Hello Hedge Schoolers! I’d like to introduce myself. I am Lara Foster a Web Developer by day and Peak Performance Coach at all other times. I met Steve at the initial coaching cohort of Flow Genome Project’s live immersion in the Redwoods of California in 2019.
I’ve been reading or rather listening to Hedge School presented by our dear Steve Brophy since it’s inception. He’s been posting articles every Thursday like clockwork!
One Thursday a few weeks ago Steve paused his writing to inquire from listeners ‘What questions walk with you often’? Which immediately struck a chord. He also asked if anyone would be interested in contributing to Hedge School?
I raised my hand for both.
Steve’s inquiry came at a time (Summer of 2021) in the midst of several personal life altering transitions (perhaps we’ll cover some of those in this series) and the ongoing worldwide saga of COVID-19.
As soon as I heard Steve’s inquiry, I rattled down the current questions that walk with me often on a pink post-it note.
1) How to be human? What is the best integration of humanness?
2) How can we intentionally engage all humans to be more human?
3) What are the best examples of being human? Who? And what do these practices look like?
4) What are easy reminders to be more human, when some around us are walking (and talking) a little less human? Perhaps more “programmed/conditioned”?
5) How do I reconcile where I am with where I want to be with grace and ease?
Steve and I had a fun jam about these inquiries and his desires for Hedge School, to grow the platform, engage more writers and readers with revolving articles about various subjects. So here I am! I’ll be contributing the How to Be Human Series to Hedge School and we’ll dive into these questions together.
I’d like to start by saying I know ZERO of the answers to these questions. Only that, these are the ones that walk with me currently. This unravelling will be completely new to me. With my writing in the past I’ve always had an intended destination point. There is no such point here.
At most I’d like to create the space for all of you to inquire and hold these questions in your own life and begin to share your experiences with us all.
One of the highlights of my conversation with Steve about these inquiries was riffing about how interesting we are as humans! Our lives, our experiences, our perceptions, our feelings, our gifts, our misgivings and how this kaleidoscope of uniqueness shifts with every lesson learned and decision we’ve made.
The last 18 months have given prime opportunity for all of us to unveil and see how we are operating in our very own lives as humans. What values and principles we hold, how we shift and adapt, who we listen to for input, and what or who is the ultimate authority in our lives.
I’ve found that the answers to these questions can be surprising. A lot of folx act one way and when it comes to a line of loyalty, trust and hope for the future might just pull a 180 degree turn to flip the script in their favor. I can’t blame the folx or even myself for pivoting and shifting in these tumultuous times. What I can try to do is get very curious… by asking questions like: Where is this coming from? Is there something I’m not seeing here? What is the most grounded action step I can take?
Humility and humanity ultimately become our vector points. I do not pretend to know it all. Only to be curious and engaged with these questions living at a time when I hope most of you are also engaging these types of conversations.
Over the next coming weeks we’ll approach each inquiry that sparked alive when Steve asked ‘What questions walk with you often’, one by one. I have no idea where the road will lead us. But what I do know is I am happy to be here.
Until next time…
Be well Hedge Schoolers!
How to be Human Series