Settling in, and finding my voice

So, it's been a while between posts.

I wondered if a blog was the right thing - for me personally, for my business, and for you out there. There are so many blogs around, and sometimes I don't really feel like I have anything of value to add.

But then I spent some time with some incredible people, who reminded me (without me actually having to ask them!), that when you have nothing to say you just don't say anything. But when you do, you should.

So here I am - finding my feet, and my voice.

It's been 6 months now since I started this virtual admin business, and what a 6 months it's been! First there was all the anxiety and butterflies and excitement of actually making the leap and launching my own business (eek!). Just a few weeks after that, COVID appeared in full force, and I wasn't really sure where I was going to end up as a result.

I watched so many of my friends struggling - with work, with health, with their own personal lives and anxieties. And I felt so guilty - here I was, just puddling along, managing to make this weird new VA thing actually work, slowly but surely, despite the world appearing to start turning in on itself.

And now, here I am, 6 months in, and the world is looking a whole lot different than when I started. The pandemic has taught us to go a little slower, be a little more flexible in where and how we work, and to balance work and life. To appreciate spending time with our family, to stay connected even when we can't meet face to face, and to adapt to whatever gets thrown at us.

We are now watching the global community take stock of the situation, and stand up and say that it's time to make some changes - big changes. There are scenes around the globe of communities coming together and saying "it's time". It's time to change how we treat each other, it's time to speak up and call out those who refuse to change, it's time to admit that it's not good enough, and needs to change.

I've not said things publicly on either my personal or professional pages before - I'm very aware that I am a white, middle-class woman, who lives a life of privilege. I'm also very aware that despite my efforts to read and learn, I'm no expert - it hasn't been something I have personally experienced, and I don't want to say the wrong thing.

But, over the last 6 months, I have learned that by doing nothing, saying nothing, nothing changes. In life, politics, relationships - nothing. There has been so much nothing over the years - from so many of us. Everybody has a part to play in making sure that our communities are heard, are supported, and are connected. It doesn't have to be something big - it can be small. It's about listening, learning, and growing.

Change doesn't come from a single-lane road. It is more like a multi-lane highway. Some speed ahead, darting between others, and seeing the newest horizons first. Others stick to the middle, and play it slower and safer, more focussed on making balanced and measured progress. Others still will need to stop for a bit, take a break on the side to catch their breath and figure out their next move.

All that matters is that we all keep moving in the same direction - forwards.

The next 6 months will undoubtedly bring about even more change. I hope it's change that sees me growing, learning, and seeing the world through a much wider lens.