Do It With Your Eyes Open & Be Awesome: Post-#Shine Wrap Up, pt 1

Do It With Your Eyes Open & Be Awesome: Post-#Shine Wrap Up, pt 1

Posted on 09. Nov, 2009 by Elizabeth Potts Weinstein in Blog

Last week I went to Las Vegas.

Why? Well, it’s Las Vegas. :) Okay, I also went there to throw a tweetup and hang with the other entrepreneurs attending Ali Brown’s Shine Event.

After 5 days in Vegas, here’s what I learned:

Sometimes you need to do it with your eyes open.

The first “event” after arriving in Las Vegas on Wednesday was arranged by my friend Alexis Martin Neely — a yoga-ish tantric-ish bodywork-ish class facilitated by Alexis’ friend Charu. Don’t ask me to explain what this class was, I am totally not the woo-woo girl who knows about this stuff (yes, I own yoga clothes, but it’s for wearing on laundry day, not actually doing yoga).

Bottom line is that this class was designed to get this small group of women back into ourselves so we can access the power & in our bodies.

After working with us for a while, we each paired up with another woman in the group and did exercises which involved extended eye contact. This totally freaked me out.

Not because it was a way to really connect with another person (I’m totally into seeing other people’s stuff) but because it involved letting the other person into my stuff. Whoh.

Here’s the thing, I have a history of doing it (ahem) with my eyes closed to keep the other person at a bit of a distance, to maintain the artifice of who I think I appear to be.

So standing right there, with that woman in front of me, I decided frak it, I’m keeping my eyes open.

And I kept my eyes open for the next 5 days. Strangely, people seemed to still like me. Or at least they didn’t run away screaming.

Maybe I shouldn’t get used to having fans.

Something weird happened in the last 6 months. From some magical combination of making transparent videos & sharing TMI (too much information) on , I became a famous person.

Okay, not an actual famous person. More like famous in a tiny tiny little world. I don’t know, maybe to like 5 people or something.

What I mean by “famous” is that people know me, really well, who I don’t yet know back. Not that I don’t want to know them … I just have not yet connected with everyone who feels that they have already connected with me.

So when I had my pre-shine tweetup on Wednesday night, not only did people actually show up (whew!) but some of them came to see me. Well, I’m sure they also came to talk to other people, but they wanted to connect with me in person, since they had seen my videos, followed me on , or been on my list, and already knew me. Except I didn’t know them. Yet.

And let me tell you, that’s really strange. People I don’t know asking me to be in a picture with them, or just wanting to introduce themselves & say how much I have helped them. Awesome, yes. But really, really weird.

At first I thought, well, I have to get used to it. Get used to being a famous-in-a-tiny-tiny-world person, so when I’m an actual famous person, it’s easy. But the thing is, “getting used to it” might involve expecting it. Getting jaded. Holding myself up over the “other” people. Gross.

So never mind re getting used to it. I’m just going to get okay with being freaked out about it.

And, I’m going to keep connecting, keep engaging, keep nurturing the relationships I have with my tribe. So the next time I hook up with them IRL (in real life), it will be, well, less weird.

I am already awesome.

On day 1 of Shine, we were supposed to fill out a worksheet to figure out what needed to be done about our business and lives.

Question: how are you frustrated about your business & life?

Answer: Objection, question assumes facts not in evidence. (Sorry, inside lawyer joke there.)

Answer: My life & business are awesome.

Any frustrations I have are little things (my computer not working fast enough, the Starbucks chick forgetting to stir my mocha, etc.) that are easily moved through or solved.

And that’s huge. Every other year, I had a whole list of reasons my life & business sucked. But for the first time, I realized that they don’t. My life & business are freaking awesome. And whenever they aren’t, I immediately take action to make them so.

Really, that was worth the price of admission.

Knowing that I don’t need anything. Knowing that I’m already kickass.

Now that is freaking awesometastic.

