I'm sure many of us went through chapters of life thinking 'meaning' has to be something we stumble across in one epic, pivotal moment. A movie scene where the camera zooms in, the music swells, and suddenly everything makes sense.

Turns out, often it’s a lot less Hollywood than that.

Over the years I've learnt that meaning is a jigsaw puzzle we are handed to work on throughout our journey - collecting pieces, losing a few under the sofa, and realising the picture keeps changing anyway. Sometimes, you think you’ve got a section sorted, and then life slides a brand-new piece into your hand and says with a grin: “Here you go. Try this.”
For many years I often chose to fight this, seeking out opportunities to find huge revelations to accommodate the space my impatience grew in me. It rarely led to anything of real value as you can imagine. I had to quit chasing meaning to allow it to come to me, often in unexpected ways, from places I already looked before.

17 years of working closely with children and their families - whilst yearning for a child of my own - has taught me that meaning rarely shows up with a grand entrance.
It’s in the everyday moments: the first time a child takes a step without holding your hand. The shared laugh when something goes gloriously wrong during a therapy session. The quiet, tired gratitude in a parent’s eyes when they realise they’re not doing this alone.
Meaning has shifted shapes outside of work too. Yes, a couple of times it’s been wrapped up in big milestones, but more often it’s been found in the messy, ordinary days.

Meaning really doesn’t need to be dramatic to matter. In fact, it’s often the opposite - gentle, steady, and beautifully personal.
For me, it was humbling to learn that meaning grows in increments. In the repetition of showing up. In the conversations that seem small but linger for years. In noticing the little details.
So, if you’re reading this, maybe take a second to ask yourself: Where did meaning show up for me this week? The answer might surprise you.


A Collective Exploration

In the month of our launching, Sprout Collective is exploring 'meaning' from all angles. I’m joined by a group of contributors - each bringing their own lived experience, expertise, and perspective to the table.
From the parent who learned to grow her vulnerability into a superpower. To the coach who found meaning by revisiting old passions. To the therapist who reunited with her true purpose after feeling lost for years.
Together, we’ll be taking small steps - and maybe a few leaps - into the question of what meaning looks like today, and how we can keep rediscovering it, one step at a time.


Cheers to Us All and the Future Ahead

So here’s to new beginnings, big and small moments, and all the right questions that keep us moving forward.
And here’s to meaning - the kind that’s lived, never just defined.


Welcome to Sprout!