What we’ve learnt in 2019 (say when you’re struggling)

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Dear WiPP subscribers,

2019 has both gone in the blink of an eye and been the longest of years.

When I look back at the winter months, I can hardly believe they happened in the same calendar year as this December, let alone to the same person. My 1 January 2019 version is separated from my today version by a freelance business set up, a burnout, a great weekend in Cornwall, finding my dream hotel bed in Cambridge, some great joys and real heartaches.

I started out the year with two goals, and have failed on both counts, something which weighed down on me when posts about making the most of the last month of the decade started appearing on my Instagram feed. I might be a digital marketing expert, but I am not immune to the social media highlight reel. In August, I decided to remove the Twitter app from my phone because the micro-news around EU citizens’ rights were too anxiety-ridden for me, a move I highly recommend.

I have failed on my goals (for now) but I have made ways in other worthy and difficult things that I hadn’t written down as part of this year’s intentions, like building my freelance business. Nonetheless, we are going into 2020 without any proper funding for Women in Foreign Policy, though there have been steps in the right direction, including getting a big law firm to agree to do our paperwork pro bono and getting our first podcast sponsor!

Here are some other 2019 highlights: 

  • Taking a break May-September to regroup and plan the rest of the WIFP year was the right call and we’ll probably do it again in 2020.

  • Launching The Zig Zag to focus on specific issues alongside the career feature available in Interviews, something I had been looking to do for over two years following community requests.

  • Broadcasting the “Personal Development” podcast series, which has been listened to nearly 5,000 times.

  • Our Galentine’s Day networking evening and How can Young Women Impact foreign Policy events. Someone messaged us after the latter to say they were considering changing their career aspirations from finance to foreign policy, which was great.

  • Being named as one of “Ten Women making Waves Globally” for IWD 2019 and as a Yahoo! Finance HERoes Top 50 Future Women Leaders

  • Oh yes, and turning FIVE!

My key learning this year is not to be quiet when I am struggling. Back in April, when I sent out an email explaining I was putting WIFP on a hiatus because I was overwhelmed, I received the nicest and most encouraging emails -- thank you! More recently, when we had a sad and unexpected bereavement in the family, telling people, even though it felt weird at first, brought in a lot of support. Women’s ability to rally around is heartwarming, or at least it warmed my heart.

This is what I am taking into 2020.