The charity sector has existed for over 400 years. Tesse Akpeki reflects on the sector's ability to evolve.
We now have our X Factor champions for 2011. They are Little Mix. Breaking all records Little Mix became the first girl band to go so far in the competition. They made history by becoming the first band to win X Factor under the mentorship of a new X Factor mentor Tulisa who helped them along the way.
With ‘lots of firsts’, and with days to go before the start of a new year, I started reflecting on 2011. Even in the midst of the uncertainty and much less resources around, it has been an ok year for me for which I am thankful. I have appreciated more than ever before, the wealth of friends, family, colleagues, good health and great clients.
Recent statistics on the happiness index indicate that I am not alone in finding significance and meaning in what really matters and in the recognition of opportunities for gratitude and creativity in a terrain that can be so bleak. At the 2011 Social Change Awards Debra Allcock Tyler, the chief executive of Directory for Social Change (DSC), highlighted the ability of the charity sector which has existed in different forms for over 400 years, to be resilient enough to keep going. This heartening message seemed to highlight the importance of moving from fear (which can be so energy-consuming) to faith which can be more energising.
How has your year been on a professional and a personal level? Are there things to be thankful for? Have there been aspects that have created a platform for learning? Have you spotted any teachable moments? Are there times when you have surprised yourself by your resilience and learnt more about your ability to navigate thorny and sticky situations?
What do you need to do to move something from the ‘too hard’ box to a box where you have the confidence and belief to face the challenge head-on with a commitment to learn from success or from failure?
In a strange kind of way even in hard times there can be a number of ‘firsts’ and I am finding that we can indeed find the X Factor even in those tough and forlorn spaces.
