“It’s true that we want to be part of a tribe. What’s not true is that it must be the uber tribe, the one and only mass tribe, the center of the curve. Our own little circle is in fact what we really want.” ~ Seth Godin
Want to see one of my all-time favorite photos?
Women on Fire gathering in Chicago, 2010 (Heather Stone Photo)
The reason I love the picture so much is because this is my tribe.
These are the women who inspire me with their enthusiasm, humor and courage. The women who lift me up to my higher self. The women who genuinely want more for other women and are there to cheer each other on.
What a tribe we are. Coming together to inspire and support each other’s dreams. And, I love belonging to it.
Women on Fire in Columbus, Ohio, June 2011 (Jamie Eslinger Photo)
We have our own ways of being and doing that feel right and comfortable and connecting to us. But that doesn’t mean our tribe is for everyone, nor should it be.
A few months ago at a Women on Fire Tea, a perfectly lovely and polite woman was a first-time attendee. Afterward, she announced privately to the friend who brought her that she feared Women on Fire was a “cult.”
I laughed! And was not the least bit offended. I knew that our particular tribe simply wasn’t her cup of tea (so to speak!)
She left the tea, declaring she’d never return, but instead would be starting her own group – a running club for women.
Good for her! She wanted, as Seth Godin points out, her “own little circle.” And, that’s exactly as it should be. A circle or a tribe where you feel you belong.
Who and what do you want to be a part of? Who would miss you if you weren’t there? What kind of tribe uplifts you, provides what you need, feels right to you?
You can belong to many different tribes. In my life, I have a best friend circle, a family circle, an extended family circle, a writers’ circle.
Some of the many members of my extended family tribe. (Rob Berkley Photo)
At other times in my life, I have belonged to circles for yoga, grief support, spirituality, tennis, and business mastermind groups.
What tribes do you belong to? Do you need to update them? Find new ones? Get more involved in the ones you have?
My tribe-of-all-tribes, circle-of-all-circles, is Women on Fire. And, I hope it serves you in your life, too. (Or, you probably wouldn’t be reading this!)
So it is with great joy and exuberance that I am packing my bags and heading to Columbus, Ohio to be with my people!
Our long-awaited Women on Fire Day of inspiration, strategies and support, hosted by Jan Allen, is Friday, September 30. I can’t wait to see so many of you in person. And, to introduce you to each other, including:
- Keynote speaker Janette Barber
- Panelists: Debi Lilly, Liz Lessner and M.E. Jones
- Women on Fire Book Co-Authors: Ginny Barney, Allison Barry, Holly Getty, Lori Gagnon, Patricia Wynn Brown, Andrea Dowding, M.E. Jones, Shannon McCaffery … and me!
If you can’t be with us in person, we will miss you very much. But no worries. You can still be with us!
Through social media, our reporter Renata Ramsini will share the day’s happenings so you can be part of the fun, and I hope you will.
So stay tuned to Facebook and Twitter (#WomenOnFire #WOFDay).
And, next week I’ll talk about just how good it felt to spend time with our fascinating, inspiring tribe. Women who are most definitely my cup of tea!
