

On the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker
In her beautiful book, The Power of Wonder, Monica Parker, writes:
“Wonder purls its way through our lives from first cry to last gasp -
Moments that engage us, surprise us, take our breath away,
And give us the gift of viewing the world, and our place in it,
In an entirely different way.
But something happens as we move from the wonder-filled days of childhood to obligation laden days of adulthood.
We become increasingly jaded.
Like the sun that continues to shine on a cloudy day, wonder is still there,
But we just can’t seem to see it anymore.
And then one day we stop looking.”
A world renowned speaker, author, and leading authority on the future of work,
Monica has spent decades helping people discover how to lead and live wonderfully.
Much of her work, which lies at the intersection of research and practice,
Explores how, and why, wonder holds the potential to transform:
- the way we learn,
- develop new ideas,
- drive social change,
- and ultimately become better humans.
Today’s conversation is a beautiful beginning.
A doorway into a mini series on the power of mystery and wonder.
Themes that will make up the second part in a trilogy, which began with conversations focused on impermanence,
and that will end with an exploration of love.
Monica is here to kick things off.
Inviting us to step into possibility.
The possibility of looking again - Opening our eyes like we did as children
and reconnecting with a reverence for the world,
and all the magic in it.
For More on Monica, her book: The Power of Wonder, her speaking, and her fascinating career which has included roles as diverse as being an opera singer, founder of a global human analytics and change consultancy, and a homicide investigator defending death row inmates please visit Monica-Parker.com
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You can find part one of the trilogy below. These 3 conversations dive deep into the topic of impermanence and how we can relate to the changing nature of our lives in ways that lead to living well.
- Impermanence, Letting Go, and Finding Freedom | Sharon Salzberg & Sunita Puri
- On Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker J. Palmer & Jerry Colonna
- On Love, Death, and Embracing Our Humanity | Roshi Joan Halifax & Frank Ostaseski
Thanks for listening!