A Personal Reflection of 2022

A Very Happy New Year to All ??

I very much hope this might help someone in someway out there...

I have been sitting on this for quite a while now… I’ve wanted to share some experience with you/others who may find themselves in a tough and challenging spot right now. I can assure you, you are not alone and many of us, myself included are right there with you.

In review of my own experiences in 2022, I’m witnessing more and more people being challenged mentally, through both work pressures, loss of work and also faced with a great deal of environments that breed negativity and self centred cultures across life.?

Myself included, having experienced things such as; Feeling lost, isolated, pressured, stressed, under valued, overwhelmed.?

I just want to share with all those that might be feeling any of this, or similar, at all. That you are not alone and through community and compassion we can help one another, others and ourselves overcome and overpower any of these experiences.?

2022 was a very turbulent year career wise for myself. Which has felt like an extension to the Covid era, something I very much thought was left behind me.?

I’ve always thought of myself as fairly resilient, having faced challenging situations in both career and mindset in previous years.? But what I have been seeing or feeling around us over the last few months, particularly, seems to try eat at this resilience. I'm sure others feel the same.

“Alongside any success we achieve, there will always be more challenges to help us grow as individuals and move towards the next success.”

But what is success really??

Something was shared with me a little while back and it’s a cracking video and interview that can really help us understand how to remap, rework, “re-be-me!”?I highly recommend a watch of it.

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fa2ocZ46fQ ?nb. It is 90 mins worth)

However, I feel we all MUST seek stability for one another, a community spirit and inclusive ethos. Maybe it's just in my little bubble, but I’m not seeing as much of this mentality around right now.

Both in career and life, 2022 had its challenges for so many people in a number of different ways. From mental well being, financial worries with the state of the economy, trust in others and our system generally. Work woe’s and the ‘What if’ woes.?

I lost my last role back in the summer. Spent the best part of 3 or 4 months going through interviews (log gruelling processes of 5+ interviews), getting traction right away, final stages for everything. But nothing materialised.?

I asked myself, “why? What did I need to do? Is it me? Something I’m missing?”

Evidently what followed for about another 6 weeks was this ‘Groundhog Day’ style pattern and feeling of being in a bit of a rut. And all that I have been seeing around me, is a lot of negativity and a lot of what I mentioned above (lack of community, inclusion, understanding of one another and our own mind state.)?

Frustration, stress, lack of self belief and sadness. Noticing not only, personally, for myself, but I’ve been picking up on the fact that so many others are totally in the same boat.?

The general vibe from society is that things seemingly have taken a different stance. It’s more every man for themselves perhaps??

People are feeling isolated. A self centred culture seems more prevalent. I see in a multitude of environments, what seems to me, like a cosmetic fabrication of community and selflessness, it’s not truly there. People are using these, otherwise, golden qualities as people and society to feed their own success? Or what they deem as success.?

(A topic for another time… How should we truly see success and achievement?)

I took a good step back from a lot in the final couple of months of the year. Limiting things such as social media, Linkedin, time just dwelling and comparing. Spent time remapping and thinking, time with my daughter to its fullest, with family and in trying to get my head around personal awareness.

It’s been quite compelling in understanding what to truly value. In life, career and in mindset. Bit of reset. Has it helped? 100% I’d say. As it gains you a fresh approach on everything that factors.?

But with this whole experience, it really has shown me that the way society has seemingly ticked through 2022. There is real confusion over understanding some of the core values of kindness, inclusion and above all community.?

So let’s cut the ball crap in 2023 and let’s truly be there for one another, both in life and career.?

Everyone out there is a real person, not a number. See them for who they are, not just a social profile, a number, or a bit of paper.

If you are in, have been, or fear being in a similar boat as my own experience. Reach out, let’s chat. My door is always open. You are never alone.?

“One Team, One Dream, Follow your dreams and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Be positive, be kind and above all value yourself and those around you to the fullest.”?