Are We There Yet? vol. 194

Last weekend, I was reading a story about birds. Yes, birds. I’m not a big fan of birds. In particular, this story was about two macaws in Rio de Janeiro. What is interesting is that the residents of Rio have not seen a macaw in the wild for two centuries, with the exception of one.

In the Rio Zoo, there is a male macaw, and every day for at least the past two decades, a female macaw visits. No one knows where she comes from, but they cling together; she is on one side of the net, and he is on the other, rubbing beaks and passing food. Brazilian law forbids the zoo from letting her in, and the zoo’s ethical standards will not allow for the release of him. One question the article raised is “who is free and who is imprisoned." A Brazilian poet, Alfonso Romano de Sant 'Anne, wrote

Imprison me with you

So that caged

By your side

At last

I’ll be free

It got me thinking about ways that we can imprison ourselves. Sometimes our pre-judgments lock us out of opportunities. Envy and peer pressure can cause us to do things that we otherwise wouldn’t want to do, and, of course, we’ve all heard the old expression “cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face.” If we can be aware that these feelings are present, we may be able to re-frame our thinking and our choices. If we look back at the picture of the two macaws, it’s hard to tell which one is free, and which one is imprisoned.

Take care and stay safe.

PODCAST:

The Power of Conscious Connection by Talia Fox

Esteemed leader and author Talia Fox sets out to change the way we perceive leadership and life. Drawing from her personal journey as a Black female leader, she provides powerful insights and stirring stories that expose the potent impact of leading with conscious connection.

It’s more than just a book; it’s a movement that encourages the reader to be more present, more engaged, and more attuned to the intricacies of our interconnected world. Fox crafts a passionate plea for us to reimagine our roles, not just as leaders, but as global citizens, capable of inspiring and influencing change through conscious connection.

Harnessing the power of her signature model, the LOVE (Listen, Observe, Value, Engage) system, she illuminates the profound impact of these four habits.