One day you wake up and decide to build a business… The next, you purchase a ticket to a conference and light a fire that burns oh so bright. The Females on Fire Conference did exactly that for me. And I can tell you, this event came at just the right time.
Back in May, I decided it was time I look for an event to attend. I love going to conferences and honestly think it’s not a bad idea to go to one at least once a year. Not only can they help with business but they can also help with personal growth. This one did both!
Hayley Luckadoo is the host and when I started researching the conference, I instantly connected to her vibe. She’s real, raw, authentic and isn’t like everyone else. Kind of like me… She’s a podcaster, marketing coach and a dreamer that sets no limits on how far her reach is. So even though it took me a couple of months to buy my ticket, I knew I was going to attend her FIRST live and in person Females on Fire Conference. The decision would later prove to be life changing.
The conference was set at the gorgeous Majestic Theater in Dallas, Texas. It was split into two days: Day One was all about business, marketing and getting yourself out there while Day Two was all about community, sisterhood and personal growth. When I say I took TONS of notes, that’s probably an understatement. I think in the fresh notebook I brought with me, I must have filled up 20 pages.
Throughout Day One, I heard messages like:
“You belong here!”
“Authenticity is key!”
“Stop playing small!”
While those one-liners seem to be about personal growth, they applied to business too. What I learned on Day One was that if I want to have a thriving business, I need to believe in the power I bring to the table. I need to be me, exactly as I am, without putting on a costume to pretend. And I need to stop being the wallflower that’s waiting for someone to take me by the hand and help me move forward. The most mind-blowing thing is, I left that theater with a name for my end game. I left Day One feeling like I CAN do this!
Day Two was much, much harder. At least it was for me. It’s the day where you have to face reality and all the harsh words you’ve heard throughout the years. It’s the day when you learn just how hard it is to heal your inner child.
Stand Up for Your Sister is one of my favorite and most hated exercises because of this. It’s an exercise that forces you to look back on your life and realize what you’ve gone through… And still are going through… If you were in attendance this year, I can confirm I was the girl audibly sobbing in the crowd during this exercise. It was the statement about being diagnosed with a condition that impacts your life that got me. As I write this post, I am still undergoing treatment for a medical issue that severely impacts my sight and if I’m being honest, it scares the crap out of me. But despite that feeling of being afraid, I have new found sisters to lean on.
I left Day Two with the understanding that I was born a certain way for a reason. We all have a sparkle that needs to shine and if we dull it in any way, we diminish our ability to share our gifts with the world. What I once considered my flaws are now some of my best qualities. I see that now. As women and as business owners, we need to take care of those assets and make ourselves a priority too. Yes, the work we do is important but guess what… It will always be there tomorrow. You don’t have the same guarantee.
I’ll leave you with this: Intentional Audacity. It’s something Hayley said at the very end of the conference and it stuck with me. When we hear the word “intentional” we think of something that’s done on purpose, for a reason, if you will. But the word “audacity” has a negative connotation. People thing “Oh, the audacity!” and while that meaning applies in some cases, it doesn’t apply in all. Intentional Audacity is where passion meets purpose. It’s when you take that bold, scary, crazy dream and use all your gifts to make it a reality.
I left Females on Fire with a better understanding of how I can incorporate what I love to do with what I was born to do. Now I can physically see my dream, my end game and I know what to do to get there. So lookout world… Ready or not… Here I come!