Chamber Ambassador Richard Renson from Back2Balance discusses how after learning to embrace the unknown on a daily basis, he began to question if he had ’embraced the unknown, or had the unknown embraced me?’

I have spent many years leading teams of different people, with diverse skills, in quite varied businesses. From years in the catering industry, running small to medium restaurants, bars, night clubs, school meals, and a large Brighton based hotel kitchen. Been there, done that. Teams of folk with various ambitions, lifestyles, nationalities, and training behind them. Fast paced, hot, vast numbers of people with appetites to satiate, and the next day arriving to do it all over again.

There was often a sense of camaraderie, we are all in this together, will survive at all cost. I would lead from the front, ensure the team were fully prepared for service, all aspects of the breakfast, lunch, or dinner covered off, all the other teams involved equally fully prepared, and curtain up! We daily embraced the unknown, in that the challenges were always new with every client, or groups. No two food services were the same. Humans being, well, human have an indeterminable set of needs they desire to be met. A great challenge for a mere mortal such as I.

After seeing countless faces pass by my sight, I lost the will to serve in this manner. Retraining over a number of years, I became a psychotherapist. I served a new group of people, and, eventually lead new teams of clinicians. I ran several psychological services staffed by other therapists, psychiatrists, nurses, doctors, yoga teachers, healthcare assistants, accountants, and volunteering helpers. All needed supervision, training, support, and coaching. Oh, and I assessed new clients and patients for the services I ran, and carried a case load of clients as well. I loved the journey into the unknown, or subconscious areas that the therapeutic work was to assist in bringing to consciousness for our clients. Embracing the unknown, having the courage to explore parts of the self that have remain hidden, often for good reason, was my daily therapeutic work for the resident people in mine and the team’s care.

Today, after studying for a degree in Politics and Psychology at the University of Brighton, working for the MP for Hove and Portslade, the RSA, and the Disability and Dyslexia team also at Brighton Uni, I find myself at the Hove based chiropractic clinic, Back2Balance, in the position of Practice Manager. I wonder if I have embraced the unknown, or whether the unknown has embrace me?! I have let my life be ruled by chance, made plans that have worked, then failed or faltered. I have set goals, and met them, then circumstances have altered the prospect of better things to come.

All I do know is that if I set out with good intentions, often into the unknown, some good will come of it. Even if that good is not what I initially perceived, or hoped it would be.

Thank you to Richard for providing this blog. For more information visit www.chiropractorsbrighton.co.uk