| “We make choices about what we are going to project, and with those choices we help grow the world that is.” ~ Parker. J. Palmer |
| Over the last few days, I’ve spent a lot of time outside—soaking in the sunshine, breathing in the fresh forest air, and reflecting on the past week. A week of pride. Two key things happened (well, three if I include Root Beginnings turning two—YAY!) that filled me with an overwhelming sense of pride. It’s not a feeling I experience often—and when I do, it usually gets quickly overridden by rushing onto the next thing. But this week felt different. It made me pause and ask: what actually comes before pride? You’ve probably heard the phrase “pride comes before a fall.” But if we look back at the roots of the word, “proud” originally traced back to the Latin verb prōsum, meaning “to be of use” or “to be of service.” To me, being of service means offering our unique gifts for the benefit of others. And that’s where courage and consistency come in.Because before we can experience the fullness of pride, we need the courage to believe our gifts are worthy of being shared, and the consistency to keep showing up with them—again and again. As Parker J. Palmer wrote: “We make choices about what we are going to project, and with those choices we help grow the world that is.” Two events this week reminded me just how true this is: – The Snug, a mental health hub I’ve been volunteering with since it began, was awarded the Pride of Waltham Forest Award for Health and Wellbeing Champion 2025. – I recorded a podcast sharing The Mindful Approach to Change in an AI Era—a framework that brings together everything I’ve learned so far in the most authentic way I know. Both filled my heart, not because of personal recognition, but because they are of service—benefiting others in ways I could never have imagined when I first began. And that’s the lesson I want to leave with you: If you are struggling to feel pride in your work or your life right now, ask yourself instead—what would it look like to keep cultivating courage? What would it feel like to keep showing up consistently doing the thing that you most enjoy? Because pride isn’t about ego. It’s the quiet recognition that our true gifts matter—because they make a difference in the lives of others. |
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