Personal Note from Rachel

Over the festive season, I want to take a moment to extend my warmest wishes to you and your loved ones. This time of year is incredibly special, but I know for many of you working in community pharmacy, the lead-up to Christmas can be especially hectic. The week before the holidays often brings a perfect storm of Christmas shopping, preparing prescriptions for the festive period, and a surge in flu and infections. Your dedication and care during this busy time truly make a difference in your communities.

While you’re busy supporting others, remember to take steps to care for yourself and your loved ones too. This season, let’s remember to bring good cheer—not infections—to our gatherings:

• Hand hygiene and cough etiquette are simple but powerful ways to protect everyone’s health.
• Educate family and friends to read section 2 of the Patient Information Leaflet for any Over-The-Counter remedies to ensure they’re safe and suitable before use.
• Support your immune system by taking a multivitamin with at least 15 micrograms of Vitamin D daily from Halloween to St Patrick’s Day, as recommended by the HSE (Learn more here).

Self-care is especially vital during this busy season, so don’t forget to:

• Catch up on sleep whenever you can—it’s key to recharging your energy and supporting your immune system.
• Take advantage of daylight hours by getting outside for a walk or some fresh air. Even a short stroll during your break can boost your mood and wellbeing.
• Balance the big meals, sweet treats, and alcohol with plenty of fruit, vegetables, and water to hydrate and nourish your body.

As 2024 draws to a close, I also invite you to pause and reflect on the highs, lows, and learnings of this past year. Life offers us countless opportunities for growth, but only when we take the time to reflect. In this newsletter, you’ll find tools and resources to support you in this powerful process of reflection and renewal, so you can start 2025 with intention, clarity, and energy.  

Thank you for all that you do to bring health and care to your communities. Wishing you a peaceful and fulfilling holiday season!

Warm regards,
Rachel

As John Dewey (a renowned philsopher, psychologist, and educational reformer) observed - 

Therefore, as we approach the end of the year, I want to encourage you to embark on a powerful journey of self-reflection. This is an opportunity to review your achievements, learn from challenges, and set the stage for a successful year ahead.  

Year end is a perfect time for some deep reflection to power up for the new year ahead, to make sure we don't unconsciously repeat our past experiences, but instead consciously choose how we want to engage with the reality of our life and change what is within our control to change. 

I've been playing with Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools with my assistant Therese, and in this 26-minute video, we invite you to take a look back at the past year and uncover valuable insights that can shape your future.

Listen Up: Watch the Deep Dive Here

Join us on this journey of self-discovery, and let’s make 2025 our best year yet!

The Importance of Reflection

My Year in Review form is an excellent start to the process. Reflecting on our experiences is essential for personal growth. It allows us to clarify our goals, reinforce positive changes, and maintain motivation.  I urge you to intentionally acknowledge your milestones—no matter how small—because celebrating these achievements builds momentum and encourages continuous progress. To set yourself up for success, spend one hour completing the reflection form. Start mentally preparing; read the questions beforehand to let them settle in.

Benefits of Reflection

Regular reflection can enhance self-awareness, reduce stress, and empower you to move forward confidently. It’s all too easy to focus on what we haven’t accomplished, but we can cultivate a more positive mindset by recognizing our successes.

Practical Tips for Your Year-End Review

Here are some steps to make your reflection process effective:

1. Set Aside Time: Find a quiet space and dedicate uninterrupted time for your review.
2. Breathe: Start with a diaphragmatic breathing exercise to center yourself and enhance your focus.
3. Keep It Brief: Spend up to one minute on each item to avoid overthinking and keep the momentum going.

Guided Reflection Prompts

To help guide your reflection, consider these questions:

• What were my top three accomplishments this year?
• What challenges did I overcome, and what lessons did I learn?
• Who were the key relationships that supported me?
• What moments brought me joy, and how can I summarise my year in a headline?

Refer to the My Year in Review to dive deeper.

Introducing the Wheel of Life

Another tool to highlight is the Wheel of Life—a fantastic tool for assessing your satisfaction across various aspects of your life. Rate your satisfaction in eight key areas from 0 to 10. Many people find this visual representation helps them understand where they stand and identify areas for improvement.

Once you’ve completed your Wheel of Life, reflect on your results:

• Which areas are you most satisfied with, and what contributes to that satisfaction?
• Identify 1-2 areas where you’d like to improve and commit to actionable steps.
• Think about potential obstacles and how you can overcome them.

Call to Action

With my strongest recommendation, and especially if you 'don't have time' to reflect, I encourage you to schedule time for this Year-End Review and Wheel of Life exercise. Engaging with these tools is vital for your personal and professional growth. Let’s embrace this opportunity for self-reflection, celebrate our achievements, and look forward to a year filled with growth and accomplishment.  

Professional Development Opportunities 

As part of your personal, professional and business development for 2025, we are thrilled to share a range of Professional Development Opportunities for pharmacists, coaches, leaders and teams, including:

• 4FrontPharmacyOnline: Self-directed learning for pharmacy teams - annual memberships available
• Pharmacist Coach Academy: One-to-one leadership development coaching with Rachel Dungan MPSI, MCC-ACTC - four six-month slots opening Jan 2025
• Just Get It Done CPD Mentoring: 90-min laser-focus session for pharmacists to prepare CPD ePortfolio Review submissions for 2024/2025 in Jan 2025 - book now
• On-Site Pharmacy Practice Audit (PAS): Aligned with PSI Pharmacy Assessment System Annual Review requirements - on-site days available for 2025.
• ICF Mentor Coaching: Competency-based mentoring for those working towards ICF-ACC, PCC, and MCC credentials 
• Cross-professional Supervision: For coaches, mentors, and team leaders looking to deepen their practice.
• Lead With Coaching 1-2-1: One-to-one leadership mindset and mental fitness coaching, powered by Positive Intelligence, to leverage your performance, relationships, and wellbeing - with Rachel Dungan MPSI, MCC-ACTC - four six-month slots opening Jan 2025
• Lead With Coaching Programmes: Cross-industry, group leadership development programs to develop you and your team to lead with a coaching style of leadership - enrolling now for Feb and May 2025

Action Step:  Complete the  Identify Your Saboteurs and VIA Strengths Finder Survey, then click the "90-Minute Strategy Session"  link to take advantage of a one-to one strategy session with me, and search my calendar to schedule for the perfect time for you.

Wishing you a fulfilling and reflective end of the year!

Warm regards,

Rachel