Trusting the Process - positive change isn’t always immediate.

I (Ella) recently attended an event that highlighted the importance of change management. This got me thinking about how Nic and I have managed the recent change in our lives by visualising our end goal, and by trusting the process.

Even a planned change can leave you feeling uncertain at times as there are so many phases of the change journey that you have to navigate before even beginning to see your destination. What we have already learned on this steep curve is that positive change is not always immediate and you need to trust in the process rather than feel defeated by small set-backs.

No part of our journey so far has followed a clear trajectory, but by trusting the process and trusting each other, we are starting to see some exciting progress and parts of our vision falling into place. 

The First Step.

Being self-employed, for most, means leaving your existing employment behind and this will involve handing in your notice. Despite knowing that this was the right and necessary decision for us, this step was still significant. We were both leaving the same small team, essentially stripping it by 50%, leaving behind the relationships we had built with clients and the progress we had made. Unlike others leaving a job, we did not have position to go to that would provide the same level of security or income. Instead, we were leaving to start from scratch. This, of course, caused some feelings of insecurity for the both of us.

Sticking with it.

Despite these difficult truths, we remained committed to the change we wanted to see for our own lives and handed our notices in together. 

Then came the notice period. 

Anyone that has worked a notice period knows how difficult this can be - this was then intensified by the fact that we were both leaving at the same time, and it became common knowledge that we were leaving to start a business together! Of course, this meant that we received lots of opinions, feedback, and curiosity - both good and bad. It was during this time we were confident that we had made the right decision by leaving, however, that did not mean that we had begun to feel the positive effects of change yet. We still had to fulfil our notice period in positions that we were unhappy in, coupled with the anxiety of starting to find clients and get a plan in place for bridgers to ensure its success.

Luckily for us, we had each other to turn to in these uncertain times. Whenever our vision felt far away, we could redirect each other and remember why we had taken this chance in the first place. We reminded each other that we were building bridgers to provide us with a different work life and lifestyle, and this far outweighed our short-term financial risk. The fear of the sudden direction shift, and lack of a clear path forward was tough - but you know what they say, "the only way out of it is through it". 

Getting Started.

Once our notice period was over, we had both anticipated a feeling of relief, however, the reality was a new sense of uncertainty. 

We were now doing what we wanted. We were working for ourselves, we were our own bosses, and our lives were in our own hands. The only problem with that was that we were now working for ourselves, we were our own bosses and our lives were in our own hands! We were now solely responsible for our own finances, while also creating a brand that we are proud of. 

This period gave way to feelings panic as there are bills to be paid at the same time as dreams to be chased! However, once again, we had to re-direct these feelings of uncertainty and remind ourselves why we had decided to do this. We had to trust the process. We wanted the financial freedom that working for ourselves could bring us - yes we no longer had a guaranteed income, but we also have no limit to what our income can be! Yes, we had to create our brand from scratch, but this meant we have so much creative license to work with and can revel in fulfilling our own visions and ambitions for our female founded company.

Seeing results.

Now, we have been running bridgers for two and a half weeks and while we are still in the transition period of change, we are beginning to really see and feel the vision that we had coming together. It feels so rewarding to see and celebrate our first successes and to welcome new clients that believe in us and our business. We know that even though the initial period of change is coming to a close, that this is just the beginning of our journey and we’re excited for all of the change that has to come.

For anyone else embarking on a big change or going through something similar, we want you to know that change is a process. The first step and even the next five steps might feel rocky, but we can promise you that once your vision starts to become your reality, you will be so glad that you trusted the process. Leaning into change is the only way to keep moving forward. It can feel safer and more comfortable to stay where you are - but that has its own risks. After all, the worst thing that can happen is that you end up right back where you are now, and if that prospect scares you then you know that change is the right risk to take!