Lead Like a Five Year Old
Returning to our roots through cooperation, natural instinct, play, art, kindness and cleaning up after ourselves.
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At five years old
a quiet leader emerged,
a natural progression
of becoming who I would
be from that time forward.
When no one was there
to pick me up at school
one day
and no one telling me
I couldn’t leave,
my internal senses led me
to walk home
on my own.
A classmate followed,
not remembering
what prompted her to do so.
I piloted a path with the
unfiltered,
undaunted determination
of a 5 year old,
although fear may have been
a part of the walk,
the mission overrode
the hesitation.
What remains a mystery
is how I knew the way.
Given my attention to visuals
and an instinctive
age-related curiosity,
I walked confidently
with my little friend in tow.
She knew where to turn off,
just as I knew where to proceed.
Somewhere along the way,
we lose our ability to navigate
the environment without being told
how to do so.
As we mature
external influences relentlessly
pound at our doors
as we slowly give up any
natural instincts of how
to be present in the world.
We forget our child-like selves
trading those intuitive, curious senses
for the bling that
pretends to be adulthood.
We berate childish behaviors
as silly, immature, and inconsequential,
forgetting that everything (of any importance)
we learned in Kindergarten.
Early on, the fire in my belly
was lit by an ability
to see beyond what was/is
considered normal
or proper
or accepted
or traditional.
The leader within me
quietly observed,
made internal notes and
acted when appropriate.
Creating art became
a vehicle to voice those
internal notes with nuance
and subtleties.
My art is how I lead
through a vision of what is
and can be
when natural instincts
are allowed
to flow freely
and without restraint,
like a 5 year old naturally
leading the way home
with anyone who wishes
to come along.
As I got older, I loved looking at maps and planning routes, especially when I moved to big cities. I was always a bit nervous about getting lost in unfamiliar neighborhoods. Now I am addicted to GPS, but often tell myself to trust my instincts more, like that 5 year old.
I believe that walk home from kindergarten was a pivotal moment when my soul first absorbed the concept of faith. This is when I began to unconsciously trust that all would be okay as long as I listened to and followed my inner voice.
I learned what it took to light the fire of my inner leader. Despite the environment at any given time, which seemed stifling or close-minded, I sought out opportunities that aligned with my interests and needs. While not always successful, I sometimes fell into the fray of normalization and crowd mentality, which happens when defenses are down.
Making mistakes is necessary to learn what does not work or make sense.
Through my observations, I have come to understand that being a leader is not telling others what you think is right and wrong or barking orders or creating a culture of obedience. Good leaders are often quiet, measured, compassionate, and empathetic toward the greater good.
Educators come to mind, especially those who teach our youngest people. They are charged with guiding and encouraging young minds to do their best, while stressing the importance of sharing, playing, being and staying curious, cleaning up after themselves, learning, cooperation, and being kind to one another.
It is time for all of us to return to those roots. Let’s play, let’s dream, let’s create, and let’s be kind.
Art Image: Windswept II, the process of creating this piece was one of pure play, like being in a sandbox with a bunch of tools (mixed media) at your disposal. The title came to me as I looked at the piece and felt the wind whipping me around through its shapes and textures, not knowing where I might land. Scary for some, invigorating for me.
Michelle Lindblom


Verity
Love it! The lack of ingrained fear, and just a healthy dose of listening to the inner caution leads to an adventurous life!