Hazel – The Encourager

🐰 The Story of Hazel

Hazel lived in a little burrow beneath the hazel trees.

She was gentle and thoughtful, and she had a habit of noticing when someone was standing at the edge of something new.

Hazel knew that trying something for the first time could feel rather frightening.

Especially when you weren’t sure what would happen.

She had discovered that courage didn’t always look like being confident.

Sometimes courage looked like saying :

“I’m not sure, but I’ll have a go.”

“Hazel brings warmth and encouragement to the group, reminding us that confidence can grow when we feel safe, supported and believed in.”

When Hazel first met Rowyn, Rowyn had an idea . . . It was something he was very excited about.

But there was a problem - Rowyn wasn’t sure he was capable of doing it . . .
“What if I get it wrong ?”

Hazel didn’t say : “Don’t worry. You’ll be fine.”
She knew that sometimes reassurance can accidentally make someone’s worries feel as though they haven’t been heard.

Instead, Hazel asked : “What would help you feel ready to try ?”

Rowyn thought about it -
Possibly he needed more information.
Perhaps they needed to practise.
Maybe he needed someone beside them the first time.
Feasibly Rowyn felt he needed permission to make mistakes.

Or perhaps they simply needed a little more time . . .

Hazel didn’t decide which one suited the situation - She helped Rowyn work it out for himself . . .

Hazel became fascinated by confidence, She noticed that confidence isn’t something people either have or don’t have - It can grow through experience . . .

Someone can feel confident in one environment and completely uncertain in another.
While others can know they are capable but still feel nervous about trying.

And someone might become more confident because another person gave them an opportunity to succeed - rather than because somebody simply told them to “be more confident”.

Hazel therefore became the Woodland Family’s little encourager.

But she never pushed , She would ask : “What feels like the next step ?”

Hazel also understood that encouragement shouldn’t mean pretending everything will work.

When Rowyn had an idea, Hazel wouldn’t say : “That’s definitely going to work !”

Possibly she might say : “Let’s see what we can find out.”

If Rowyn was worried about something, Hazel wouldn’t dismiss his concerns.

Instead she may say : “Let’s think about what might help.”

And if Rowyn decided something wasn’t right for him, Hazel wouldn’t see that as giving up.

She would say : “You’ve learned something important about what you want !”

Hazel represents confidence, encouragement and possibility . . .

She reminds mentors that confidence shouldn’t be treated as necessary for participation, Sometimes confidence develops because someone is given the opportunity to explore their ideas.

This fits beautifully with our wider message :
Don’t wait for someone to become confident before giving them opportunities.
Create the conditions in which confidence can grow.

That might mean :
Starting small
Providing encouragement
Recognising progress
Allowing mistakes
Offering choices
Giving someone time
Noticing what went well
Celebrating effort as well as outcomes
Gradually increasing opportunities to take the lead

And importantly, Hazel doesn’t take over.

She walks alongside . . .

“Hazel reminds us that confidence isn’t something we should demand before someone gets an opportunity. Sometimes confidence grows because someone was trusted enough to be given the opportunity in the first place.”

And her little motto :

“You don’t have to feel ready to take the next step.”

Hazel fits beautifully between Fern and Rowyn :

🐿️ Fern notices the strengths you already have.
🐰 Hazel helps you believe you can use them.
🌿 Rowyn decides where they want to take them.

“The future depends on what you do today”
Mahatma Gandhi