With another festive season and new year upon us, now is the time for reflection and celebration. Only last week, my wife and I were lucky enough to join our oldest and closest friends for their son’s wedding at the beautiful Sopwell House, an old country manor house.
At times like these, I fully realize how lucky I am. Not only did I get to spend time with my wife and our best friends, but I got to see the new generation take their next big step. We enjoyed good company and food and drink, and we danced the night away. Those special moments are what life’s really about. It’s not all about work — it’s about the important people.
We’ve got plenty of special moments for the festive season. This year we are having family 
over for Christmas Day, and later on will be watching some footie. Then, we’re going away for a few days over the new year period to Kent, where we’ll rent an apartment overlooking the sea and just relax for three or four days. It’s all about wrapping up warm for walks on the beach in the cold weather, reading, planning for and renewing ourselves for the new year.
Another cause for reflection and celebration was when I went with my parents to see my Dad accept a lifetime achievement award, he won for his services volunteering in the mental health charity sector. I can’t tell you how proud I am of him and my Mum, who was awarded an MBE herself at Buckingham Palace for her charity work a few years ago.
The reason my parents got so involved in mental health charity is because my beautiful sister was unfortunately struck down with mental illness when she was 16, back in the 1980s. In response, my parents set up a charity for the mentally ill in our community. From humble beginnings as a small charity, the organization is now a significant charity with a multimillion-pound budget. They have volunteers and befriending services, and they went from their front living room to a staff of 40 people, with a shop, residential home, respite care, outreach workers and so much more!
I believe my parents’ amazing work and contributions are definitely worth celebrating. I actually go into detail about my thoughts on their work and my own very personal story I’ve never publicly spoken of before, in a book I co-authored with Dan Kennedy called ‘The Ultimate Success Secret.’ If you want to know more and my views on what I call ‘Focused Perseverance,’ I’ll send you your very own copy. Just drop me an email to [email protected].
Aside from the wedding, my Dad’s award and other wonderful moments, I will also look back on 2016 as the busiest year ever at The Claims Desk since I set up in 2004. For that, I must thank our wonderful clients, referral partners and suppliers. It’s not always easy, but I love that I can make a difference in so many lives with the work I do.
Special Gift for You
I hope you’ve enjoyed getting our newsletter, Ready, Claim, Fire, and I’d love to receive your feedback and hear what you’d like to see included in future issues. Please let me know! The first three individuals who respond to me at info@theclaimsdesk. co.uk will get a special gift sent out to them to welcome in the new year.
I hope you have a wonderful, happy and healthy festive season, surrounded by your friends and family — and that 2017 is all you wish it to be!
Warmest festive wishes,
Steve Lazarus
