Why the name?
The giraffe is the symbol of compassionate communication. For me, this image embodies the characteristics of the type of person I aspire to be: calm, loving, patient and kind. The phrase, “Be more giraffe!” is my daily mantra: it’s what I say to myself as a gentle reminder to step into my giraffe skin when I get up in the morning.
It also just so happens that giraffes are my favourite animal. I have always loved their ungainly elegance, their beautiful big eyes and their gorgeous long eye lashes. They have an air of kindness and serenity about them that I’ve always been drawn to.
Whenever I visit a wildlife park, it’s always the giraffes I rush to see first. Back in 2002 when I had the privilege of going on an African safari, it wasn’t the ‘Big Five’ I was interested in – I just wanted to see the giraffes (and there were a lot of them!) When I’m in the presence of giraffes, I feel total and utter joy. So it seemed fitting that the giraffe would take the leading role in this project.
Me feeding the giraffes at Banham Zoo
“I aspire to be: calm, loving, patient and kind. The phrase, “Be more giraffe!” is my daily mantra.”
– Siân Goodspeed
Learn more…
Giraffe Parenting Course
If you’re sick of nagging and shouting and long for a more peaceful, connected relationship with your child, then Giraffe parenting may be for you!
Giraffe or jackal?
We all have a giraffe and a jackal inside us. In any given situation, we may choose to listen to and respond from either our giraffe or our jackal.
Taming my jackal
How two glove puppets helped me to tame my jackal, embrace my giraffe…and connect with my kids.