Tag Archive for: connection

Sharing Light, Building Hope

Earlier this year, I was asked to coordinate the Church’s Light the World charity machine initiative across the UK for Christmas 2025.
The Initiative features customised vending machines and kiosks stocked with tangible items and services to help people in need, either in the UK or across the world.
In turn these items and services provide a meaningful and memorable way to show love and extend hope to individuals and families.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints covers all costs associated with the charity machines and receives zero financial benefit.
100% of every donation goes directly to the participating nonprofit organisations.
For me, it’s been a wonderful opportunity to serve and build many new friendships along the way too.

Light the World

Following a lovely meal together on Friday evening, yesterday, many of us from across the UK Communications Council gathered at the Preston Temple in Chorley, for our annual training meeting.
It is always a wonderful opportunity to learn, connect, and refocus our shared purpose for the year ahead.
It was also great to finally meet Naomi Notice, our City Lead for London, face to face.
In recent months, like so many involved in the Light the World campaign, we’ve had frequent calls and messages, as the pace of the project quickens.
Naomi’s enthusiasm and creativity have already made a massive difference.
She brings oodles of energy, professionalism, and a huge heart for service – essential qualities that perfectly capture the spirit of the whole Christmas initiative.
As we met together, the temple provided a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do: to share light, to build bridges of understanding, and to invite others to feel the love of Jesus Christ.

Giving

This initiative offers both givers and receivers the chance to experience “good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10).
Meeting together throughout the day, there was a real sense of shared purpose and hope for all of us as we looked ahead over the next 5 to 10 years of significant projects not only here in the UK but around the world.
It was a reminder of how much can be achieved when we work together in faith and unity.
2025 is shaping up to be a remarkable year for Light the World – Charity Machines in the UK, and yesterday’s meeting renewed our collective commitment to make it our best yet.
Look out for the machines in December this year at the Bullring in Birmingham and Spitalfields Market in London.
What small act of love or service could brighten someone’s day this week?

A different kind of tired

I’ve had a great, but exhausting week!

At the start of the new leadership programme – Lead the Way, with Aviva in Perth, there’s a familiar pattern emerging.

People arrive mid-afternoon, often after an early start and a long journey.

They mostly arrive with a little travel tiredness, having transitioned from back-to-back meetings into something unknown.

After all, they’ve just stepped away from the buzz of their day jobs, where decisions are constant and time is tight.

So, we slow them down.

It’s one of the quiet, yet very special gifts of this programme: two full days where they’re not doing the day job, rather, they’re encouraged to think differently.

Reflecting.

Paying attention to themselves and others in ways they usually don’t have time for.

A New Tired

And yet by the end of those two days, my discovery this week is they’re still tired, just in a completely other way.

It’s not the tiredness of logistics or deadlines.

It’s the stretch that comes from working with new models, testing fresh ideas, and forming new connections, not only in their minds, but with each other too.

It takes a great deal of effort to tune into those emotions, to have honest conversations, and explore their own leadership habits.

It’s also the kind of tired that comes from meaningful work.

And somewhere in all that effort, I have witnessed many who start to see a shift in mindset.

A quiet clarity.

The occasional Aha moment where something lands differently and opens up in a new way.

It’s not always comfortable, but it is purposeful. And for many, it’s long overdue.

So yes, they do leave tired.

But it’s a good tired, for each of them.

A stretched, thoughtful, worthwhile kind of tired.

And from what I’ve seen, it’s the kind that stays with you.

When was the last time you were stretched in a way that felt meaningful?

Still My Favourite Part

It’s been just over a year since Monic and I returned home from our mission in Belgium and the Netherlands and honestly, one of the things I still love most is catching up with the missionaries we served with.
Week after week, I get to sit down for 1-on-1 coaching conversations.
Whether they are just home a few days, or even a few years now.
We talk about life, school decisions, job paths, relationships, faith, challenges, disappointments, wins.
Big things and small things too.
Sometimes it’s figuring out how to stay spiritually grounded outside the mission.
Other times it’s about handling stress, setting goals, or building good habits and routines.
Every conversation is different, and that’s what makes them powerful.
Just real life.
This week alone, I’ve had the opportunity to catch up and connect with several missionaries.
Every conversation is a reminder: the mission may be over, but the connection isn’t.
And I’m so grateful for every moment of it.
What do you think makes a great coaching conversation?

