There is nothing permanent, except change

I only recently turned on the time hop feature of Facebook, as I was maybe a little bit cynical of revelling in my own nostalgia. However, as I've just turned thirty, the allure of looking back and seeing what I was doing over the last 11 years was too much.

The first big thing to hit me was that the way in which I used social media has changed dramatically! There are messages that my friends and I would send each other that I wouldn't DREAM of popping on my wall now (nothing shady mind you, just pub trips/plans/bad FIFA scores etc), and even things like poking and waving at each other have gone with the times.

I feel like I've been front and center as the world adapts to and around social media, and I now live in time when anyone one in the world can reach me any time, anywhere (apart from my parents house, for some reason there is ZERO reception in North Wales - I'm looking at you EE).

But when you think about it, the changes aren't surprising at all. The way in which we share our information has changed almost as much as I've changed myself, and mirrors the changes I've seen in those around me.

For example, I've gone from being a Law Student, to a van driver, to a bartender, to an office administrator, to a corporate negotiator, and I finally find myself at the ripe old age of 30 as an Engagement Specialist. I've loved and loathed some of the jobs I've had, but each time I've grown a little wiser and learned a bit more about who I am and what I want to be when I grow up. I'm still the same core person I was when I was 20, but at the same time I'm completely different.

It seems sensible that I've sought out a business that embraces change, as it seems to bring out the best in me. I was reminded by a push notification that it was exactly one year ago that I returned to the UK from travelling around South-East Asia with my girlfriend. I had quit my job, my house, left the city I'd been living in for a decade, and even quit my band (one of these things was harder to give up than the others if you're wondering), and ended up moving in with parents and working in the local pub. Looking back to that time it's still astounding to me how different I was and how much I've grown in only a year.

And I nearly didn't do any of these things, because I was afraid.

I'm really lucky that today I get to spend my time these days speaking with businesses and getting to know them and their challenges. It reminds me that we're all different, but it's really heartwarming to see that they are constantly changing and evolving too. Even when you've got everything right and have a well-oiled machine, being ready for change and taking it in your stride can make the difference between success and failure. It's a constant theme with people, and comes up all the time - "how do we communicate change". There isn't really a simple answer, but if I were to summarise, I'd just say "constantly".

I was at a conference recently and one of the speakers said:

"You're either on the train or off the train, but don't even think of standing on the tracks"

This sentiment stayed with me for a good while, as it was echoed in her motivation to make her business the best it could be. The passion was all there, but the feelings had all the fear removed and instead it was the results that will be the legacy of the work she's been doing. It was awesome!

The point I'm coming to is this - everything will change, always.

Don't be afraid of it, either in a professional or personal setting. A lot of the things we're afraid of are feelings - feelings that will change much more quickly than we realise, yet can dwarf our decision making and cause us to stand in our tracks when instead we should be moving forwards.

Change can be good, or bad, but either way it's going to happen. As someone far wiser than I once said...

"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." John F. Kennedy

With this in mind, you might as well go with it. The next time you have a big decision to make, try separating out the potential consequences into feelings and results, and keep in your mind that the feelings will diminish in a matter of days, while the results will stay with you for much longer.

You could say try and see the wood from the trees, but I think it's more like gaining a better perspective for how quickly and certainly emotions change. And with this awareness of change, hopefully there's one less thing for you to worry about.

Peace out

-Ted