So let’s be clear right from the onset, - No my big news isn't that my wife and I are pregnant (as one particular person in this office has been pushing and hoping for).

My big news is that I’m leaving my Social Media & Business Development position at mindyourmind.

I know! It’s wild! And it’s still a little weird to type, actually.   I gave my notice a few weeks ago -- and my last day at work will be Thursday September 8th.   A little while back, I saw a really fantastic opportunity that I couldn’t shy away from.  After a few interviews, - I’m happy to say I’ll be starting as the newest team member at Echidna Solutions Corp. (the team that made our iGetReal.ca site) on September 12th.

Excited as I am about the new things on the horizon, I’m more than a little sad still about leaving my current position.   I’ve been with mindyourmind going on two years.   I've loved this job, I really have: as well as being a total blast day in and day out, it's allowed me the opportunity to learn about Mental Health and see how the work mindyourmind does changes young people’s lives.  Thanks to this job, I’ve met some incredible people; taken mindyourmind to what I think are new levels via Social Media and its Online Community and been a part of some incredible change.  It has, simply put, been an unbelievable ride.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had had many "two weeks’ notice" conversations and several people have asked “So Why Leave?”

The simple answer is that it is time.  I am ready to test and challenge myself in new ways. Please allow me to sketch it out...

I once heard a parable about how Ancient Native Tribes trapped monkeys. They hollowed out a coconut and fill it with peanuts, then leaving it tethered to a tree for a monkey to find. When the monkey passed by, it would reach in for the peanuts and be trapped because its hand could not come out of the coconut while full. The monkey did not realize that it would be free if it just let go of the peanuts.

The peanuts represent things in our lives that we hang onto. We all cling onto things that entrap us. It could be a job that you are a little too comfortable with, a friend that drains too much of your energy, anger, or resentment. In my case, mindyourmind represents my peanuts and those peanuts are hard to let go of because I am comfortable here. I love it here. I am proud to be a part of this team. However, I feel that it is time to see what else my career has to offer and I'll never do that while I cling desperately to these peanuts.

I hope you will continue to follow my career.  I will keep you in tune with what I’m up to via a new personal blog I am considering to create and of course my Personal Twitter feed (@BrianBlatnicki).  So that's the deal right now: a bittersweet mix of saying goodbye to the old things and looking forward to the exciting and new. Thank you for everyone’s continued support and interest. I hope you will stick with me as I let go of my peanuts.

-by Brian