2024: New Year, New We?
2024: New Year, New We?
What our ambassadors want from the year
Introducing the ambassadors
In 2019 we launched our #NoBedtimes campaign, pushing for flexible care that allows people to choose their own bedtimes and enrich their lives. We worked with a group of campaigners with lived experience to spread the word. Since then, our network has continued to grow across the UK and we meet up monthly to work on our manifesto, fighting for a more inclusive, connected and fulfilling society for all.
Our resolutions
This month, we decided to take a pause and think about what we want from the year ahead. January can be slow and a few of the ambassadors had mentioned the dreaded blues… We thought it would be a good time to focus on the group, how we were feeling and any resolutions we might have. Now, whether you believe in them or not, setting goals for the rest of the year isn’t that ridiculous, in fact, we found them insightful and unsurprisingly, ordinary…
Health is wealth
First up there were the proclamations of health and a newfound love of exercise (forced or otherwise!). A few of us had decided that 2024 was our year and that we should probably move our bodies more. People had decided to motivate themselves by getting back into their community, with swimming or the gym being popular.
However, one campaigner who had minutes before sworn allegiance to a new way of life, was jangling a big box of Celebrations on the screen and looking rather pleased with himself by the end of the call… Well, the first step is thinking about it right?
It’s a brain game
Next, we had the different kinds of skills people wanted to learn and we’re pleased that most of them were musical! One of our ambassadors had started learning the bass, another joined a choir and there were also some linguists floating around for good measure. It was about this time that one ambassador began an impromptu rendition of ABBA’s ‘Happy New Year’, accompanied by the guitar and some fantastic vocals, proving that some musical journeys are already well underway (and that we’d had enough of talking about personal growth).
We all want the same
One ambassador’s resolution really stuck with us, they wanted to “create more safe spaces”, an admirable and powerful goal for the year. Because really, that’s what all these resolutions are about. They’re about feeling free to take part in your community, build new relationships and push yourself to grow. It’s not really about whether you complete your resolution. If you end up eating all the Celebrations instead, at least you had the joy of trying, having made new connections on your journey and having had the brave ambition to start in the first place.*
(*This is not to say we condone eating a whole box of Celebrations rather than getting fit, Chris!)
So, whatever your intentions for the year, let’s remember the importance of community and keep building strong connections as we fight for independence, equality and kindness, with our ambassadors leading the way.
