Growing through life

Well, look who resurfaced from the depths of TMJ hell? Last time we left off, I promised to post that red jumper I was wearing along with my bling tatts. Well, that-did-not-happen. Instead, I had a set back (after a routine massage) that gave me an impressive dose of vertigo – for weeks. The holidays were a blast. Nothing like a brightly lit Christmas tree that moves on its own. I finally had to cave in and get a real orthotic, set up chiropractor visits (all about that NUCCA) and physical therapy. With the #WeAllGrow Summit (our company’s inaugural conference) coming up, a full time job and freelance work, I decided to let my blog chill for a bit. I needed to really focus on my treatment. I even recruited my amazingly selfless mother to help me with my son just so that I can focus on keeping my job (these med bills aren’t going to pay themselves) and fixing this jaw. It worked. I am feeling a lot better. But don’t throw confetti just yet. I still have a way to go. However, I’m well enough to finally update my little baby, and share the awesomeness that was the #WeAllGrow Summit at the LINE Hotel. The place where I realized that a set back is actually a good thing. Let me start by saying that I was extremely nervous about the Summit. After working so hard at Latina Bloggers Connect for four years, the thought of TMJ robbing me from experiencing the joy of seeing where the company is today was daunting. It was literally days before the conference that I felt well enough to at the very least shop for a few new outfits. I was scheduled to host a photography workshop and museum field trip. I kept thinking how am I going to pull this off? My fiance kept reassuring that I would be fine, and he was right. I had to put myself in that mindset. Easier said than done, but there was no choice, and the universe carefully planned it that way. The #MisMomentosNeutrogena Sanctuary Suite

I’ve spent the last few days writing recaps about the Summit, which you can see HERE, HERE and HERE. So I won’t get into all the nitty gritty about the sessions and panels. I will, however, share that a circle of amazing women, a fulfilling job along with a stand-up boss and fun loving co-workers all in one room healed me in so many ways. There were times I physically felt horrible but the mind, being as powerful as it is, would not let me go there. I didn’t ignore my body’s need for rest, and took breaks when I needed them, but I also knew that laughter and a good distraction was very important too. With so many guests coming from all over the country and world we really wanted them to get a full-on Los Angeles experience. Attendees were given the opportunity of choosing one of four field trips from yoga to DTLA to museums. We really wanted to showcase LA’s hidden treasures, art scene and culture as a way to welcome everyone to our home. The next couple of days were filled with sessions about tech, social media, photography, story telling and inspirational stories. I ate, I laughed, I learned and worked my little tail off to ensure that every single detail made its way through every social media outlet in real time while tracking results. Because of that, it wasn’t easy for me to be in the moment a whole lot, but I love what I do so it doesn’t feel like work.
But this conference wasn’t just a celebratory mark in my career. The words – We All Grow – carries a huge significance for me that is deeply personal. I took my job at Latina Bloggers Connect during a time that I was unsure about the relationship I was in and didn’t know if I wanted to continue in the museum field. I also missed New York and my family, and wasn’t able to fully accept that LA will be my home for a long while. I felt there was more exploration I needed to do. I had to detach from all the things I felt “identified” me. I was changing. Times were changing. The world was changing. I felt a shift in the universe. There was something urging me to dig a little deeper and take all my experiences to another platform. It was telling me that my time was now, and that I needed to really listen and see the signs. I followed that path of the unknown and eventually found myself traveling, working, and becoming the head of my household (and out of an unfulfilling relationship). It was the toughest and scariest road I’d ever been on but I knew that if I was going to grow, I needed to take those risks.

A lot of my soul is in Latina Bloggers Connect – There’s nothing more fulfilling to me than working with women who live for lifting each other up, breaking down walls and building doors. Where I was emotionally when this journey started and everything that played afterwards was no coincidence. I had to be in that place in order to get to where I’m at now.

In a nutshell, we all grow. But you have to be willing to do the work and accept the set backs. What started out as a one women to a 3 player company has blossomed into two teams of strong, invigorating women. And this is only the beginning.

(Images: Robson Muzel)