Over the past ten days I have moved this blog to a new server and upgraded it to the latest version of Wordpress. I had become dissatisfied with the service I was getting from my previous “home”, and decided I needed to move. But in the run up to doing so, I found a lot of my energy and focus was on moving, rather than writing.
Having gained confidence in managing the technology around maintaining a blog, I suddenly realized I was entering new territory and things could go horribly wrong. Whilst there have been a few problems, especially with upgrading, that have left this blog in a rather wonky state at times, things are settling down.
I write this not just to explain the increasing gaps between posts recently, but to reflect on how easily our confidence can fall away when we step out of our comfort zone. However, I’ve kept telling myself that once sorted out, in my new “home” I will have much stronger foundations. I have also increased my knowledge on domains, Wordpress and hosting. I know that if it were necessary I would move again, with confidence, and not dawdle and create uncertainty as I did this time.
We can get increasingly overwhelmed and scared by the technology around us. Those brought up on a “if I know how it works I can fix it” mentality must have difficulty letting go of the old certainties. How about driving a car/automobile that has to be plugged into a computer to do even basic maintenance! This lack of control and having to rely on others can really undermine confidence.
But one positive change that technology and the age of the Internet has brought with it is our ability to access support and information. My new host has phone support, a ticket system plus a forum to help field whatever problem I may encounter - one reason I chose them. The fact they’re based on a different continent, thousands of miles away matters little.
The challenge is adapting with the times and the changes. Even 20 years ago, the word of our doctor/medical physician was final - we had confidence in their judgment. Now, they are just one voice among many. We can access information and advice, both free or expensive, both sound or unsafe. Having confidence in our own ability to make decisions, to weigh up the relative merits of the advice or services available, ultimately bears on our overall self confidence.
My post on problem solving is worth reading, although I say so myself, if you haven’t done so already. If you follow a clear, logical path when trying to reach a decision, when you gather information and advice. It can then give greater self confidence when you start to implement your course of action.