This past Tuesday I made my debut on the fantastic and fun live streaming YouTube show, Social Common Live. This is the conversation that went on between my various faculties of logic and emotion as I tried to decide what to wear.

Brain: Oct. 27^th is very close to Halloween… I wonder if their content will be themed.

Heart: ZOMG I CAN DRESS UP?!

Brain: That’s not what was in the email. It said dress-y not dress-up.

Heart: “OOOOOOOH MAYBE I’LL BE SUPERGIRL.”

Brain: No, no no. Pull it together.

Heart: Sooooo….Jem? Can I be Jem?

Brain: How about you have a shower, and get out of your pjs, Super Mom.

Heart: Wait are we committing to Jem? Because I need to find my pink wig.

Moms are fascinating people.

We spend a lot of time bouncing like a pinball between a variety of ‘top priorities’ and addressing so many different roles— and even if we intellectually know that we can do anything with our lives, it’s still pretty hard to avoid wearing those hats. You know the ones:

Mom, sister, friend, expert, business woman, confidant, cleaning lady, nurse, magician…. The list goes on.

Sometimes it can get so overwhelming that it is honestly easier to think about appearing in cosplay on a live show, than it is to be myself. Because… which self should I be?

Who do they want?

Do they want Kat the soothe sayer? Kat the mover and shaker? Kat the self-depricating comedienne? The poised expert? Maybe the happy geeks-pert? …What if I’m not the right me?

What if somehow, I’ve been so focused on the needs of my family and the world around me, that I’ve forgotten to be the person that I am at this moment? The imperfect, all-of-it-and-none-of-it me?

Reflect & Reconnect

Last weekend I went to a retreat called Simply Blossoming. The 2 night event was started by Cathy Thompson and Laurel Crossley specifically to shed the roles we often find ourselves crammed into, and to reconnect with our ‘un-cast’ selves and our life messages. Through meditation, yoga, and workshops (and a lot of cathartic crying and wine), women came together to find the stillness and spark in their hearts.

Simply Blossoming Fun. Photo credits: Jennifer Powell (top), Kirstie Smallman (bottom left), Laurie Goodman (bottom right)

The rustic cabins of Camp Wanakita, the crisp air and the pungent earthiness of the Haliburtons were the perfect backdrop to take us out of our everyday buzz and ground us in the moment.

Listen to your heart.

Love yourself.

Surround yourself with joy and ease.

Receive the abundance that is yours.

We wore no make up. There were many layers of clothing involved and there was not one wall up. It was liberating and at once terrifying to have to face coming back to reality. And to put pants on. And of course I would be on the show in only a couple days…

I realized as I shook the crumbs of a bag of chips from my lap and gathered my bags of camp laundry, that I would have to really pull it together before then. Because Catherine Belknap and Nathalie Telfer also had a great way to bring moms together with their Tuesday night, virtual mom’s night out. But surely their ‘Moms Like Us’ motto didn’t extend to the puffy-eyed geek who was in emotional hyperdrive and was obsessed with horror movies and comics?

Brain: Ok you can go as Jem.

Heart: No, no we won’t fit in.

Brain: So, just be you. You just spent a whole weekend being all vulnerable and stuff.

Heart: Ugh. I’m such a weirdo.

Brain: Yes, and?

Heart: What if I embarrass us?

Brain: Well, you can make it all touching and anecdotal on the blog.

Tuesday night came fast and I took extra pains with my hair and clothes. My palms were sweaty and I couldn’t help but wish I’d gone with the Supergirl get up.

But on set (the show is filmed live at Natalie’s house), I met women who were just like me. They were entrepreneurs, moms, bloggers, designers, coaches and step-moms, and most importantly, they were themselves. And we were all coming together to put a little joy out there, help each other, and leave our days behind.

Social Common Live, filming! Photo credit: Social Common (bottom right).

Heart: Oh I could have totally come as Jem or anything else!

Brain: I tried to tell you…

Just like the weekend at Wanakita, we toasted with wine, shared the stories of our lives, and reaffirmed the important things.

Listen to your heart.

Love yourself.

Surround yourself with joy and ease.

Receive the abundance that is yours.

Because it turns out, it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing or where you come together to ignite support for one another. It doesn’t matter if you’re streaming live or guiding a meditation, or if you’re drinking wine in the woods out of plastic, or out of crystal in the city.

When women honour the intent of coming together to help each other out, listen, bring joy and levity to each other, and of course discuss the burning topics like once and for all, are leggings pants?!.. Incredible things happen.

Join the Incredible

Learn about Simply Blossoming retreats and fun virtual events like ‘Best Friends ‘N Bubbly’ here.

Make sure you watch Social Common Live every Tuesday night on YouTube at 8:30pm— subscribe now— and watch the latest episode where I’m a featured blogger!

Guests on this episode:

There were a ton of amazing ladies there— design experts Kate and Amanda, step-mom expert Jamie Scrimgeour of The Poptart Diaries, and parenting expert Kelly Bourne! Also, bloggers Jaclyn Shaw, Kelly McFarland, Leigh & Meg and more!