what I don't want to forget from She Recovers NYC

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This past weekend I attended the She Recovers NYC conference.  When I first saw the posting about it I was immediately drawn to it and my heart said yes.  I did not waste any time contemplating.  I checked the dates and signed up.  Something deep inside was telling me I needed to be there, even though I didn't know why.    

I showed up, alone.  Unsure of what to expect or what I was even getting myself into.  I made a promise to keep my heart open and lean deeply in.  I am grateful for this weekend.  For the moments that unfolded, the words that touched me, and the people that were there.  Before any story slips away I want to jot them down so I can hold onto them forever.  

What I don't want to forget from this weekend is:

  • The way Amy and Jen scooped me up and invited me in.  And how even when we lost track of one another we found each other.    
  • A room full of 500 kick ass women who have been through the ringer and who have chosen to show up, do the work, and stand in their truth and in their light.  There is so much power in this.  
  • Lunch conversation and the incredible women who opened up their hearts and shared their stories with pure honest conviction.  They were not stories of rainbows and butterflies.  They were dark, hard moments.  But they shared the truth of these stories without judgment or shame.  
  •  The moments I rushed back to the hotel room and the moments I allowed myself to slow down and be present with my surrounding.  A reminder to slow down more often.  
  • Seeing people who looked just like someone else I know.  There is something to this.  I just can't put my finger on it yet.  
  • Experiencing two deeply intentional and spiritual yoga classes.  It wasn't about getting physically fit.  It was about getting stronger in your mind, body, and spirit.  I know that this is the type of work that I want to do in the yoga community.  
  • Learning that the details of the story do not matter as much as how you use the pain.    
  • Hearing Elena Brower read words read from Prayers of Honoring by Pixie Lighthorse and see how my circles are really connected.  
  • Getting lost, so very lost.  But finding my way.  
  • And these words

"Your sensitivity is your greatest gift.  It is what you will use to set the world on fire". - Glennon Doyle Melton

"Move beyond the duality of either/or and hold the "and" - Nikki Myers

"Part of going through life with empathy is understanding it is not about you". - Elizabeth Vargas

"It's not up to me what I have to go through.  It's up to me how I handle it". - Gabby Bernstein

Sometimes there is a simple calling, an immediate "yes".  And we dig deep into our hearts and trust that yes even though we have no idea why we are trusting it. That is what this weekend was.  A moment of trusting the "yes".  I am so glad that I did.  As I continue to process I am sure more stories will unfold but I want to leave you with one last thought.  

This journey called life is not a solitary expedition. We are not here to hash through it alone.  First lean deeply into yourself and get to know who you are at the core.  Then reach your hand out and invite others in.  When you share the truth of who you are, you encourage others to do the same and you will see that you are not alone, ever.