East Coast Mermaid Power of the Purse Recap

When was the last time you put yourself in a room with a group of women who were strangers until that day and laughed, and cried, and laughed and cried some more? Many of you reading this are probably struggling to remember. Many of you will probably think this is a foreign concept.

Unless of course we’re talking about seeing Titanic in theatres, because we all know how that ends.

Power of the Purse was arguably one of the most powerful events I’ve been to in a long time and I’m so happy to say that about an event here on the East Coast. A spot on the map where life changing events like Work of Heart or Power of the Purse, don’t come around very often.

From incredible speakers who pulled laughter and tears out of each and every one of us, to a marketplace of female entrepreneurs and girl bosses, proudly sharing their businesses with each attendee – the feeling of girl power was in abundance and I grinned the entire drive back home that night.

I discovered so much about myself in one day. I added new goals and dreams to my life plans. It was such a powerful day, I couldn’t wait to share a handful of the most powerful takeaways from the day with all of you.

Don’t live a drive-by life.

How many of us are living a drive-by life?

def: a life where you are not living in the moment.

I’ve been there. Showing up to work, doing my thing, leaving work. Settling for a mediocre relationship. Settling for no relationship. Settling in for cat lady status.

It’s really incredibly easy to put your life on cruise control and zombie your way through the days. And it’s easy to think there’s nothing you can do about a job you hate or no way out of a situation you’re unhappy in. That’s just part of life, right? It’ll get better eventually, we tell ourselves.

No, no it’s not part of life. And maybe it will get better, eventually but why not make a change TODAY – not eventually. And while I’m not encouraging you to quit your job, sell all your possessions and live on a beach somewhere – I am encouraging you to check your cruise settings.

Are you living in the moment? Are you seizing the day? Or are you on auto-pilot? Zombie mode?

Make your goals public.

This one is easy, but so many of us fail to do it. Myself included.

If you have a goal, don’t just write it in a journal and keep it to yourself. Tell someone. Or better yet – tell a lot of people. I regularly tell people about my future plans for East Coast Mermaid. Sometimes I tell them plans as they’re coming to me for the first time.

The point is – if you have something you want to make happen, make it public and watch what happens next.

There is no such thing as individual success – there are always people behind the scenes.

These wise words from Canadian Olympian Jillian Saulnier really had me nodding my head, after the completely wild year I’ve had.

A year ago on Wednesday, I launched East Coast Mermaid, which to me at the time was a complete side hustle. A venture that would hopefully make enough money to pay for the Shopify store and inventory and that was it. MAYBE I’d have a little leftover for a rainy day. One year later, I not only run East Coast Mermaid, I’m the owner and president of an incorporated and successful consulting biz too.

Believe me when I say, none of this would have been possible without some key players. Family, friends, and most of all – D – helped make all of this possible. YOU reading this, made this possible.

Find your tribe, love them hard. That’s the real secret to success.

Don’t wait for a swift kick from the universe to show gratitude or to seize the day.

We all know someone that was delivered a punch to the gut or a swift kick from the universe prior to making an incredible change in their life. For some, it’s a health scare. For others, it’s not a scare, it’s real. Maybe it’s a death or maybe it’s a loss of a once treasured friendship.

Life and everything in it, comes with expiry dates. Do not wait until these factors are tested to be grateful for the people in your life and the opportunities in front of you. And please don’t wait until a year from now to seize the day.

If there’s something you want to do, do it. Do it today.

Every one of you is a success in your own life.

You. Yes, you!

Whether you realize it or not, you are a success in your own life. You’re not competing with anyone. This is your life and you’re only up against yourself.

You see that girl with the dreams? That girl with the big plans? That girl is you and you’re her only competition. Don’t busy yourself with what others are doing or how they’re doing it. Don’t discount yourself if your life on an Instagram grid isn’t as perfectly set as the others in your feed.

Your life up until right now, has been successful. Celebrate that, make more big plans, then rinse and repeat, girl!

It was said at Power of the Purse that when women come together with collective intention – magic happens. I could not agree more. As recording artist, actor, and human welfare advocate Denise Pelley said, “Find whatever it is in your life that gives you meaning – find the power in your purse.”

What is your power in your purse? Or backpack, if you’re like me ;) 

I was kindly invited by the organizing team behind Power of Purse to attend this event, however all opinions in the post are my own.