So I will be releasing part 1 of the Blogher conference later today! Until then one of the lessons learned for me personally was that fear, anxiety had to be apart of my ride.
Going to Brooklyn was such a nice experience. However if I’m honest I was a bit scared. Here I was my first time and no one there with me and that intimidated me. Not only that going where I knew other content and influencers would be made me feel small. I’ve been wanting to go to Blogher for a few years. I didn’t feel as if my blog was big enough to be in such a powerful space. However I placed on my vision board that I wanted to go to New York this year and I wanted to attend Blogher.
I made sure I watched for my emails and when it came time I booked it. I used the money I got for one of my blogging events and prayed and asked the Lord to allow this conference to give me a point of return. I wanted the following as goals:
- Inspiration
- Renewed why
- Connections
These all sound like beautiful goals and they are, however the road to get there can be hard. I get anxiety quite often. I’ve always been open about that on this blog. It doesn’t matter if I go somewhere local or not I get anxious. The first moment walking inside of the Blogher I was so scared. I felt like I was in knots. I was so overwhelmed. I thought to myself as much as the fee to attend, hotel, my anxious drive to New York, and time away from my family that at this point fear and anxiety would have to just come for the ride. There was no way I was going to just simply be in attendance.
I took a deep breath and I was shaking to a point! I had to realign my purpose. I would love to say that I got to the first booth and everything went away. That would be a lie. It took a few booths before I was able to be calm. However what I’m proud of is that I didn’t let fear or anxiety paralyze me. If it came it was going to be used to help me break through and get what I came for. No way I was just gonna be another attendee.
One way to bust that was to walk all the way to the front and sit down! You know how people sit and there’s like one or two seats not being used? That was how it was day one! I could have sat openly in the back but I decided to say hey everyone I’m Toi of ToiTimeblog can I sit with you? Instant icebreaker! I can’t want more for my brand if I don’t go after it! I had to bring fear and anxiety and let them know once I made the first moves they would no longer be a focus point for me! Eventually they wasn’t. I was neck and neck by some of the best branders I’ve always loved and it was my time to be upbeat and myself. If I come all that way and feel like when I left I wish I could…my job wasn’t be done! No regrets need to be apart of my story after leaving and once you read the recaps you will see it wasn’t!
What makes you afraid? Is it something you can bring along and use to push you? For me it’s walking in a room with bomb people and realizing I’m just as dope as they are! I’m just as unique and worthy to occupy that space? My blog was started almost 5 years ago and I’m just as capable of branding and securing any bag like my fellow creators! I don’t have to play small. I’m not small! I am growing. Those around me can be a stepping stone to my next level. There is something that others have that can be a lesson and a point of reference. It was time to shine! It’s your time to shine. I’m not letting the end of the year go by without walking in that purpose! Don’t you do the same! Go after that goal shaking and afraid but crush it. It’s better to be afraid than to be upset you didn’t even honor yourself in that try!
Let’s crush this Monday!
