Today was about cultivating honesty, connection, and progress—even through challenges.

At our first Naqsmist Team Meeting of the year, we had a heartfelt and serious conversation about our finances and goals for the first quarter. Many leaders keep operations, admin, and finances separate from their teams, but I’ve never been able to do that. Transparency has always been my approach, as it allows my team to make informed decisions about how involved they want to be and how much time and energy they want to dedicate to this work. We can be honest and not evoke fear. We can show up as leaders who don’t have to pretend we’ve got it all together.

One of our team members shared how much they value this openness because it helps them understand what they’re working with and what to expect. It’s hard to make decisions without the full picture, and for me, being upfront about the state of our backend is about respect—respect for those who invest their time and talent into our mission.

I’m so grateful to have a team that continues to show up, give their all, and believe in this work, even when there are no guarantees they’ll be rewarded for all this hard work. That alone makes me 🥹🥰🤯😭

On a personal note, I’ve been managing persistent chest inflammation, likely a long-term effect of COVID. This same issue surfaced last year and has been impacting my energy levels for the past month. I’ve been taking pain meds and burning medicine on our stove, but the healing process is ongoing. With travel and exciting events on the horizon, I’m focusing on pacing myself and staying present.
 

Upcoming Events:

We’re thrilled to kick off 2025 with several exciting opportunities to connect and learn:

• Strengthening Foundations: Cultivating Safe Spaces for HR Professionals: complimentary virtual session, January 15, 2025, focusing on CSS principles to foster safe, inclusive workplaces and support employee well-being and engagement from the ground up.
• Train the Trainer: January 18, 2025, in Penticton. A transformative workshop designed to empower leaders. Last day to register Jan. 13th.
• 1-Day Pop-Up Conference: March 8, 2025, in Penticton. A day to explore Cultivating Safe Spaces and connect with changemakers. Early bird pricing until Jan. 24th.
• 3rd Annual CSS Conference: April 3-4, 2025, in Vancouver. A deep dive into the CSS Framework with workshops, networking, and more. Early bird pricing until Jan. 31st.

Transparency and collaboration are at the core of everything we do, and I feel blessed to work with such an incredible team that believes in our mission.

Make sure to follow 👉🏽 @naqsmist_storytellers_ for updates and join us on this journey of growth and connection.

- Elaine Alec