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You (probably) don't know all of what you think you know (and I don't either) - A reminder

Updated: Sep 1, 2023


We all like to be good at things, to know things and perhaps be the best at something or another. This, I think is human nature. It reassures us of our value and place in our community, within our family and within our work environment. The balance to the equation - the quality that prevents competent and confident people from becoming ****'s, is humility.

Humility is a quality that is a) all too rare in an increasingly specialized world, b) generally not valued in rooms where western white & male values dominate and c) has been, in my observation, a core value for the many many Native cultures that I have grown up with, worked with or been exposed to in some form or another. Humility is a value that I would encourage development of as progress is made towards ideas such as equity. It is a value that will serve you well if you wish to better understand the multitude of Nations that have inhabited Turtle Island (North America) since time immemorial.

In a time of the year that many people use to pause for self-reflection (which should be year-round really - really), I would like to encourage you to take a moment and let go of your attachment to being an expert, specialist or the like. Unless you are an elder - which I won't hazard to give you advice, because you are an elder. Humility makes for better humans, always.



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