“You can’t live your life dying of politeness”

“I’ve lived most of my life trying to avoid conflict where possible and being sickly sweet in the workplace. For example, in the face of authority figures… and all it’s meant is I now find it difficult to find (and raise) my voice. This year I’ve really been trying to be more vocal about my thoughts and opinions in the workplace and to practise boundaries. People tend to respect my opinion now more than ever, and I feel like I can trust my voice again.” Emma, 24

“To prioritise yourself over everything”

“Your mental and physical health is of utmost importance. You can at times put yourself last when you’re trying to reach a goal, but without the above two things in check, everything you are trying to achieve becomes much harder.” Sian, 30

“To advocate for myself”

“More than anything, I need to be an advocate for my own needs.” Sara, 24

“To stop multitasking”

“After years of trying, I have finally realised that I will never be good at multitasking… a job well done requires time and focus.” Margaret, 49

“Knowing my worth”

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned this year is knowing my worth and taking control of situations that I previously would have been passive with.” Grace, 25

“To prioritise my financial health”

“As someone whose relationship with money has often been fraught and painfully detrimental, I was surprised when news of the looming financial crash didn’t send me into a familiar panic about how I’ll ever get by. I’m not someone who has savings, assets or family to cushion my frequent falls into financial woe. And the pressure to have a rigid plan that would completely clear my debt (and stress) has been a strange emotional barrier to pursuing one. That said, the cost of living crisis forced me to seek a sense of control over my money that I’ve never truly felt before. Daily reminders to pop a couple of quid into a new account for which I don’t have a physical debit card has proved really annoying. Vocalising to my partner what I have available to spend at the end of the week or month is consistently terrifying, even though I know that there is no shame in financial strain (if that’s not a slogan somewhere, it should be). Nevertheless, I’m doing it. I’m looking ahead to 2023 with a newfound pride in the little things that make me feel like I’m making conscious decisions about my financial future. I’ve realised that, actually, money isn’t a one and done type of project that you can always set a timeframe to. For me, at least, it’s a day-by-day journey that I’m starting to feel more comfortable with.” Jazmin, 29

25 women on the most important lesson they learned in 2022