Connecting With Bliss
I've written this post in my shower, while I'm driving and in the midst of shopping for food. Now that I'm in front of the screen and with a little time on my hands, I'm finding  it impossible to do. What can I say?
The sessions were chock full of knowledge. I'm still perusing the worksheets we got at each and attempting to be diligent and take those questions and thoughts into account.
I did miss the Jon Acuff 5 am special session. Why you ask? Well, I had slept a total of 2 hours the night before leaving and so when my alarm went off at 4 am I distinctly remember shutting it off and continuing the sleepy bliss I was in. But I did not miss his closing keynote speech. And I did not miss grabbing his new book and clutching it to my heart knowing that I would find some of those deep soul thoughts that connected me to his previous work.
But outside of that, I don't know what else to say. Mainly because for me, BlissDom is about feeling.
How Did I Feel?
For me, BlissDom is a connection to the soul of the universe. Don't mean to get all Coelho-ish on you but that's how it feels. I go there to connect with people. Go there to hug my old friends and find some new people to hug. As a community leader this year, I felt bold in my walking up to someone and saying hello.
When people came and sat at my table during the sessions, I'd introduce myself and shake hands certain that I'd made a new friend.
I'll be honest in that BlissDom felt different for me this year. But then again, I AM different this year. Last year I had not yet started school, was still trying to figure out how to shape and mold what would become Mami Ink Media and certainly I went to BlissDom only knowing people (my roommates included) virtually.
This year it felt more familiar. I got a chance to hang with my Dancing to Success girls, got a glimpse of Gigi though not enough time to truly catch up, and found Erin long enough to give her a hug (though she was off before her scheduled departure and I didn't get to hug her goodbye).
I made a new soul connection with Kat (how is it that you can just feel such deep connections after online interactions and a few hours of face time?). Though I've gotten to know her these last few months as the community leaders have prepared for the conference, I'm at a loss at how much I miss her smiling face and her confident walk.
Who I met (the reader's digest version):
Here's a quick recap of a handful of people that I connected with:
Michelle from So Wonderful, So Marvelous - she gave me her business card WITH a chocolate covered Oreo. Seriously, if you're looking to make an impression, handing a business card with any type of chocolate is a great move!
Georgina from Notes on Lifestyle who I met at the newbie gathering. She reminds me of my BFF. On her card the word "bubbly" written by my hand assures me that I will definitely remember this shining spirit with a beautiful smile.
Renee from renée a. schuls-jacobson who found me through Erin and who I instantly clicked with thanks to her positive vibes. She also claims she's got big curly hair and thus, I'm about to throw out a "who's hair is the biggest" challenge her way.
Amber who writes at From Carpools to Cocktails. We danced, we hugged, we promised to keep in touch.
Dana who was in one of the writing sessions. She was there with a sponsor and had a break. Well, this young woman wants to start a blog so, I hope to see what she comes up with.
That leads me to one of the tasks I feel we all had at BlissDom: to inspire others while finding inspiration for ourselves. That can only be accomplished if we open ourselves up to the possibilities, if we set aside our preconceptions and allow all of the good that's out there to step into our field of vision. I feel I made great lifelong connections last year (and this one) because I remained open to the possibilities.
PS: stay tuned for a picture gallery in another post. I am having a "situation" with my images. Don't ask...
PPS: has anyone seen Flat Julie? I handed her over to Erin on Thursday and all I know is she was drinking margaritas and that was the last I saw of her.
 