Breathe Better to Lead Better.
Over the last 25 years, I’ve worked in 11 countries across four continents as an international trade and development policy and strategy advisor. Having seen firsthand how demanding corporate life can be—long hours, constant deadlines, and relentless pressure—I am passionate about supporting professionals to breathe better, and in doing so, to lead better.
This month, Highland Faerie brought ‘Breathing Space’ to the Cairngorms Business Partnership Annual Conference 2025 - a 15-minute breathwork session to give business leaders a felt sense of the power of breathwork.
Why?
Because our breath controls more than our lungs. Neuroscience shows that simply slowing your exhale can calm your nervous system, lower stress, and even influence your immune system. Yet most of us go through our days completely unaware of it, and unaware of how our breath affects our leadership.
Effective leadership relies on clarity and a clear vision. As tension builds in the body, the mind loses focus, and our perspective naturally narrows.
Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman explains: “The fastest way to calm down isn’t self-talk (‘I’ll relax’)—it’s changing your physiology to dial down your body’s fight-or-flight response. Deliberate breathing is a powerful tool to control your brain-body state.” He goes on to say: “By changing the way you breathe… you are fundamentally changing the chemistry of your body. That has important effects on your immune system and the way you deal with inflammation and stress.”
Stress is not just a leadership issue—it’s a workplace issue. One in three workers say stress or anxiety regularly affects their productivity. That means the very environment where we spend a third of our lives is quietly sapping focus, creativity, and well-being.
If every business leader took 5 minutes to pause and consciously breathe each day, what would our businesses look like?
If people had tools such as breathwork and somatic movement to reduce stress at work, how much more creative, productive, healthy, or kind could we become?
Highland Faerie offers tailored workplace wellness sessions, offering somatic movement, breathwork, and mindfulness in businesses across the company structure.
Download our free Workplace Wellness Blueprint - A Kaivalya Kriya Yoga Guide to Focus, Calm, and Clarity at Work.
Book a clarity call to find out more.
Photo credit: Graham Niven Photography