The [RE]humanization of our role models

I have a couple of things to say as a person sometimes in a position of leadership, role-modeling or mentorship.

I think we all could benefit from the reminder that the people we look to as teachers, mentors, guides, inspirations, wisdom-sharers, and leaders are also only human - just like you.

Admiring people to the point of assuming they are all-knowing, or have it figured out for everyone, is not actually flattering OR kind. In fact, it bypasses their inherent humanity, which leads to easy and huge disappointment.

That disappointment occurs when the person we admire displays anything other than our idea of their perceived perfection. It also separates them from us and creates/perpetuates hierarchies that are not actually real or helpful.

We've been conditioned to do this. Hopefully, once we see how unhelpful and unnatural it truly is, we can choose to try and unlearn this.

When we forget this, we essentially remove their permission (in our eyes) to be a whole person.

All to say, I am, just like you, ALSO only human. I'm moving through my own nuanced, messy, not-always-100%-correct decisions, experiences, and life.
As are we all.