This week in New York City I attended the best conference ever: S.H.E. Summit, presented by the brilliant Claudia Chan and her team of women extraordinaire. For two days over 80, successful, inspiring women—and four men, including Deepak Chopra—gathered to tell us their stories. Women of diverse backgrounds, nationalities and ages reconfirmed that anything is possible; that women have the power to elevate one another to the next level and to literally change the world. Every woman there walked away with a network of new friends and an empowered sense of self.
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor, the devil says, “Oh, crap!”
I’m honored to say five of the speakers are my friends. Some are women 1010ParkPlace has interviewed, like Ingrid Vanderveldt, Founder of Empowering a Billion Women by 2020, or we’re featuring in the near future: Women like Fran Hauser, Partner at Rothenberg Ventures and former President of Digital for Time Inc’s Style and Entertainment Group and Dayle Haddon, bestselling author, Founder of WomenOne, former supermodel and the face of L’Oreal Paris, who changed the paradigm of beauty for women of a certain age.
While there’s no way to replay the worth of every panel or introduce you to all the speakers, every woman there shared her knowledge and her wisdom with great generosity. Here are a few of their words I want to pass along to you.
- Make yourself a priority.
- Don’t live in time famine. Live in time abundance.
- The future belongs to those who are connected with themselves and with one another.
- Honor who you are. Standup for it, and follow through with everything you do.
- Permission starts with you.
- Take care of your body. It was given to you. It’s free. It carries you through everything.
- Courage isn’t the lack of fear. It’s acting in-spite of that fear.
- Surround yourself with other women who will lift you up when you need it.
- To worry is to pray for what you do not want. Reframe your thoughts around what you do want.
- Do the one thing that terrifies you. Do it every day.
- Your power to believe is your greatest power.
- Every dollar you spend should be casting a vote for that which you like.
- When we see women differently, we see the world differently.
- What are you willing to standup for? Now do it.
- Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor, the devil says, “Oh, crap!”
- Ask yourself how you can be a better friend.
- We must use our power to change the story line about women and about the world.
- Ask for more.
- Everyone will tell you no until you do it, and then they will applaud you.
- Be your own champion.
- Give yourself your daily dose of love.
- Practice stillness and listen to your wisdom.
- Don’t miss the moment.
- If a man doesn’t love you, kiss him goodbye and find someone who adores you.
- Change in the world starts with you.
S.H.E Globl Media (She Helps Empower the globe) and the S.H.E. Summit have reaffirmed the term “feminist”—women of all ages who are their own champions and champions of women around the world. Until you’ve been to a S.H.E. Summit, there’s no way to convey the significant, life-changing ripple it’s creating on a personal, corporate and worldwide level. Signup for Claudia Chan’s emails; mark your calendars for October, 2016, and plan to be at the Fifth Annual S.H.E. Summit.
I hope each of you finds time to hear the whispers and takes time to go inside and become more connected with yourself. Summon your strength. Seize it. Act on it. Make this time the best day, the best week, the best time in your life, and don’t miss the moment. It will never come again.
28 Comments
Though these are written words…I love hearing the joy and positivity in your voice, Brenda! Can see the smile on your face. These are excellent points and a couple I needed to hear this morning. Thanks for sharing.
Glad to know a couple of them resonated with you, Pam. Thanks! Brenda
I can’t tell you how many ways I love this. I SO wish I could have attended this. These people, and YOU, are inspiring. (You know some influential people and that in itself is fascinating) Joy and possibility and I love hearing that from you – and for all women – and I’m loving how you’re looking down that lane. On of these days we have to meet. I’m not going to get to BAM so one of these NYC trips…..xoxo
Cathy,
My NYC trips are always so jammed, but I’ll try and see if we can’t make one of them work for us to get together.
XOXOX,
Brenda
Don’t worry about it.
Very inspiring, Brenda. I may have to make next year’s conference, just for inspiration.
b
It truly is a phenomenal experience, Barbara! xoxox
I especially like the idea of doing what terrifies you. So glad you got to go to this conference and thanks for sharing the wisdom with us.
Margaret,
I’ve always done that which terrifies me, and I can tell you it has the potential to make you an adrenaline junkie! Conquering your fears is like an addicting drug: You want more and more.
XOXO, Brenda
I would agree with that Brenda! Thanks!
Wow…such wise words. Makes me want to go out and conquer the world.
That’s how I felt when I left the conference, Pat!
So much wisdom packed into a small post…and a short meetup. Really good stuff. brenda, the line about “worry” really spoke to me. I guess I’m channeling my mom…
Carol,
When I was going through breast cancer treatment, I ran across a similar comment about worry. It spoke to me as well, and I kept it close and read it several times a day for nearly a year. What we tell ourselves really does affect how we respond to events and move forward. Along the same lines of garbage in; garbage out.
XOXOX,
Brenda
This sounds like an amazing event. I think I’m going to print this out and try to follow those words of wisdom every day.
Aren’t they great? Thanks for stopping by, Lois.
Each one of those bullets is packed with meaning.
I’ll be printing those out too and keeping them close by as a reminder. I love Deepak
Chopra and wish I could have attended. Sounds wonderful.
I’ll keep you posted when I get a firm date for the next conference. Thanks Carolann.
I love these Brenda. How lucky you were to attend this conference!! I’m printing off these wisdoms to remind me. Thanks soooo much for inspiring me this morning.
XXXJennifer
Jennifer,
That’s what these events do: Inspire us to refill our inner wells and recommit with a new sense of energy and purpose. Happy to pass them along.
XOXO,
Brenda
I really love this list, Brenda! So many of these resonate very loudly with what I’ve come to understand and believe for myself recently – thanks for sharing this – like Jennifer I will be printing this off as a wonderful reminder! Essie xx PS And I love that you were at the S.H.E. Summit, I’ve heard so much about it, I’d love to get there next year so I’m adding it to my vision board!
Essie,
Do add it to your vision board. Would love to meet up with you there!
XOXOX,
Brenda
It’s on my vision board and right in front of me! As is the list 🙂 See you next year! Essie xx
Sounds like a wonderful event Brenda, and what powerful takeaways.
Ali,
Put 1,000 women and 80 amazing speakers together in the same place and sparks of wisdom are like shooting stars!
XOXO,
Brenda
Great messages Brenda. Thanks for sharing some of your experience.
Thanks for stopping by and letting me know, Haralee!