It has been a while since I’ve shown up in your inbox.

I considered what I would say about that, and in true Leah style, in the end I decided to be honest.

This year has been tough.

Professionally, it has been wonderful. I’ve achieved my goals, supported many of you with training and mentoring to make the ‘people part’ of leadership and work life easier, and started writing my second book (out mid-2023).

Personally though, 2022 has been H.A.R.D – as it has been for so many of you.

Why am I sharing this with you?

Because over the last year, I’ve been challenged to put every self-management and communication skill I teach to the test.

Communication under pressure? Tick.

Leading courageously through challenge and change? Tick.

Self-management at times of stress? Tick, tick tick.

So tonight, I thought I’d share with you the top lessons that have helped me get through this challenging year, and I encourage you to reflect on the lessons you’ve learned or re-learned in 2022 as well.

Because it’s in the learnings that we grow, improve and develop.

My top three lessons for 2022, as shared in tonight’s episode of Ask Leah, are:

1. Surround yourself with wonderful people.

Build a network of awesome humans around you who are there for you in thick and thin. In tough times it can be tempting to push people away and withdraw, but this is exactly when you need to reach out to your pit crew for support.

People are there to help you, if you’re willing to be vulnerable and ask.

2. Protect your energy; protect your time.

When you’re under pressure, it’s crucial to set and hold boundaries to ensure you can show up at your best for yourself and those you love. I’ve said no to many things this year because I’ve been vigilant about protecting my energy and time. As a result, despite the challenges, I’m ending the year in pretty good shape.

3. Get clear on who you are and how you want to show up, and then choose your response to align with that.

Of all the skills, ideas, tips and tricks I use with leaders and teams across Australia, the foundational tool that has guided me through this difficult year has been this: Focussing on power of choice, the first ‘C’ in my Five Cs model.

At the start of this year, I asked myself what I wanted to be known for, and I committed to navigating the year with love, kindness, compassion and generosity. 

I then used this as my guiding light, my north star, for my communication and behaviour.

Coming back to those four words helped me to choose my response in difficult situations, rather than react.

It helped me take personal responsibility for my actions, with no room for ‘yeah but…’

It helped me stay true to me.

To hear more, click on tonight’s episode of Ask Leah below, and then let me know what your top lessons for 2022 have been.

Finally, Merry Christmas.

It has been one hell of a year, and I hope you take the time to rest, recharge and reflect over the holiday period.

Here’s to an awesome 2023 and thank you, dear reader, for your support.