Two weeks ago, several Matern staff attended the 2024 Women’s Leadership Colloquium at UMW, themed “Real Talk, Real Issues, Real Solutions.” The all-day seminar delivered inspiring moments, actionable insights, and meaningful connections. Dynamic breakout sessions and expert-led discussions offered practical solutions to today’s challenges. Our team eagerly brought these ideas back and quickly shared them with the rest of the group.
The day culminated with a powerful keynote from Aarti Sequeira, who shared her life story of overcoming challenges. From her early years in India to her journey through Dubai and a British education her story reminded us to live without excuses and embrace our purpose with passion.
Key Reflections:
- Christine Kennedy, COO/Executive Vice President of the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance and a leadership and transformation coach, encouraged us to live with no regrets. She reminded us that “knowledge is not power until it’s applied.” She urged us to replace “I should have…” with empowering language like “I get to…” or “I want to…” for a more positive mindset.
- Michelle Hedrich, former Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters Greater Fredericksburg, highlighted the importance of a lifelong growth mindset. She urged us to use self-reflection and assessments to identify new growth opportunities. Her words reinforced the value of intentional personal development.
- Theresa Moore, Managing Director of Top Line Growth Partners, shared strategies to “hack” our brain’s preference for routine. It reminded us that simply pausing to breathe can help us manage stress and stay resilient amid life’s demands. She also shared how gratitude heals, makes us at least 25% happier, alleviates stress, improves sleep, and many more positives.
The energy from the day was contagious, and we’ve already started putting our takeaways into practice. During last week’s Monday morning meeting, we traded our usual inspirational videos for one of Theresa Moore’s breathing technique suggestions, the 30-second breathing bubble. This week, we shared gratitude about someone we’re thankful for and why. Both examples provided energizing ways to start the week with calm and focus. The experiences reinforced how simple practices can make a real difference in our daily routines.
Getting Involved
Connecting with old friends and making new ones brought us joy. Additionally, absorbing practical insights alongside leading women motivated us to engage more and share these lessons with our teams.
Interested in getting involved with local community leadership opportunities? Visit our Community page for a list of resources, and get started today.