Day 11: Get Happy

Posted by: Alison Chisnell on: December 11, 2012

• In: Advent
• 12 Comments

One person, more than any other, has been a huge fan of the advent blogs and started asking me about whether I would do them again in late October! Bina Briggs (@PlaintalkingHR) brings much warmth, friendliness and positivity to all those she interacts with..and is also one of the earliest risers on the #earlyshift.

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When Alison recently tweeted that she had resumed her blogging after quite a break, we had a Twitter chat about Alison hosting this year’s Advent calendar as per last year’s fabulous initiative. I’m so pleased that Alison has decided to give us the opportunity to enjoy this fantastic tradition this year too.

Last year it was easy for me to write my post as there was quite a conversation going on at Christmas about would non Christians be offended by the Christmas celebrations?

This year though, it’s not about a Hindu married to an English guy celebrating Christmas but something a little different, so here goes….

Looking back over the year 2012, so much has happened, a lot to say and yet it’s difficult to put it in words. It’s a feeling of happiness and contentment of a quiet, thoughtful type, though the activity levels have reached an unprecedented crescendo.

So you ask where has this inner feeling of happiness come from?  2012 has been a year of consolidation in as much as the business has found its identity, the vision we had (Bronwen Philpott and I) for Plain Talking HR when we set it up back in April 2009 has become a reality. We have more clients. The recommendations are coming in thick and fast. The brand of Black and White with the Orange, especially the Orange is being recognised and endorsed by our clients and business contacts through networking and social media and so too is our unique style of Plain Talking.

The networking and the Social Media, especially Twitter has brought an incomparable dimension to my life that I’d never have imagined in my old corporate life! Twitter with its 140 characters tweets has opened up a world of information, sharing and most of all connecting with so many interesting, generous and talented people.  The wonderful virtual world has brought in my life a number of people I now can call friends. The friendships have developed offline and enriched my life in a way I could have ever imagined.  Communities of #thebreakfastclub, #BottysEC, #ConnectingHR, #earlyshift, #BNI, #Lutonians, #ppia have welcomed me with open arms and hearts and some have become great friends.

I have had some light bulb moments too from the interactions with some very talented and warm hearted people of #thebreakfastclub Tweetups and attending Twitter generated workshops such as that hosted by @Sukhpabial of Positive Psychology in Application #ppia. It has opened up a totally new way of thinking and feeling for me, making such a difference to my days, I cannot thank Jayne and Sukh enough for that!

The year has seen a couple of milestones in my life, celebrated these too!

Oh and how can anyone forget the Olympics?! Like so many British people, I was sceptical about it all and ashamed to say that I’d thought it was going to be one big embarrassing mess! I couldn’t have been more wrong if I’d tried! The opening Ceremony just blew me away, I was crying with sheer joy and pride of being British! The rest is history as they say.

When it mattered most, we delivered, and boy, did we deliver! The world could only stand by and watch! The nation became one, we smiled, cried and celebrated as one.  For me, it just proved how sheer determination, hard work and a little bit of luck made so many dreams come true.  The magic of the London Olympics will stay with me for a very long time.

So, what next? New Year Resolutions for 2013? Nah, too restrictive, don’t you think?

2012 has brought a powerful sense of purpose which I will carry on building. Life is good , the new-found  independence, confidence of knowing that I’m on the right path to achieve my dream will carry on beyond 2013. This year has confirmed in many ways that  it’s OK to be myself, to be grateful for what every day brings  as I know that whatever it brings, it’s  for a reason and has a purpose and most of all, the world is what I make of it, with a little help from my loved ones and friends!

So here’s wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year! May you find and live your dream.

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So, for Bina, who spreads so much happiness in the lives of others, a song that seems appropriate!