Change: We all hate it

Normally my blog posts are very focused on antique related posts, but after reading so many people’s end of year affirmations, beginning of the year plans and goals, it really got me thinking. I have read so many, some embracing their future and changes they plan to implement to keep up with the world around them so their businesses keep thriving, I have read an equal number of people clinging to the past, lamenting that things are not how they used to be. Stating their plans for the year, which are sure to fail, because they are trying to get people to go back in time rather than move forward with our new reality.

So here are my two cents on the topic, I really enjoyed writing this. I will start with I hate change more than anything else I whine, I mourn, but I also constantly try to find new ways to do things I am a walking contradiction at times. I am the first to admit I always struggle to follow my own advice that I am writing, but I do eventually follow it after my complaining cycle, because change is the only way we grow and we either grow or die. I choose grow. So here it goes my thoughts on the matter after my very wordy introduction, lol.

Change is one of life’s inevitabilities. Yes, that sentence does sound trite. I have resisted change many times over the years only to be told that time after time.  Whether we embrace it or resist it, it shapes our world in ways we can’t always control. The COVID-19 pandemic has driven this point home more than most events in recent history. It wasn’t just a health crisis; it was a global upheaval that forced us to rethink how we live, work, and connect. The pandemic upended businesses, relationships, and daily routines, and the inability to adapt often left people scrambling to catch up. Some even in a death spiral they could not pull out of as we have seen by the many business closures since.

One of the very noticeable shift has been in how we do business. Before the pandemic, networking often revolved around in-person meetings, long lunches, and multi-day conferences. People viewed these face-to-face interactions as essential, you might say the foundation of building relationships. But when the world shut down, that luxury disappeared overnight. Suddenly, we had to find new ways to connect in a world that had to keep going despite the challenges we were all facing, in fact the world seemed to start moving faster than it had before.

The Rise of Virtual Networking

The pandemic ushered in change; many would say it was a much needed change.  Virtual communication became the norm. The pandemic turned tools, that many of us had never heard of, like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Slack from workplace conveniences into essential lifelines. The pandemic transformed networking events, making them shorter, sharper, and entirely online. While many of us miss the “good old days” of personal interaction, the reality is clear: we have fundamentally changed the way we connect. This change has not necessarily been for the worst, but at the same time it has not always been comfortable for us so used to the past ways.

Virtual communication has its advantages. It’s efficient, cost-effective, and eliminates the need for travel. A meeting that once required a flight and a hotel stay can now happen with the click of a button. Saving most companies much needed money that can be redirected to other mission critical areas of the business.  It’s also more accessible, allowing us to reach broader audiences from the comfort of our homes. But there’s no denying what we’ve lost: spontaneity, warmth, and depth that comes with sitting across from someone in person.

Adapting to a Faster World

Whether we like it or not, life and business have sped up. We must adapt; it’s no longer optional. Clinging to old ways of doing things can leave us stuck, while those who embrace change find ways to thrive. As George Bernard Shaw stated, “Progress is impossible without change; and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.

To keep up, professionals need to develop new skills. This means mastering virtual tools, learning to communicate clearly and concisely, and finding creative ways to build relationships online. Shorter, more frequent interactions are replacing the drawn-out meetings of the past. Networking groups, mentorship programs, and even social gatherings are evolving to fit this faster, more flexible model.

Looking Ahead

Change is never easy, but it pushes us to grow. The pandemic may have forced us to rethink how we live and work, but it’s also opened doors to new opportunities and ways of thinking. Businesses have become more efficient, and many of us have reevaluated what really matters in our lives.

As we move forward, one thing is certain: change will keep coming. The question is, will we keep up, or will we get left behind? Will we cling to what used to work? Doing so until we are nothing but a joke to those who used to respect us?  While we can’t turn back time to the way things were, we can embrace the present and build a future that works for us in a world that’s always evolving.