The Power of The What Summit 2019
Betsy Simon, TW Contributor
As a 35-year old LA woman who practically networks for a living, summits and gatherings fail to leave much of an impression on me these days. Sad, but true. Same guests, same speakers, same topics. They are always worthwhile—you meet a new friend, connect with a new work contact, feel inspired by one of the conversations. But I couldn’t tell you the last time I left a gathering (ticketed and 200+ women no less) feeling truly moved.
Then I got a sneak peak at the guest list for TWS 2019 and I thought, ok, this should be interesting. New people. Potential for some mentorship. I knew it would be good, but I never imagined just how great it would be. I never imagined I would be moved by every single speaker and every single session.
“I knew it would be good, but I never imagined just how great it would be.”
The morning session with Doniece Sandoval triggered actual tears. A lot of tears. I realized the opportunities to help those less fortunate were not currently on my top priority list and I need to refocus. I’ve been focusing so much on toxins and sustainability and women in business that I have failed to realize there are people suffering right now and we can help them. We can notice them. We can give them hope, blankets, food, dignity. What a start to the day. The first few pages of my notebook are filled with “to do” lists and ways to see my work through a new lens.
My notes trickled down a path from “Triage for Essentials” to “The Seed Diet for Hormonal Balance,” and include one of my favorite sessions from the day… The Medicine Woman with Sand Symes.
I live in LA, so I don’t really need another healer in my life. I was planning to attend the brain health session led by Dr. Lisa Mosconi and skip the shaman. However, when I learned Lisa had a last minute emergency, I opted for Sand and found myself in a room of women… strangers… silently staring into each other’s eyes for minutes on end. Some crying, some smiling, some shaking… everyone physically and emotionally moved. Sand’s words empowering us, reminding us who we are, who we want to be, and, most importantly, that the power to be all that is already inside us. I’ve talked about this session every week since—about water and ice, our sacred mirrors, shared energy. This session alone was worth the trip from LA. It turns out I didn’t need another healer. I needed a Medicine Woman.
At that point, I could have left for the day and been entirely happy, but I am so glad I didn’t. I went immediately into a private salon lunch where all of my irrational ruminating thoughts were shut down. Should I want to be married right now? Should I want to have kids right now? Should I want to start my own company? Most of my friends either have these things or are freaking out about not having them. And here I am, freaked out about not being freaked out. I left lunch with 30 women, ranging in ages from 25-75, talking about why they respect one another, what they’ve learned, what they wish they had done better, what they hope they never lose sight of. And I realized I need A LOT more friends over 45. (REAL TALK. Do any of the women from lunch want to be friends, do they want to hang with 25-40 year olds? How often? Why?)
Our day ended with a tech shabbat education, led by Tiffany Shlain, that left me seriously considering moving back to a flip phone. This was a perfect lead-in to an intimate evening for an even smaller group of women eager to delve into the magic of the day and leave their phones behind to truly connect with each other. It was a powerful 24 hours to be fully present, sharing, laughing, drinking…and to leave wanting more.
“It was a powerful 24 hours to be fully present, sharing, laughing, drinking…and to leave wanting more.”
It was a long good-bye and as much as I wanted to spend another 24 hours in the company of these women, I was actually looking forward to my 4 hour drive up the coast, so that I could call my family and friends to share what happened. And that’s exactly what I did. I called everyone I knew to share what I’d learned, loved and had planned for my future self. I cannot wait to go back next year.