(coming soon – part two, including: “If it worked yesterday does not mean it will work tomorrow” and “Bullsh*t does not work on social media.”)

Did you go to Ali Brown’s Shine event?  What did you think?  I want to hear from you — leave a comment below. :)

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  • I am so enjoying following your explosion of awareness and growth this year and I'm grateful to be able to witness it. Your authentic voice is a joy to listen to, and now to see in writing-- no wonder your followers are flocking! I am looking forward to connecting more personally soon. Wishing you well- Nanette
  • anapoirier
    Elizabeth,

    I am now wishing I had been able to chat in person at Shine!
    Love that you are telling it like it is.
    Also, a little regretful that I did not make the Tweetup, especially being a woo woo yoga girl. (wink)

    I felt like there was this underlying theme of trying to squash our awesomeness during the event. Not from the amazing women I met, but from the "leadership".

    Girl, let us shine in our own right, right here, right now!

    Once I came home, I really felt like "wow, I do have some frustrations in my current biz, but I am working on them . . . And I am awesome without being in a $100,000 program."

    Keep it up and stay fantastic.

    : ) Ana
  • ypadgett
    I sooooo miss Vegas! I have not been in forever and I am sooooo looking forward to going. And if I was there, I would have totally made it a point to meet you in person.

    One of the issues I have with starting a business where someday others may "know" me like they do you is that one of my all time most prized possessions is my anonimity. It's always been something I've valued greatly and been keenly aware of. If you ask me what's the worst thing that can happen to me personally, it's becoming famous or infamous (seriously, the worst!). I'm a very private person so its' been a HUGE leap for me to have agreed with myself to create a business where I'll shortly be "out there". But...it feels right so I'm going with it and we'll see what happens. If I get too scared, I can always register with an alias!! LOL. ypadgett
  • Jill
    Hi Elizabeth,

    Great post.

    You were one of the people I wanted to meet while I was there and, I must admit, I felt almost stalkerish going up to say hello to the people I've been following online to say hi for exactly the reasons you stated. I didn't want to make them feel uncomfortable, plus I didn't want them to think, "OK this chick obviously has too much time on her hands if she feels like she knows me."

    But then I told myself they're just people and this might be my only chance to say hello to some of them.

    Putting "guru" status on someone is weird, though.

    Great Tweet-up, by the way. It was my first ever.

    Most of Shine was fabulous. I would have changed a few things, but I'm sure most people feel that way about anything and everything in life, so no big deal.

    I was amazed, however, at the number of people totally chucking what they are doing after hearing the viewpoint of just one person. Sure, that one person is very successful. But it's still just the viewpoint of one person. Someone else who is just as successful might say to do the complete opposite. Both views could be right. Both could be wrong.

    But I saw a box of 5,000 brand new business cards go in the trash because of these comments. That's a minor example, really, since biz cards are cheap. Do we really want to chuck what we are doing at a moment's notice because one person said to? Shouldn't we give it a little thought and look inside ourselves first?

    Maybe sometimes we do need to take the leap and chuck it without thinking it through because it smacks us in the face and we realize we were on the wrong path or there is a better way.
  • Very interesting post. I relate on so many of your points. Deliberate eye contact in the yoga situation [and other] you mentioned freaks me out too, LOL! And when I do start attending these types of events, if I meet you in person, I hope you don't get too freaked out :-) Even though I don't always leave a comment, I've seen most of your videos and read most of your blog posts.
  • Writergrrl
    I didn't go...and am really bummed now considering I actually LIVE in Vegas! I suppose some of it would've been wasted on me as I don't have a 'business', but I am a huge fan of fantastic women getting together to learn, grow and, mostly, just have a brilliant time. Look forward to Part Two!
  • Hi Elizabeth,

    I just had a blast meeting you. But all this stuff about Fan/Idol and meeting them in person has gotten me thinking. I wonder if we just don't know how to handle "fame."

