BREATHE - My response to a PUMO world

Earlier this week I elaborated on the new PUMO framework, and shared that my response to it is BREATHE.

And I mean it literally. In a PUMO world, we need to calm ourselves down to avoid being constantly hyper-aroused. A couple of deep breaths go a long way.

But BREATHE also is an acronym that stands for a way to respond and act in such an environment.

But first, what is PUMO?

If you missed it, you can read the long version here. But here comes a short recap (TL; DR).

PUMO is the next iteration of popular frameworks that have been used to describe the world around us. The global context.

It started with VUCA, which was followed by BANI, and now we have PUMO.

It stands for Polarized, Unthinkable, Metamorphic, and Overheated. Check my previous article for a detailed breakdown.

To me, the progression of framework reveals how hard it is becoming to keep up with a reality that keeps intensifying. And I perceive it as the mere manifestation of something much deeper: a radical transformation that is unfolding underneath it all, shifting our collective lived experience.

This type of framework will continue to evolve because the world continues to change.

But how are we developing the consciousness and capabilities to adequately respond and live meaningfully in such times?

The Big Question

Your capacity to navigate that change—to move from reactive to responsive, from overwhelmed to aware, from anxious to grounded—that's what determines not just whether you survive, but whether you can still thrive, find meaning.l, and feel that what you do matters.

To me this requires systemic transformation.

We have to move beyond change, sustainability, and leadership. To me those ideas are no longer adequate in this world. What I feel we need instead is to lead with approaches rooted in transformation, regeneration, and stewardship.

In our ever-accelerating world full of distractions, with a continuous warfare to grab and keep our attention elsewhere, it becomes more and more difficult to sit down, take a deep breath, and think things through that such a fundamental transformation requires.

That is where my work begins and where coaching becomes more relevant and urgent by the day. You may even say indispensable.

(Yes, you can also be coached by AI, but call me old-fashioned, I still believe in genuine human connection.)

In a PUMO world, the big question becomes even more critical: Where is your journey taking you, and are you actively choosing that direction?

You can't control the transformation that's happening around us, but you can develop the inner capacities to navigate this reality without being overwhelmed by it.

In my coaching I create the SPACE and TIME for reflection and deep thinking about your path forward—space that acknowledges the intensity of our context without being paralyzed by it.

I'm not offering simplistic solutions or pretending the complexity doesn't exist. Instead, I help you:

• Recognize patterns even when polarization makes it hard to see clearly

• Build resilience for when the unthinkable inevitably happens

• Navigate transformation without losing yourself in the metamorphosis

• Find sustainable pace in an overheated environment

Therefore, I invite you to BREATHE

Our nervous system is constantly aroused and under pressure. There needs to be times when we can release that pressure and flush the system.

Only then can we gain clarity, define priorities, build systems that support rather than drain you, and make sure we follow through with our goals and ambitions.

That’s what I’m here for. A companion on your journey towards who you're becoming. It all starts with taking a deep breath.

Breathe and then, BREATHE.

This is my own response to PUMO. It's an acronym and an invitation. A guide through turbulent times when you're on a quest to discover what is yours to do in such an environment.

It's no easy undertaking, but I hope this can helpful to you.

• Bridge from the past to the future

• Relinquish what no longer serves

• Evolve into what is called for

• Adapt continuously within your context

• Transcend the rigidity and pressure

• Hone your strengths and gifts

• Equilibrate your system with intention

Let me elaborate briefly on each of them.

Bridging

In these times we have to build bridges. In every sense of the word. That is the only way to overcome polarization. At any level, within ourselves, in communities, in society at large.

It also means to acknowledge and honour the past. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Seek forgiveness, or delve in nostalgia. Whichever is called for. So we can heal and let go what no longer serves, and break free to move towards a brighter future.

Relinquishing

We need to break out to break through. What not longer serves needs to be let go. In appropriate ways. Our orientation is too often directed to the past. We talk about the future, but are trapped in a need to please our ancestors. When what we really should care about is to please our descendants.

