1 Year on - The day of reflection

Exactly 1 year ago today the world changed in so many ways. Was it scary? Yes! I am a creature of habit and sudden, unexpected change puts me out of my comfort zone. I have been reflecting on the past year and was asking myself, How do we measure success this year. I realised that for myself and for many others those things we typically measure and class as "success" may be different this last year. Actually, did this last year bring us back to basics, allow us to remember what was important? Did it remind us how resilient we are and how well we overcome, change and disruption? For me personally it's a resounding yes! Of course we have responsibilities in growing our businesses and that is and should always be measured. How would it be if we thought about the other ways we can measured our success, for example, our ability to Make a Difference, our capability to overcome circumstances out with our control.

What did I learn this year? Well, whilst I learned to slow down, I realised how much I can get done while working from home, of course there were days when isolated working affected me and I have missed my team and clients beyond words, however I chose to use the time to upskill, learn more about myself, my abilities and the industry I work in. This has been a great way to keep focus and given me many new discussions with my clients and prospects.

Some thoughts to consider:

1) Progress isn't always about expansion, or moving forward. Progress can be about consolidating what you have. A regular stock-take of our life is like taking an inventory at work. It makes you appreciate what you have. Helps you remember the skills and gifts you nurtured but you tucked away and forgotten about.

2) It is good to talk. I wrote a blog about this a couple of years ago, but it's even more vivid to me now. We get so much more than information when we meet others. We spark ideas and gain a warmth and confidence from being in the presence of people and that's something we must get back to.

3)This was no "lost year". We mustn't reflect on this period as our darkest hours...days that we simply endured. We've gained so much like a resilience that we didn't know we had, an agility that we have never had to prove before and an ability to innovate our working and social lives.

The greatest benefit of this year, is that when we do achieve a "new norm", we should genuinely appreciate each day we can meet, hug, talk and share.