One of my favorite parts from the various girl weekends I get to attend is when we’re all just sitting around on the sofa (or pool ;), talking about what life has handed us. It feeds my soul when I get to learn from those women and gain a new perspective. Every time these women remind me to have grace over myself, my husband, my kids, my parents, a co-worker.
That favorite part got even better when my neighbor shared how much our girl weekend impacted her a few years ago. I had only known her for a year or so. It was clear she needed a group of women warriors, so I invited her to a girl weekend that had only occurred twice—having grown from six into nine at that time. My neighbor was brand new to the group but found comfort in this band of women who surrounded her with support and love. When she got home, she exclaimed that she was a new wife, appreciated her husband so much more, and had a new outlook on so many things.
When she shared that, in my mind, I combined her perspective with my favorite part. I quizzed a couple of other friends later, “what if we took any one of our girl weekends and simply added a component that fodders empowerment-type chatter?”
I love learning and exploring. I love how it widens and deepens my understanding of others, of myself, of circumstances, of outcomes, of possibilities. I also love to be helpful and share what lessons I’ve learned along life’s journey. It’s a high, really. So why not combine the great fun of a girl weekend with that high—without making it “retreat-y”? Why not set a stage where we provide an opportunity to build each other up at a level that’s beyond the sofa (or pool :)–but that we use when we’re back on the sofa (or in the pool!)? Why not encourage growth? It could be a girl weekend event!
I pushed the idea away. Can girl weekends really be messed with? Is there even a desire for a Superfly Girl Weekend? I’d need help. Asking for help is hard. What if I do this event and it doesn’t work, gets super political, and I look like a giant idiot?
I ended up sharing the girl weekend event idea—and the reasons it wouldn’t work—with a new friend Jordan. She just got back from attending a conference with her mom where Judi Holler was the keynote speaker. Jordan told me that I was pushing this girl weekend idea to the back of my mind out of fear. Truth. I immediately ordered Judi’s book, Fear is My Homeboy, and read it as fast as possible. (I’ve mentioned the book before. It was THAT impactful!)
It’s amazing how much fear will hold us hostage and keep us from listening to the greatness within us. That’s why we need friends, knowledge, and love. …A little fun can’t hurt us either! I moved forward with those pieces of armor and created The ViveX with the help of an advisory board. We’re now less than three months away from hosting a superfly girl weekend event. That nagging (yet exciting) idea to capture the grace and truth my neighbor felt—and that I’ve felt from girl weekends—is now available to other women. I hope you’ll attend and be inspired to live your joy-filled life.