“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

-Neale Donald Walschb

What is your Next?!?

Have you ever thought about this?  Do you think about it daily?  I scored my first job before graduating from NIU, it was as a retail Manager. I always knew it wouldn’t be my lifetime career but I was never really sure what I would actually do “next”?  Part of that is because change is SO darn scary. Well I was lucky enough to attend a conference in Chicago recently:  The Next Collective. Mel put it on because she said it was the conference she WANTED to attend but couldn’t find!  The Next Collective was quite frankly the best conference I’ve ever been too. For starters I went alone. I knew absolutely no one walking into the Greenhouse Loft that Friday in May. I was pretty darn proud of myself for going alone. Was I nervous?  Anxious?  Scared?  Maybe a little bit. I didn’t allow myself to think about it much to be honest. I was just excited to be attending. My goal: to not eat lunch alone 🤣🤣🤣🤣. Thanks to some new friends, Samantha and Jenny. I did NOT eat lunch alone. Haha. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy eating alone but part of why you go to conferences is to network, amiright???  

A lot of the days talk was about pivot points. You either have a forced pivot: ie. get fired or let go or a Voluntary pivot: you quit your job, have kids, etc.   the speaker line up was to. Die. For. There couldn’t have been a better panel of women. They ranged from CEO’s to upcoming entrepreneurs!  All speaking about their story!  What got them to their “next!”  Some of them are still transitioning to their next while some are already there. Each and every women told such a great story and made you really able to resonate with them. 

Check out the Speaker/Panelist line up Here!

I would say I am currently in my “Next”, right where I want to be at this moment. My pivot would be considered a forced pivot because I had kids and decided to leave my job as a Store Manager because working weekends when my husband traveled for work all week didn’t seem best for our family. I now have a fashion and lifestyle blog: Twee Blog. Which is what I have ALWAYS wanted to do.  Was this scary?!?  YES!!!!  Mainly because you are really putting yourself out there and social media can be a scary place. Of course it can and is an amazing place most days too!!  This conference was so empowering for me to attend. I left there feeling full. Full of knowing that I’m doing exactly what I want and need right now. Also knowing that it is scary. Life is scary. Doing what we want and know we should be doing is scary.  

Follow @thenextcollective on ig or www.thenextcollective.com to see all the upcoming events.

Thanks Mel for having me join!  I hope to see you ALL at the next event!!!

Cheers!

XOXO,

Lissa

***My ticket to The Next Collective was gifted but all opinions are my own***