At the end of every year, we like to pause and reflect on the previous 12 months. A question we used for reflection last year and have used again for 2024 is, ‘What activity(ies) brought you the most joy and fulfilment this year?’
Below are the answers from our team. Enjoy!
Liam Wallace – Financial Planner
It’s pretty easy to nail down what brought me the most joy this year – becoming a parent for the first time.
Kim Smith – Client Services Associate
Something that brought me a lot of joy this year was returning to my hometown in the UK for my younger brother’s wedding and meeting his son for the first time. It was also the first time most of my extended family met my daughter, Addison, which was really special! As the year draws to a close, I am preparing for Addison to start pre-primary at school in early 2025.
Kylie Lindquist – Client Services Associate
Crafting, sewing, and crocheting have always been a joy for me as I can make gifts for family and friends and sell the odd item here and there. I also enjoyed watching my daughter compete in and coach calisthenics again after having a year off and seeing her achievements as a coach and competitor.
Nick Bordi – COO
If Zoe’s reading, it was catching this lady as my future wife. If not, it was catching this crayfish!
Matt Hern – CFP®
Dancing most weekends has been a consistent beacon in my life in recent years, providing playfulness and a warm connection with others. At the start of this year, I challenged myself to learn a new dance genre, which included performing. Whilst it was very hard working through some of my fears and self-consciousness in addition to learning the dance moves, it was wonderful to feel encouraged and supported by my fellow dancers and close friends. As for the final performance … the cheers of the ‘crowd’ (friends) were very satisfying. I’m really proud I challenged myself to feel more alive this year!
Norm Jupp – CFP®
In 2024, I found great joy in starting a new hobby – growing our own vegetables. After my first year, we now have the healthiest-looking grubs and bugs in the neighbourhood. We also managed to get a good crop of beetroot, which was pickled in a secret recipe. The result was world-class pickled beetroot (my mother-in-law’s opinion only!).
Jeff Petrie – AFP®
This year has seen a significant change for my wife and me – a sea change. While I regained a healthy respect for moving again, the move has seen a reset in our lives. Moving closer to my parents and the beach has enabled us to get a taste of a new environment and experiences, with many more to come as we settle in and get more time to get to know our new home. It’s been a good reminder of how lucky we are to live in such a lovely part of the world with such an expanse of outdoor areas, beautiful beaches and a climate that allows us to spend as much of our time outdoors as we please.
Linda Sara – Client Services Manager
It’s been a big year for my family with 21st birthdays and milestone anniversaries – so there was a lot of cake to be enjoyed! I then got an opportunity in August to work some of that cake off with an ‘overseas’ trip to Norfolk Island, where I had a brilliant time getting to learn and experience the rich history of the place. The people were also so welcoming and friendly. One of the most bizarre experiences on Norfolk Island was having a chook – not a seagull – beg for chips at our seaside picnic!
Stephen Anagno – Financial Planner
After meeting my girlfriend in early 2023 at the local café in Como and then travelling to her hometown in Japan in November 2023, it was safe to say we were meant to be. In April 2024, I decided to propose to her in the same spot where I had asked her to be my girlfriend, this time asking her to be my wife (in Japanese!). We are already planning our wedding celebration for April 2025.
Max Pree – Associate
This year, I went on what I like to call my final family holiday—you know, the last one where you get to enjoy everything without paying a cent. We spent three glorious weeks in Japan with my family and girlfriend, packed with skiing in Hakuba and exploring Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.
The simultaneous highlight and lowlight of the trip was experiencing a 7.1 magnitude earthquake while in the ski fields. How do I describe being in an earthquake? It’s like the ground suddenly forgetting its job—shaking, jolting, and making you question if the ceiling will stay where it belongs. It’s chaotic, unsettling, and over before you even process what’s happening.
Despite the ground literally shaking beneath us, the trip was amazing. It included an unreasonable amount of onigiri, Asahi, and shopping. And honestly, nothing says ‘vacation success’ like surviving a natural disaster and still managing to have a great time!
Nathan Morgan – Financial Planner
Previously averse to getting a dog, I finally caved, and we bought the cute and cheeky Kevin home! He’s a long-haired mini dachshund who gets me up early in the morning for a walk. We try our best to burn off his energy early so he can sleep for the rest of the day. It’s great to have him as an addition to our family.
Kyh Dickson – Client Services Associate
Several things brought me joy this year. Playing golf with friends and family, jet skiing (I love being out on the water), camping and exploring the west coast with friends saw many great memories created. Starting at HPH has also been a very exciting journey. There is plenty to learn, and I’m very thankful for the opportunities already.
Josh Cripps – Client Services Associate
The best part about 2024 for me was definitely the overseas travel I did. In January, I went to Japan (Tokyo and Niseko) on a snowboarding trip with my partner and mates. I also went to Bintan Island in October with my family and our partners. These trips were certainly the biggest highlights, followed by starting at HPH, welcoming my first niece, and my brother winning the Brownlow in September. 2024 was a good year, and I look forward to what 2025 has in store.
Rob Pyne – Managing Director
Celebrating Mum’s 80th birthday and making her the centre of attention. For someone who has devoted her life to putting everyone else first, shining the limelight on her and witnessing the love everyone has for her was simply the best.
Great to have your services again this year.
I think you should visit Jeff Petrie for some sun, the knees mate nearly blinded me
Haha, they are very white aren’t they Colin. 🙂
Wishing you both a wonderful Christmas with your family and a healthy, happy and prosperous 2025!
Lovely to hear that there’s joy in people’s lives. Obviously, my joy is receiving my kidney transplant which is going really well so far and is improving my health and my life so much.
Merry Christmas everyone- here’s to a joy filled 2025! K&C Walsh
We’re so pleased to hear you are doing so well Karen! Merry Christmas to you both and yes, to more terrific and joyous days in 2025!
Visiting Scotland early this year with my husband and daughter and showing her the highlands where her Grandmother was from. It was a very moving experience for both of us. Oh and getting my kitten ‘Alfie’ a few months ago. He is a constant joy.
What a wonderful experience Angela, to connect you and your family to your Scottish ancestry. Little wonder it was a moving experience. So much history to absorb there.
And to bring a new source of joy into the house – ‘Alfie’!