A letter from the past | Dear Future Me

Dear FutureMe, I’m writing this from a place of honesty and growth. I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting lately about who I am as a leader, as a woman, and as a person who shows up every day for others - sometimes more than I do for myself. Where I Am Right Now Right now, I’m working through some self‑esteem issues. I’ve always found it easier to believe in other people than to believe in myself. Yet I also know, deep down, that I lead with fairness, groundedness, and with the people we support firmly at the centre of everything I do. I’ve been told in the past that, because I’m a woman without a degree, I’d never break the glass ceiling. But I’ve proved so many people wrong by learning on the job, showing up fully, and becoming someone that others assume must have a degree because of my knowledge and the way I carry myself. That didn’t come from textbooks - it came from experience, empathy and grit. Working in the third sector is incredibly rewarding, and yet hard and stressful. But I’ve always believed that good will prevail - and that it can only prevail if people like me keep fighting for it. Through advocacy, through celebrating the incredible things our sector achieves, and through the small everyday actions that keep communities going. I’m also standing here now as a newly divorced mother of two, doing things I once thought were impossible. I show up every day with grace and positivity, even when the world feels like it’s grinding everyone else down. And I’m proud of that. I will keep fighting for justice and equality for people with a learning disability, because they deserve a world that sees them. And I want my sons to grow up knowing that superheroes don’t always wear capes - sometimes they just wear an empathetic smile. My Values I’m guided by kindness, fairness, loyalty, justice, and making sure people feel heard and included. I believe in standing up for what’s right, even when it’s hard. I believe in modelling strength and softness at the same time. My Skills I can say with confidence that I am: compassionate grounded able to connect with people easily organised and practical resilient someone who gets things done even under pressure And I’m working on trusting myself more, delegating, and acknowledging that I don’t have to carry everything. My Goals & Hopes for You Six months from now, I hope that: you feel more confident in who you are as a leader you’ve stopped minimising what you bring to the table you’re taking up space without apologising you’ve kept fighting for the things that matter you’re proud of your strength and the life you’re building Stop / Continue / Start Stop: doubting yourself, carrying the emotional load alone, assuming you’re “less than” Continue: advocating for others, learning, showing kindness, leading with integrity Start: backing yourself more, asking for help earlier, letting yourself rest without guilt Advice to Future Me Be gentle with yourself. You’ve already climbed mountains you once thought were impossible. You deserve to take up space. You deserve to feel proud. And you are allowed to grow without rushing yourself. Questions for Future Me What have you done in the last six months that your past self would be proud of? Did you keep believing in yourself a little more each day? What did you learn about your strength, your leadership, and your voice? Are you still fighting for the things and people who matter most? Are you as kind to yourself as you are to everyone else? Wherever you are when you read this, I hope you are standing tall, even on the days it’s hard. You’ve survived every moment so far and you’ve done it with courage, care and heart. With love, Me