Yesterday was a stressful and challenging day where so much hit me at once regarding my upcoming trip to BlogHer in New York City. I am super excited to attend my first conference, but yesterday my focus was on the negatives. There was a part of me that wondered what I was thinking when I jumped on the opportunity to get my ticket at the early bird rate without being sure of how I was going to pay for the rest of the trip. In the back of my mind I think I felt I had plenty of time since I purchased my ticket at the end of February and the conference wasn’t going to be held until early August. I will also admit I somehow thought I could easily obtain some sort of sponsorship. Not the case. Not at all. Finances are always a huge factor with us since we are pretty much supported by my husband’s income.
There were other things that “hit me” yesterday, though. Like the fact that I was going alone having never met anyone else in real life. Only one friend had asked to exchange phone numbers with me. (yes, I really believed this was somehow a gauge at how cool I am). I was finally creating a calendar yesterday and was so concerned about how to fit in all the parties. What? I hear that part is really important. I was having thoughts that no one would talk to me or even know who I was even though I’d be wearing a name tag.
Yeah, people, I said it was a negative, woe-is-me kind of a day. The one amazing thing through it all, though, was my husband and his periodic texts telling me we would be okay and that I would be awesome and that great things will happen. He really tried to keep my chin up when all I wanted to do was stick my head between my knees and forget the whole darn thing.
I went to bed last night feeling exhausted with a bit of a sore throat. Probably self inflicted with all the negativity. Before I feel asleep, though, I decided I would write this post today and share the positives about this upcoming trip to my very first conference! Here’s some of what’s good in all this:
- Not having a sponsor means I can focus on myself and and all the amazing women I will connect with without having to fit promoting someone else.
- I am cool and I don’t lots of phone numbers to prove that to myself. Plus, I don’t have an out-of-state plan on my cell phone anyway, so I hope to connect mostly with Twitter.
- This is not just about the parties. I am going to BlogHer to improve my/this blog, to learn, and to meet some of the most amazing people that I have been reading and interacting with online for many months.
- I plan to give and receive an insane number of hugs. Hugs are awesome!
- I won’t be alone. There will be over 2000 other attendees there who get what I do and won’t give a damn that my face is in my phone or my laptop and when I say “tweet” they won’t think I’m strange or talking bird speak. They might think I’m strange for other reasons, but not that one!
- I won an amazing sponsorship prize from the wonderful folks at Seed and will receive that and get to meet the founders on my first night in New York City – I can’t think of a better way to kick off my BlogHer experience!
- I am sharing a hotel room with an awesome Twitter friend, which will lessen that part of my expenses. I can’t wait to meet Nona in person and make her go on early morning power walks with me in New York City. (She doesn’t know that part yet so shhhh)
So, okay, there is a LOT of good about this upcoming trip and probably some things that I didn’t even think to mention here. Focusing on those is what I plan to do. I am truly so excited for all the possibilities this conference can bring to me!
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