Reflecting on my year 2024 : 7 Lessons of Growth

As it nears the end of 2024, I’m feeling reflective on what has been a year of personal change for me, I have a day off today and so taking the opportunity to pause and acknowledge, what did I learn?

As I stepped into 2024, I faced a series of personal and professional opportunities that I was determined to conquer. With a book to finish, a speech to deliver, and a fitness goal to achieve, I felt the weight of these ambitions on my shoulders. However, an unexpected journey began back in December 2023 when I discovered a passion for early mornings, exercise, and writing. By cultivating these new habits, I laid a strong foundation for the year ahead.

Lesson 1: Start Your New Journey Before January 1st

The first lesson I learned was about timing. Instead of waiting for the traditional New Year’s resolutions, I was mentored and sometimes coerced ?? into choosing to build momentum ahead of time. While many around me were just beginning to think about their goals, I was encouraged by my new community to be already in action. This proactive approach not only set me up for success but also instilled a sense of confidence as I entered the new year.

By March, I had achieved all 3 of my? milestones: I finished my book, delivered my speech, and lost over three stone. This high point pushed me far outside my comfort zone and allowed me to embrace visibility in a way I hadn't in years.

Lesson 2: Focus on Positivity and Your Strengths

During this transformative period, I made a conscious decision to focus on the positive aspects of my journey: my strengths, my wins, and the potential outcomes of my efforts. Despite moments of doubt, I recognised that our minds amplify what we feed them. By maintaining a positive internal dialogue, I shifted my focus toward possibilities rather than obstacles.

However, the months that followed were not without challenges. After the initial euphoria, I confronted the reality of sustaining change and asked myself, “What’s next?” This was the hard part. I wanted my achievements to instantly transform my life and propel me toward my purpose of becoming an expert in wellbeing, stress, and burnout. Yet, I quickly realised this was only the beginning and that the journey ahead would require ongoing commitment and resilience. I found myself desperately chasing change and eventually felt burnt out, the actual thing I had written about. I reminded myself that sometimes, you must pause to move forward effectively.

Lesson 3: Embrace the Journey, Not Just the Destination

The third lesson I learned is that growth is not a linear path. While achievements are important, the real value lies in the journey itself. Embracing the ups and downs, celebrating small wins, and recognising that setbacks are part of the process are crucial for sustainable change. I learned to appreciate the effort I put in daily, rather than fixating solely on the end goal.

During this time, I also had to step back from additional responsibilities at work. I realised I was working outside my strengths and in danger of ?spinning out of control in various aspects of my life. Making this decision was tough and challenged my newfound confidence.

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Lesson 4: Understand the Root Cause of Stress and Unhappiness

The fourth lesson I learned is that sometimes you need to take time to understand what's happening. I'd like to point out that uncovering the root cause of your stress and unhappiness is essential for making informed decisions about your direction. It’s about making tough choices that serve you better in the long run. This first part of the year reminded me that self-awareness is crucial for sustained growth.

As I continued to navigate through 2024, I looked forward to spending quality time with my son and gently exploring what’s next, supported by great coaches in breathwork Christine McLean and marketing Clair Stevenson both very transformative and amazing professionals. I planned a summer focused on creating memories through shared experiences rather than spending money. Together we picked blackberries, baked, wrote stories, and worked in the garden together.

Lesson 5: See your life through the eyes of a child

I confronted childhood fears by revisiting my hometown with my son and seeing it through his eyes. I realised that not everything was dark; there were shades of light. This revelation was profound and lifted a weight off my shoulders. I cherished our road trip together.

The inner child work I had engaged in was valuable, but I found it challenging to connect at times. Experiencing the world from a child's perspective and actually revisiting those moments made a significant difference for me.

Lesson 6: Align with Your Why

As summer progressed, I discovered that the purpose-driven work I launched in March was good but not quite aligned with my true purpose. With support, I found the courage to refocus on the original reason behind my speech. My mother’s passing had awakened old trauma memories of a fear-filled childhood. After processing this with the help of an amazing charity called @Survive, I realised I wanted to create something positive from my experiences. I redirected my efforts toward connecting with like-minded individuals who want to effect change in the world, particularly in reducing and ultimately eliminating violence against women.

When things feel hard or stagnant, it’s time to check if you’re aligned with your why. When you connect with your purpose, everything flows more easily. As I became more aligned, opportunities began to present themselves, new connections formed, and my sense of purpose grew stronger. A highlight was being asked to become a trustee of the charity I mentioned, and I was officially appointed this month. I can't wait to support its mission! More on this soon..

Lesson 7: Embrace Opportunity and Overcome Fear

As the year progressed, I gained confidence in my role at work and began to seize opportunities I might have shied away from a year ago. I travelled, pushed myself to new depths, and learned about diversity in the workplace by engaging with many new cultures. I grew as a person and embraced my identity as a woman in a sometimes very male-dominated environment, developing empathy and a sense of equality I had never known before.? I felt I had truly owned my space.

When you open yourself up to opportunity and feel the fear yet do it anyway, you grow in ways you never thought possible. You discover your strengths, and new doors open.

Just this week, I led very exciting conference activities which stretched my event management capability and loved it, ‘be brave’ has become a new mantra for me.

As I reflect on 2024, I see it as a year of profound growth, resilience, and transformation. I am excited to continue this journey, committed to making a difference for myself and others.

Before I knew it, December has arrived, so I'm kick-starting good habits ahead of the new year. I am part of another great daily exercise community focused on steps and squats and am refocusing on last year's successful practices: early starts, exercise, healthy eating, and writing. These habits served me well and provided a solid foundation. To build on this, I’m going to:

• Keep practising being brave and open to receiving
• Incorporate more planning—thinking ahead week by week and managing my time, money, and resources more effectively

Enjoy whatever is in store for 2025! I’m excited…

I hope reading this inspires you to reflect on your own year, and so I would love to hear from you…? What reflections from this past year are shaping your goals and habits for next year?