My Elevate Conference Experience

I attended Elevate Conference last weekend. I found out about it through Kimmie's personal Facebook page. I realized it was literally 10 minutes away, with some of my favs (Erin, Kimmie & Ashley) on the speaker panel and was like omg I have to goooo! I originally got wait listed since the conference was sold out and I am so so glad that a spot opened up last minute that I got to snag.

The excitement of getting a ticket quickly turned into nerves. The morning of the conference I woke up nice and early and spent way more time getting ready that I usually do. My mind was racing. Will I make a good impression? Will I recognize people? Will people recognize me? What if I'm all by myself while everyone else carries on conversations with each other? (Is this normal or am I just a freak?)

When I showed up and walked in, I had a minor panic attack since the scene looked sort of like my fear of "everyone carrying on in conversation, all knowing each other except me" but then I saw Erin. I bee-lined for her, hugged her. Phew. I knew someone. It's going to be ok. Now calm the eff down and DO THIS.

 (Oh heeyyy Kimmie and Erin!!)

The speakers at Elevate were amazing. They got down to the nitty gritty for us. They opened up, and told their story, for us. I can tell you I wrote only one thing down on my notepad when Kimmie spoke because I was so enthralled in the story she was telling (and shed tears more than once). (For the record, I wrote "you're so much bigger than your blog.") And Ashley surprised me with her openness, bluntness almost, in such a good way, admitting fault and explaining how she learned and changed from it.

What I really took away from Elevate, is that everyone struggles. The speakers, that are so well-known in the blogging community, they are real people just like me. Everyone has their story. As much as we feel like we "know" the girl behind the blog, there is so much other stuff going on behind the scenes, and it's not all pretty. It's hard. Blogging is hard. And it's ok to have moments of weakness, it's ok to be sad and struggle. It's ok to make mistakes, because we all do it. We just have to be sure to use those moments to learn from them.

Ashley and I were on a team for shooting rubber bands and she kicked my ass.

 

Summer, Jen, and Nichole did an amazing job on Elevate. (Thanks so much girls!) It was the perfect mix of personal and business. I left feeling happy and inspired (and went out with some of the girls to grab a drink in Newport so basically, I made new friends!)

 

Can I also just add that Lauren is frickin funny. Natalie and her husband are basically the cutest couple ever. Mique is way too modest about her amazingness. Erin is exactly how I imagined her which shows how true to herself she is on her blog. Ashley is a riot, all 4'11 of her. Kimmie is so sweet and genuine. Man, just so many amazing woman!

I'm really glad I sucked up my nerves and went to this conference. It was not the easiest, I definitely was out of my comfort zone. But I know that the more I put myself in these positions, the easier it will get.

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