Making Things Happen

I sat in my entrepreneurship class with a new assignment – starting a business. If you were to create, what would you create? If you were to build, what would build? If you could do anything, what would you do? At the time, it was an area I hadn’t thought much about. It’s graduate school – you are just making it through the projects one-by-one hoping to get good grades, keep up with your full-time job, and get enough rest. So, I tackled this assignment like any other and began creating my project. While I was busy completing “business research” one afternoon, I stumbled upon Lara Casey’s blog and her post written about making things happen. You can read her post here.

I read the post. Then I reread the post. And in the weeks following,  I kept coming back to reread it. I don’t  know if it was the honesty of her words or the way she tackled business in a different perspective, but I was inspired. Six months later, I signed up for the Making Things Happen Conference.

Last month, I had the pleasure of attending the two-day intensive. This was the first time I had ever attended anything like this, and I had no idea what to expect or what would come of it. I took the perspective of coming in with an open mind, and I am thankful I did. It is hard to put into words all you do in those 48 hours, but the easiest way to describe it is time well spent.

Guest Speakers. Honest. Relatable. Heart-warming. These individuals – I can’t say enough compliments about them. Each touched on business and life so differently. It was comforting to hear their stories of both success and failure. We had two days together, and they easily felt like family by the time I left. They spoke true words from the heart and held nothing back touching on business, marriage, and life choices. I am so thankful I had the opportunity to hear their stories.

The Hard Questions. The hard questions you have been avoiding will come to light here. They make you think and dig deep into what you truly want. You are surrounded by a great group of individuals who will inspire and cheer you on when the questions get tough. Once you figure out the answers, it is time to take action. The conference focuses on setting you up for success. I am thankful I took the time to be honest with myself and what I truly want.

Community. We are all meant to achieve different goals in our lives, and relationships are essential to that success. It is important to remember to surround yourself with a variety of individuals who will inspire, motivate, challenge, and accept you for who you are. I am thankful for the people I have met through this experience and the ways they have touched my life.

What I Learned: You have to start somewhere, which can be one of the scariest decisions. You have to step out of your comfort zone. You won’t know what to expect. You won’t know if you have the strength or all the answers or the momentum to make it through. But, in the end those answers won’t matter. You will figure it out. Continue to surround yourself with those who believe in you and those who will cheer you on. You will need them. They will make a difference. Take the time to create goals, celebrate the tiny victories, and learn from your failures. Be honest with yourself on where you are at and what you want out of this life. Take yourself out that box that you put yourself in and truly listen to what you want. In the end, it is quite possible you will live the life you imagined.

Photography by the talented EmilyMarchPayne and GlessnerPhoto.