2019: ten things I am grateful for

As the curtains close on the year, for as long as I can remember, I have written down things I am grateful for or have appreciated in the back of my diary. Over the last four years or so I have started practising gratitude more regularly and have learned more about the positive impact it can have on your life which I wrote about here https://mhfaengland.org/mhfa-centre/ceo-blog/stress-awareness-week-simon-blake/.

Last year I read some gratitude blogs from other people that I was inspired by, so I took a deep breath and made the back of my diary public. Some folk fed back that my blog setting out the things I was grateful for it prompted a them to reflect on their year. Gratitude is a practise I believe we can all benefit from, so here I am again: ten things I am grateful for in 2019 in no particular order.

1.       My job: I have really enjoyed my first full year at MHFA England. It has been a joy getting to know and work with the MHFA England team and build a new strategy for the organisation; meet and work with brilliant colleagues in the mental health sector in the UK, as well as work with the wider MHFA Global Community.  There are too many highlights to mention but I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as CEO at MHFA England.

2.       Learning: With a new job I have of course had to learn a lot. It has been a delightfully steep and enjoyable learning curve learning about mental health, mental health first aid, self-care, kindness, innovation and all things social enterprise. I have been doing a Strategy and Leadership Course through the Chartered Management Institute to help consolidate some of that learning which has been ace. Inspired by needing to understand our new horse, Boris, I also started a course about horse welfare through The Open College of Equine Studies. I am learning and relearning stuff about horses which I love.   

3.       Kindness: I have spent a lot of time actively thinking and learning about the importance of kindness this year. This was a recurring theme in the conversations with guests on my Just About Coping podcast (www.buzzsprout.com/652624) including with Alexander Leon (@alexand_erleon) Dr Ranj Singh (@DrRanj) and Phyll Opoku-Gyimah (@MsLadyPhyll). I have valued these and numerous other conversations because they have made me understand the importance of consciously slowing down and thinking hard about kindness. I have learned that I need to be careful that ‘busyness’ does not jeopardise kindness to myself and others. I absolutely believe if we could all be just a bit kinder the world would be a better place.

4.       Working for equality: One fact that remains true as we enter a new decade is that trans communities deserve a whole lot more kindness. Trans folk continued to face a constant barrage of abhorrent hatred, vilification and abuse in 2019. I value the opportunity to serve on the Stonewall Board as we continue to push for the rights and freedoms of all LGBT+ folk without fear of prejudice or hurt just for being themselves and loving who they do.

5.       My two favourite furry friends: Two beings that are indulged with more love and kindness than they sometimes want are Boris (horse) and Dolly (dog). Dolly amuses me every day. As she gets older she is becoming quirkier. I am 100% guilty of anthropomorphism and interpret each look and action. Boris joined the Nash/Blake family in April. It is taking some time for us to work Boris out and he to work us out. Our relationship is most definitely an ongoing project, and we have made some real progress even when we thought we might not. I am excited about the next year with him.

6.       Family and friends: I value their kindness, care, love and our times together enormously.  Consistently there for laughing, talking, crying etc.

7.       Experiences: I notched up some great experiences this year including a couple lovely holidays, visiting Canada and Australia with work; and running the Brighton Marathon/doing a skydive to raise funds for Stonewall. The marathon was hard and the skydive terrified me, but I was pleased to have done them both once they were finished. I also went to some pretty amazing concerts including Pink and Jake Shears. As an aside my crush on Jake has continued through 2019 and is one thing I will definitely be taking with me into 2020. 

8.       Lifestyle changes: As always I have been trying to make some changes that will make a difference to me and the environment including eating more healthily, drinking less alcohol and managing my weight effectively. Healthy choices is an ongoing dialogue between the two folk that sit on either shoulder – one cheer leading healthier choices and the other trying and often successfully knocking me off track, but overall, I made some gains which I am grateful for and want to build on next year.  

9.       Getting older: My brother Andrew died at 45 which is the same age I am now. Never have I been more acutely aware of how easy it is to fall into the trap of worrying about getting old.  Yes, I do creak a bit more than I did ten years ago and yes, I do often hear myself say I don’t want to go somewhere really noisy. I also spend some vanity time studying the bodily signs of ageing. But I am grateful for the creaking, the aversion to noisy pubs and the lines and drooping, because the alternative to getting older is of course dying young. Getting older rocks.   

10.   Jonny: I am grateful to Jonny for always being on and by my side, for telling me without hesitation or cotton wool when I am being an idiot and for encouraging me when self-doubt sets in.

What are you grateful for over the last year?