I spent a big chunk of last week in one of my favourite cities in Europe – Basel, Switzerland. I love Basel not because of its architecture, cuisine, tourist attractions etc… but because it was a city I lived in many years ago. It was where I rediscovered myself as an adult and experienced immense growth professionally and personally.
Going back there 10years after I first stepped foot into this foreign land was surreal. I had limited time to explore the city again, as I was in meetings during the daytime and then prearranged team dinners in the evening. However, just being back in Basel gave me a lot to reflect on.
For starters, I have so much to be grateful for. I am now married to my ‘then’ boyfriend, with two amazing children. I am still working in the same industry that impacts the lives of many patients globally- doing now what patients need next.
In the course of the week, I spent time with delegates from my home country Nigeria, Kenya, Netherlands, Algeria, U.S.A, Germany and Hungary. Networking requires a lot of energy, by the end of each day I was mentally exhausted but at the same time, grateful for the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas, stories and aspirations with a diverse range of individuals.
There’s a saying about how each of us is going through one sort of battle. Spending quality time with different individuals during the course of the week brought this to light.
I recall chatting with one of our leaders who had experienced sibling loss at a young age. This loss had a huge impact on her mental health for a significant period of her life, as she recounted her journey and how she’s been able to overcome her challenges, I was reminded of the work I do with Letters of Hope, bringing hope to the bereaved in times of despair. I had the courage to ask her to consider helping young children going through similar experiences, I shared with her the power of story telling and how this resonates with young people- giving them that feeling of “I am not the only one going through this”. She admitted she had limited time due to various commitments but she will consider this.
This is my ask of you today as you read this article, consider finding a young person to encourage and mentor. Consider finding someone who is experiencing what you have gone through and overcome or still going through, and hold each other’s hands through this journey.
Loneliness is something I had to overcome whilst in Basel many years ago, now I am surrounded by numerous people who genuinely care about my wellbeing, I can also pass on that baton to someone else who is considering taking a job in a foreign land with great prospects but afraid of doing so… I encourage you to weigh the pros and cons and be bold in doing that which your heart is yearning for. There is so much more waiting for you on the other side of that bold step, do it afraid!
Have a great week!
