IT'S THE SEASON TO...
At the summit of a mountain in Thailand, I felt it.
That stillness.
That peace you only think you can find at the top.
But as I stood there, I realised something.
It wasn’t about the view.
It wasn’t about the mountain.
Peace is an inside job.
And it’s something we can carry into any moment, not just the ones we escape to.
As we begin a new year, I’m reminded that life moves in seasons.
Some stretch us.
Some steady us.
Some quietly prepare us for what’s next.
1. You don’t have to be on a mountaintop to find peace
We often convince ourselves that calm comes later.
After the inbox is clear.
The kids are settled.
The pressure lifts.
But true peace isn’t something we earn.
It’s something we create.
If peace only lives at the summit, you’ll spend your life climbing and never arriving.
Ask yourself: Where in your life are you chasing peace instead of choosing it?
2. Breakthroughs often come after breakdowns
At one of my sessions at United World College (UWC), a leading international school in Thailand, a student stood up.
Hesitant, then bold.
They said something they’d been afraid to voice for years.
It wasn’t what they said.
It was that they said it.
For so long, they’d been carrying Tough Tyson, the monkey of fear, judgement, and emotional shutdown.
But that day, they faced it and broke the cycle.
Fear doesn’t always shout.
Sometimes it whispers, “What will they think?”
But here’s the truth:
(Brené Brown )
If you’re always performing, you’re never free.
If you’re always proving, you’re never at peace.
Breakthroughs aren’t about being fearless.
They’re about doing it afraid.
Ask yourself: What fear has been quietly holding you back and what would it look like to act anyway?
3. Rest is not a reward. It’s a requirement.
I spent time on a farm this January.
Feeding animals. Gardening. Unplugging.
It felt strange at first.
Like I should be doing more.
But that’s when I realised.
Even rest has a role in growth.
We live in a world obsessed with speed.
But nature doesn’t rush. And it still gets everything done.
You don’t need to earn rest.
You just need to protect it.
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes. Including you.”
(Anne Lamott)
Burnout isn’t a badge.
It’s a boundary that was ignored for too long.
Ask yourself: Where do you need to reclaim space for rest without guilt or explanation?
As I prepare for the arrival of twins and step into a new chapter in fatherhood, I’m more aware than ever of the man I’m becoming, not just the one I am today.
Whether you’re raising kids, leading a team, or rebuilding from burnout, the example you set matters more than the title you hold.
Each season shapes us.
Let it shape you well.
