I'm back in Dallas after a week in Palm Springs, California! I'm already missing the sunshine, the mountains, and the amazing energy at Alt Summit, and can't wait to start implementing some of the things I learned this year! 

Alt Summit is a conference for female creatives and entrepreneurs! There are over 1,000 insanely talented women in one place, and they are all supporting each other! During the day we attend workshops, seminars, and keynote talks, and at night there are meetups and organic dinners where we connect with other attendees. One of the highlights of Alt is definitely the relationships that start there. This was my third year to attend, so it's exciting to reconnect with friends I met in years past and see where they are now.

Of course there's a little time for relaxation and enjoying the city, too. This year, the conference took place across three hotels in Palm Springs: The Saguaro (below), The Ace (above), and The Riviera. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the conference schedule and pack your day with sessions, but some of the magic of Alt are the connections that happen while you're relaxing. One of my favorite (and funny!) parts of this year was that I found an outfit twin every day! Of course I took a photo with each one, yes!

Sessions

I went to a range of sessions, covering everything from podcasting, to Pinterest, finances, book publishing, and even stop motion videos! There were so many talented women taking the stage to share their expertise and experiences with others.

Keynotes were given daily, and my favorite was probably from the founders of The Joshua Tree House! They shared their experience and their story of leaving their 9-5 jobs to pursue a nature project which led to the Joshua Tree House and now their newest property - an inn! They never planned to become Airbnb hosts or own multiple properties, but it just happened as they were inspired by the nature around them. I love that! Sign me up for a roadtrip, and let's just see what happens, right?!

It's always moving to hear someone share their story, and there were definitely a few speakers who shared super empowering messages about self-worth, their own experiences with failure, depression, and almost giving up, and we were ALL teary-eyed. Every story has such a valuable message, and I know the Alt team works so hard to find speakers who inspire and are willing to be vulnerable with the entire audience!

One of my favorite talks was by Sarah Jane Case from @enneagramandcoffee; she shared her personal story about always striving for more and taking on more and more work, until she realized the the problem was inside and she had to do some self-growth work to get to the root of it, and that's when she got into the Enneagram, which is what she's known for now!

Learnings

1. Take a BREAK!

Yes, it's so simple. Taking a week away from work to be inspired and refreshed changes everything! While I was in Palm Springs, I didn't post on Instagram, I didn't respond to emails. Ok, maybe like two. Ha! I had my out of office message up, and I made a choice to enjoy my time away for the purpose of being inspired!

2. You do you, Boo Boo.

There are so many talented women out there. They might already be doing what you want to do. BUT you can still do it! It will be different because YOU are different, and that is so special. I was so encouraged and reminded over and over again that my gifts are different than other people, and even if we are all doing similar things, there is room for everyone!

3. Baby steps.

I love goals. If you have been following me for any amount of time, you know I love goals, lists, and check marks on my to do list! I often get bogged down with the big picture that it keeps me from taking baby steps and making progress! I've known this about myself for a while, but Alt reminded me that any tiny step forward is still forward progress! I get frustrated at myself that some of my goals from last year had to be carried over into my 2020 goals, but I feel so good about where I am right now and I know that every baby step is getting me closer to where I want to be!

4. Clarity is key!

Well, that's great, but how do I get clarity?! I'm good at a few different things, and it's tough for me to focus on any one part of my business...I've always been that way! It has helped me so much to talk and verbally process ideas and how different goals play into my overall business. You can't pursue anything if you're pursuing everything. What's the quote?? "if you're talking to everyone, you're talking to noone." yep.

5. The riches are in the niches.

Almost died when I heard this one at Alt! Ha! It's true! Niche, niche, niche! Who are you talking to?! I'm guilty of trying to talk to a lot of different people, so I'm working on narrowing my focus and talking to one audience, instead of 7! ;) 

There are so many things I want to share, and perhaps an IGTV video is in order to share some nuggets from different talks I attended, but one thing is sure: no visit to Palm Springs is complete with stopping by The Parker Hotel to dine at Norma's! You're looking at $28 french toast, and let me just tell you - it's worth it! I host brunch events every month, so I have eaten a lot of french toast! Trust me on this one. Food, service, atmosphere...all excellent at Norma's.

I also had some delicious sushi, and I highly recommend visiting Sandfish! The service was fantastic, and I was so impressed with every roll that I tried- presentation, size, and taste were all perfect! 

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I'm going to miss Palm Springs, but I'm hoping to return to Alt again next year, maybe as a speaker this time. ;)

There are always things for me to learn, but I love sharing with others and helping them grow! As soon as I got back into Dallas, I hosted an Instagram and brand identity workshop the next day! I was exhausted, but it was so worth it! I love helping other women grow and it definitely energized me.