One of the most significant decisions of my life was made for me by other people, and I’ve always been grateful for it.
In high school, my dance team coach asked us if we wanted to go to nationals, and all I could think was that I didn’t know if I’d be successful, so I didn’t want to go.
Go back and read that again, and think about it for a second. I didn’t know if I could be successful at something I had never done before, so I didn’t want to try.
Now, in my defense, I was a 15-year-old high school student. I hadn’t learned about growth mindset and all those goodies yet. I just knew that if I tried and failed, I’d be embarrassed, and I didn’t want that to happen.
Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of the team felt differently, and when we voted (anonymously), I was overruled.
Thank goodness for the rest of the team, who forced me to go to nationals and showed me that I could face all kinds of fears.
Years later, in the delivery room with Henry, things moved very quickly. Having given birth before, I knew exactly what I was in store for, and that I couldn’t do it.
“I NEED AN EPIDURAL,” I screeched to my nurse.
“There isn’t time,” she said, and I could only stare at her. Because OBVIOUSLY I couldn’t give birth without the epidural. That would be CRAZY.
My argument did not sway her. I did not get an epidural. I did get oxygen (apparently, I’m a little high strung. Who knew?), and I birthed a baby.
You don’t have to know that you’re going to be successful at a thing. Sometimes, it’s okay to know that someone else has done the thing, or that someone else believes YOU can do the thing.
I’ve been there, in rooms and at tables where all I could think was, “Do I belong here? Am I good enough to be here?”
True story — I was looking at pictures from the first mastermind event I attended. In every single picture, my arms are crossed. I’m shrinking into myself. I’m closed off, afraid, and insecure.
The women who attended last year’s live Three Day Event had to overcome a LOT of doubt to show up. And because I’ve stood in their shoes — your shoes — I didn’t want anyone to feel unworthy or less than. Every woman in the room had to stand up and claim her right to be there.
And this year, I want you to be there, too.
In fact, we’ve changed the name of our event to Free Mama Live, to better reflect the way we want to serve you, LIVE IN PERSON, off the interwebs, in an intimate — but packed with your best friends kind of intimate — way.
Because the simple truth is, mama, you DO deserve a seat at this table. You belong here. You are smart enough. You are talented enough. And if you need to turn over the decision to someone else (Me!) for now, that’s okay.
I will happily make the decision for you. Because it will change your life, and even if it’s someone else who gives you the push, it’s you who will step up and claim your space in the end.
In case I’m not being clear, Early Bird tickets for our 2020 event — now officially called Free Mama Live — are available HERE AND NOW. This is your chance to be a part of something so much bigger than yourself — but you have to move quickly. We haven’t booked the Astrodome (this year…), so tickets are limited. Don’t wait, Mama. Don’t let this year pass you by and leave you full of regrets.
Your place is here, and I can’t wait to welcome you to Houston!
P.S. I am SO excited for you to join us at Free Mama Live 2020. Get your tickets NOW!
P.P.S. If you’ve ever wondering if a Sole Proprietorship or a Single Member LLC was the right decision for my business, I brought my attorney onto FreeMamaTV on Tuesday to give you clarity and insight into how to legally protect your business!