Yesterday I got the chance to attend Inspiration2Women, an event hosted in Kingston to celebrate women in business, entrepreneurship and corporate leadership. Participating in this event goes along with Sheryl Sandberg's whole lean in movement and I find it fabulous that women can gather in one spot and be inspired. Inspiration2Women had lovely ladies from Gail Vaz-Oxlade (Financial Guru), Susan Sly (Health and Wellness Expert), Catriona Le May Doan (Canadian Olympian), Sarah Richardson (Expert Designer) and the funny one herself, Deborah Kimmett. All keynote speakers had one thing in common, that was the true desire to inspire and help other women with their tips and advice to succeed in all aspects of life, professional and personal.
After finding out about Levo League, a community designed to provide Gen Y women with advice, resources, mentorship and career opportunities to successfully navigate their lives, I really wanted to find an event or other like minded individuals in the Kingston area who shared the same values. With Inspiration2Women, just that happened. While most of the crowd was older (a vast majority!), I still enjoyed the event with the company of my work colleagues.
This day long event taught women to invest in themselves and take the time to embrace what they can accomplish. Gail shared that knowledge and experience are assets compared to having an education at times. This truly shows that if you are self taught or passionate enough to go for something on your own, that you can achieve your goals. Catriona mentioned that success is not defined by possessions or objects but rather by how you have come to reach your aspirations and dreams. Embracing your goals and not being afraid to ask for help to reach that next step is nothing to be ashamed or shy about. Obstacles can be surpassed and learning to accept failure if they arise is something to rise upon. This leads to what Sarah Richardson had said about making the most of your opportunities because as this may sound cliche, you only live once and it's true. You may as well enjoy and be grateful for what you have but also do what you love by empowering yourself to thrive and grow. This will resonate onto others if working for a company or part of a team. Sarah shared so many useful tips that I will definitely be applying to my daily routine. The top three I walked away with are:
Leverage what you know
----
Use your career as an adventure
----
Know your point of advantages and differences
----
The overall message that was conveyed by these women was to be true to yourself and appreciate what you have accomplished but use your goals to mark your successes. You ultimately define who you are and you shouldn't let anyone tell you otherwise. Most importantly, you must find the balance and not give up. Be heard and lean in to achieve your full potential!
After finding out about Levo League, a community designed to provide Gen Y women with advice, resources, mentorship and career opportunities to successfully navigate their lives, I really wanted to find an event or other like minded individuals in the Kingston area who shared the same values. With Inspiration2Women, just that happened. While most of the crowd was older (a vast majority!), I still enjoyed the event with the company of my work colleagues.
This day long event taught women to invest in themselves and take the time to embrace what they can accomplish. Gail shared that knowledge and experience are assets compared to having an education at times. This truly shows that if you are self taught or passionate enough to go for something on your own, that you can achieve your goals. Catriona mentioned that success is not defined by possessions or objects but rather by how you have come to reach your aspirations and dreams. Embracing your goals and not being afraid to ask for help to reach that next step is nothing to be ashamed or shy about. Obstacles can be surpassed and learning to accept failure if they arise is something to rise upon. This leads to what Sarah Richardson had said about making the most of your opportunities because as this may sound cliche, you only live once and it's true. You may as well enjoy and be grateful for what you have but also do what you love by empowering yourself to thrive and grow. This will resonate onto others if working for a company or part of a team. Sarah shared so many useful tips that I will definitely be applying to my daily routine. The top three I walked away with are:
Leverage what you know
----
Use your career as an adventure
----
Know your point of advantages and differences
----
The overall message that was conveyed by these women was to be true to yourself and appreciate what you have accomplished but use your goals to mark your successes. You ultimately define who you are and you shouldn't let anyone tell you otherwise. Most importantly, you must find the balance and not give up. Be heard and lean in to achieve your full potential!