My 2022 Reflections: A Personal Marathon and New Beginnings
This year, 2022, has been a year of significant change for both the world and for me personally. As I reflect on the past 12 months, I am filled with a sense of accomplishment and gratitude.
One of the biggest personal milestones for me this year was graduating with my MSc in Psychology. As part of my studies, I wrote a master’s thesis on e-leadership, a leadership approach that utilizes technology to facilitate communication, collaboration, and decision-making in virtual teams. The knowledge and insights I gained from writing this thesis have been invaluable in my work as a Digital Transformation Manager and Design Manager. For example, I now understand more clearly the importance of trust in a remote team and the value of creating a real psychological safety for team members. Building trust and connection in a virtual environment is hard, but as E-Leader it’s one of your main focus areas!
In addition to my academic achievements, this year I also had the opportunity to participate in my first Startup Weekend as an organizer after 11 startup weekends as a mentor. I was excited to take on this new role and contribute to the growth and success of the event.
Another milestone for me this year was my first year as an ADP list mentor, where I was able to support and guide 10 mentorship sessions. It was a rewarding experience to be able to share my knowledge and experience with others and help them grow and develop in their own careers.
But this year has also brought its share of challenges and unexpected turns. As an adult, I discovered that I have ADHD, which has been both a surprise and a revelation. As a psychology graduate, I had always been advised not to self-diagnose. This year, I decided to seek a professional evaluation and found that my feelings of being different and my struggles were something different that being lazy or stubborn. The daydreaming, the disorganization, the hyper fixations, the rejection sensitivity and many more were all symptoms of ADHD.
Through my personal and professional experience, I have come to understand that life is a personal marathon. We all face our own set of challenges and setbacks, and it is up to us to keep moving forward. Peer pressure can be tough, especially in today’s world where we are constantly bombarded with images of “perfect” lives and “sprint” successes on social network and in the media. But ultimately it is our own journey and we have the power to chart our own course at our own pace.
As I celebrate the end of this journey and the new beginnings that lie ahead, I am filled with hope and determination. I am excited to start a new chapter in my career as the co-founder of the Italian community of Design Ops practitioners, alongside Patrizia and Matteo. We held our first online meeting this year and have already seen a great response from the community.
I hope that my reflections on this year will inspire others to embrace their own personal marathons and to keep moving forward, no matter what obstacles come their way.
I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to all the people who have supported me throughout this journey. Thank you to my wife for your unwavering love and support as I worked on my thesis and navigated the challenges of ADHD. Thank you to all of the people who have cared for me and been a constant presence in my life, even when my difficulty with object permanence may have made it seem like I have forgotten about you. Your love and support have meant the world to me, and I am deeply grateful for your understanding and patience. I know that my ADHD can sometimes make it challenging for me to maintain close relationships, but your care and encouragement have helped me to feel supported and valued. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being there for me.
This is my first post on Medium, and I must admit that writing has always been somewhat difficult for me. But I hope that by sharing my thoughts and experiences, I can connect with others who may be facing similar challenges and help them find the strength and resilience to overcome them.
