Closing the Year with Gratitude: Reflecting on Growth, Connection and Love.

So here we are the 23rd edition of this newsletter, marking not just the end of the year, but the (almost) two year anniversary of this newsletter. I started 2024 by saying I would use the theme of gratitude and recognition for these newsletters this year.

Those who are recognised for their contributions at work have higher wellbeing. They are less likely to get infections and even their family life and children's lives get better when people are recognised. It's a fundamental and critical part of not just our work lives, but our home lives too. There's no better way to end this year than to reflect on those who have been there for us. I'll start....

Thank you.

There have been times this year where I have been quite overwhelmed with life; the good things and the bad. Each time I see my mum, what no-one sees is that almost each time when I say goodbye and get in my car, I cry on the way home. Dementia is a horrible thing to happen to someone, let alone your own mother. But there have also been times this year when life has overwhelmed me in good ways - because of all the good things that have happened this year. I've sat in hotel rooms and teared up with gratitude. I honestly never expected my working life to turn out the way it has, and I remain incredibly grateful for that.

There was a time in my life when I thought I could never have come this far. When I wasn't even sure if I would make it to 40 if I'm being honest. Now I'm here with two bestsellers under my belt, a university fellowship, a shelf of awards and the ear of government.

Life remains challenging in many ways, but I'm incredibly fortunate to be living the life I am with the opportunities I have been afforded. And I really hope I've done enough to be deserving of these things. 2024 gave me opportunities and things I couldn't have imagined, and became the year I finally felt like I had arrived and if it all ended today, I did so much more than I ever expected to. I fully appreciate how rare that feeling is.

I've started doing this thing recently where I firmly place my hand over my heart when I'm feeling grateful. I do it because I read a study that showed you can effectively hug yourself and get the chemical releases of a hug by doing this. I've found myself doing it a lot this year. Even with my mother's illness, I'm still grateful for the times she recognises me, for the times I can make her laugh and that she is still with us and still living at home.

These end of year reflections may be somewhat triggering for those that didn't get to where they needed or expected to be this year; but that is most years for most people. I've had more of those years when I was younger than I wish to count. But we keep on keeping on, trying to live the life we never imagined. And I hope I'm proof that you can be happy and still be sad at life, that you can achieve great things while life pushes its boot down on you, and proof that life does also get better.

This community and following I've gathered on LinkedIn is of huge importance to me. You are the people that bought the books, that attended my talks, who liked, commented and shared my content. You're also the community that has helped me find work in the past, encouraged and supported me through tough times. Social media (quite rightly) gets a bad rap, but it can also be an incredibly positive force in our lives.

Love is a weird word to talk about in a workplace context. Abstractly discussed, love usually refers to a feeling one person experiences for another person. Love often involves caring for, or identifying with, a person or thing. So is it possible to love those that are there for you? That check-in when they know life is tough? Those who do things for you to lift the burden? And what if those people aren't close friends or family members and are instead, HR directors you work with? Leaders who bought you dinner? Team members who helped you out? Colleagues who checked in on you, or social media followers from the other side of the world who sent you messages to make sure you're ok? I think that's love isn't it?

Thank you to you - the very person reading this - whether I know you well or not at all. Thank you for helping me to live this life, for your support and your encouragement. I am here by the grace of some higher being, but also because of people like you. There are so many people vying for your attention on this app, so thank you for occasionally stopping by.

I wish you the very best of what you wish yourselves this Christmas. And if you're lucky enough to still have your mum or dad, hug them tightly. Life really is too short.