Capturing the game changer moment

There are game changing life moments. At the time the moment is happening we aren’t aware of how this might be redirecting our route. A game changer comes in many forms from a jolt, a wake up, a tragedy, an opportunity, a volley, a punch, a pass but if we can’t seize the game changing moment, we miss the chance to change the outcome of the game. We have to make a u-turn or forge through uncharted waters at times to fully see the game changing moment behind us.

After four days at Blogher in New York City, where 4500 women gathered in one location for an array of motivations, I am exhausted but I know this is a game changing moment. I cannot put it all to words today. I need to get home, hug my kids and husband, prepare to get back into my day job and digest just what the route this game changer is going to take. But this is what I do know, I have changed, for the better.

We met the woman whose blog I have read the longest, Ree Drummond aka The Pioneer Woman. I know 25 million American women connect with her on many levels like I do. But Ree is a kindred spirit of mine…as we were the only two ladies wearing boots in Blogher. I’ll gush more about that later. But the game changing moment is that I wasn’t comfortable at first going to change out of my dress and heels into my Wranglers, boots and beef t-shirt. Then I dashed to my room.
I realized I need to be comfortable in my own boots in a sea of women who sound the same to me, my voice is unique and it is different. I may not always be bold enough to share my voice.

Ree’s boot and my boot at Blogher 2012. We know how to kick it, farm and ranch girl style.

 But I am more confident after Blogher that my voice should be shared, will be embraced even if it is different and that we can respect one another for our differences.

Katie Couric’s shoes were different than mine but hearing the journey she walked in them and her willingness to talk on new challenges at age 55 and unwillingness to be marginalized because of her age or sex inspired me.

I can rock it in a dress and in heels in the city in small doses and now I return to the prairie with more confidence in who I am, what I am, where I am going, why I should go there but how I am going to get there is still being plotted.

But the plotting is not alone. It’s collaboration with the three women that were my tribe for the past five days. Far more than the high powered female stars and executives I heard speak at Blogher the women that inspired me the most, that empowered me and gave me a renewed confidence were the three women that jumped into this initial journey to Blogher with me, shared a hotel room with me, many meals, countless laughs, stories and a few tears.

Leah from Beyer Beware

Nancy from The Wife of a Dairyman

Aimee from Everyday Epistle

Between the four of us, we packed 23 pairs of shoes for our five days and four nights in New York City. We were not sure what to be prepared for during Blogher. We weren’t sure what moments we would need to wear a different style or heel. But we learned we need to wear the shoes we are most comfortable in, not fear to step into new shoes and even though our shoes may be different we have similar paths we want to follow.

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