Hummingbird or Elephant- who do you chose to be in 2024?

With 2024 round the corner, many of us will start evaluating 2023 and setting intentions for 2024. It’s great to pause and take stock and ask “How can I make my life more meaningful next year?”. Yet, this question also sits within the wider context of the world. We are facing a climate emergency, the war in the middle east, global and local inequalities and divisions continue to rise… Anxiety is on the rise and many people are experiencing a crisis of meaninglessness. In the face of such complex global challenges, we can feel despondent, too small to make a difference, wonder if it’s even worth trying…

I have found some inspiration in the The Story of the Hummingbird by Wangari Maathai. It goes like this. As all the animals watched in desperation as the wild fire destroyed their home, the Hummingbird flew to the river, filled up it’s tiny beak with water, flew back to the fire and dropped the water on the fire. Then did it over again, and again, and again… The elephant with it’s large trunk and the other animals said “what are you doing? There is no way you can put that fire out!”. The Hummingbird replied “I am doing the best I can”.

Are you the elephant or the hummingbird?

For me at least, I’ve come to realise that doing nothing is not an option. That would mean giving in to the very real but defeatist voices that say “I’m too small to make a real difference” or “I don’t have the skills to come up with the radical technical innovations that are needed”. Worse of all it would mean facing my children, and grand-children in the future and saying “I didn’t know what I could do, so I did nothing”. Young people are already asking our political and business leaders “why did you do nothing when you knew?”.

Let’s create a movement of hummingbirds. All doing the best we can.

I’d rather try, because there is meaning in doing something rather than nothing. It will take courage. The courage to speak out at the risk of standing out. The courage to try something new. The courage to take action without certainty of the outcome. The courage to overcome the fear of failure that too often keeps us doing what we always did.

Most days I feel like that hummingbird trying to put out a wild fire with a tiny beak full of water. I figure that there are other hummingbirds out there amongst you. Other parents, grand-parents, community leaders, change-makers, business leaders and young people also asking “what can I do?”, “How can I make a difference?”, “ What is the best I can do?” and struggling to stay inspired and hopeful in the face of reality.

For my part, I will be sharing ideas, tips, and stories from my own experience (and struggles) and from the experiences of everyday people, leaders and change-makers. None of us has all the answers, but together we can start to shape meaningful ways of living and working within nature’s boundaries. Together we can generate a movement of Meaning Makers (new course starting on 11th January). I looked up the collective-noun for Hummingbirds: a charm of hummingbirds. That’s what we can be!

If you’ve been touched by this story, or have an experience to share please do get in touch, I’d love to hear from you.

This blog is edited from an original medium article I posted in Dec 22.