Well By Design

21/09/2026

The Decision. The Surgery. The Return.
Three videos. One pretty remarkable journey.

The past 7 months have taken Alicia Hoskin through a whole raft of experiences and emotions - managing pain, accepting the slower passage of time, navigating a load of uncertainty, appreciating the ability to move freely, and then - the ABSOLUTE joy and deep (tearful) gratitude of getting back into a boat, something she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to do.

As expected, some days were easier than others. But through it all, the team at High Performance Sport New Zealand always prioritised the person behind the performance. The person who happens to be an athlete.

It’s such a heartening reminder of what can happen when we see the person behind the performance, the achievement, the title, the role....
... and appreciate that, whatever the context, people are always more than what they do.

Thank you High Performance Sport New Zealand. 🧡

Video 3 - The Return.

After major surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, Alicia Hoskin is ...

07/09/2026

When people complete their CliftonStrengths assessment, there can be a lovely moment of recognition - "yes, that's me".

But that’s often just the start. What comes after that is always so interesting.

Take June (one of the superstars in the Bayleys admin support team). ✨

Her Top 5 strength themes are Learner, Input, Positivity, Achiever, and Intellection.
None of those came as a huge surprise to her. She quickly recognised herself in what she read.

But five words on a page can only tell you so much.

It was in slowing down and exploring those themes that she began to see so much more - how they worked together, what they helped her bring to others, how they shaped the way she showed up.

And hearing her say that she felt like she had a far better understanding of herself and a clearer picture of how she naturally contributes to those around her (both personally and professionally), and describing the sessions as revealing, inspirational, and empowering … are moments that remind me why I love this work I get to do!

None of it’s about putting people into boxes or telling them who they are. It's all about giving people just like June a tool and a language that helps them notice and appreciate who they already are - and then creating some breathing space to explore what becomes possible when we see ourselves a little more clearly.

Thank you June – it was a treat to have time with you. 🧡

31/08/2026

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about Mattering (capital M!).

What happens when we feel like we matter?

How does it affect our relationships? Our energy? Our wellbeing? The way we show up? The things we choose to contribute?

And what happens when we don’t?

I’m so curious about the massive ripple effect of Mattering ….. of knowing that we matter, and how others matter to us. And I’m particularly curious about the impact this has on our wellness - at home and at work.

So, I’m really looking forward to exploring some of this at Together We Rise, the BPW New Zealand Women in Business Conference – particularly what happens when we:

🌟 appreciate who we are and what makes us uniquely us
🌟 know that we are valued and understood for who we are, not just for what we do, and
🌟 are able to contribute to things that matter, really matter, in ways that actually feel like us.

Because when we feel like we matter, we show up differently. We engage, we connect, we care, we give, we feel like we belong.

Come along!
There’ll be a brilliant line-up of women, plenty of opportunities to mix and mingle, and hopefully lots to think about.

Hope to see you there. 🧡

17/08/2026

What a brilliant time with this crew!

We know there are always so many layers to success. And for Bayleys Gisborne, this admin support team contributes to so many of those layers. They help keep things together. They help keep things moving.

In here we have superstar organisers, anticipators, problem-solvers, carers, communicators, adaptors, creators, context-finders… they’re all there! 💪

I absolutely love it when we pause long enough to notice and appreciate these things in ourselves .... what we love to do, how we naturally contribute, AND what we need to feel like we matter.

Using a tool like CliftonStrengths, that has had so many geek-hours poured into it, gives me confidence that what it produces gives people language to describe who they are, to themselves and to others. This is so helpful - it helps paint a fuller, more colourful picture of who they are, why they do what they do, AND why they 100% matter.

A huge thank you to Gisborne Bayleys for investing in this fabulous team and showing them just how much they matter.
🧡

08/07/2026

Sometimes the greatest gift of coaching is simply creating the space for someone to find the words that have been in their heart all along.

Thank you, Akiko, for your trust, your courage, and your commitment to bringing this important exhibition to our community. It was a privilege to walk alongside you.

And thank you Tairawhiti Cultural Festival and Events for helping to make it happen.
🧡

30/06/2026

It’s July!! And for us Southern Hemispherers, that usually means it’s getting colder, wetter, and darker.

These mid-winter months often bring gorgeously crisp mornings, spectacular early sunsets, and ample reason to snuggle up in our fave cosy blankets. But they can also bring a sense of greyness, feel a bit dreary .... and seem oh-so long!

So, if you’re feeling like you need a bit of summer-on-the-inside, 🌞, try 30 DAYS of WELLNESS.

