Be proud of what you continue to achieve

I just wanted to share an abridged version of the happy new year note I sent to all within the TC community this week, partly to provide some insight into our business and culture, but also, I hope in doing so help others like us who are navigating their business and career through these difficult times.

First and foremost, I hope you were able to have a good holiday season, and I wish you and your families all the very best for the New Year. I do hope it is a good one for us all - it won’t take much for it to be better than last year that’s for sure!

We know that the next few months will continue to be challenging as we support the need to keep people safe and well, and allow time for the vaccine to be rolled out. I am sure we all know someone who has suffered the very worst effects of this virus, so above all else we need to remain sensitive to this.

Having dealt with all that we did last year, and indeed over the years, I know you will be able to get through this short period in time – you have the attitude, skills, commitment, patience, support and sheer resilience to do it! But of course, I understand this time has challenged even the most resilient of us, so if you need support it’s important to ask for help.

It is completely ok, and ‘human’, not to be ok, and within the TC community for example, we have created a package of support covering mental health matters and financial wellbeing to help our people through.

With support, we can get through this. Over the past 10 months whether you’re a business owner, in a career or changing your career, you should be immensely proud of what you have and continue to achieve, including;

• Finding a way of keeping your head above water
• Showing incredible care for your customers,
• Finding the mental strength to get through it, despite any wobbles you may have had
• Renewing your support network and people who will continue to be there for you in the coming months
• Being a role model for others – sometimes without even knowing it
• Helping and supporting others

So, for those of us in business we will keep calm and carry on, as regardless of what may happen over the next few months, our job and focus is to do all we can to help each other get through it, overcoming any challenges this brings and grasping the opportunities - both now and those that we will no doubt appear in the long run.

This includes securing more than our fair share of the business that is currently available in our respective sectors, and being the best versions of ourselves that we can be. We’ll continue to provide the support so relied on by our customers, and we’ll look back with pride at how we conducted ourselves through this time together.

One of the things that has stood out the most in the past months is the power of caring, and in our industry the benefit of having a personal, human travel professional hand-crafting and caring for your travel plans. The crisis has heightened the need for this service, and the pent-up demand for travel is only increasing. The future of the travel industry is positive, and we can and should continue to dream big for the weeks and months to come.

I’ll leave you with a quote from Seamus Heaney:

“If we can winter this one out, we can summer anywhere.”

Whatever your line of business and no matter the stage in your career, a Happy New Year to you, and us all, from everyone here at Travel Counsellors.

?Steve