You’re still you when everything changes

Sometimes, life presses pause on the things we thought defined us.

Maybe it’s a job that ends, a role that shifts, or a routine that disappears. Suddenly, the labels we’ve worn—worker, manager, creator—don’t fit quite the same way.

It’s easy to wonder: what’s left when those things are gone?

There’s a quiet discomfort in these moments. The world doesn’t always know what to do with someone who isn’t busy or who doesn’t have a title to share. You might even catch yourself thinking, “Who am I now?” It’s a question that can echo in the emptiest rooms.

But here’s what I’ve learned: you don’t vanish just because your circumstances change. You aren’t erased when your job ends, when you’re not busy, or when you’re not sure what comes next. You’re still here. You’re still you.

It’s tempting to measure our value by what we do, how much we earn, or how many people notice us. However, those things can shift in an instant, often for reasons beyond our control. And when they do, it can feel like you're free-falling into the abyss.

But the truth is the most important parts of you—the way you notice the world, the questions you ask, the small choices you make—are still yours.

You don’t have to prove your worth by staying busy. You don’t have to be surrounded by people or accolades to matter. Existing—just being here, even in quiet or uncertain moments—is enough.

Maybe right now, you feel like you’re on the outside looking in. Perhaps you’re between jobs, or between chapters, or just feeling lost. That’s okay. You’re allowed to be in this space. You’re allowed to not have all the answers.

If you’re struggling to see your value, try looking for the things that are still true, even when everything else changes: Maybe it’s the way you get up and try again, even when it’s hard. Maybe it’s your curiosity, your sense of humour, or your ability to notice beauty in small places. These things don’t depend on a job or a title. They don’t disappear when life gets quiet.

You don’t have to be “important” in the eyes of the world to be important. You don’t have to be loved by a crowd—or even by anyone else—to be real and to matter.

Sometimes, just getting through the day is enough.

Sometimes, just being is enough.

If you’re in a season where you feel invisible or less than you were before, know that you’re not alone. Many of us have stood in that same uncertain space. And even when it feels like nothing is happening, you’re still here.

That’s something no job, no role, no circumstance can take away.

You may no longer be an accountant, marketer, manager, or creator.

But remember:
You’re still you.

I hope you find this insightful. Remember:

It's not going to be easy,
But it's not impossible.

Your friend,
Brian.