Wellness doesn’t have to be complicated, it’s built on the simple things we do every day – the things that restore us, grow us, energise us, and keep us connected to the amazing human beings we are.

▶️ So go ahead, start any time, choose one thing a day and do it – no rules, no pressure.

💌 If you’d like a copy of 30 DAYS of WELLNESS, message me, I’d love to hear from you.

Stay warm. X
🤗

23/06/2026

One of the many things I love about my work is getting a glimpse into how other people see the world.

I've sat with people who are energised by a room full of strangers and others who come alive in a quiet one-on-one conversation. Some people love certainty and a clear plan, while others are excited by possibilities and figuring things out as they go. Some naturally focus on what could go wrong; others instinctively see what could go right.

Neither is right.
Neither is wrong.
Just different.

Yet so much frustration comes from assuming that other people SHOULD think, communicate, work, or respond the way we do.

It's so interesting, when we begin to understand our natural wiring - and appreciate others wiring - something shifts.

🔆 Judgement softens
🔆 Curiosity grows
🔆 Relationships often become easier

Instead of seeing differences as obstacles, we begin to recognise them as valuable perspectives that we might not have considered ourselves.

This is one of the reasons I love strengths-based work so much!

The goal isn't for everyone to think the same. It's to understand that they don't.

And when we do, we often find more patience, more connection, and a little more space - for others and for ourselves.

❣️ What's something you once found frustrating in someone else but now appreciate?

19/06/2026

Thank you for all you've done to bring this powerful exhibition to Tairawhiti Akiko ✨

Witness the impact. Understand the cost.

In August 1945, two atomic bombs devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing thousands of people, destroying entire cities, and leaving decades of suffering in their wake.

Eighty years on, the Hiroshima Exhibition comes to Tairāwhiti, sharing powerful photographs, personal stories, and survivor testimonies that reveal the human cost of nuclear war and encourage reflection on the importance of peace.

Organiser Akiko Nozue said "Bringing this exhibition to Gisborne has been a deeply personal journey. While Hiroshima is geographically distant from Aotearoa, the effects of war reach across communities, nations, and generations. This exhibition offers an opportunity to learn, reflect, and engage with a significant moment in history through a lens of understanding, remembrance, and humanity."

"The exhibition is not about taking sides. Rather, it is about creating a respectful space where people can come together to listen, learn, and consider the lasting impacts of conflict. Through stories of loss, resilience, and hope, visitors are invited to reflect on our shared past and the future we are shaping together."

Visitors are invited to take part in our community 1,000 Paper Cranes Project. The story of the 1,000 paper cranes comes from the belief that anyone who folds 1,000 origami cranes will be granted a wish. It became famous through the story of Sadako Sasaki, who began folding cranes while battling leukemia caused by radiation from the Hiroshima atomic bomb. Fold one crane or many and bring them along to the exhibition. Together, the cranes will form a collective display representing our community's hopes for a more peaceful future.

Whether you come to learn, reflect, contribute a crane, or simply spend time with the stories shared, all are welcome.

Event Details:
Saturday 4th July to Sunday 12th July from 10am to 2pm. Rose Room, Lawson Field Theatre. Free Entry

15/06/2026

It’s interesting, the things that come most naturally to us are sometimes the very things we value least. We might ....

⭐ effortlessly put others at ease, but don't see that as a strength
⭐ naturally organise chaos and think everyone can do it
⭐ notice what others need before they ask, assuming it's "just common sense"

Because these things come so naturally and feel so easy, we can mistakenly believe they're not valuable.

Yet, they're often the very qualities that have been with us ‘forever’, that others see and appreciate.

Perhaps one of the greatest acts of self-awareness isn't discovering something new about ourselves. Perhaps it's recognising and appreciating what’s been there all along.

❓ Have you ever been thanked, praised, or acknowledged for something that feels completely natural to you? What were you doing?

23/04/2026

We’ve been taught that if we want more… we should do more.
➡️ Work harder.
➡️ Try harder.
➡️ Push harder.

But more doesn’t always come from doing more.

It comes from alignment. From doing things that fit with who we are - as parents, workers, friends, supporters.

When it's there, you can feel the shift.
And others see it too.

🔸 energy lasts longer
🔸 impact goes further
🔸 fulfilment runs deeper

Over the next few days, notice when you feel energised, satisfied, content.

Is it when you’re learning?
Solving problems?
Supporting others to grow?
Connecting?
Planning?
Creating?

These moments offer clues.
They show you where your “more” lives.

Notice them.
Then find ways to do more of them -
for the good of you, and the people around you.

Enjoy. 🧡