Snickerdoodle Says: The Day My Hooman Found Her Voice

Staci & Snickerdoodle

Snickerdoodle Says: The Day My Hooman Found Her Voice

A little over a year ago, I found my voice. Well… that’s what everyone thinks. The truth is, I think Staci was the one who found hers.

When she first invited me into the world, she thought she was creating a fluffy friend who could make people smile, encourage a little reflection, and occasionally remind everyone that chasing joy is a worthwhile adventure.

She did.

But something else happened. Week after week, she would sit down to write. Sometimes the words came easily and sometimes they didn’t. And then there were times when life felt wonderfully light, and other times it felt heavy.

Yet she always came back. We after week, she would ask, “What does Snickerdoodle have to say this week?”

What she didn’t realize was that every time she asked me that question, she was quietly asking herself one too.

“What do I believe?”

“What kind of human do I want to be?”

“What do I hope someone else needs to hear today?”

You see, I may be the one with four paws and a wagging tail, but every message you’ve read has come from a very human heart.

I’ve had the privilege of watching Staci rediscover parts of herself she thought she may have lost. But those parts, they were always there. Staci has always been filled with joy, curiosity, and wonder. She has always had a deep belief that leadership doesn’t have to be loud to be powerful. And she has always believed that humor and laughter needed to be part of leadership.

Staci didn’t become someone different. She simply became more herself.

That’s one of my favorite things about humans. Sometimes they spend years searching for what was quietly waiting inside them all along.

For the past year, Staci and I have shared an office, a lot of ideas, a few snacks, and one pretty wonderful adventure called SRJ Collaborative. Somewhere along the way, we became more than coworkers. We became a team in finding the joy, telling the truth, and figuring out what we want our little corner of the world to stand for.

My official title may be Chief Wellness Officer, but this past year I’ve learned the job is much bigger than naps, walks, and maintaining appropriate office snack levels. Staci and I have been building something together. She’s been building SRJ Collaborative. And I’ve been helping her remember the kind of place (and person) she wants it to be.

So today as I reflect on the past year together, I don’t want to celebrate me. I want to celebrate her.

The woman who believed that joy belonged in serious conversations. Who chose kindness when cynicism would have been easier. The woman who kept showing up, even on the weeks when she wondered if anyone was reading.

But I want to especially celebrate her for having the courage to let a giant, goofy, Saint Berdoodle become her Chief Wellness Officer. And who slowly realized I was never here to replace her voice. I was here to remind her to use it.

Thank you for spending this past year with us. For reading, laughing, and reflecting. And for letting a big fluffy dog into your heart.

My hopes for all of you in the year ahead are for you to find your own voice. That you make room for a little more joy and you notice the beauty in ordinary moments.

And that you never forget something I’ve learned from my favorite human: the world doesn’t need you to be someone else. It simply needs more of the real you.

With a tail-wag, a biscuit to share, and a very full heart,

Snickerdoodle

Chief Wellness Officer | SRJ Collaborative