(That I Didn’t Expect to Learn)
Fiona Campbell Arrand
The end of the year has a way of inviting reflection. As the lights go up and the pace begins to slow, many of us naturally start to look back at what we’ve learned, what we’ve come through and what we might carry with us into the year ahead.
This year brought one of the biggest changes of my life. My husband, Duncan, passed away.
Losing someone you love is never easy, but it is, in its own way, part of life. It reminds us that change is inevitable, and so is grief and in time, so is healing.
Duncan wasn’t just my partner he was an incredible leader and a deeply good human being. The kind of person who built trust by being calm, funny, straight-talking and generous. He had a way of making people feel seen. And in many ways, that’s what continues to inspire the work I do today.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned this year is that you don’t have to do everything on your own. In fact, you can’t, not all the time. I’ve had to lean into the support of family, friends and colleagues more than ever. I’ve had to let people in. And I’ve realised that’s not a weakness, it’s a strength.
Another big one: be kind to yourself. When life changes, whether through loss, uncertainty, or even success, it’s okay to feel wobbly. To not have all the answers. To take a slower pace. To say no. To say yes. To rest.
These are all things I often talk about with my business coaching clients, how important it is to give yourself permission to be human. We don’t need to hold everything together all the time.
I’ve also been working on my book this year, Working with Trust, which brings together many of the leadership lessons I’ve learned over the years along with a few wee stories about Duncan. It’s given me space to reflect on what really matters: how we treat each other, how we show up and how trust is built, both in business and in life.
So, as this year draws to a close, I’d love to invite you to take a moment to reflect:
- What have you come through this year that surprised you?
- When did you find strength you didn’t know you had?
- Who showed up for you—and how did that help?
We often focus on the big goals, but it’s the quiet wins, the resilience and the relationships that matter most.
And although this is a season where kindness and connection come into focus, don’t only keep that for now, take this with you into the year ahead.
Fiona Campbell Arrand is an NLP Professional Growth Coach, Corporate Trainer and NLP Business Coach Trainer.
fiona@theprofessionalgrowthcompany.com
www.theprofessionalgrowthcompany.com
