Hello!
 
In Nigeria, where I’m from, we begin each month by wishing one another “Happy New Month”, a simple but powerful reminder of new beginnings.
 
As the year progresses, this becomes a natural season of reflection—the moment we revisit the goals we set in January and quietly ask ourselves:
 

  • Am I where I thought I would be by now?
  • Am I behind?
  • Am I running out of time?

 
We think of our goals: career, family, relationship, financial and health.

The pressure can become overwhelming without us even realising it. While ambition is beautiful, this moment is also a reminder that well-being must never become secondary to our achievements.
 
Recently, many of us were shaken by the heartbreaking story of the three sisters, Jane, Rebecca and Christina, whose bodies were found in a river in Brighton. Behind this headline is a family grieving.

A father grieving, loved ones grieving, and dreams are interrupted. Stories like this stop us in our tracks because they remind us of something deeply important: that life is fragile and well-being matters.
 
As women, we often carry so much. We are taught to be resilient, strong, dependable, high-performing, nurturing, ambitious, and sometimes all at once. We show up for work, family and friends.

But the difficult question is “how often do we truly show up for ourselves”?
 
Sometimes, well-being is not just about spa days or taking annual leave, it’s about safety, rest, setting boundaries and emotional check-ins.

Well-being is simply permitting us to pause because life is not a race; it’s a journey.
 
My point being, keep pursuing your goals, persevering and dreaming boldly, but not at the cost of yourself; take time to pause, check in, and prioritise your wellbeing along the way.
 
At BWHR, we recognise that workplace conversations are deeply human, because behind every role is a person carrying real pressures, so we centre wellbeing, not just work.
  
That’s why our upcoming Annual Conference this September will continue to create space for honest conversations on career growth, inclusion, leadership, wellbeing, and the future of work for ethnic minorities, ensuring attendees leave both professionally informed and personally encouraged, because success without wellbeing is unsustainable.
 
 As we move into the second half of the year, let this be your reminder to pursue your goals, but also pause, reflect, and take care of yourself, you deserve both achievement and wellbeing
 
 
Adese Okojie
Founder, BWHR