I visited one of my closest friends this week. We hadn’t seen each other for a little while, but we picked up right where we left off. I updated her on my time investment on ensuring I do the work on myself to be absolutely ready for those I work with, as well as to support my own life fulfilment.
When I left headship I was faced with revisiting my purpose, my why. What I discovered was a deeper journey into my reason for being— which was actually the same, the manifestation of this was just shifting and transforming as I changed context. Interestingly, my friend already knew my reason for being—she expressed it as bringing magic to people’s lives.
My version has always been about enabling joy, not in a superficial immediacy, but in a sense of connected, purposeful awareness that fuels drive and resilience, learning and curiosity, as well as agency in the world.
I was enabled to feel this viscerally in a Somatic training session in terms of how this showed up in me and how the actual shape of me, the who I am, shows up in what I do.
I experienced the embodiment of this when I stood at the Grand Canyon this Summer. The awe and wonder and pure joy of experience, the realisation of what it means to be alive is almost indescribable in words, but, having studied the Romantic poets in my degree, the closest I can get to is that sensation they must have felt when they first saw the views in the Lake District.
I currently have this Wordsworth quote on my wall (Tintern Abbey):
“With with an eye made quiet by the power
Of harmony, and the deep power of joy,
We see into the life of things.”
I’ve always loved it, but it has sat there quietly for years, and I’ve revisited it, considering that this lies at the heart of my reason for being.
When I stood at the Grand Canyon, I pondered the purpose of education, the purpose of learning, whether in a classroom, coaching or training… when we wonder, when we are inspired to notice, to inspire our hearts and minds to really feel, live and consider the world and our perspectives, we discover with curiosity, and we see beyond our own horizons. We see into the life of those we work with and beyond.
I was long ago inspired to create Boundless by the stories of explorers that headed out on ships beyond unknown horizons in a quest to discover. I wanted to steer my course beyond my known horizons and enable others to lead in the same way.
Imagine a world where our children are inspired by awe and wonder to find out more. They are not limited by their backgrounds, or assumptions made about them, or the limitations of others.
This is what drove me as a teacher and school leader… not just in classroom sessions, but in the small moments of wonder when we laughed together in assembly, or we shared a drop everything and dance session, or we had a pupil leadership chat… or an individual exchange in the corridor.
I’m driven to create magic, the deep power of joy, particularly for those who know what it feels like to lose it, but for every person whose life I touch and in turn, those they impact on.
In a world that yields complexities and challenge, this becomes even more important—hope and joy are the treasures that inspire agency, that offer creative opportunities and connect us with purpose and reason for being.
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Taking time to notice, to be curious, and to create moments of wonder is not a luxury it’s, essential. Awe awakens us, reminding us of the miracle of being alive. Wonder deepens our sense of connection to others and to the world. Joy fuels resilience, creativity, and courage. Whether in education, leadership, or life, it is in these moments of discovery and shared humanity that we truly “see into the life of things.”
As leaders, educators, and fellow travellers through life, we have the chance to cultivate these sparks of awe and joy—not just for ourselves but for those around us. When we do, we create ripples of possibility that extend far beyond the moment. Imagine what becomes possible if each of us dares to live, lead, and learn with this sense of wonder at the heart of all we do.
#BoundlessLeadership #JoyfulLeadership #AweAndWonder #PurposefulLiving #DeepPowerOfJoy #CuriosityAndDiscovery #LeadershipPresence #ResilientLeadership #BoundlessLearning
