Conquer Live in LA for My Birthday

I had been throwing around the idea of being in LA for my birthday since December. And this year, Conquer Live, an event I’ve been wanting to attend for a few years just happened to be on my birthday. So I RSVP’d. But let me tell you a secret. I didn’t commit. Not really. I didn’t book a flight or a hotel room because I needed an out, just in case…

Can you relate? This constant balancing between everything we want to do and everything we think we are suppose to do.

I have been a member of The Conquer Club, an online training and support group lead by She Takes on the World’s Natalie MacNeil, since 2014… ish. I can’t quite remember because that was three email addresses and a life time of dreams ago. My father in law encouraged me to sign up because he thought it could help me build my own business and he always so supportive of my ideas. And I wanted nothing else then to be successful and show him that his support and guidance was well placed. That business didn’t work out. And neither did the job I took to cover all the life changes (especially after my father in law passed away) while I re-grouped. But while leaning into “owning my schedule”, my freelance producing seemed to thrive with little effort. And so this new idea came to me.

Wild Spruce Media was inspired by a conversation I had with my father in law. Could the freelance producing and creative work I do for films translate into a business focused on helping people tell their stories in a meaningful way? I didn’t have him to ask any more. So I stayed with The Conquer Club, year after year, checking in but remaining on the sidelines.

Conquer Live in LA on My Birthday

But now, Conquer Live had come around again, and I had RSVPd. My word was on the line and I was still debating with myself. My daughter didn’t want me to be away on my birthday and that was a brilliant reason to not go right? And I was worried (feeling guilty) about spending the money on myself, even if it is for business. And it was such a long way to go for one day. (Oh the stories we tell ourselves)

But that do or die moment came. We were at my daughter’s dance performance. Someone asked me what I was doing that afternoon, and I said I’m going to LA. (just like that, no hesitation) I looked at my phone and checked Delta – the flight was still available. So I got my daughter in the car and headed home to buy the flight due to fly out three hours later. But when I got home the entire flight was booked. Ugh. Less than an hour ago I was convinced and now that little voice in my head was telling me, well you tried…

So I refocused (with my daughter’s blessing lol) and figured it out.

I found another flight on a different airline (no air miles for this flight) and within 3 hours I was in the air heading to Los Angeles still needing to figure out how I was going to get home. I booked a night in the conference hotel on the flight out, missing the conference rate with all my commitment issues, but I was on my way.

The room was a dream! I thought I might explore a bit, I love LA, but instead I crawled in to the most amazing bed in front of a window the length and height of the room (I totally played with all three layers of the remote curtains) and slept for 8 solid hours.

Conquer Live was Amazing!

I pushed my own limits getting there, which seems a little crazy (even to me) because I’m known for showing up. But sometimes it takes a little something extra to dance with yourself. And I got to meet myself in this moment. Pulling everything together to show up for myself, gave me the most fantastic day. I celebrated my birthday surrounded by the most amazing women doing extraordinary things digging deep into how we can continue to bring our ideas to life.

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I spent my birthday meeting mentors and friends face to face. We broke bread together, shared stories that helped us all move forward and toasted the day and everything we are working towards. And I truly amazing highlight was having happy birthday sung to me and another participant by Natalie herself.

I’m so glad I went.

The lessons we learn are the threads that make up the story of our lives. Sometimes we show up, sometimes we fight against ourselves, sometimes the stories we tell ourselves keep us stuck. And sometimes we’ve come to believe something so deeply that it takes stepping into a whole new narrative to move forward. What ever the story, I’m here to help you discover the best way to share your story.

And here I find myself curious. When was the last time you did something just for yourself? Tell me everything!

Our stories have power and I can’t wait to hear yours!

Let’s Start Talking

Tami Lynn,