Change can be traumatic for anyone; when something or someone that has been a part of our life is no longer there anymore it can send us into a spiral of confusion. We don’t like change – even when it’s for the better: it’s in our nature to stick to what we know. I don’t know about you, but I sometimes feel like someone is out to get me and that there is some sort of conspiracy. Of course there isn’t, it’s simply life being life and it’s the same for everyone. When shit happens we automatically take it personally, without actually thinking about the bigger picture. We always think the worst and that isn’t always the case, the outcome is what we choose it to be and not what we think is will be. Seeing sense or thinking logically is far out of sight – we grab on to the only thing we can rely on in times like this because fear blinds us , we can’t see anything else. We lack faith in our own abilities, we don’t – as a species – deal with change very well, we fight it even when it can benefit us, we are scared of the unknown and its holding us back from achieving greatness. We are all good at something wether we know what that thing is or not. We are all capable of great things if we allow ourselves to believe. Our education system sadly lacks the ability to teach us these skills and this is a problem we must face and rectify if we are ever to improve or evolve positively as a race. Recently, one of my projects has come to a screeching halt without even getting off the ground and it’s bloody frustrating I can tell you. However, I’m not disappointed or angry with myself or the situation, because I know I did my best. Even though I went into it with my eyes closed, not really knowing the full scale of what I was letting myself in for (and I should have known better), I was excited, caught up in the moment. I have learned what not to do and that is a positive attitude, it’s the willingness to see when we are out of our depth and willingness to admit to ourselves – and everyone else. Its taking responsibility for the situation and owning it, not it owning us. Then, out of the blue another of my projects closer to my heart has been given a boost and I can see it achieving everything I wish it to be – and more. I realise now that if I hadn’t had my eyes open to the positivity that was coming in from another direction, I may have missed my opportunity whilst feeling sorry for myself. We are all presented with daily opportunities, we just don’t recognise them until they pass us by as we are too busy fretting over situations out of our control. Being a part of Byw has helped me take back all of myself from the horrors we call life: Byw has given me the tools to ride out the storms and become who I truly believe I can be, Byw has given me the confidence to stand up and have a voice that is heard and most importantly, Byw has opened my eyes to the power of the positive thinking and action. Byw can be used as a vehicle to empower others to achieve their goals and ambitions. Change is good; it helps us grow and learn. We shouldn’t have fear of it, we should embrace it with open arms and encourage its growth. Here at Byw we want that change to be one of unity and confidence for all of us.