❄️ There’s something about seeing Paris wrapped in snow that makes time slow down…And reminds you what really restores us ❄️

Most leaders I work with believe recovery only happens when the diary is empty.

No meetings. No emails. No noise.

But this week, walking through a snow-covered Paris, the lesson felt different.

Recovery isn’t the absence of life…it’s the presence of the right inputs.

Here’s the science behind that feeling…

Research shows that moments of awe and exposure to novel, beautiful environments are associated with reduced stress reactivity and improved emotional regulation (Stellar et al., 2017 - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317611192_Self-Transcendent_Emotions_and_Their_Social_Functions_Compassion_Gratitude_and_Awe_Bind_Us_to_Others_Through_Prosociality).

Not because they’re “relaxing” in the traditional sense…but because they gently pull us out of threat mode.

At a physiological level:

• Attention widens 🧠

• Rumination softens

• The nervous system shifts towards parasympathetic dominance 🌿

In simple terms…your system gets permission to breathe again.

For high-performing leaders, this matters more than we often admit.

Because under sustained pressure:

• The world narrows

• Decision-making becomes brittle

• Recovery becomes purely transactional 😮‍💨

What does this mean practically?

It’s not about flying to Paris or waiting for snow ❄️ It’s about intentionally building micro-moments of perspective into real life:

• A walk somewhere unfamiliar 🚶‍♂️

• Pausing to notice beauty, not just problems 👀

• Letting yourself feel small for a moment… in a good way 🌍

These moments don’t make you less driven. They make your drive sustainable.

Leaders who regularly step outside their usual frame…lead with more clarity, calm, and humanity.

That’s not indulgence.

That’s intelligent health.

At @Essentio Health, we help leaders build recovery into life, not escape from it.

At @Build a Bridge, we focus on the small, human habits that quietly compound into better health and performance.

Because living your best life isn’t about doing less. It’s about doing what truly restores you.