Change is gonna' come

Sometimes I blog on and on about what is most pressing inside my skull. Sometimes I keep those pressing thoughts all inside so they don't spill out in the wrong way. This time I shall try to hit a middle ground. Here goes...

Last month, my biggest design client asked for an additional discount off what I charge them. For over 3 years I have been giving them a 15% discount. Last month, they asked for 60% off. Oh, and they didn't want me or my team to do any less work, just take less money. When I countered with, "Hey, how about 40% off?" They told me (and I shall paraphrase) "Thanks for playing, we already have someone lined up who will do it for the lesser price. Turn in your work and final invoice this week."

So be it. (which was oddly, not my first answer)

The twist here is that my biggest client is actually two of my clients. Two halves, one company. So we all know what is coming next, right? They now want the EXACT SAME WORK for less money on the other half of the company. Hey there's always someone cheaper out there to take their money.

And so we see the writing on the wall: CHANGE IS COMING.

I leafed through my mind and found similar situations in my past. Change came, I resisted. Change came, I held on with all my might. Change came and I was devastated. Then a year later I would look at my life and laugh at how stupid I had been to think that my previous situation was so fantastic that I could never leave it. I have always landed somewhere better, somewhere less stressful, somewhere with more freedom and I have been a happier person. I decided to play those old home movies in my head and learn the valuable lesson.

I have stopped what I am doing and said out loud, "I am open to change."

I am not holding on. I am making peace with my surroundings and turning my eyes to the horizon that holds my future. If I can't make enough money to live in the center of sunny Los Angeles, than I can figure out how much money I will have and choose a new location to live that is affordable.

My ears hear "CHANGE IS COMING" and my head shouts back "SCREW THAT!" My mind takes over and talks me out of my anger and reminds me that next year is going to be amazing and I will be just fine. Ultimately my stomach tries to have the last word as it knots up and says, "But I'm not ready today..."

Then I stop and BREATHE.

I don't know yet what my future holds. But I do know this, Change is coming and I am open.