And then there was the TEDx Willowcreek event…
This past weekend proved to bring one of the biggest mindset shifts of my business career.
I was among the fortunate ones who made the cut to attend the #TEDxWillowcreek2018. And, oh what a time I had with so many purpose-driven women in one place — all with one goal in mind. Metamorphosis.
The theme of the day was transformation and every speaker came in true TEDx style.
Before I dive into the meat of it all, I first have to say, “Ohhhh the buzz!”
The excitement pre-event was electrifying. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a dynamic online group. The members were connecting, sharing, and building community even BEFORE meeting in person. It was beautiful to see everyone genuinely supporting one another.
Next was the member to member information sharing which, as my teen would say, was off the chain!
Several women in the group took the lead to show beginners how networking is done. There were articles shared, books recommended, and, the icing on the cake was peer-to-peer mentoring. The sowing between attendees created a sisterhood.
Then there was the actual event. The day of the TED Talks.
This is where the magic continued to happen. Nine brilliant women took their place on the coveted TEDx red circle. Each having a unique experience about the transformation that impacted their views on life and business.
Some, like Dr. Kamilah Stevenson and Ashley Black, came to get us to “think about the decisions we make” that impact our health and to ask ourselves, “what more can I be doing?”
Ashanti Johnson helped us with manifesting. She shared techniques and encouraged everyone to “take time every single day to visualize” our dreams using all of our senses and to “take steps every day” until the dream becomes real.
Another takeaway that I honestly didn’t see coming was from Sue McCloskey, Dairy Farm Innovator. When I heard that someone was going to talk about the life cycle of milk, I had to really keep an open mind. But Sue’s ideas totally took me by surprise and into creator mode. Honestly, by the time she wrapped up her talk, I was inpsired to get my very own purple cow plan done (pun intended). 
Ronne Brown also brought the fire in her own humble way as she shared the importance of telling your story even if it includes shame. She challenged us all to do something that can be extremely hard, which is to “ignore the limits placed on you by others.” When you do you become empowered by being exactly who you are.
And as if the task of pulling the mask off isn’t scary enough, the sharpening continued with a life-changing message from Dr. Veronica Winston. There’s so much of ourselves that we try to hide from as we’re intuitively directed to do a specific thing. But, shrinking back and second-guessing ourselves mustn’t happen. Why? Because you never know what small act of kindness may be a huge solution to the person who receives it.
Remember, also, that in all your business building and being Super Woman for others, that you must be kind to yourself.
Self-love. That was the message given by Cheryle Jackson to the room full of women who sat intensely focused in their chairs. She painted the picture of the trailblazer within our minds and taught us that “grace is a superpower that sustains and transforms you”. When it comes to living full out, you’ll often have to “Go into beast mode and become the CEO of your life.”
And if those ideas weren’t enough to fill our cups, in came Arsha Jones. This powerhouse stood boldly and exclaimed, “This is the last time.” “No one is going to save you” so shift your mindset.
Shifting is exactly what took place as we learned about the old versus the new way of thinking about confession from Ann Beiler, founder of Auntie Annie’s Pretzels. Her message? Confession is freedom.
“Our world needs transparency and honesty”, she said. “We just need to be real and talk about it.”
One blog post doesn’t fully capture what transpired inside the TEDx event. What I can say for sure is this, if you have a topic that you are passionate about, get in the room with others who share that passion, too. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be transformed. Or maybe, just maybe, you will be next up on the red circle with an idea worth sharing!
Were you an attendee at TEDx Willowcreek2018? Be sure to connect with me over on Instagram and LinkedIn. Let’s keep the transformation going!
Savings is simply setting aside a portion of every dollar that you earn. It can be difficult to keep the momentum going if you don’t have a vision. That’s why it’s important to have a clear intention. When you have a specific goal in mind, it helps you stick to your plan after you get started.