Last week, my family packed up and drove 21 hours to Fredericksburg, VA. There, I had the opportunity to attend The Gathering Event, a conference for young women entrepreneurs. I met two of the women I've looked up to since I started my business, bonded with girls I had only previously talked to online, and learned SO much about how to run a successful business and love people well.
I'm going to be real with ya'll- I was a bit hesitant about attending the event. What if I didn't learn enough? What if I didn't get to know others? What if driving 21 hours wasn't worth it?
Well...eventually I realized that I had to take that step and get out of my comfort zone, or I would never grow. And all my worries were so unnecessary because I learned SO much and gained SO many new friends. Here's a few things that stuck to me:
1. My purpose does not lie in the success of my business.
As I've mentioned before, I've focused both my energy and stress into hustle for my business...and that didn't leave a lot of room for the important things: the people closest to me. My purpose, as a daughter, sister, friend, AND photographer is to LOVE PEOPLE WELL.
2. Age is a subject of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.
Being a young entrepreneur, one of the things I often struggle with is feeling as if my clients don't trust me because of how old I am. BUT- what is truly stopping me from doing my job just as well as someone twice or three times my age?
3. You must believe in yourself before others believe can in you.
No one will ever be 100% confident, but you wouldn't believe in someone if you knew they didn't believe in themselves first, right?
I cannot describe how luck I am to have been able to attend the Gathering. Those 21 hours in the car were 100% worth it :) Enjoy some of my favorite memories!
