The New Year hype always leaves me somewhat confused.
When the clock ticks over on the 31st of December at midnight, does it actually mean anything? What do we celebrate? An ending? A beginning?
Do we anticipate that anything will change when the clock strikes 12? Call me a cynic, but I have never quite understood this. But let’s talk about endings and beginnings – there have been a few in 2023 not to mention the past three years.
In my work with teams over the past few months, I have become aware of the deep trauma that sits with so many people in the care sector. Whilst we are so good at caring for others, we somehow are terrible at caring for ourselves.
We saw so much loss, death, and despair and yet we show up at work for 12-hour shifts day after day, depleted, exhausted, and drained.
It is my hope that in this new year, we will start to work towards recovery. We have to see ourselves and our employees within the context of a supportive network, building new stamina and grit for the relentless pace which we have to keep in this world.
Let’s reach out, support, really see each other, and practice deep, authentic listening. There is so much hurt out there, let us be gentle with one another each day of 2023.
