As you read this, I’ll be in the midst of putting my life in a removal van and heading out of London.
The last weeks have been an excited blur of continuing to develop my different kind of work in between planning the move. I’ve been enjoying making some new online connections and in cementing some already good offline ones, all of which I know I’ll take with me to my new life in the country. Now and again, however, I’ve stopped to remind myself of all that London has given me, and all that by necessity I must leave behind.
London, and specifically Wimbledon, has been an awesome place to live. I came here tired and broken, physically, emotionally and spiritually. I leave it feeling well and whole. Its wealth of opportunity has fed me: its fabulous, clever, cosmopolitan people; its education facilities; its entrepreneurialism; its fashion and shopping; its theatre and culture; its bars and restaurants. I am richer for all its gifts.
And in the last couple of weeks, I’ve been sure to go round the places and people I’ll leave behind and say even a silent thank you. The amazing this is that, rather than leaving me feeling bereft, I’ve felt only enriched and energised by the experience.
But what does all of this have to do with a blog about recreating work?
Well, I got to thinking about how it would be if any kind of work or business change was experienced with an attitude of gratitude. And it struck me how, when I worked for big corporates, their approach to change was to rubbish the old in order to legitimise the new. Years of hard work, loyally given, could be swept away in the apparent interests of progress. It’s an approach I used to take myself: I guess we’re trained to think that way. But when I was finally on its receiving end, my dislocation and invalidation were immense. Did it really have to be like that?
Our history is littered with examples of change happening without due regard for what was great about what existed before. The topic could fill a blog all by itself.
But how might it be if, at work and in life, instead of casting the past aside, or seeing only the bad in it, we chose to see the things that have supported us to this point, honoured them, and moved on whole?
Related posts:
Thanks for sharing your journey Christine. It sounds like you’ve had a great time in London and it sounds like you’ve left on a real positive note
. it’s an interesting topic that you address in this post. I know I sometimes have had the tendancy to see the past as negative. I think it’s about bringing awareness and like you have said an attitude of gratitude to it. There is a great exercise Martha Beck describes in her book steering by starlight. Basically you turn your life story on it’s head so that you see that for eg that if you hadn’t got fired you never would have landed the job of your dreams. All the so called negative things in life have to happen for the good to happen too. Like your message in this post Christine, it leaves you grateful for all of it because it has made you who you are today. Thank you for a really insightful post, all the best for your move and another great chapter in your life. Love Jen x
Thanks, Jen, for your good wishes. I completely agree with your point that everything, even so called negative things, have to happen for the good to happen too. I’m not familiar with Martha Beck – she sounds like someone to check out? Meantime, I think that, after a week of only occasional online access, I am about ready to rock and roll again. Looking forward to connecting more with you! Love, Christine
Twitter: KateBacon
Hi Christine
This is so true…so much happens in our life that seems like the biggest challenge, however change always gives us space for something new to be created.
We can even be grateful for things that seem really difficult as our response to situations is where we learn and grow.
Good luck with your move, drop me a line sometime about where you’re going to (I’m very curious!)
Take care
Kate
Hi Kate,
This week I’m definitely experiencing the reality of creating space in my life! Having now moved, I suppose I had imagined I’d move here and have everything up and running immediately. Wrong!! Still, it’s teaching me some realities of “location independent” living, and challenging me to learn new things, in particular about adapting my technology wherever I am.
Hoping to talk to you soon.
Best wishes
Christine
Twitter: bobbessette
Hi Christine,
I hope the move is going well. Interesting post, this one. In the States, as it seems elsewhere, loyalty is a thing of the past at least in the corporate world. I know of many people who after being let go, say it was the best thing that could’ve happened to them. It must be really difficult to take the positive approach when you are getting the axe but I think that probably comes with time. I’ve been pretty fortunate that I have only been laid off once (they completely shut down the division) but was able to land another job very quickly. Today, it may not be so easy with the economy in such disarray.
I look forward to hearing how you are adjusting to your new home.
Best,
Bob
Hi Bob,
The move has gone fine, thank you, though I’m still surrounded by packing boxes, as you might imagine! I always forget how much chaos moves like this cause…
And you raise an interesting point – the challenge of people being laid off in today’s climate to stay positive when things are in such turmoil. I suspect that’s something that you/I/we could blog about? It has definitely got me thinking. Wonder if anyone has done any research etc. Something to look into.
Hope all’s well with you and take care for now.
Best
Christine