A Sense of Achievement

Today feels like a very special day.

After 12 months of hard work, learning, writing, reflecting, researching and occasionally wondering why I signed up in the first place, I have reached the final day of my Level 5 Leadership and Management qualification.

Today is my Gateway Day. All 130 modules have been completed, all the coursework has been uploaded to the portal, and the apprenticeship element is now finished.

To be honest, I am absolutely over the moon.

There is still one final stage to go. I need to complete a presentation and project report before my assessment day, which should take place sometime in November. If all goes well, I should hear the outcome in December.

But today feels like an achievement in itself.

As many of you know, I was diagnosed with ADHD and Autism during my learning journey. There were certainly moments when I found things challenging. Some weekends disappeared into coursework, and there were plenty of evenings when I sat staring at my laptop wondering how I was going to finish another assignment. Yet somehow, one module at a time, one task at a time, and with the support of some wonderful people around me, I got there.

And that got me thinking…

As carers, when do we actually stop and recognise our achievements?

Many carers spend so much time focusing on the next appointment, the next medication, the next crisis, the next shopping trip, the next hospital visit, or the next task on an endless list that they rarely stop and look back at what they have accomplished.

The last time I remember feeling such a strong sense of achievement was after caring for my parents and, later, organising both of their funerals.

Now, I know comparing a leadership qualification to organising a funeral might sound a little unusual, but bear with me.

Before my parents passed away, I had never organised a funeral. I had no idea where to start. Yet somehow I managed to bring together ceremonies that truly reflected who my mum and dad were as individuals. They were personal, meaningful and celebrated their lives in the way I hoped they would have wanted.

Afterwards, carers at Carers Centre Tower Hamlets told me that I should feel proud. Looking back, they were right. Alongside the sadness was a real sense of relief and achievement that I had done my parents proud.

And isn’t that true of so much caring?

Every day I see carers doing extraordinary things that they often dismiss as “just getting on with it.”

I see carers advocating for loved ones when nobody else will.

I see carers navigating complicated health and social care systems.

I see carers balancing work, family life, finances and caring responsibilities.

I see carers showing patience, kindness, resilience and love every single day.

Many of these achievements never come with certificates. There are no medals. There are no graduation ceremonies. Nobody stands up and applauds.

But perhaps they should.

Because what carers do is an achievement of the very highest calibre.

So today, whilst I am celebrating completing 130 modules and reaching the gateway stage of my qualification, I am also thinking about all of you.

Maybe this week is a chance to pause for a moment and ask yourself:

What have I achieved recently?

It does not have to be something huge.

Perhaps you finally made that difficult phone call.

Perhaps you got through a particularly hard week.

Perhaps you helped someone you love through a difficult situation.

Perhaps you simply got out of bed on a day when everything felt overwhelming.

Achievements come in all shapes and sizes.

Today, I am allowing myself to feel proud of what I have accomplished over the last 12 months.

And I hope you can do the same.

Because if there is one thing I have learned, both from this qualification and from working alongside carers every day, it is that achievements deserve to be recognised, celebrated and valued.

So whatever you’ve achieved recently, big or small, take a moment to acknowledge it.

You’ve earned it.

Tony ❤️