Jul 29, 2024
This episode is brought to you by the August Cohort of the Change Maker Certification Program!
Sinikka Waugh and Kristen Boldt discuss Becoming Who We Are Meant To Be.
"You are a system thinker".
This observation from a mentor was the first time I had a name for how I am wired. My instinct always looks for the bigger picture, the story behind the story, and how all the different elements work together because I know it is in the nuances that our harmony is created.
Systems are important because we exist in dynamic relationship to each other. We are autonomous individuals and interconnected through our relationships and community. When we bring these dynamics into harmony everyone has what they need as individuals and the integrity of the larger system, whether a family, a business, or a community, is strengthened.
There is a great story about a guy walking through the woods who hears a baby crying in the stream. He pulls the baby out and starts to care for it and soon hears another. He rescues that one and calls for more help. Soon there are many people pulling the babies from the stream, setting up feeding stations, housing etc. Finally, one person asks, maybe we should go upstream and find out how they are getting in.
That's me.
I work with systems because my instincts always take me “upstream”. What excites me about this work is the shift I see in individuals when a system is redesigned and rounded out to be spherical. It is like a weight has been lifted or a barrier removed. When our systems are healthy (well-rounded) it is easy for people to live into their highest selves and to use their gifts to be the contributions they are called to be.
I have always been drawn to the arts because that is how we tell our deepest stories. It is said that what is most personal is also most universal. Our stories are what bring us together, the shimmery thread woven through our human tapestry. Our stories connect us and these days we desperately need more connection.