Dear HRart Worker,
What comes to mind when you see a flamingo? For some of you, you may think of me. The flamingo is one of our popular mascots at The HRart Center. He’s on the cover of my second book Unstuck U and now adorns the logo for the Disengagement Detox course.
These mascots are not chosen at random, each is specifically selected for their collective cultural heritages. Each shares a deeper wisdom behind the intention and inspiration for that particular book or course. See, the animal represents the vision, illustrating what we are unable to describe and hope to achieve.
With all this being said, I’d like to take a moment and share with you what I see when I see a flamingo. I see a remarkable bird that is able to sustain balance without hesitation on one leg. It does this act so naturally without expending any additional energy. I see a beautiful bird that hides it’s darkest feathers underneath and only exposes them in moments of vulnerability and discomfort, or when it is about to take flight. I see a bird that is an exemplary team player, maintaining their individuality while engaging in fluid group movements and rituals.
When I look at a flamingo, I see myself and so many of you. The way we have found balance, despite the awkward stance. The way we separate ourselves from the work with an emphasis on empathy, rather than advocate personally. The way we find our place in the cultures, because no one else is quite sure how we fit. Yes, our professional lives might be a bit dysfunctional but they are still so beautiful.
I am a flamingo and you are my flock and together we will fly. This week, we are revisiting a HRart Rise Morning Show episode (below) that talks about boundaries. Establishing boundaries is the first step in beginning to manage the dysfunction and calm the chaos. Conveniently, I taught this lesson proudly sporting my flamingo holiday sweater. It’s a clear acknowledgement and appreciation for where we are and where we are going.
The video can also be found here.
Sincerely,
p.s. This blog post was adapted from the Letters From the HRart fortnightly newsletter. I invite you to subscribe!
Cover Photo by Gaetano Cessati
