Hello friend,

How are you settling into 2026?

I’m in Cape Town, waking up each morning to bright sunshine and birdsong, a bit disconcerted by how far I am from home. It’s so gorgeous here. I’m sending photos to share some beauty with you, alongside a few strands of thought on upping the density of time.

I’m here for training, as part of my ongoing learning in the Gestalt approach to leadership and organizational development. One of the central ideas of Gestalt is to pay attention to the here and now rather than the then and there. To stay with what is, instead of getting seduced into recalling what was, escaping into what could be, or wrestling with what should be (and isn’t).

There’s a lot of worthwhile unlearning in that, which serves both personal and professional realms. I find it easier to access some days than others.

Today is my rest day. (Planned in advance, and fiercely protected!)

I took an early morning cable car up to Table Mountain for a slow walk along the 3km plateau as the clouds rolled in. I then found an indie bookstore in town, where the shopkeeper helped me pull together a collection of modern South African fiction. That was a fun conversation, and a new kind of exchange for me at that. I look forward to long stretches of cozy reading at home, and to the conversations that will follow.

My guesthouse has spacious common areas and lucky for me, all of the other guests are out. I’ve had a lovely afternoon of sitting in different spots for optimum warmth and breeze, as I journal and catch up on correspondence. That includes this Postcard.

It usually takes me half a day to write one. I wonder if that comes as a surprise? That level of effort used to feel frustrating, even a little embarrassing. Thankfully, I’ve come to see it differently—it’s time to work through recent thoughts, locate something I want to share with you, and practice finding a flow state so that I can.

Thank you for being on the other side of it.

Tomomi

A few things on the horizon:

Good news for UXR leaders: Kathleen Asjes is hosting the ReConnect Retreat again this year, and I’m very pleased to join her in the endeavor. Check it out, it’s May 1-3rd in the Netherlands.

I also have ideas brewing for an online workshop on the Emotions of (Professional) Ghosting. Keep an eye out. Maybe. Or let me know what that brings up for you…