The Thinker: December 2025

A year in reflection

As we approach the end of the year, many of us instinctively begin to look back. Not necessarily in a grand, New-Year-resolution kind of way, but in that quieter way that arrives when the rhythm of the work changes. Even if the pace doesn’t slow for all of us, the atmosphere of “year’s end” can still create a small psychological exhale and provide us with a valuable opportunity for reflection.

Reflection can feel strangely uncomfortable in a culture that prizes momentum, always producing, always improving, always moving forward. But taking time to look gently over our shoulder is not indulgent. It’s an essential part of how humans learn and grow.

From a neurobiological perspective, moments of slowing down allow our brains to shift out of “doing mode” and into a more integrated state. When we reflect, we’re activating pathways that help us make meaning of our experiences, reconnect with our values, and soothe our nervous systems. It’s a way of pairing our emotional responses with our thoughtful, deliberate brain, giving us a more balanced and informed sense of what matters.

For us at ThinkWell, this year has held all the beautiful contradictions that come with building something meaningful. We’ve had moments of great connection and impact, those workshops and conversations where we could feel real shifts happening in the room. We’ve also had quieter seasons, the weeks of behind-the-scenes work where progress felt slower or less visible. And then there were the stretches of pushing into unfamiliar territory: building skills that don’t come naturally, trying new approaches, saying yes to things that felt just a little bit uncomfortable.

Any small business owner knows this dance between excitement and uncertainty. But when we take the time to reflect, we can see how much courage sits inside those moments. We can recognise the ways we adapted, regulated ourselves through challenge, and found reward in the relationships that carried us.

Reflection helps us make sense of the harder bits, or at the very least accept the full range of feelings they brought with them. And from that place of awareness and acceptance, we’re better positioned to choose our next steps with intention. Informed not just by thinking, but also by feeling. Not just by momentum, but also by meaning.

As you look back on your own year, here are a few prompts you might find helpful:

1. What moments, big or small, felt most meaningful, energising or rewarding this year? What do they reveal about what you value?
2. Where did you feel stretched or uncomfortable, and what do those experiences show you about your resilience, needs, or boundaries?
3. When you hold the whole year in view - the achievements, the challenges, the changes - what understanding or insight emerges for you now?

Wishing you space for honest reflection, moments of regulation and rest, and a sense of reward in recognising just how much you’ve navigated this year.

Our impact in practice

Supporting supervisor connection

The second half of 2025 saw us collaborating with RMIT’s Graduate Resource Centre, to deliver online Communities of Practice for the supervisors of practitioners undertaking the DFFH Community and Social Services (CASS) Graduate Program. The Graduate Program is open to a wide range of organisations in the CASS sector.

As fierce advocates for systemic congruence, we are delighted to be involved in building capacity and connection among supervisors, so that they feel better equipped to support their graduate staff. Early feedback shows that participating supervisors are really relishing the chance to connect with their peers and share knowledge and experiences. This is an ongoing project into 2026.

The brain building bit

90-second regulation rule

Did you know that the immediate feeling we get when our emotions are activated (i.e. the surge of irritation at something someone says to you; the gut-lurching response to your boss asking you to come into their office for “a quick chat”) only lasts 90 seconds? Dr Jill Bolte Taylor studied the chemical response to stress activation and found that if the initial emotion isn’t “fed” (by our thoughts, actions etc.) then it dissipates after just 90 seconds. We can use this knowledge to hold ourselves in our window of tolerance - pause, acknowledge the feelings you’re having, and tell yourself that it will pass.

Using sensory input at the same time helps this - deep breaths (out-breath longer than in-breath), squeezing a fidget tool, putting your palms flat on a table and pushing down firmly are all effective. It doesn’t mean all feelings and reactions will disappear (we are human!) but as we head into the often-stressful time of family gatherings, school holidays and transitions, it’s a useful bit of brain-based information to help you cope with it all and perhaps avoid saying or doing something you later wish you hadn’t!

The business of leading people

Clare recently attended a breakfast forum held by the Australian Retailers Association, where the topic was centered on staff mental health, psychosocial safety and wellbeing. This was a venture into a whole new sector for ThinkWell, and it was really heartening to hear all speakers (including from Kmart, Woolworths, Rest Insurance, Beyond Blue, QUT) talking about the need for leaders to build skills in identifying staff who might not be travelling too well, and having conversations early in the process to ensure that they are getting the support they need (beyond just a referral to HR or EAP). Great to hear terms such as “empathy”, “compassion” and “belonging” being used repeatedly. Greg Jennings from Beyond Blue (middle of photo), stressed that an individualised approach to worker mental health is critical, as people experience stressors in diverse ways - so cultivating cultures of connection and understanding is critical.

🎄Merry Christmas from us to you!🎄

Ariane, Jessamy and Clare wish everyone a fun, rewarding and restorative summer season - thanks for being part of ThinkWell’s year, and we’ll be back in 2026!