I want to talk this week about those times when you push yourself out of your comfort zone. It can be easy to do what you have always done, plodding along surrounded by familiarity.

That is the situation my partner Emma found herself in. She has been working in retail for 17 years at the same supermarket; she has become part of the furniture, loved by colleagues and customers alike.

This supermarket is in Buckinghamshire, where she lived with her parents until recently. She now lives with me in Woking and has been commuting to work, adding an almost two-hour round trip involving the M25 and its inevitable traffic jams adding extra time to Emma’s day.

Then there is the price of petrol, which as we all know is sky high at the moment. Emma has now secured a transfer to a local Surrey branch and is happy to lose the commute, but understandably anxious about this huge change.

In her last week in her old store there was so much love for Emma. She was receiving so many gifts from colleagues and customers. We have enough flowers to start her own florist and lots of wine, chocolates and gift cards.

Many customers have been coming in and chatting to her over the years, sharing the highs and lows of their lives. Everybody was sad that she was leaving but understood why it had to happen.

On Emma’s last shift I drove her and picked her up, thinking she might be emotional. I pulled up in the car park at the end of her last shift to be greeted by Emma and her colleagues with a trolley laden with more gifts – a sign of the impact Emma has made in the store.

Now she begins her new chapter as the new girl at her new store. There is a shorter journey to work and better shifts for Emma to have a social life and for us to spend more time together. I also think it will open progression opportunities for her and she will make new friends.

All in all a positive but scary step pushing yourself away from that comfort zone, sometimes it's good to shake things up and give yourself that new challenge – I know Emma will be amazing in her new role and I wish her all the best.

At her leaving do, which we held in the Beaconsfield Weatherspoon's pub, there were many colleagues and customers armed with yet more gifts and well wishes.

It was interesting chatting to everybody and sharing stories. One of Emma’s colleagues made an observation about my shirt – pointing out it matched the Wetherspoons plates.

That was hilarious and completely unplanned. Subconsciously I must love Spoons – a lot!

Listen to my radio shows on Radio Woking: Sunday 9am – noon; Wednesday 7-9am. Life on The Edge every second Sunday at noon with Edge Ahead UK

You can hear Emma and I on Surrey Hills Community Radio every second Monday at 9pm and Life on the Edge airs every first Monday at 10am.

Send me a voice note – www.speakpipe.com/jonandrews or email [email protected]