By Latala Hodges
Senior Communications & Operating Officer
Over the last six weeks, Harvest staff read “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brené Brown as part of our continuous learning activities and inner work. This novel was one of Brown’s older works, published in 2010 with an updated 10th Anniversary edition.
This book was like a reset for staff members. It was a balm to our minds and souls as we continuously navigate the challenges of fulfilling our mission and promise to Martinsville-Henry County. Our lens of the community tends to be a wide angle. We’re looking at 5 years, 10 years, and 20 years down the road.
Like so many of us who work to serve others, sometimes, the work can be stressful and overwhelming, but we take a breath and we do things one at a time to support and uplift our community.
“The Gifts of Imperfection” gave us the gift of a launching pad to share our professional and personal challenges. Brown laid out a series of 10 guideposts to Wholehearted Living, which is engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness. Brown says the gifts of imperfection are courage, compassion, and connection. Her message is that meaningful change is a process. It’s about embracing our imperfections, cultivating authenticity, and saying “I am enough.”
As I read, I thought to myself, sure. It’s nice to think about these things and hope to let go of my anxiety and embrace my vulnerability instead of seeing it as a weakness, but easier said than done, right? What I enjoyed the most was the end of each guidepost, a section titled “Dig Deep,” that gave examples and room to be intentional about each guidepost and think about how to practice them in real life.
As a staff, many of these guideposts were exactly that: a guide to help us truly embrace our experiences and those of the people we serve in our community. We’re all humans living in the same world with different challenges and privileges. And we have more in common than we think.
We aim to complete at least two book studies a year. The “inner work” we do on ourselves allows us to think deeply about Martinsville-Henry County and all the individuals we serve through grantmaking. Everyone has their own journey and experiences, and we honor that through our dedication to continuous learning and seeking out those with lived experiences who we strive to positively impact through the foundation’s investments.
We’ll have another book study in the fall, and we can’t wait to share that experience with you.
