Member Spotlight: Frank Bolaji Irawo

This month, we’re excited to introduce Nature’s Blueprint member Frank Bolaji Irawo.

Frank is a coach, speaker and published poet with over 30 years of leadership experience working in Retail, Entertainment, Banking, Criminal Justice and Not-For-Profit sectors. He is passionate about supporting leaders to make a positive impact through their work without compromising their well-being or that of the planet. He harnesses the power of words to awaken insight and open doors of awareness that initiate transformation. His unique coaching approach uses poetry as part of powerful transformative conversations that fuse human psychology, neuroscience, and mindfulness to help leaders get clear on who they are,  connect to themselves and their mission, and collaborate with the universe to create positive change in their world.

 What inspired you to join Nature’s Blueprint?

I gained a better appreciation for nature over the pandemic lockdown period after being encouraged by a friend to go out and hug trees. While I did stop short hugging them, I did start going for walks along the canal London. So, when the force of nature that is “Annie Lee” invited me to the inaugural Nature’s Blueprint launch event I came along, as unofficial poet in residence I captured the event poetically and the rest as they say is history!  

How do you integrate Nature into your everyday work or life?

I cannot honestly say that I do, as a lot of my work is done remotely but I am much more aware when I am outdoors to mindfully appreciate nature around me. I do now have a growing catalogue of nature themed poems that I use in spaces I facilitate and in my coaching. Nature has a lot to teach us.

Coach

The gift of a coach

Is to be a mirror

For you to see yourself

Nature’s gift as a coach

Is to be a mirror

For us to see ourselves

The gift of all of us

Is to be a mirror

For us to see we are all one

Can you share a memorable experience you’ve had in Nature that significantly influenced your career or personal life?

I was recently on a 4-day retreat as the poet in residence and was invited to take part in a mindful nature walk. I was astonished by how much more of nature I noticed when I slowed down to snail pace and set an intention to notice what was there in front of me. It gave me a fresh appreciation of how much we miss when we just have a cursory glance. The experience inspired this piece.

Natures surprises

By Frank Bolaji Irawo

Nature is full of surprises

Plants of many shapes and sizes

One tree falls, another rises

One stands dishevelled, the other flourishes

Side by side, none vying for prizes

From the bark of the fallen new life arises

Buds at the ready to bloom in glorious splendour

Radiant with colours at home in a rainbow

When the silent clock strikes spring

From your perspective, what is the most challenging aspect of your work? How do you overcome it?

My work is at the intersection of coaching, poetry and nature and previously these felt like three separate aspects I had to balance my time between. My profile as these is at separate stages of development. Recently in a coaching session I had the realisations that they were all well aligned. My coaching helps prepare people to create the SPACE to be present with and learn from nature, the poetry opens people heart to let nature in and Nature’s Blueprint is a community where we can all become better stewards of the planet.

What specific projects or initiatives are you currently working on that you are excited about?

Last year I met a very special landscape artist Hazel Thomson, who was passionate about inviting people to be in nature, by bringing it to them in her paintings. As a poet who had recently become sensitised to the wonder and beauty of nature, it represented an opportunity for the Synergy of both art forms. We have been working quietly behind the scenes to curate art and poetry as an invitation for people to journey out of Virtual reality into Nature’s REALITY. The product will be a self-guided book of art and poetry that connects us back to nature to reset to natures rhythm. Using the REALITY framework below. There is a link to a 30-minute taster workshop on my Linktr.ee list.

[R]ecognise what is not working

[E]mbrace the truth of your current reality

[A]ccess the wisdom of nature

[L]et’s reset to nature’s rhythm

[I]ntegrate nature into your life

[T]ake a walk on the wild side

[Y]ield to the universal flow

Are there any specific skills or expertise you’re looking for that other Nature’s Blueprint members may be able to help with?

Hazel (Landscape Artists) and I are currently working on producing a first draft of the Journey Back To Nature’s REALITY and would like to get some funding to produce a high quality book and associated experience. We could do with support from anyone who Has any relevant publishing experience that could mentor us or anyone with links to how we may get funding for a project like this. Any support or connections will be greatly appreciated.

We believe that humans have an extraordinary capacity to problem solve & innovate. What gives you HOPE?

A large part of my work as a coach is to help people access intelligence that is beyond the intellectual mind using my SPACE framework below. (There is a link to SPACE course on my Linkt.ree list here.)

I believe that when we leverage community and trust out intuition, we can access innovative way to solve the problems we have created. The answers reside in the deeper wisdom that nature mirrors back to us, if we take the time and adopt the humility required to learn and implement.

[S]ee Your True Essence – You are not your mind

[P]resent To The Source Of Confusion – You mind can get confused

[A]scend The Thinking – Don’t fight it, remain the witness of it

[C]onnect To The Present – Breathe or answer the question, who is aware?

[E]xperience life As it is now –  Transformed Life – Flow – Problem Solve – Tap into deeper wisdom – Observe and appreciate

We hope you found this Member Spotlight interesting. Do connect with Frank if anything she has shared resonates with you and you’d like to know more – you can find out more about Frank on here.