The Joys Of A Tea Party

Do you know what? I've pretty much had it up to here (demonstrating quite a high place) with the constant refrain that 2024 was such a terrible year.

That's not to say that it wasn't. It just means that remaining in that mindset will make 2025 exactly the same.

I'm speaking from personal experience here. 2024 just about broke me in a number of ways, but fortunately I have a wife who just doesn't allow the bad stuff to dominate and so through her example and sometimes cajoling and man-handling me into a better place, I start to see the joy and the opportunity again.

We've had a very dear friend die recently and watched her husband of 48 years reconcile himself to her departure and how their kids, friends and whanau rallied around and we're all looking after him and that's life-affirming.

Our naughty and michievous dogs are still at their holiday lodge since we can't get them back till tomorrow and as much as we've enjoyed having a couple of days without needing to protect everything of value from them, we are busting to see them tomorrow.

We spent a few days with very good friends in the winterless north and it was so good to kick back with people you love and don't have to explain yourself to.

Also tomorrow is the funeral of one of my sister-in-laws mother and she was really old so it's less sad than wistful but it will be lovely to see people assembling from all over the globe for the sendoff.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that life is a complex thing. It is never all sun or all rain. It is shades of grey and we each get to decide how we see it.

Here's what I'm doing to change up my approach. I worry existentially about climate change so I've done a detailed analysis of Jack Lovelock's Gaia Theory and it has settled me. Still scared witless but with a little more perspective. I'll share it soon if anyone cares to see it.

About the agonies of SME business in 2024, I've begun developing a programme for business owners that is focused on the principles and thinking behind dealing with wicked problems and design thinking. I'm quite excited to bring this out soon because the more I dig into it, the more soluble intractable problems seem.

I won't post a picture of my dogs because they aren't here, but please enjoy an image of how I would dearly love to see the world.