Walking Tall: Lessons in Fabulousness from a Crane

While visiting the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, I came across this striking beauty—the Grey Crowned Crane.
 
It is impossible to miss. Standing over three feet tall, it carries a bold mix of grey, white, reddish-brown and gold feathers. But the true showstopper, of course, is its headgear—a literal crown of stiff, golden feathers. A crown it wears with unapologetic pride.
 
It doesn’t try to smooth those feathers down to look more ‘sensible’ or shrink itself to blend seamlessly into its surroundings. It simply strides through the savannah, head held high, looking exactly as fabulous as nature intended it to be.

But watching this crane gave me a different perspective for the year ahead.

As December rolls in, the messaging around how we should present ourselves gets much louder. We’re bombarded with ads for diet plans, “New Year, New You” programs, and lists of everything we need to fix, change, or improve. We need to earn more, weigh less, work faster, age slower, be flawlessly put together and find balance—all at the same time.
 
This bird isn’t trying to be anything other than what it is. It isn’t apologizing for its bold colors or its fancy crest. It’s simply occupying its space in the world with complete confidence.
 
What if you stopped dulling your colors trying to fit in, and just decided to wear your own crown? What if, instead of trying to reinvent ourselves this New Year, we just commit to inhabiting who we already are?
 
You have unique gifts, a unique personality, a unique way of seeing the world. That isn’t something to “fix” in 2026. That is your plumage. That is what makes you, you.
 
So, as you navigate the holiday season and look toward the New Year, my wish for you is simple:
 
Be a little more like the Grey Crowned Crane. Stand tall. Walk with purpose. And don’t be afraid to wear your crown and be fabulous just as you are.