12 things I've learnt in 2024 - part 1

Following the seasons in my business and life helps me feel aligned and not like I’m swimming upstream!

December brings a slowing down of pace and the want to spend time reflecting and assessing 2024.?

As we look back at life through the months, I’d like to share 12 learnings from the last 12 months of 2024. I’ll split these over two emails so here goes the first 6…

1. Health really is wealth

I had an awful back to back bout of tonsillitis at the end of Spring and ended up in hospital. It was the kick I needed to really focus on my health and prioritising myself (which is pretty difficult when you have 2 young kids and run a business). I’ve tried to cut out the majority of ultra-processed foods (although my daily choc ain't going anywhere), strength train and pilates min 4 days a week and I’m OBSESSED with my oura ring to track pretty much everything.

It’s taught me that I am my most important asset in my business.

2. I’ve become much more aware of my perfectionism

I didn’t always associate myself as a perfectionist, mainly because I’m happy some of the time to rush things out to get them off my plate. However, where my perfectionism does show up is around wanting to do the best job possible for clients, going over and above to solve their problems. Which ends up with overworking and slippage of boundaries.

It’s been really tricky to not get embroiled in solving these issues during programmes and instead using the evaluation and feedback phase to present the data and information with recommendations on next steps.

3. My babies are only babies for so long

With my eldest starting school this September, it has really highlighted how fast time goes and that in 2 years time I will have 2 school age children.?

There were parts of the year where I could have really done with more child free time to work. But what I have done in those moments is been ruthless with prioritisation (the things I’d like to do are always the hardest to de-prioritise) and remind myself that before I know it I will be in the next cycle of parenthood.

I cherish and I’m so grateful for the days I have with my youngest - and never wavering on my ‘why’ and drivers for running this business in the first place.

4. Mindful moments

Sep - Nov I worked 3 school days (unless in F2F all day training or coaching delivery) and let me tell you, school days are. Not. Long. Enough. As soon as I got in from the school run, I inhaled my breakfast and worked solidly until 2.45pm.?

Reader, this was not effective or efficient.

I am not a machine, so why was I treating myself as one??

What I started to do was incorporate small mindful moments into my day - walking round the block, reading my book for 10mins, doing a 30min yoga nidra at lunchtime. What I’ve found over time (back to my oura ring), is my stress levels aren’t constantly as high and I am seeing more restorative moments. I also find myself getting less overwhelmed.

5. Diversity, equity and inclusion is more important than ever - but the term doesn’t work

This is an ongoing learning, but in a world where big companies are shutting down their DEI divisions (I’m looking at you Microsoft) and there seems to be less focus or drive externally, there continues to be challenges and blockers for company growth which comes back to the diversity, equity and inclusion of their workplace.

DEI has become ‘othered’, seen as a separate pillar, when in order to get the value and impact - these principles need to become embedded in the DNA of the culture. The golden thread that runs through organisations and enables high performing behaviours which ultimately leads to growth and differentiation. And I think the perception of it is a blocker.

I continue to explore the angle and messaging around this and would love to chat to anyone who has cracked this code in their organisations!

6. Sometimes it’s difficult to decipher between intuition and fear

I’ve been on a bit of a spiritual journey this year - following the lunar cycles and using tools to connect to my intuition (vs relying on external perspectives as we’ve always been taught to as women). Sometimes it can be really difficult to determine if the nerves I am feeling are just fear of something new or something scary vs my intuition telling me something.

And those are my first 6 learnings - any guesses for what might be coming in Part 2??