2023 over and out.
Port an t- Slaoichain beach, Isle of Mull
I thought I would write some thoughts down on this blog entry as to 2023 and how it affected found us (oh and me.)
2023 is coming to a close and as been a difficult time for my business, myself, other businesses, people, and well… United Kingdom Limited. Micro factors unique to the UK and macro factors affecting the world have all come into play. But we must not be negative about where we are; it’s all about looking at the positive, the learning and where we are this present moment and where we can be (if we want.) Read below.
My business found us is myself, i.e. Peter Cobley. It has always been me as I was loathe to expand the business and take people on, having been there and bought the t-shirt. I was long overdue a change and this came to a head in 2023, a mere 9 years since setting the business up.
2023 - turgid times leading to worry
I’ve seen the ongoing aftermath of the poor decision that was Brexit, that economically hurt the UK, added to and fuelled a split Europe, aided the rise of Populist politics or Fascism in old money, and can now be seen in the cost of living affecting the UK, the shame of Poland and Hungary, and the disaster that is the Ukraine. We must also not forget the huge impact that COVID brought.
I saw a severe decline in 2023 on the search and selection side of the business as the major players who I worked with ceased to use me and the inevitable redundancies happened. Interestingly on the other side of the business I picked up consultancy work in 2023. I like most people have struggled with the decline in business and tightening of purse strings, compounded by the rise in living.
It was not though as simple as that as I explain below. The downturn was also created by my being poorly, self-inflicted poor behaviour that led me to take a foot off the pedal. The consequences were immense in fuelling and adding to the downturn in my businesses fortunes and thus mine. I stagnated a business at a time when it needed love, growth, support, and action. I learnt a lot, a hell of a lot. Did I mess up, did I screw up? Hell yes.
So it has been a tough business year for me, my wife Claire, and thus financially tough. But this is all relative to other people’s struggles, and all this been hard to watch and hear, and my woes pale into insignificance.
Worry is normal. I am worried as to business. I am worried as to the cost of living. I am worried as to growth and sustainability in the UK economy. And I am certainly worried as to the rise of Populism in Europe and its impact on UK politics as I clearly see a rise of intolerance toward poverty, immigrants, and certainly the disposessed. You see, deep down I am a bit of a Socialist and believe in life as a meritocracy and off giving; and we now witness a UK society of have and have nots. A political elite that is lurching and out of touch.
I worry for friends or people I know who have lost roles within the advertising, marketing, and media industries I work in. I suspect a number of them in “good roles” live quarter to quarter or even worse month to month.
2023 - politics, politicians, blah, blah, blah (oh, and a 2024 election)
I look forward to the election in 2024, which is likely May. We need a change, a big change. But will we get change or end up with the same team in different shirts?
This is a concern. We certainly need the current incumbents in 10 Downing Street to be given their marching orders. Elite and privileged, out of touch, mismanagement, lying… a shame and a stained blob of gravy on UK democracy. **
The impact has been immense in terms of people’s standard of living, the UK’s reputation, not to mention its economy, faith in Parliament has been damaged, and people as a whole have suffered whilst others have prospered. This cannot be right.
Personally I have been affected in terms of mood, hope, faith. It’s all been soul destroying.
To add to this is a potentially bigger election across the Atlantic that will have repercussions for both the United States and the rest of the world.
Myself
I myself have had a somewhat difficult 2023 and I need to be honest about that. I stopped working properly in Q4 of 2022 and it continued into 2023 due to personal illness and poor behaviour which was not pleasant and meant a lot of time off, plus a lot of self inflicted hurt to self and to others that I have to repair, and make amends for.
But in hindsight it was time off from a lot of stress and turmoil, which has given me a chance to evaluate where I was, where I am, and where I can go. Yes, where I can go… I have choices. I have learnt a lot about myself and people and do realise that helping people is definitely the route I am heading down. I have found us and I have my Honorary Teaching Fellow position at Lancaster University, and I commence training in January 2024 to become a Counsellor and Mentor, something I look forward to.
Positive thoughts
In 1888, German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche first stated, “Out of life's school of war—what doesn't kill me, makes me stronger.” It is a very much cliched and overused statement but worthy of an entry in my blog.
Ultimately none of us are likely to be Nietzsche’s Superman, but we can at least strive to achieve this. We can be better people and adversity teaches us to connect with people, to share suffering, and value what we are and have, and so learn to be more honest, humble, loving, and giving (or serving.)
It is, I have realised that from adversity, that life’s up and downs teach us so much about ourselves and people. And this is what makes us human. Yet like Calvin we cannot and must not live in stupefying security; we have to take risks.
I took a risk in setting up found us and I have no regrets at all. Has it been easy? No. Have I made it easy? No. Have I screwed up? Yes. Have I offended people, caused doubt, damaged my reputation? Yes. Will I suffer judgement across to isolation? Yes, and a lot is deserved. But I do believe in the immutable fact that I am a good person who has a lot to offer, and had a poor and difficult few years culminating in 2023. The same immutable fact applies to all; that we are all good and capable of great things, even when in a bad patch or demonstrating poor behaviours.
I have fallen off the radar I now realise, yet I don’t see myself as having to rebuild found us. In fact I view this as the further and ongoing journey of my business and myself. As said, some people will judge me, some people will have forgotten about me and my business, some bridges will need building from scratch, some re-built if possible.
But life is about getting on a sledge and taking risks even when not knowing the destination.
Isle of Mull
The picture at the top of the blog is a photograph that I took in August of this year of a beach on Mull and from where I also swam in the sea.
I have always wanted to move to the remoter parts of Scotland with Claire my wife, who is Scottish, and like me an outdoor type.
Claire has obtained a teaching job at the Tobermory High School on this Hebridean island and starts in January 2024. The house is sold subject to completion and I head up later in 2024. If you really want to you can live your dreams despite being in a place of hell or self pity and hate months before. We can all be made stronger by adversity.
found us?
Will continue on from Mull, in fact from anywhere, and that includes Planes, Trains and Automobiles because that has always been the case. Location is of mere insignificance in this world. I mean one of my first senior placements was in Shanghai! And besides I always love travelling to meet people.
Here are some photos of Mull, Staffa, and Iona from August this year.
** Dickens on King Henry the 8th - The plain truth is, that he was a most intolerable ruffian, a disgrace to human nature, and a blot of blood and grease upon the History of England.