We had the good fortune of connecting with Lea Appleton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lea, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I’ve always liked the idea of work-life balance, but haven’t always been so good at making that happen in my life. Burnout mid-career led to a work pivot and as I developed my own coaching business, I focused not only on balance in my own life, but on supporting others as they seek to create that for themselves. Now, I like to think of it as work-life-play balance or even simply “balance” since I don’t like making the dichotomy between work and the rest of life. One of the things that I like about the metaphor of balance in life is that when we balance something, it often requires small adjustments, movements to correct and rebalance–for most of us, it’s rarely static and unchanging. I think that is how balancing our lives works, too. We notice that we lean too far one way and then readjust; something throws us off balance and we have to put our arms out or hold onto something or someone to get our footing again. Balance is a constantly changing process that evolves as our lives change over time. We can get better at noticing and readjusting so we don’t fall over so often, and in doing so, create more resilience, stability, and wellbeing in our lives.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am the founder of Wild Wayfinding, a collective of coaching, consulting, and guided experiences that instills the spirit of adventure in life’s transitions. I coach professionals through promotions, career pivots, layoffs, and the twists and turns that the career journey often brings. I offer businesses resilience training workshops so their workforce can lead mindfully and with intention while improving individual wellbeing. And I guide small groups in mindful walking experiences to give opportunities for honing clarity, building confidence, and creating calm. I am definitely a combination of feet on the ground and head in the clouds type of person, which helps my business provide both visionary and practical offerings.

At the moment, I am most proud of my book, Walking & Wayfinding: Create Your Own Mindful Practice, One Step at a Time, because it has opened so many doors for conversations (and walking!) with people. Through these interactions, I’ve been invited to lead a number of guided walking experiences across the US. I can’t wait to bring them around the world!

In some ways, starting Wild Wayfinding gets me back to my early love of being outside and enjoying genuine play. I approach my work with the same spirit of adventure that I invite my clients to explore. But the entrepreneurial adventure has not always been easy. When I first began my coaching business I took a part-time job in the outdoor industry to have a more consistent income. That was hard since I wanted to focus all my energy on my new business. Little did I realize at the time that experience would help shape what my business has now become.

When I speak with new coaches (and in a business training at Erickson Coaching International, for which I am a contributor) I encourage them to start where they are and not wait or long for what hasn’t happened yet. After all, that’s where all journeys begin. And that’s just how I’ve navigated the path of my business, too. One step at a time.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Of course, my favorite LA spots are outdoors! I love the coast of Southern California and would start in Santa Monica and walk to Marina del Rey, exploring the canals and grab something to eat from the Peruvian Bowl in Venice Beach along the way. My next love is walking the painted stairs in Silver Lake. Afterwards, we would eat at Pine & Crane. The next day, we would walk along the LA River, stopping at Tadaa Coffee at the Happier Café near Lewis MacAdams Riverfront Park for a treat. The following day, we would explore Westwood, taking in the vast UCLA campus and its botanic garden along the east side of campus. We’d eat at one of the many ramen spots in Sawtelle and finish up at Somisomi for some Korean black sesame ice cream in a fish cone. I would finish the week with a walk around downtown LA and stop in The Broad and/or MOCA to get a bit of art in. Plus a quick trip down the funicular railway, Angels Flight, to eat at Eggslut in the Grand Central Market. Before leaving the area, a quick peek inside the Bradbury building would be a must.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to give a shoutout to my dad. He instilled in me an interest in life-long learning, the joy of travel and exploration, and willingness to be hopeful in uncertain or difficult times. He doesn’t give up on projects or people and that is inspiring. He is also a genuinely kind human who shares his love freely with others. I would like to become as generous and open as he is as I age!

Website:  www.wildwayfinding.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildwayfinding/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-appleton/

Image Credits
for headshot (photo by Haven Hunt).

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.