Sunset over the Old Town Temecula Bridge
I'm exhausted after Bloggy Boot Camp.The energy from more than one hundred women in a single room. For one. Entire. Day. Can either give me energy or pin me down. I experienced a little of both over the weekend.
The good news: people knew my blog! (To the woman that stopped me in the bathroom to compliment my shoes, and then when I turned around to give her thanks, then stopped me on my tracks to exclaim "You're Cabeza de Coco...I LOVE your blog." THANK YOU! I had always thought that other than a handful of bloggers, none of my readers were my peers-but I was wrong).
More good news: People had heard about my conference! (To the women that came to #LBNC15 and asked about #LBNC16...wow, just wow...thank you!)
I also: Connected with old friends and met new ones: (To those that showed their true colors, good and bad...THANK YOU!)
Then I: Relearned something that stands true today more than ever: NEVER listen to someone else'sassessment of another individual. No matter how close you are to them, or how well they know you.
Sometimes, actually always, we include our own insecurities when making judgements about any person we meet (trust me, I know - I do it ALL.THE.TIME).
My biggest regret at Bloggy Boot Camp? That I didn't give the founder, and larger than life persona, of Bloggy Boot Camp, a chance sooner.
Sure, she says things that I would never say; and she's in-your-face-honest, but she knows her shit. You gotta respect that...
Because just like me, she didn't copy anyone else or ride on anyone else's coat-tails to create what has become more than a hobby, I see her differently: I have major respect for her.
Bloggy Boot Camp is her business, and she makes no bones about it.
But most importantly, she doesn't change to be liked or censor her words. (her getting on stage to call out the folks that over-ate at the conference was CLASSIC!).
So there.
As for what I learned? How people do things differently from me and from those around me - because even when you don't learn hard facts at a conference, it teaches you something...
For me, probably more than a learning, it was a confirmation: My career pivot is not a dream, it's not a what if, it's not a maybe...it's a for sure.
And that, my friends, is probably one of the biggest anythings you can get from a conference, blogger focused, or otherwise.
Ana Lydia
