"It’s made me more open about my journey"

Not every lesson in leadership comes from a conference room or a training session. Some come from the hardest places we never imagined we’d be. For me, that place was completing a community payback order in Auchentiber.

At first, I felt ashamed. Walking into it, I worried about what people would think, how it might define me, and whether I’d ever move past it in my professional life. What I didn’t expect was how much I would learn about resilience, humility, and the strength of community—lessons I now carry into my work every single day.

Community payback wasn’t glamorous. It was long hours of physical work, showing up in the rain, and being part of a group of people whose lives had taken very different turns. But day after day, I learned the power of discipline: the act of showing up, even when it’s uncomfortable, even when no one is applauding. That persistence has shaped the way I approach challenges in my career.

Along the way, I met people with stories far tougher than mine. Some were struggling with cycles of poverty, addiction, or disadvantage. It forced me to step outside my own bubble and see life from another angle. That perspective taught me empathy in a way no book or workshop ever could. Today, I find myself listening more carefully, leading with greater compassion, and understanding that everyone carries battles we might not see

Perhaps the biggest lesson was learning to own my mistakes without letting them define me. A setback can either become a permanent label or a turning point. I chose the latter. That shift—from shame to growth—has been transformative. It’s made me more open about my journey and more determined to help others see that redemption is 

My community payback order doesn’t define me, but it has shaped me. It gave me resilience, empathy, and a renewed sense of purpose. Those lessons are now part of how I show up in my work and how I support others in theirs.

Our past may shape us, but it doesn’t have to limit us. What matters most is what we choose to build from it.