Your Organization Never had the Foundation for DEI

***trying something new by making some LinkedIn posts, blog posts**

A few months ago, a former DEI client reached out, wanting to work together again. I explained that my focus had shifted to wellness—but that my work still addressed inclusion and belonging. They were curious enough to meet.

The meeting felt… off:
🫥 Not one person smiled.
😶‍🌫️ Not everyone on the call was engaged.
🧐 The focus was on “deliverables” instead of connection.

They didn’t understand why I insisted nervous system regulation must be the starting point for the work. We parted ways.

I walked away dysregulated, questioning myself, and detached from my body. But in that moment, I felt validated in why I do what I do.

Capacity is the foundation for everything.

Capacity is your nervous system’s ability to hold and process emotions and the sensations tied to them. When we avoid feeling (due to overwhelm or trauma), we lose touch with our body’s truth—and with it, our ability to connect with ourselves and others.

🛑 Beyond capacity = stress.
🚫 Stress = deactivated social engagement system.
🚫No social engagement system= no compassion, empathy, or connection

When we’re stressed, we literally can’t connect with others safely. People and culture work becomes unsustainable when we either avoid connection or force it out of performance.

The only way to create authentic connection is by first creating nervous system capacity and on and individual basis.

When we grow this awareness within ourselves, we naturally extend it to others.

We’re all projecting our inner worlds. The safety of your organization is only as strong as the nervous systems within it.

So, how do we start building capacity in a world that values output over well-being?
1️⃣ Cultivate flexibility and space within your nervous system.
2️⃣ Release stored stress through body-based practices.
3️⃣ Examine why your body perceives certain sensations as threatening.

This isn’t a quick fix. It’s slow, embodied work that transforms lives. While nervous system health isn’t a traditional metric, it’s reflected in outcomes like engagement, productivity, and well-being—metrics every organization tracks.

💡 Questions to reflect on:
HR leaders: How are you RESOURCING your employees’ nervous systems?
Managers: Are you modeling regulation or passing stress down?
...and I mean daily until further notice.