2025. On 17 December (2025) Joyce (my wife) and I had our Annual General Meeting (AGM) at a local restaurant. I am Joyce’s ‘Employee of the Year’ I must admit it wasn’t guaranteed until Joyce announced it during our AGM.

A super meal, a review of 2025 which had included (me) finally retiring, our objectives set for 2026, lots of laughs and I received an award!

It has been 54 years since I entered the world of work. Initially I delivered carpets and beds in my hometown of Stockton-On-Tees followed by two careers: Army, Social Care and then finally having the privilege to work for the Army once more at ‘HQ 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team’, before finally retiring earlier this year.   

Into 2026 and I want to be better than I was the previous year, to be more and do more for my family and the people I support.

So, at the start of each year instead of making resolutions (who keeps those?), let us change the word to ‘Commitments’ as in “I am going to make some commitments in my life and in my career.”  It feels different – using the word Commitment feels like it has a purpose (there is no going back!).

In the days leading up to the New Year I have put down on ‘paper’ what I am going to do, and I thought it might be something that might help you too, to have your best year too. ‘The most difficult thing is the decision to act; the rest is merely tenacity” Amelia Earhart

Related:  https://leadershipintheraw.org/2024/12/20/setting-goals-objectives-commitments/

In 2026 believe in yourself:

  1. If you make mistakes (no one is perfect) accept that you will make mistakes, learn from them, and keep going. “Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement” C S Lewis
  2. Do not second guess yourself. You can only make the best judgement at the time with the facts in front of you, but do decide (nobody likes a ditherer)
  3. It is easier to ask forgiveness than it is to ask for permission. Back yourself to do the right thing and do it now. (Nobody likes a procrastinator).
  4. No matter how busy or how much pressure you are under during your day, do one thing which you enjoy.
  5. Book yourself a coaching or mentoring session with your coach or mentor. Talk through your dreams and aspirations (try and fix up one of these meetings at least bi-monthly)
  6. Record your successes and read them through before you start your new week.
  7. When you are facing a crisis, and you are coming under pressure, tell yourself two things:  One. Have you faced this before – How did I deal with it then? And two. In six months, time will this situation be so important. Probably not.
  8. Reward yourself. Something I picked up from running – if I had a good race, I rewarded myself. It could have been a new pair of running socks or an energy bar, it does not have to be much, but it can make you feel a whole lot better. Give yourself a pat on the back.
  9. Laugh whenever you can – it is cheap medicine.
  10. Regularly (daily is best) go for a walk. Take a break- you only need to find 30 minutes in your day. It will refresh you and it will give you the time to think.

My Seven commitments for 2026:

1.   To take on as many household responsibilities and duties as possible so that Joyce feels she has retired too. (I want to Joyce to pick me as employee of the year at the end of 2026).

2.   I am 70 this year and I am determined to maintain my fitness (it is also essential for my mental health and self-esteem) So I will make time to go for a run: – four sessions a week. Each morning core strength training (sit-ups and press ups etc). Formulating a programme that is: ‘viable and sustainable’ that focuses on quality not quantity.     

3.   Write a monthly blog post alternating between leadership and the lessons I have learned from Bettina (my daughter who copes with a learning disability and autism).

4.   Publish a weekly e-newsletter which includes tips, a podcast, articles, music, and cake, for my mailing list (btw are you on my mailing list? If not and would like to be?).

5.   Publish a monthly leadership & wellbeing e-magazine. 2026 will be the publication’s twentieth anniversary.

6.        Health and Well Being. This year I am going to:

  • Improve my sleep patterns – working towards getting at least seven hours sleep every night. (So, no cups of tea for me after 7pm and no looking a ‘blue screens after 7pm)
  • Drink at least one bottle of water every day.
  • Stand up more instead of sitting down – especially when using my laptop.
  • Practice balancing on one leg at a time at least once a day (I got that one from Joyce)
  • Practice Mindfulness at least once a day (I have learned this from Bettina)
  • Loose 10lbs in weight (according to my running magazines this will knock 1.5 minutes of my 5KM time!)

7.           Eliminate Waste. Look at every part of my life and eliminate waste – what am I wasting time on? What am I duplicating? What savings (financially) can I make that will not affect my performance and the difference I want to make in other people’s lives?

And not to forget to live my life well https://leadershipintheraw.org/2016/09/26/living-your-lifewell/   

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.”

Robert L Stevenson

In 2026 I will repeatedly take a step back and I will think about what I have in my life and be grateful for everything that comes my way. So, I am going to wake up in gratitude every morning:   

Related:    https://leadershipintheraw.org/2015/09/09/being-bettinas-dad-taking-the-time-to-be-grateful-andshowing-gratitude/  

“If you woke up this morning in a nice warm bed, if all your loved ones are safe and happy and you have food/water – why wouldn’t you be grateful?” 

 Joyce Raw

If it happens to be a failure, I will see it as my first and second step towards my next success. I will understand that failure is not permanent, and neither is success, so I will prepare for both this year.

Related:   https://leadershipintheraw.org/2014/08/11/fail-and-fail-big/      

On 31 December 2026 I am going to read this again to see how I got on before I make a new set of commitments for 2027.

Source:         Steve Raw www.leadershipintheraw.org