I will delve into my reflection of the past year at my job in next week’s post, but this week is about looking forward. For today’s post, I want to outline what I’d like to achieve over this coming year. Well, really, I can keep this quite short — I plan and aim to be a great parent and partner. Last year, my partner gave birth to a little human and we’re absolutely over the moon about it.

There are many data analytics approaches that I could have taken for this post, tongue-in-cheek aligned or completely earnest, but I thought I would keep it simple. Broadly, my main goal is to be understanding. As we’ve introduced a new being into this world, I aim to be understanding of their needs, my partner’s needs, and my needs. I’ve been advised around the fact that you need to take care of yourself before you can truly help others sustainably.

I also plan to continue being adaptable. My partner and I have set up a system of visualised Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs; one for each of us, and one for the little one. The ones for us are for our own modes of communication, which are diametrically opposed during times of exhaustion. We look at our own, individualised charts, see what need that hasn’t been met, pull our partner into the room, and point to that need we need facilitated. For our child, we have a Maslow chart for their potential need that’s not being met: feeding, sleeping, sensory (sight, smell, touch, hearing, taste), burping, general love, etc.

A big one for me — communication. Maintaining communication with my partner and my new baby. It’s going to be very important for us to communicate how we’re feeling, what we’re perceiving from others, and what we can do to help one another and our new one together. We can only be a good team if we’re good individually.

Tl;dr — absolutely stoked about the challenges and rewards that this year will bring.