We should strive for making them proud. Not disregarding the past, but by honoring and be guided, not controlled by it. Indigenous wisdom tells us to think in time scales of 7 generations.

Evolving

In our modern societies we have lost our way to listen into ourselves. We are constantly bombarded, our attention is fragmented, and so we're disconnected from ourselves and from the environment.

But what are your called for to become? No one can tell you. No social media post will give you the answer. Do your homework, do the research, but then calm down and reflect. Listen deeply, take your time, feel what emerges. It takes time, it takes iterations. But it's the only way to sense your unique purpose.

Adapting

Yet, once found that will unlikely be fixed for the rest of time. Your purpose itself will evolve, and so will you. It will turn into an organic process of continuous adaptation. You could call it an Evolutionary Purpose, that keeps adapting as it senses the shift in its environment.

If this sounds abstract, let me give you a personal example: parenting. When I had my first child, I evolved into becoming a father. I had to. And while that gives one purpose for sure, it doesn’t stay rigid. As the child grows, and as a new dynamic is emerging from a life as a couple, to a life as family, that adaptations continues. It might not be as stark as when the child gets born. But what a child needs keeps changing. And then came the second child.

Transcending

You can see from the example how important it is to not become rigid. If you were, parenting would be impossible. And this example also serves well to illustrate the need to transcend pressures, both internal and external. Everyone has advice on parenting, right? And while everyone means well, it is not always helpful. And sometimes we also put pressure ourselves.

It certainly is good to have certain expectations, and hold ourselves to a certain standard. I suppose everyone wants to be a good parent. But we can’t be perfect. No one is. So this is really about giving ourselves grace in such a transformative process. We can both, set ambitious goals, but also don’t beat ourselves up when things go differently. As long as we keep an open mind and reflecting, we continue learning and improving.

Honing

Take time to get to know yourself. The many facets of your personality, your preferences, your gifts, your strengths, but also your weaknesses. And no, they are not ‘areas of development’. We are much better off investing and developing our stengths. I’m not saying to ignore our weaknesses and use them as a excuse for any short-comings. Awareness is key, of both what we excell at and what we struggle with. However, trying to step up our game in things that we’re naturally not inclined to do, is receipe for frustration, or worse, burnout.

Rather tap into what energizes you. Seek out challenges where your unique capabilities and attitude will make a difference, and where you can have a positive impact. And find the people that complement you to cover areas that you struggle with. We all have our superpowers, and so become a scout in bringing the right people along the journey.

Equilibrating

Finally, the highest art pf them all. Mainting Equilibrium. It doesn’t mean that you will never be out of equilibrium, and I don’t think that would get anyone very far. When we stretch ourselves, get outside the comfort zone, that is when we learn and grow. But staying there constantly can be exhausting. Once in a while we have to re-establish the equilibrium.

I’m deliberately not using work-life balance, I think that visualization and wording is misleading. What we do to earn money (or otherwise secure our livelihood) is an integral part of our lives. Sometimes we might feel pressure in things that are happening at home, or in our circle of friend, or at work. That will push us out of equilibrium. Stay too long out there, or have to many at once, and you’re likely to crumble under that pressure. So nurture practices and relationships that serve as release valves to reinstate the equilibrium, before the anything can blow out.

So, what now?

Well, given that you’ve come all the way here, the first things I wat to do is to thank you!

Thank you!

Tahnk you for taking your most precious resources of attention and time to read all of this. And if this all resonates with you and you see a value in applying this practice, then I’m very glad you do. And if you reach out to me to share how it’s working for you, then I would be delighted. Any real-world experiences from using my work is always inspiring and I’m keen to talk and connect with you.

And if your first impulse is just that you want to know more, or challenge these ideas, or just have an open and honest conversation about any of the topics touched here, please do get in touch and let's talk.

Send me a message or book a slot in my calendar.

I’m looking forward to meeting you!


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