For some people, their professional body is just a means to retaining the letters after their name or a Statement of Professional Standing. This is part of what our professional bodies do, but it’s not the only thing. They are far from just being certificate-generating exam providing organisations.

“Plans can break down. You cannot plan the future. Only presumptuous fools plan. The wise man steers.” ― Terry Pratchett, Making Money

Starting is hard. Starting from scratch with a blank canvas is surprisingly scary and suddenly every distraction known to man is much more exciting. How you start isn’t irrelevant, but that you do start is crucial.

For 2019 I’ve started incorporating a little of the Paraplanner Powwow essence in our team meetings. At the Powwows, people who work on their own or in a small team can learn from others. It’s a sharing environment that not only wants to share good practice, but also get things fixed! A key characteristic is that when we meet up it is a ‘safe space’ where all contribute – not just the wizened owls.