September can feel like the real new year, can’t it? After the intensity of summer, I love the return to the school pattern & scarves and the back-to-school, fresh notebook energy where I can excel in structure and return to my comfort zone.
This month has been a lovely mix of professional learning, meaningful conversations, personal celebration and a new office (which has been another level exciting!)
I turned 46 this month (another reason I enjoy September), and I’ve been reflecting on how different aging feels compared to how I thought it would be or how I’ve seen it for others. There’s something quite liberating about being cool with being closer to the big 5 0 and celebrating getting older, grey hairs and all.
Every month, I take time to reflect on highlights and learnings, so here goes.
Learning, Listening, and Making Connections
One of the best parts of September has been fitting in plenty of learning into the busy day-to-day.
Here’s what’s stayed with me:
Discovered the world of innovation districts – Spent a brilliant mid-week learning day at the Impact Hub in London Euston with the UK Innovation Districts Group. As someone who usually thinks ‘finance first’, I loved dipping into another world and bringing something unexpected back to my work. The emphasis on creating spaces for interaction and collaboration in a place really resonated, especially as we curate an investment pipeline that has impact across Cambridgeshire. It was also super reassuring to hear that coordinating a city around a single strategy is messy and chaotic work – it can certainly feel like that at times.
Embraced learning as a non-expert – It was also refreshing to be in a room where I was absorbing rather than presenting and where I was an outsider to the core network attending. I was in listening and observing mode. It was also brilliant to be inspired by panellists with exciting perspectives on how we can engage young people of low socio-economic backgrounds in entrepreneurship, shared in such simple ways – it’s not immediately obvious how we can put some of this to work yet but it’s percolating!
Your reflection:
What’s been your experience with finding professional learning opportunities outside your usual sector?
Beyond formal learning events, I’ve been reminded how much value comes from everyday conversations.
Redefined networking as conversations with friends – Working on building a new organisation is full-on, but I’ve realised what I’ve continued to make time for is networking (or as I prefer to think of it as conversations with friends!) These chats have led to brilliant reflections on assessing organisational culture at first meetings, trends in the job market, professional supervision for senior roles, navigating conflict at work and EDI trends. I may not always think I have the time but those ‘almost skipped’ conversations are never regretted.
Connected with fellow career transitioners – Had a lovely conversation with a new friend about career transitions and taking control of your own career, which was a wonderful outcome of posting on LinkedIn about my experiences with redundancy and writing here about Professional Coherence. Sharing authentically about professional challenges really does create such meaningful conversations in unexpected ways.
Celebrating on My Own Terms
Celebrating getting older, even when birthdays aren’t straight forward – My birthday this year came with a mix of melancholy and celebration. Birthdays have a way of making us reflect on time passing and a certain pressure to celebrate in the ‘right way’. A catch-up with a good friend reminded me that this is completely normal and I was grateful for the opportunity to chat honestly. As we’re both the same age, it was also brilliant to riff on the amazing things we’ve been up to from half-marathons on a whim (her) and 108 fundraising sun salutations (me). It is wonderful to recognise that 46 means something different now to what I expected it to. So many more adventures to have.
Found a celebration that matches who I am now – On that theme of melancholy and uncertain celebrations, it took me a while to decide on how I wanted to celebrate. In the end, I took a birthday day off for daytime wild swimming and a lazy lunch, which felt much more me than the things I was tempted to do, which if I’m honest, were things I would have got up to 20 years ago rather than now. I’ve learned that the expectation for birthdays to feel ‘special’ in a certain way doesn’t always match what we actually need. Sometimes the best way to celebrate is the way that feels right to you whether that’s a movie and beans on toast on the sofa or a glamorous night out. The joy is in finding ways to mark the milestone that feel like you rather than what’s expected. Must remember that for next year!
Your reflection:
How do you approach celebrations or milestones in ways that feel authentic to who you are now rather than who you were years ago?
New Spaces, New Possibilities
Navigated AI conversations thoughtfully – Attended a session on the ethics of AI with Women in Social Finance. It was music to my ears that we humans have an important role to play, and that this is actually the perfect opportunity to dial up all the brilliant things we bring to the workplace. Three confidence-building and simple takeaways – use AI, check what it tells you and don’t share anything confidential. But overall, another conversation emphasising what we bring to the world and a reminder not to forget that – shouldn’t be a revolutionary thought but it apparently is.
Moved into a new work home – This month, Greater Cambridge Impact moved into a new office (I’ve saved the best of September until last!) I’m almost embarrassed to say how exciting this has been and what a difference it has made. We have walls to fill with ideas and inspirational quotes, a budding library of game-changing inspiring professional reads and a lovely collection of plants that I’m (thankfully) not in charge of. But we also have a space to envisage our growing team and are taking another step forward to making social impact investment in Cambridge real.
Looking Ahead
September’s been good. Really good, actually.
I’m taking forward some new ideas from the innovation districts learning, fresh perspectives from all those conversations with friends, and a renewed sense that embracing who I am at 46 is where it is at.
October’s already looking busy, but I’m excited to put some of these insights into practice – and I’ll be looking for more of those small celebrations for the small and big wins.
First task on the list in October is to write down all the amazing wins at work in the last four months – they are going on one of those walls!
Questions for Your Own Reflection:
- Where could you step into a learning role rather than an expert role this month?
- What conversations have you been avoiding that might actually energise you?
- How do you want to celebrate the next milestone in a way that reflects who you are now?
- What would “conversations with friends” look like in your professional context?
- Where might you find inspiration outside your usual industry or sector?
What’s been resonating with you this month, and what are you carrying forward into October?
Picture note: The beautiful lake I dipped into to celebrate my birthday. I can recommend Waresley Park Estate.
Faye McDonough 
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