Curiosity and adventure
Have you ever been so curious that you took a big risk and had an extraordinary adventure?
I have, and I am again. That's part of the story behind the new brand and logo for People Matter Coaching & HR.
It comes from my time travelling in Myanmar during the election of Aung San Suu Kyi. I was sitting contemplatively at the Shwedagon Pagoda when I was approached by a monk who wanted to show me his monastery. Thinking it was attached to the pagoda I readily agreed, curious about the Myanmar culture.
I walked with him, not to one of the buildings nearby, but down one of the two lifts (not the one that had my shoes at the bottom sadly!) and through the cobblestone streets of Yangon. We arrived at the monastery, chatted awhile, he introduced me to a Brazilian tourist staying with them and before I knew it, we had both been bundled into a truck and were driving away.
Although we had a fabulous conversation about Ekhardt Tolle and his writings (random!), we were both a little scared to say the least.
It was only when we were driven into a locked compound (scarier!) and met the wife of a High Court that we learned we were there to collect alms for the monastery (and relax...). Until then, frankly, it was a bit petrifying, and I regretted my curiosity. Yet once we knew what we were doing we were able to relax and saw parts of the city we would never have had the opportunity to see. What an adventure!
The other part of the story is literally about the lotus flower and is the link to my adventures in Myanmar. While there, I also had the opportunity to visit Inle Lake and see the talented women who take the lotus stalk and use the parts of it in their weaving. Their skill was extraordinary, and I loved watching their dexterity. The memories of watching them stay with me, as does my appreciation of their skill. I bought two fabulous silk and lotus scarves from them as a way to cherish the memories.
Lotus plants and flowers are fascinating. They start in mud and muck. Some seeds grow immediately, others are dormant for years. Its roots stay in mud, it emerges and blooms each day, pristine, despite the mud and with a beautiful gold centre.
They are versatile, being used for many purposes from food, flowers, ink and thread.
The white lotus is a perfect image for us at People Matter due to our focus on helping you find and access your inner gold to rise and bloom.
We offer coaching, leadership and team development, wellbeing support, and partner with you and your business in your people practices (aka HR or human resources).
