What happens when you stop fighting for a perfect outcome and start focusing on what you can control? Could a little more self-awareness, perspective, and presence change the way you move through work and life?
In this episode of Inspiring Possible, host Christy Pennison welcomes Chris Bath, author of A to Zen, for a thoughtful conversation about staying grounded when life feels uncertain, demanding, or overwhelming. Drawing from his background in physics, corporate leadership, and a 20-year yoga practice, Chris Bath explains how the concepts in his book became a practical toolkit for navigating the past, future, and present.
The discussion explores the importance of agency and the choices we can make in the middle of circumstances we can’t control. Chris Bath shares how letters from his book, including trust, letting go, surrender, non-reactivity, observation, and perspective, can help us pause before reacting and return to a more centered state.
Rather than attaching ourselves to a specific outcome, Chris Bath encourages listeners to give their best to the task in front of them. The goal is presence, not perfection. Through small practices such as exercise, swimming, yoga, self-compassion, and taking a moment to pause, we can create space to respond differently.
Christy Pennison and Chris Bath also discuss the value of examining strong reactions without blame or shame. Difficult moments can become opportunities for reflection, especially when we ask what life may be trying to teach us and what we can learn from an experience that didn’t go as planned.
You can’t control the future from now. All you can do is be your best.
— Chris Bath
In this episode we dive into:
- Finding perspective during stressful seasons
- The power of surrender and letting go
- Using non-reactivity and observation to interrupt old patterns
- Choosing how to respond when circumstances feel outside your control
- Building a personal toolkit for staying grounded
- Practicing kindness and self-compassion
- Moving from perfectionism toward presence
- Flowing with time instead of fighting against it
Don’t miss this inspiring conversation about making practical wisdom accessible in everyday life. Tune in to Inspiring Possible and discover how small shifts in awareness, perspective, and choice can help you return to yourself, even when the world around you feels chaotic.
About Chris Bath
Chirs Bath is the author of A to Zen, a father, and a multifaceted leader whose background spans the fields of science, finance, and spirituality. Driven by a lifelong curiosity about the mechanics of the universe, he read Physics at Oxford University, later applying that analytical mindset to a high-stakes professional career defined by complexity and change. Chris spent a decade in Mergers & Acquisitions at Rothschild & Co before transitioning into executive leadership. As CFO and later CEO of a family-owned healthcare business, he led a major organizational transformation that culminated in a successful sale to Goldman Sachs. In parallel to his corporate trajectory, Chris has maintained a dedicated spiritual practice for over 20 years. A seasoned yogi currently studying to become a teacher, he created AtoZen to bridge the gap between high-pressure professional environments and mindful living. His work offers a practical toolkit for reconciling these seemingly contradictory worlds, providing a path through the demands of time and a return to the present moment.
To learn more about Chris Bath and A to Zen, visit chrisbath.life.
