Page 33 - Reader's House Magazine Issue 53

I came to see that reflection is THE meta capac- ity for insight, learning and change. I see it as a necessity - not a luxury - to all that we do to be the best that we can be.
I wanted to challenge the dreary plodding image that reflection often has when it is squeezed into the margins in the workplace and in profes- sional practice.
I want to show it was possible to make the processes of creative reflection fun, awakening, enlivening and empowering from which profound transformational change can be birthed. My MA research also proved to me that reflection is an act of creativity whether it be to stop what is no longer working, to improve what already exists and to create anew.
And that this speaks to our innate desire as human beings which we all share which is to continually learn and to endlessly create.
Could you elaborate on the concept of ‘reflective practice’ and its significance in creative leadership, as discussed in your work?
As Einstein famously said ‘problems cannot
be solved from the consciousness which created them’. Doing more of the same is no longer enough. ‘Reflective practice’ is an umbrella term for the regular discipline of reflection which can take many forms – but most importantly can put us in touch with the seeds of the new – of what is wanting to emerge if we can learnt to become still, pay exquisite attention and truly listen.
Elaine Patterson inspires with depth and heart, offering soulful guidance that uplifts creativity, fosters reflection, and transforms both life and leadership.
Reflective practice takes many forms including journaling, meditative walking, crafting, art, poet- ry, music coaching and supervision and the key is to find the menu that works for us.
I believe that it is the ethical duty of anyone who works with people to have a regular reflective practice where they can push the pause button and reflect deeply on what is happening within them and around them. Because who you are is how you work.
In “Homecomings ~ 52 Ways Back
to Ourselves,” you offer reflective soliloquies and creative resources. How do you envision these aiding individuals in reconnecting with their authentic selves?
I wanted to explore what it means to belong and how we can come home to ourselves as a foundational practice for our times. The jewel of great price is remembering to know ourselves and to come home to ourselves before we can act in the world with compassion, authenticity and integ- rity. I feel that this has never been more important and necessary if we are to live in the midst of all
that is happening within us and in the world with joy, beauty, generosity, compassion, courage, kindness, wonder, reciprocity, wisdom and grace.
The 52 reflective soliloquies and supporting resources are designed to invite readers into their own reflections.
And I believe that finding our way back to ourselves can be as frustrating and elusive as it is enriching – as we try to catch the threads of wis- dom that life is trying to show us. It is a continual process of feeling lost and found, of arrival and departure, of disconnecting and re-connecting and of forgetting and remembering. The destination
is always moving and can never feel complete because we are already changed in our setting off. As we learn to hold these frontiers for ourselves, our understanding of life and living deepens with each encounter.
I hope that this book will become Readers’ own companion self-care kit which feels relevant and contemporary each and every time that they open it.
As co-founder of PattersonPrenticeDesigns, how do you integrate your passion for the arts, nature, and creativity into your professional practice?
With my partner Karyn Prentice in Patterson- PrenticeDesigns our abiding friendship and our shared love of the arts, nature and creativity is our starting point and our connecting point from which everything else is birthed and infused. Our passions lift our work from being ordinary to being soulful and extraordinary in a world which needs both radical hope and loving kindness in spades!
Your book with Karyn Prentice “The Compass Rose - 8 Ways to Awake your Creativity and Re-Source your Life” introduces eight cardinal points as touchstones for creativity. Could you share how these points guide individuals in reclaiming their innate creativity?
We believe that we are all innately creative – but we also fully understand how our creativity can get educated out of us or lost in the busyness of our ‘to do’ lists’. Every choice we make can be creative – from what we choose to wear designing a new product - if want to make it so! We believe that our creativity is our soul speaking through us in the world.
We therefore designed the eight cardinal points as touchstones where readers can explore ways
to claim (or reclaim) their innate creativity. The focus is on what we call the ‘work before the work’ – of designing through the eight cardinal points the spaces, places, activities and people who can both support, inspire and nourish our own creativity – which of course will be different for each of us.
Reflecting on your extensive experience in executive coaching, what are the most common challenges leaders face when attempting to incor- porate reflective practices into their routines?
I feel that the most important challenge is lead- ers is failing to appreciate what reflective practices
Homecomings: 52 Ways Back to Ourselves by Elaine Patterson is a reflective collection of soliloquies and journaling prompts encouraging readers to reconnect with themselves. Born from lockdown journaling, it invites deep introspection, creativity, and self- compassion, offering a heart-based path to inner belonging, resilience, and personal transformation.
can do for them – and their teams - to open up different kinds of learning conversations be even more brilliant. They just need to be prioritised. And it starts with the leaders who can role model this approach within their own teams and organi- sations. People cannot be commanded to be more reflective. The preconditions and the permissions need to be set so that it is seen as a necessity and not a designer luxury. And to remove the guilt and associations attached to reflecting rather than being seen to be endlessly busy.
Considering your international work, how do cultural differences influence the application of reflective practices in leadership across various regions?
We are all human and therefore I believe that we all love to learn. The key therefore is for each person whatever their background is finding what works uniquely for them and their own context.
What advice would you offer to fellow authors aiming to blend creative reflection with professional development in their writings?
Just try it! Do what works for you! Enjoy your- self! Allow yourself to be amazed and delighted!
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