At some point in your career, you’ll see an event you once worked on pop up online, a client you used to deliver for or a brand you once called home, and it feels a little like bumping into an ex.
You might feel a sharp sting of envy or a wave of melancholy that you’re not in the room anymore. But here’s the truth, those feelings are completely natural. They’re not about the event itself, they’re about the energy you once poured into it.
Events are emotional work. We live and breathe them for months, obsess over details no one else notices, and tie a little piece of ourselves to the outcome. When you step away, that investment doesn’t just vanish overnight. Just like leaving a relationship, it takes time to create distance.
The gift, though, is that letting go allows you to see your own progress. Each event shapes you, stretches your resilience, and raises your standards. Seeing it from the outside is a reminder that you’ve moved forward to new opportunities, new clients and new challenges that deserve your best energy.
So when an “ex-event” shows up online, resist the urge to compare. Instead, treat it as a reminder of how much you gave, how much you learned, and how much you’ve grown. Events, like relationships, leave a legacy. Each one adds to your craft, your confidence, and your perspective. The value is in recognising that every experience contributes to the professional you are today and that every new brief is another chance to create something even stronger.
Rosie Thompson-Jones