And more often than not, those breakthroughs happen in nature. It’s been so lovely here in Galisteo, where I have a home in this 400-year-old village not far from our soon-to-be Santa Fe Ranch campus. I've gotten some quality time with my neighbors during my extended stay this month. On an early morning walk with a couple of them, I used my Merlin phone app to identify various birds based on their chirps: Eurasian Collared-Dove, Lesser Goldfinch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Yellow Warbler, Western Wood-Pewee, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, House Finch, Blue Grosbeak, and even a Common Raven.

In so many parts of my life, I tend to be a bulldozer. And, yet, in the wild—while I often walk fast—I love to notice things and, at times, discover the pace of nature. My property flows into the bosque of Galisteo Creek, where I often meditate. Just last week, as I felt the gentle breeze caressing my face and heard the rapid flutter of hummingbird wings, I experienced an overwhelming sense of contentment. Lost in the rhythm of my breath, time slipped away. Then, guided by a subconscious urge and the sound of a branch snapping, I opened my eyes. Twenty feet away from me on the other side of the creek was a deer in the brush.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes again, feeling gratitude for that unexpected gift.