As I sit here reflecting on the year that has been it is hard to not have an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Yes, 2020 was a difficult year, and its’ affect and its’ uncertainty still remains with us, however it was a year that brought much clarity and reflection to what I do here at RMA.

Running Mums Australia has always existed to connect and inspire women. During the COVID-19 pandemic this never changed, and for that I am forever grateful. Some people stepped back, some people stood up and were a strong support, and that is okay, everyone reacted the way that was best for them when a crisis comes. When the pandemic hit, I panicked wondering what impact it would have on the connection of our people, but we proved to be a strong force and we remained connected. As strong as ever. Congratulations goes to you, RMA. I may be the person behind the business and organisation, but it is you, the women who keep it ticking and girls, you did. You found other ways to inspire each other, to keep motivated and connected and we navigated through the murky covid waters together, sometimes with a few tears, and sometimes with much joy and hope.

Mothers a resilient and we are used to changing situations daily, so we were already in good company when crisis came to our shores. We could tackle what came. We are mums. We are strong. We hold everything together for our families (even if we may fall apart a little ourselves…)

Whilst we couldn’t gather together across states for most of this year, we were still able to gather together in our own small communities where possible, and this is where the true magic of RMA has always happened. We are a large Australia-wide network, but it is each individual that connects with another in their local area that makes the magic happen, and you are the catalyst that keeps RMA going, so thank you. Thank you for reaching out to those that needed it, sharing time and runs with those that felt isolated and lonely or spending time on zoom or FaceTime, or whatever you did, we remain a strong force.

For me personally it was a time of growth. It of course didn’t come without its’ challenges, but for any business this would have been the case this year. BUT I can see where the growth happened for me. I have always been terrified of change, and well, it was totally OUT OF MY CONTROL. So instead of worrying, I just sat in the positives that could come, and pivoted a little where I needed to. I enjoyed more time with my family at home, explored my local trails more, outsourced a few things I had always done myself, picked up another day of work at my other job and then realised I don’t need to constantly fill my life with busyness, and subsequently dropped it (light bulb moment!), had more time to dedicate to projects that had been on the back-burner, and put my fear aside and dived head first in and tried something new like THE RMA PODCAST. It has proved a huge learning curve researching, putting myself out there, editing and promoting a podcast and I hope that it has brought inspiration and joy to you every fortnight. I certainly have grown and have enjoyed every minute.

So what is around the corner in 2021? The answer: who really knows. What I do know is that living in the moment brings the most joy at the moment. I look forward with hope, yet I feel that true happiness comes from the moments right in front of us. Cherish them. Cherish the people around you, the moments in each day, the goals accomplished, the projects in progress, the thankfulness of each sunrise and the gratitude from each sunset. Don’t plan too far ahead, but instead just allow yourself to sit in the present and be grateful for all of the blessings that we have around us.

Wishing you a wonderful 2021. I hope to be able to see you in person, if 2021 allows it, and I thank you wholeheartedly for always staying true to the RMA vision and your unconditional support.

Thank you.

Nicole Bunyon

X