One of The Best Decisions I’ve Made in 2023!
I have a lot to share!
2023 has begun as a year of progress in my life and I have so many expectations for myself. It is a year to open up to myself and others so that the amazing person I am will be uncovered. I have considered it my duty to diligently pursue excellence in all that I do.
So far, there have been many success stories and some failures (it’s all right, for they’re actually part of the success stories). These failures have allowed me to know myself better than I thought I did and what to avoid in striving to have a great year.
Let me tell you about one of my adventures so far this year.
In January, I walked out of my comfort zone to be a group leader in my community medicine group during our rotation when we were posted to a municipality. I volunteered to do it while everyone else was running from it.
Majority of the people in my team comprised of fellow colleagues that I hardly speak to…since I’m an introvert. A good number of them were considerably older than I and had more life and even more professional knowledge and experiences than I…yet, I was their group leader.
Honestly, one of my biggest fears was not being regarded as the leader; people’s egos being all over the place, and minimal cooperation from their end. At the end of the day, they proved me wrong!
I was amazed at the level of humility I saw and the willingness to cooperate with one another to achieve the objectives of our rotation. The team was a delicious mix of strengths, personalities and abilities that all contributed to the success of our rotation at the municipality we were posted to. My co-leader was a wonderful person to work with…he made the burden much lighter.
I interacted with other wonderful people there in a way that I wouldn’t have if I wasn’t a leader. I was able to have a clear view of my strengths and weaknesses as a leader; what I need to improve on, and how to deal with the challenges that come my way.
One big lesson I learnt from the few challenges I had was to have a good balance of firmness in decision-making and being open to the varied opinions of the team members. Too much of any of the two can be disastrous!
Another change in my life that is attributed to this leadership position is being an optimist and always expecting the best outcome. It saves you from unnecessary anxiety, stress and worry that does not add any good thing to you. Rather, you’re robbed of your happiness and peace…which are too expensive to lose. I learnt this powerful lesson from my fellow leader, who was always chill and encouraged me not to worry, especially when things were not going as planned.
In conclusion, taking this leadership role is one of the best decisions I’ve made this year. Tell me in the comment section your best decision so far in 2023. Let’s share and interact. Thanks!
P.S. So far, I am enjoying my school lessons in public health, particularly health systems and reproductive health. I have so much to share about these in my subsequent articles and you’ll learn a lot, cos that’s part of your 2023 plans, right?
Signed, Richeal.
