaders and organizations unlock creativity as a strategic advantage. She’s the author of The Creativity Leap and her brand-new book Move. Think. Rest.:Redefining Productivity & Our Relationship with Time, which reframes how we think about productivity, burnout, and flourishing.

In our conversation, we dive into:

Why “real rest” is a radical act — and why most of us have never actually witnessed it.

How daydreaming and procrastination aren’t signs of laziness but tools for sharper thinking.

What Taylorism (the stopwatch-on-the-factory-floor era) has to do with our guilt around taking breaks.

The Motor Framework — Natalie’s elegant approach to work rooted in move, think, rest.

The difference between Chronos time (clock time) and Kairos time (time outside of time — the magic moments).

Why intuition is not woo-woo, but actually grounded in neuroscience and the vagus nerve.

Practical rituals to bring creativity back into your workflow: from Bill Gates’ “think weeks” to gamifying daydreaming.

How rethinking meetings can transform culture (Zapier’s no-meeting week, question-storming, the law of two feet).

The power of collective effervescence — how joy with others fuels our best work.

Want links to resources mentioned in the show? Head on over to my Substack!

Shine on, my friend. We need your light!