From Consumption to Contribution

Hello and welcome to June!

We have officially made it to the summer!

Knowing what UK summers are like, my advice is to make the most of every single good weather day that you can, because we know they certainly aren't promised!

The beginning of May marked 3 years of my newsletter, so due to me forgetting about it I thought I'd celebrate it now!

This means I have written 160 newsletters which is pretty mad, and despite the arrival of Chat GPT, I still write these newsletters on my own and will continue to do so!

Off the back of this I want to share what's been the most valuable thing that has come out of these newsletters, and it's probably not what you'd expect.

I thought there might be one specific theme or lesson that has come out of this, but that's not it.

The most valuable part of the newsletter is the newsletter itself, and more specifically, the process of writing it.

This newsletter is nothing more than an end of week reflection for me. 

I spend time thinking about and reflecting on what's happened in my week, what I've learnt, any insights I've had, all with the goal of adding value to you. 

It's this process that inspires me to read, to learn, to have have more real conversations with people, and to do something with that learning.

I'm wondering, is this something you do?

I don't mean do you write a newsletter, I mean how much time do you take to learn, to reflect, and to share.

If you're not creating time to learn, you're probably pretty stagnant, or are likely to become that way.

If you're not reflecting then you're not analysing what you've learnt and understanding not just how it relates to you but also what it means to you.

And when it comes to sharing, if you're not learning and reflecting you probably don't have much to share, or what you do have to share probably isn't super valuable.

It reminds me of the quote ‘Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.’

The other thing this makes me think about is who and what I let into my space.

For example:

I choose Netflix documentaries over reality TV shows.

I prefer longer form content like podcasts over short form reels and social media.

I strive to surround myself with interesting people rather than just staying in the same groups that no longer serve me.

Take all of this and mix it with some genuine curiosity and I promise you that you are on to a winner!

So heading into this week I'd love for you to think about these things…

- What sort of content do I typically consume?

- Which subjects excite me the most?

- What do I want to learn more about?

- Who do I have the best conversations with?

- When in the week do I have time to reflect?

- How can I share what I'm learning?

I hope these questions lead you to more knowledge, more fun, and better relationships in the coming week and beyond.

Quote for the week

"The unexamined life is not worth living"

- Socrates

Recommendation

Make Your Bed

By William H. McRaven

'Struggling to find structure? Finding yourself lacking motivation?

Start by making your bed.

Maintaining routine and structure is more important than ever in the age of home working, flexi-time and the general chaos of life.

In Make Your Bed, Admiral William H. McRaven shares 10 life lessons he learned during his Navy Seal training that helped him overcome challenges not only in his long Naval career, but also throughout his life.

He will teach you how to . . .

· Master the essential daily habits for staying grounded

· Learn how to keep your mind calm and ready for the day ahead

· Find solace and companionship in the people around you

· Cope with setbacks and keep moving forward

· Stray beyond your comfort zone and take risks

Written with great humility and optimism, this timeless book provides simple and universal wisdom, practical advice, and words of encouragement that will inspire every reader.'

 A very simple but powerful book which is also a very easy read.

I love the way that McRaven has used his military background to provide super valuable life lessons that will land for everyone.

Motivational books like this deserve a place on everyones shelf for those moments where everything is getting on top of you, and perhaps this could be the one to lift you up when you next need it.

Life Hack

Just do it!

The Nike slogan comes in pretty handy for this life hack which is all about not sitting on stuff.

I am often guilty of shifting small tasks life replying to messages or doing a house job into the future so that I can focus solely on the bigger tasks.

The problem with this is that before I know it I have stockpiled a huge amount of small tasks that it has now become it's own big task to deal with, which can often feel quite overwhelming.

It's certainly not always the case, but more often than not I am better off just doing the job immediately rather than creating a future problem.

So wit that in mind, what tasks are you guilty of putting off which you should probably just get on with?

What do I do?

I’m Haydan, a people and culture specialist who helps teams grow, leaders lead, and businesses build great places to work.

Here’s how I support organisations:

🔹 Fractional Head of People & Culture - Strategic support for growing businesses, shaping people strategy, embedding values, and strengthening leadership and culture.

🔹 Coaching - I support a range of clients, from CEOs and business leaders to individuals on their own personal growth journey. This includes helping people develop their leadership style, improve work-life balance, build confidence, as well as start and grow their own businesses.

🔹 Workshops & Events - From leadership development to team away days, I create practical, engaging sessions that encourage reflection, spark ideas, and create real progress.

🔹 Motivational Maps - As a Motivational Maps practitioner, I support businesses to understand what truly drives their people. Maps reveal the motivators behind performance, helping leaders improve engagement, communication, and team alignment.

📩 Want to chat about working together? You can DM me or drop me and email at info@haydanfirth.com

I hope you have a fantastic week, and I'll be back in your inbox next week!

Haydan