E69 - Rooted & Unwavering - May 22 - Hylke Faber & Lori Brewer Collins

<p><strong>Leadership Sfumato: Soft Wonder, Warm Welcome</strong>“I started off as an achievement junkie,” shares Lori Brewer Collins, transformational coach and recognized leader in the fields of vertical development, polarity thinking, and global leadership agility.<br></p><p>Over time, she learned not to reject the achievement-driven part of herself, but to integrate it alongside long-dormant dimensions, including her desire to paint, write, and simply be. “Integration starts with not making my earlier self wrong,” Lori reflects. “It’s about openness, soft wonder, warm welcome - being with all the parts of ourselves, including the parts longing for healing.”</p><p>One of the shadow sides Lori describes is her relationship to anger - something she discovered she could trace back to her four-year-old self who sought understanding. “I needed to learn how to stay with that part of me, and when I did, something began to open.” She described it as moving from a feeling of inner jaggedness to one of <em>sfumato</em> - a term Leonardo da Vinci used to describe how he softened his painting&#39;s edges so nothing was harshly separated or overdefined.</p><p>She emphasizes the importance of accompaniment and trusted guides as we journey towards inner maturity. </p><p>When we learn to embrace ourselves in this way, Lori suggests it&#39;s the beginning of recognizing how each of us is a universe of mystery. And how our self-compassion becomes the foundation of empathy for others. It&#39;s here that mature leadership begins: the willingness to listen deeply to all the parts within ourselves and within others.&quot;<br></p><p><br></p>