    Think about it. Before the Internet and social networking, sure there were "famous" industry people but they were probably speakers so they were more prepared. Outside that, famous people were really famous, like actors, not necessarily business people trying to sell things.

    So we're out there, building lists and providing great content on the Internet because that's good business practices nowadays. But a by-product is fame, which may not be what we were thinking about when we started this. So, when we do go to events, it takes us by surprise (both ways).

    Maybe we need an info-product or a coaching program on how to deal with this --- fame. :)
  • i don't think anyone knows how to handle fame. i mean, actors were not always famous, back in the day they were just artists who were excited to make enough $ to do their work. okay, most actors are still like that, just not those at the top of their game. :)

    lol re an info product on how to deal w/ fame.
  • terrygreen
    Day 1 of Shine was an eye-opener for me when we had to pick our 5 top values and then assess whether or not we were actually living them in our lives and businesses. I learned a few things ... probably already knew them, but didn't really want to admit it until I took an honest look at them. Day 3 was a great day because by the time I put everything together, I realized that I wasn't totally off base and am on the right track with my business. I came away with a multitude of things to do to keep going forward and really kick my business up a notch. Now ... the work begins.

    And by the way ... even though the pre-Shine Tweet-up was my first ever Tweet-up; meeting you in person was one of the things I looked forward to the most :)
  • I found that I was totally living my values (mine are truth, passion, growth, connection & adventure <-- pretty much the theme of live your truth). It was so awesome to see that! :)

    I'm so excited I was there for your first tweetup. :)
  • "Knowing that I don’t need anything. Knowing that I’m already kickass."

    That's the awesome sauce! I love it!!
  • Woohoo for eyes open! I can imagine the exercise as being a little freaky for me too, but definitely worth it I'm sure.

    I love your attitude toward being famous (no matter how small the niche), and really it is something we need to get used to... I mean the freaking out part.

    I'm really looking forward to reading the other parts, especially since I didn't go to Shine. So it's extra interesting from an outsider's perspective. ;)
  • You and I have already had a brief discussin about #shine. Looking forward to the snarky commentary.

    And yes, you're the pinnacle of awesomeness, if I may be so bold. Being you is part of what makes being me so frickin' cool. Thanks!
    -Lisa
  • I was at Shine. I wasn't able to attend the Tweet-up, as my flight arrived at 9pm and I didn't get to the hotel & check-in until at least an hour or more after that. And as I came from the East Coast I was REALLY tired. (I actually rode from the airport to the hotel w/your friend Carla Young...great meeting her!)

    I did introduce myself to you as I LOVE meeting people in person. And I love your message and what you're about. And later I made small talk with you at the coffee table about Twitter. But I totally wanted to talk with you more but didn't want to "take up your time" and figured you wouldn't want to spend your precious time talking to little ole ME. Stupid, I know. And I'm not shy. Go figure.

    And yes, I see you as somewhat of a celebrity.

    And some others I see as a celebrity (I won't mention any names) when I do approach them, they fake interest in talking to me and mostly interested in talking about themselves and their "newest" program. Ugh! Guess I should have already figured you were NOT like that.

    Anyway, long story short -- you know what? I too am already awesome and I'm someone cool to get to know. And if those who drank from the "celebrity juice" don't give me the time of day, so be it.

    And next time I WILL take the time to talk with you more. I see (and saw briefly in person) that you are genuine and do want to get to know people. That is one of many things that make you unique :-)
  • yes, you have to talk to me more. ;) I look forward to hanging w/ you then.
  • I hope to meet you soon and hope than even if you are famous-in-a-big-big-world you can take a second to take a picture with me. One of you fans from FL. All the best for you lady.
  • oh look, it's fan #2! ;)
  • btw since you are in a low tolerance for BS, I'll not bother you for a while.
  • Ladyfriend, I can't wait to come see YOU!

    So there. :)
  • It has been 6 months since I've written a blog post (as opposed to making a video). And the last post was also right after a trip to Las Vegas. Interesting, eh? :)
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