“Jump, and you will find out how to unfold your wings as you fall.” Ray Bradbury

I recently obtained ( and subsequently resigned from) a new job. The day I started, I knew there would be challenges in terms of knowledge gaps which, with the assistance of colleagues, I was able to close. I knew the challenges would be there and I knew I would close them but I would suggest that in the interim, my experience was just the same as anyone who is tentatively stepping out of their comfort zone. Concern that I wouldn’t ‘get it’ and would be found out.

But change requires risk. Personal development requires risk, because if there is no risk there is no progress.

Charles Hobbs recognised this in his book “TimePower”, where he described the average holiday. Tourists-to-be will make their plans, pack their gear, go through the routines of travel (although the first experience of air travel is developmental), arrive at their destination and immediately recreate their home. Whatever goes by the TV goes by the TV, what we keep by the bed goes by the bed, our wash-kit is strategically placed in its ‘usual’ place in the bathroom. These days, we immediately locate and enter the wi-fi code into our devices and check for Facebook, Twitter, Instasnap and Gramchat and do exactly what we would have done had we stayed home. We unconsciously recreate our safe space, our comfort zone.

But where is the adventure in standing still?

I believe that the main reason for resistance to any change – and I’m thinking Brexit as I write, as it is very big in the news today – is that it isn’t comfortable, and it will create work. The argument that the weak make against change is usually ‘something might happen’ and ‘nothing will happen if we just carry on as we are’.  They will bust a gut to find the hypothetical evidence to prove that, too.

That has been fairly plain in the current climate, in my view. No-one on the Remain side seems to talk about the opportunities of staying, only the dangers of leaving. (Although I admit I may be looking through a Leave perspective.) The reason being we know what remaining means because it’s been written down in the Lisbon Treaty – although the two sides will dispute the meaning of the words stated within it. (And if an EU Army tries to draft my grandson, I pity the Military Policeman who comes to fetch him. Bring friends.)

But change? Eeeeek!

The EU is arguably the Comfort Zone, where we go on holiday knowing that when we get there it’ll be exactly like home, but warmer and with expensive things to do.

I voted Leave. I did it for a number of reasons, most of which were the result of seeing the problems accidentally created by free movement (foreign criminals and patients massively increasing costs of public services because of the need for interpreters), privacy laws (there’s no such things, ask Facebook) and the ‘legally ethical’ abuse of Human Rights to the disadvantage of those who deserve them.

In the final analysis, though, I voted Leave because I want to see what we can do with it. I fancy an adventure.

I.

Like.

Change.

So although my resignation (for peace of mind, nothing criminal!) has resulted in an enforced change, and the background to it is still a bit raw, I am starting to think that the possibilities are endless.

So, Ray, let’s see how my wings unfold.