By Graeme McCarrison, NZPI Board (Northland/Auckland).


I (like many of you) spent a few moments over the last 4 weeks of this amazing summer thinking about 2022:

  • What’s it looking like for me, my family and my work
  • The resolutions for self-change – usually all talk and no do.
  • Is it safe to make holiday bookings or will I just lose my money?

2022 to me is looking like another furious and exciting year for me with the following in focus:

  • Continuing recovery from concussion and exploring the opportunities for me and how I work with more balance and acceptance. I am 13 months on the recovery journey. I have accepted it will be complete at some point in the future and in the meantime my recovery plan of May 2021 remains relevant.
  • Spending time with and supporting my parents to continue to live amazing lives within the residential care world they now depend on. Learning from their experience about what I need to change or continue doing to have the best healthy life going forward. I have learnt that what I do now can either have a positive or negative outcome for my quality of life. I am taking this as a serious wakeup call opportunity. The real fun thing, why did I wait so long, is hearing the stories related to family photos or items – the desire to learn more of my Whakapapa.
  • Resource management reform and related opportunities in the legislative world relevant to my role at Spark and as Board member of NZPI
  • Other normal/familiar work on District Plan reviews

“Our identity is a fusion of stories, myth, genealogy and personalities.” (Owen Eastwood) Knowing and learning my Whakapapa is part of understanding my sense of belonging.

All this in background of “Covid”, creating small talk to avoid the inevitable cycle back to covid especially the “impending doom” of omicron – the media feed of fear about “not being prepared”, “here in 2 to weeks”, “cases will double each day”, “great NZ illness”, “expect supply chain failures” etc. Covid is beyond our control, but we can individually take personal responsibility for how we deal with this in 2022. For instance, getting vaccinated or having your booster, scanning QR codes, appropriately wearing masks, being mindful for when you are out and not putting myself in the situation where there are large crowds. Living in fear of covid is just not healthy for me or you. I need my energy focused on me, my family, work, volunteering, to create a positive vibe, not feel destroyed or under threat. How do I not live in fear and look for the good?

I have been reading and/or rereading 4 books:

  1. Belonging by Owen Eastwood
  2. Dark side of the Brain by Lance Burdett
  3. This book could Fix your life by Helen Thomson
  4. For those that enjoy the learnings from sports have a read of Perform under Pressure by Dr Ceri Evans

I mention these books because they are easy reading with practical actions which I have find useful in my concussion recovery, wellbeing, transition to the next stage of work/life, finding my value as I slow, slow down in my world of increasing expectations.

I generally have gratitude for the opportunity I have in my recovery from a brain injury/concussion and support from Spark. It’s also created some of my most frustrated and darkest moments, which is a fairly normal experience of those recovering from long concussion. in fact anyone going through a major life changing event will experience a range of emotions – and that is ok!

What I have learned and relearned about looking after me in 2021 (and where I am focussing to develop or refine more in 2022) are based around these principles:

  • Slow, slow down – knowing my why and valuing my capacity & capability. This one is seriously hard for someone that has always gone hard as a way of proving that my dyslexia was not a disability for success
  • Bringing structure into my day both at home and work - having plans, changing, adapting, reviewing and celebrating
  • Realistic - setting myself up for success and celebrating/acknowledging progress. They may be small steps, but I am moving forward and getting better all the time
  • Connected – communication/sharing, listening, walking in the shoes of others (my mother alzheimers challenges all us to engage and enjoy/value her presence and stories) being brave to share and tell my story especially on concussion
  • Respect (playing to the strengths of me, my dyslexia and currently my brain injury); going easy on myself; remember that the brain/mind has yet to fully evolve from the hunters/gathers state to protect us by worrying/fearing about what has the potential to harm me. We are living in a world of information overload – acknowledge this and don’t get sucked in

Doings include:

  • Breathing – tummy breathing, 2 minute breathing breaks
  • Water – basic need to keep the body healthy
  • Smile – happiness but not pretending about how I really feel. Knowing that my behaviour can impact on others. When someone smiles are me or returns a smile it makes your day. You never know – you could be the only smile someone has seen today or this week
  • Physical – walking is my thing 7000 step including a 30 minute heart pumping walk as I go to work, plus some resistance exercises 2 times a week
  • Sleep – baseline essential to a good life– routine and enjoying a comfortable sleep
  • Actively deciding what I get involved with or not. Not worrying about the stuff I have no control over e.g. Covid or timetable of the RM reforms
  • Self-talk – stop being my worse critic

13 months ago my brain injury (concussion) ripped my world apart as I learnt and accepted that recovery is a slow process with an unknown end date that is specific to me and what I do. While I am back at work full-time and successfully delivering on projects I still have concession symptoms in that I fatigue easily, recognition function/memory can be slower, light sensitive in my left eye and I need breaks during long Teams meetings. I know I will recover especially if I don’t get another hit to the head. The art of slow structured life, being realistic about what I can achieve each day, and being 100% respectful of myself when I fall short are all critical to my new normal.

I of course tried to push hard to get back to “normal Graeme”, but 2021 threw a few serious challenges during covid lockdowns. Brain injury and stress/frustration are not an excuse, they can trigger that dark side of the brain – the art is learning how to always manage myself to stay in the light side or ‘green level’ (self-regulated, sense of belonging, trusted, safe & calm). I have a box of tools for living life at a different pace and potentially more fulfilling where work is not the central determinate of success.

What is ‘normal’ or ‘new normal’ that we each search for or cry out for, demand the government to restore. What I know for myself is 2022 is going to be furious with amazing opportunities. My challenge is “achieving Balance” this may feel like fear/anxiety but I’m doing it anyway (Susan Jeffers).

We have limited time each day or week, maybe now is a good time to reflect on how we use our time and ask is it enabling our “why” for 2022. My work related time has changed from 40% per week pre concussion Dec 2020 to 30% currently.


2022 for me is about living in “Balance”

  1. Being healthy – complete concussion recovery
  2. Realistic – structured time and being kind to be me
  3. Social – not being isolated, spending more time with family and Catherine plus of course friends
  4. Curious – learning and using/celebrating my dyslexic abilities and my Whakapapa
  5. Positive but its ok to feeling something different – I just need to ensure I don’t say in the
    negative
  6. What I influence - not worrying about what I have no control over but actively managing
    what I can as this benefits others

Simple ah.

How are you approaching your Wellbeing during 2022? It’s time to take time out and reflect your “why” in 2022 and beyond. Small and consistent things cumulatively create change.