We are approaching the end of our first week of this year’s series. It is still mid-November when I write this and the start seems ages away, but will soon come around. I enjoy reading the posts as they come in and then the anticipation builds for me before the posts are released to you, one at a time. I often forget which order I have scheduled them in and am as surprised as you when the post goes live. I like that though.
Today at home it is Friday, and that’s been a non-working day for me and also my wife for 2.5 years now. We both work a four-day week, and both enjoy it. There are occasional exceptions, but often those are when we have had other days off in the week such as the end of a family holiday – so we do work Fridays on occasion, but never work a five-day week any more. In fact I don’t think we could. Fridays are used as a day of getting life admin done and spending time doing things that each of us want to do either individually or together, with the freedom of doing so whilst the youngest children are at school. It means when the “real” weekend arrives, we aren’t beaten down by the working week and can hit the ground running.
Today’s post is from Averil Price, returning to the series after debuting last year. Averil is another person I’ve not met in real life – strange how often I say that about contributors to this series. You can find her on LinkedIn, and on X/Twitter (@AvieConsultancy). Averil is The Legacy Coach, Owner & Director of Avie Consultancy Ltd., a boutique agency working with individuals and organisations to create & celebrate meaningful legacies. She works with public service leaders to support their transition to a new chapter, be that promotion, career change or retirement. She helps councils create the conditions to nurture and sustain high performing teams and focus on succession planning. Averil had a successful local government career of 31 years, with 20+ of those working at Director level in three very different local authorities. She stepped aside in November 2022 for health and wellbeing reasons, moved home to Wales and took the leap to becoming self-employed.
Over to Averil:
There’s something uniquely bittersweet about the moment you realise it’s time to leave a job you love. The decision often feels like an emotional tug-of-war—on one side, the pull of new opportunities, and on the other, the weight of leaving behind people, routines, and a part of your identity that you’ve built over time.
Two years ago, I found myself in that position saying, “I don’t want to go,” but knowing it was a decision I had to take. It wasn’t just about saying goodbye to a desk or a daily task—it was about stepping away from something that had become more than just work. It was a place where I gone to after a difficult period in my life, somewhere I had rebuilt my confidence, an employer that had supported me completely as I recovered from a stroke, and where I made significant connections with some great people that shaped me in ways I hadn’t expected.
The Comfort of Familiarity
When you’ve spent years in one role, you develop a sense of familiarity that’s hard to walk away from. The people become more than colleagues; they become friends, mentors, and a kind of family. The office environment, no matter how mundane or hectic, becomes a second home. Even if you’ve faced challenges along the way, there’s comfort in knowing exactly where to turn when things get tough.
Leaving a job like this can feel like stepping into the unknown, and it’s that uncertainty that can make the decision feel so overwhelming. It’s easy to wonder: What if I’m making a mistake? What if things won’t be as fulfilling somewhere else or doing something different?
The Heartache of Farewell
Saying goodbye to colleagues, to projects you’ve poured your heart into, and to a routine that’s given you purpose can feel like a small loss. For me it wasn’t just about leaving behind a regular salary, but about closing a chapter that had been integral to your personal and professional story. I was leaving local government after 31-years.
There are moments in every job that define your experience—when you overcame a difficult project, when you celebrated a success with a team, or when you navigated a challenging situation with grace. These moments aren’t easily forgotten, and walking away from them can feel like leaving a piece of yourself behind.
But sometimes, leaving is necessary. It’s not just about the job itself, but about your growth and your future. In fact, often, the very reason you don’t want to go is the same reason you must—because you’re ready for the next phase of your journey. Staying would mean stagnation. Moving on, while hard, is the only way forward.
Embracing Change
Change is rarely easy, but it’s an essential part of progress. While the thought of leaving something you love can be filled with doubt and fear, it’s also an opportunity to step into new challenges, discover new passions, and learn in ways you haven’t yet imagined.
When you decide to leave a job, remember it’s not about burning bridges—it’s about acknowledging the value of what you’ve experienced while embracing the excitement of what’s next. The skills you’ve gained, the lessons you’ve learned, and the relationships you’ve built will travel with you, ready to support you in your next role.
Yes, the process of letting go is hard. And yes, there will be moments of hesitation. But eventually, you’ll find that the things you love about your current job—your colleagues, your skills, your sense of purpose—will help propel you forward into the future.
In the end, you don’t have to want to go. But sometimes, the best thing for you is to take that step, to trust that the path ahead holds just as much, if not more, promise as the one you’re leaving behind.
I’m really glad Averil put this together. She is another who found out about the theme and within 24 hours had written this. Her take on the theme is shared by some others this year – the wrench of leaving a familiar setting and taking a leap into the unknown. It is something I have done, and not always done well.
She is right that we don’t have to do it, and advises us that it is often better if we do – trusting in ourselves and our dreams. She is also right to point out that the things we love about our current situation are the things that will propel us forward in future. But leaving things behind is hard.
What do you find hard to leave behind?
Till next time…
Gary.
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