Sharing My Whole Heart at Circle Up
Yesterday morning, I spent some time in Downtown Raleigh sharing at one of my favorite spots, The Flourish Market. And by sharing, I mean sharing my whole heart. I have never been one to tell people how I really feel, especially in front of strangers. I know you are asking why then did you share your whole heart in the circle, and how did it come about? Continue reading, and I will tell you exactly what happened.
I have been a fan of The Flourish Market since it was a fashion truck. ( As Em, the owner, pointed out to the group of women in the circle, I was her first-ever customer. So you can imagine that this place has a special place in my heart.) I have followed them from a fashion truck to their first brick and mortar store to now their new location in the warehouse district in downtown Raleigh. I am also a member of her Fully Alive Collective, this membership has led me to create some amazing things, but more on that later. Because I am a big fan, I, of course, subscribe to the newsletter.
Still with me so far, I know I am rambling, but it will be so worth it in the end, I promise. So being a subscriber to the newsletter, I get to know about the events that they hold at the store. There is usually a cost associated with most ( because hey they do have bills to pay), and sometimes I have to think about whether the price is worth that travel time. Because if you have forgotten, it is an hour’s drive from my house to Raleigh.
So sometimes, the want to go doesn’t always turn into the get to go. But when I saw this hit my inbox.
Join us for our first “circle up” of the year! Each month, I’ ll be gathering together 16 women in an effort to help you feel seen + encouraged – and also to help you build community with like-minded women. Does walking into a room of 15 other women intimidate you + make you feel a little uneasy? I hear you. And can I tell you a secret? You’re in good company because most women would agree with you! This is where I’m going to ask you to trust me to create a safe (+ fun!) guided conversation + space where we can all connect, feel challenged, and walk away with a new friend.
And then I saw that the cost was only $15 and that it was on a Saturday morning, which means no traffic on my drive to Raleigh, what could I say but yes. This year as in the past, it has been about and will continue to be about stepping out of my comfort zone. And stepping into the abundance of life that God has planned for me.
Was I scared? Sure. Was I nervous? Sure. Was I anxious? Sure. Did I think about not going? Yep, I was all that and a bag of chips. Still, because I paid for or invested in the meetup, that was the motivation I need to get me out of bed early Saturday morning. I had to be on the road by 7 am, making a quick detour to Starbucks for my white chocolate mocha for the drive and getting to Raleigh around 8. The event didn’t start until 8:30, so I sat in my car for a few minutes listening to the rest of a podcast ( Podcasts are life) and just relaxed. I will admit, I said a quiet prayer to God, saying, “I know YOU have got this. It is in your hands. If this is where I needed to be, YOU will show me.”
And boy did He show me. Em asked the 16 women that were in attendance to go around and introduce ourselves. She told us to tell our name and then answer this question. …. If you really knew me then you would know….. Some shared fun stuff, others shared the hard things. There was a moment when it was my turn that I thought I would share that you would know I am a huge Housewives fan. And I almost did, but instead, I said I am passionate about my girls but totally insecure when it came to myself.
Say what? Who was this person, and what just came out of my mouth? As the meeting went on, Em asked us to journal our answers to questions she asked us. By the way, the theme of the month was “What IF….”. (This wasn’t the first time that this particular concept has made its way into conversations. I was actually on a conference call last Monday when those words were actually spoken and with the same idea. )
The journaling took up a significant part of the Circle Up. After journaling our answers, Em invited us to share what we wrote. This was totally voluntary. Many women shared, but I won’t share their stories here because they are Their Stories to tell, not mine. But I can share mine. I heard myself admitting to a group of strangers about being in Menopause, telling them I have actually had a hot flash as we were journaling. I know you are probably thinking that isn’t such a big deal because you just wrote about it. But that is the thing, past Melissa would have never sat around a group of women and tell that.
Y’all, I showed up, and I showed up big. Or should I say God showed up big time? I was in the last group that left, and I honestly can’t wait to go back next month. I knew when I walked out the doors of The Flourish Market, that I was where I needed to be. I felt such a peace and stillness cover my soul.
Em left us with one question to ask ourselves every night. And it is the question I am posing to you now.
Congratulations for making time for you. Falling in love with yourself is so important.
Glad you stepped out of your comfort zone, it will feel better and better each time and you will feel yourself start to grow and change.