A Ball of String

Recently I was asked, “As a facilitator, what are your favourite learning tools in your backpack?”
I smiled…
There are many “essentials” that I carry in my backpack when I facilitate a workshop.
– Pens, markers (sharpies or neuland refillables), dry board markers, paper, post it notes.
– CCS Cards, Organisation Cards and other cards to write on
– My laptop, a pointer/clicker, extra batteries, an external mouse and a thumb drive.
– Masking tape.
– Power adaptors
– Rubber bands and Paper clips
And last but not least, my very favourite, it goes everywhere, my 𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈!
It’s a short list but these few supplies have gotten me out of a lot of jams, consistently bring energy to the room, and help me to create memorable moments in any learning session.
So why a ball of string?
A simple ball of string is often underestimated, but it is a highly effective tool in facilitation.
Its versatility makes it a powerful symbol and practical tool for measuring and demonstrating different behaviours and concepts in various workshops.
Here are 2 simple examples of how I’ve used it recently…

Example 1

As a measurement tool, by using it as a line on the floor and asking participants to gauge their thoughts and feelings about something.
For example, I explain that one end of the line is “Strongly Agree,” the opposite end is “Strongly Disagree,” and the middle represents a neutral stance.
The activity always involves making decisions about how much they agree or disagree with statements or questions that I ask.
On every occasion, I invite participants to position themselves on the line to indicate their view, leading to some fascinating discussion and varied opinions.
Another one I use string for is to help people understand the importance of connection and communication within a team.

Example 2

When one person talks or shares an idea, they hold onto the string and toss the ball to someone else.
As the string weaves across the group, it creates a visual web of connections, symbolising how each person’s input influences the others.
It can be a powerful illustration of interdependency in any team, and how communication flows through and binds a team together.
A ball of string is more than a basic tool as it can symbolise and practically demonstrate essential leadership behaviours.
What’s in your backpack?

Human Connections

All week long I’ve been building relationships, making new acquaintances, or catching up with people I hadn’t seen for a long time.
It felt like a lot.
Between 1-1 meetings, coaching sessions, presentations, associate team gatherings, new business relationships, family and friends, I reckon I have interacted with around 350+ different people this week, either face to face or online.
In my personal studies, I researched a lot about Gen Z, those born between 1997 and 2012.
Research shows that despite being the most digitally connected generation, Gen Z is also one of the loneliest.
Their online interactions often lack the depth and emotional nuance of face-to-face communication.
The isolation brought on by COVID-19 exacerbated this, leaving many feeling disconnected.
In my studies, I discovered a new term 𝒅𝒊𝒔-𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆
𝐝𝐢𝐬 – meaning “lack” or “absence” and 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 – meaning “comfort” or “well-being”.
Thus, 𝐝𝐢𝐬-𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 refers to a state of unease, discomfort, or tension.
It isn’t necessarily a physical illness, but rather a psychological, emotional, or even spiritual imbalance.
In my view, we are actually living in a time of massive dis-ease and disconnection.
Technology seems to connect us more than ever, but the reality is that the screens around us disconnect us from the marvels of nature, from our true selves, and from family and friends.
So, how do we overcome this dis-ease or malaise?
This week I had a discussion with a new friend about building connections.
In order to thrive, we all need human connections and face to face interactions.
Those “horizontal” connections are the foundation for our emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing.
But there is also a “vertical” connection that is equally important, with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, that nourishes our spiritual wellbeing.
Jesus said, “Learn of me … and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29).
Connection with deity is vital to our sense of meaning in this life.
When we build a relationship with God, we better understand the plan He has for us.
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” —John 17:3
How have you felt “rest unto your soul” recently?

Touched

The energy in the room was high.

Then in a reflective moment one participant shared “I can relate to that” and tears started to flow freely.

The atmosphere changed.

We had already created a psychologically safe environment for sharing that day, but then the authenticity in the room soared to a different level.

Attentively, everyone focused on the personal story being shared.

It was a moment of high emotion and an intimate turning point in the workshop.

In opening up in such a manner the participant had taken a great risk in approaching a vulnerable area in their life by sharing it so deeply.

The silence was palpable.

Unwittingly, by speaking so candidly and tenderly, the participant had completely engaged everyone in the room.

Then it happened.

I watched, as those on either side felt impressed to reach out in a compassionate and reassuring way by physically touching our storyteller.

The whole experience had a profound effect on all of us in the room.

There was a feeling of connection, togetherness and unity for a fleeting moment in time.

Deep and meaningful learning moments come quite unexpectedly at times.

When they do, don’t be afraid to welcome them, gently explore them, embrace them and cherish them….forever.

Can you reach out and touch someone today?