Lately, I've been thinking a lot about what it means to transform ourselves – not just in small ways, but through the kind of deep, meaningful shifts that can’t help but touch everyone around us. I am talking about change that awakens the feeling of being so alive with possibility that you want to skip down the street - when joy isn't just an emotion to talk about, but a state of being.
My musings started with a simple realization: that empowered people make better decisions - not just for themselves, but for the world. Well, if we want to see that kind of empowerment spread, we need to do more than just talk about it, we need to embody it. We need to "BE the examples". We need to show 'the way' through living it.
Here's the thing about being a way-shower, though, you need to invite in your own teachers first. Perhaps unsurprisingly, in retrospect, I found mine in an unexpected place – among the trees in the woods.
You might smile at the idea of kissing trees (yes, I do that), but there is profound wisdom to connect with in these ancient beings. Think about it. The roots of trees run deep, and intertwine with one another in underground networks of mutual support. Their branches reach boldly towards the sky. When storms come, trees don't fight against the wind – they dance with it; flexible, yet unshakeable at their foundations.
These forest teachers have shown me something beautiful about True Power - that it's not about being rigid or unmoving. True Power is about finding that sweet spot between being grounded and staying flexible; between standing tall as an individual and staying connected to others. Trees do this effortlessly, without trying to prove anything to anyone. Trees simply are what they are, and, in the simple act of fully being themselves, they create space for everything around them to flourish.
Perhaps the most profound lesson I have learned from trees , however, has been about forgiveness. Every time I visit the forest, I find myself apologizing to the trees – for humanity's ignorance, for our collective mistakes, for all the ways we've failed to be good stewards of the Earth. I am humbled to realize that their response is the same, every time. They radiate pure presence and pure acceptance. Trees harbour no grudges, no sorrows, no regrets - no blame. They just keep standing tall, offering shade, producing oxygen, and being exactly what they are. They are the embodiment of 'the giving tree', always.
This realization is where, for me, transformation really begins to take root (pun intended!) While I have been pretty good at offering acceptance to others, I haven't always extended that same grace to myself. I can be incredibly hard on myself and unforgiving of my own humanity. Yet, here are these old, wise beings, teaching me through example that True Strength isn't about being 'perfect' – it is about continuing to grow, to give, and to be fully alive, regardless of what comes.
The beautiful synchronicity of it all is that when we finally find that kind of self acceptance, it then naturally spreads to others. Just like joy is contagious (and trust me, when you're skipping down the street with genuine joy, people can't help but be affected), real self acceptance creates an energy that invites others in to their own empowerment.
This, then, is what Transformation really looks like: rather than being a forced march towards an idealized 'perfection', it is a natural unfoldment of our inherent aliveness. Certainly, we can support it through simple daily practices like meditation, walks in Nature, reading inspiring wisdom teachings (that of Ernest Holmes and Emma Curtis Hopkins make up my personal favourites), and yes, through spending time with tree teachers. Mostly, though, our path to Transformation is mostly about remembering who we really are beneath all the "shoulds" and "supposed-tos".
When we tap into this way of being, something magical happens. We find ourselves moving through the world with an unwavering sense of possibility. Challenges become opportunities for growth, rather than obstacles to be feared. Joy becomes our natural state, rather than something we have to chase. Perhaps most importantly, as we transform our lives, we become living invitations to empowerment through which others may discover their own.
In the end, that is what being a way-shower is all about. It is not about telling others how to live. It is about living so fully, so authentically ourselves, that we naturally illuminate the path for others to find their own ways. Just like the trees - when we are standing tall, with our roots deeply grounded and our branches reaching skyward, being exactly who we are, giving exactly what we know we are here to give, and trusting - that is enough. (In fact, it is more than enough).
This is exactly what the world needs right now.