Remembrance Day 2025: A Living Practice of Remembrance

Each November, we pause. We stand in silence. We remember.

But remembrance is not just a moment; it’s a movement. At ACSIS Life Coaching, co-founded by Royal Navy veterans Sam Kinsey-Briggs MBE and Lloyd Allen, Remembrance Day is a call to reflect, reconnect, and recommit.

This year, our co-founder Sam took part in London Poppy Day 2025, joining thousands at Leicester Square to sell poppies, share stories, and honour the living legacy of service. The photo below, full of purpose, symbolises our belief that remembrance is not just about memory, but momentum.

Remembrance Through a Modern Lens

At ACSIS, we centre our work around three enduring principles: Clarity, Courage, and Connection. This Remembrance season, we invite you to explore how these values can transform remembrance from a passive ritual into an active responsibility.

🔍 Clarity: Seeing the Cost of Silence

Traditional remembrance rightly honours sacrifice. But it must also confront the cost of silence.

• Silence allowed past atrocities to unfold.

• Silence still marginalises the voices of veterans facing mental health struggles.

• Silence keeps trauma locked in the minds of those who return from conflict.

  
  

Clarity means facing these truths head-on. It’s not about blame; it’s about awareness. When we truly see, we gain the power to change.

This Remembrance Day, clarity calls us to speak, support, and show up for those who can’t always do it for themselves.

🛡 Courage: Remembering the Unremembered

Remembrance often focuses on names carved into stone. But courage expands the circle. It remembers:

• Colonial troops and conscripted civilians

• Nurses, resistance fighters, and LGBTQ+ service members

• Those who served silently, and those who served by saying “no” when it counted most

  
  

Courage asks us to widen the narrative. To tell the full story. To honour all who served humanity, even when history chose to forget them.

It’s easy to celebrate battlefield bravery. It’s harder, but more urgent, to live out courage in everyday action, dialogue, and leadership.

🌍 Connection: Remembering the Land That Remembers Too

We remember faces. Names. Poppies.

But the land remembers too.

Battlefields become meadows. Forests reclaim trench-lines. The earth, in its quiet way, holds memory just as powerfully.

Connection invites us to honour nature as part of remembrance.

• Plant a tree.

• Clean a coastline.

• Protect the living world veterans once defended.

  
  

This is remembrance as restoration, a way of rebuilding forward.

A Living Legacy

Clarity. Courage. Connection.

Three words. Three actions. One vision for remembrance that is both modern and meaningful.

"There are stars whose radiance is visible on Earth though they have long been extinct... These lights are particularly bright when the night is dark. They light the way for humankind." - Hannah Szenes, poet & resistance fighter

As the nation pauses at 11am this Remembrance Day, perhaps we can ask not only: "Who do we remember?" but also: "How will we live because of what we remember?" Because that’s where Remembrance Day 2025 truly begins again.

ACSIS: Veteran Life Coaching Grounded in Experience

At ACSIS, our veteran-led coaching team understands the mental preparation, courage, and resilience that service life demands. We offer military-to-civilian transition coaching, confidence coaching for professionals, and mental resilience training tailored for the unique challenges of veterans and their families.

Whether you're looking for UK-wide veteran support or life coaching in London, our mission is clear: to empower you to thrive.

🔗 Book a Session with ACSIS Life Coaching

Essential Mental Health Resources for Veterans in the UK

If you or someone you know is struggling, these organisations can help:

• Samaritans – Call 116 123 (24/7)

• Combat Stress – Call 0800 138 1619 | Text 07537 173683

• Royal British Legion – 0808 802 8080 (8am–8pm, daily)

• Mind – Call 0300 123 3393 | Text 86463

• Mental Health Foundation – mentalhealth.org.uk

  
  

The Importance of Remembrance in Personal Growth

Remembrance is not merely a tribute; it is a vital part of our personal growth journey. Reflecting on the past helps us understand our present and shape our future.

Understanding Our History

When we remember, we acknowledge the sacrifices made by those before us. This understanding can inspire us to face our own challenges with courage.

Building Resilience

Remembrance teaches us resilience. It shows us that even in the darkest times, there is hope. We can draw strength from the stories of those who have come before us.

Creating Meaningful Connections

Through remembrance, we can forge deeper connections with others. Sharing stories and experiences fosters empathy and understanding. This connection can be a powerful tool for personal growth.

Taking Action

Let us turn our remembrance into action. How can we honour those who served? By living with purpose, supporting one another, and making a positive impact in our communities.

In conclusion, let’s carry the spirit of remembrance into our daily lives. Let it guide us as we strive for clarity, courage, and connection. Together, we can create a legacy that honours the past while shaping a brighter future.