December Bonfires

So much has happened since I wrote last -- Thanksgiving, the vaccine, the plan to reopen our schools in Chicago, and a winter like no other in my lifetime. My Bonfire experience continues to get better by the day, and a HUGE part of this is all of the talented, smart and generous women I get to interact with. One of the things this pandemic has not been for me is lonely -- somehow I have found and fostered an online community that reminds me of all the people and possibilities out there. I know that this is not common, and I am grateful to the universe for this.

Kara Wright came and spoke to us about Equity, and living it in our day-to-day work lives; Kailei Carr helped us think about the impressions we make, online and in-person; Craig Wortmann spoke about the power of having stories (including developing your story matrix).

Suzanne Muchin (also the co-founder and CEO of the Bonfire program) spoke with us about making an introduction that sticks, and a Pointy Point of View (a concept I am still grappling with a little). We had Networks Network, where women from the first cohort led 30 minute discussions about various topics such as Leading Men, Executive Motherhood, and Giving Circles. Our group Lucille continues to meet, and our book club held it's first chat! Another cohort member and I started a channel called #findyourunique for those of us looking to articulate our uniqueness better. If you know me, you know this is something I grapple with.

While the struggle and doubt are far from over (and I don't think they will ever be completely gone, but over the years they are not as firmly lodged as my early twenties), Bonfire has become the place where I convert their vagueness into precise language that helps me find out what I need to do.

As we head towards ending what has been trending (rightfully so) as a dumpster fire of an year, Bonfire is a key saving grace for the year.