If you follow me (or really any other blogger) on instagram, then you’re already well aware that last weekend was the 6th annual rewardStyle conference in Dallas! This weekend really is such an amazing opportunity to connect with tons of other talented influencers and awesome brands, and learn how to continue to grow your business as an influencer. This was my 4th year to go, and this year, Martha actually got to attend with me…which was such a blast! Even though I’ve been 4 years now…it’s still a pretty intimidating / overwhelming experience for me TBH. I’m a major introvert and ‘networking’ is not one of my strong suits haha. I’m also such a homebody / comfy clothes lover…so the idea of countless cocktail parties with lots of hair and makeup can be a lot!
Warning: about to get REAL real with y’all right now. In previous years, I got major anxiety before going to #rStheCon. I had this underlying fear that I wasn’t enough and didn’t measure up. I didn’t have as many followers, I had no idea how to do my makeup as fancy as these other girls, didn’t have my lips done, didn’t have a ‘team’, didn’t have a fancy web designer or an agent or a chanel bag, etc etc. I could go on! These conferences always made me feel awful and so insecure about my ‘business’ as an influencer. I just felt like a normal girl, who has a blog, loves to write about fashion and Jesus and fitness and travel and skincare, enjoys taking pretty photos, and connecting with women to encourage them in exactly who they are! I felt like a fish out of water and so insecure at #rStheCon (or at least leading up to the conference!)
No one put this pressure on me. No one made me feel insecure at the conference. I put this on myself – whether the pressure or “standard of measuring up” was just perceived or real, it felt very real to me. Thus, leading to a lot of anxiety before attending the conference. For probably 3 years in a row!
This year though (my 4th year) felt completely different though from years past. The truth is: I still don’t have an agent or a chanel bag or a ‘team’ of people working for me or an extremely structured 40hr work week schedule (we’ll get there eventually lol) or a super high-tech website. But, by God’s grace, I’ve gotten to a really sweet place mentally, spiritually, and professionally of finding security in who I am as an ‘influencer’. Since we’ve moved to Boulder and I’ve kind of gotten out of the ‘blogger bubble’ that is Dallas so to speak (there are almost no bloggers here lol)…the Lord has really been teaching me what it looks like to run my own race. He’s been showing / confirming why He has called me to be an influencer. Maybe I don’t have 500K+ followers on IG or a website that costs $40,000…and that is just fine! I absolutely love what I do and getting to connect with you guys (the best readers) every single day, and talk about skincare and working out and finding security in Christ. And it’s okay that my ‘job’ as an influencer looks different than blogger x, y or z!
One of the beautiful things about blogs and social media, is there is no ‘cookie cutter’ version of what they should all look like. (And if there is a cookie cutter version, I don’t think there should be, or that anyone should try and fit to that mold). I felt so much more confident and secure walking into the rewardStyle conference this year, knowing that the Lord has called me to this business and I truly feel so blessed to do what I do every single day. So, for example…in previous years I felt pressured to stay for the very last finale party because I felt like everyone went and that was the most ‘epic’ part of the conference and everyone loved it. TBH though by the end of 3 days of socializing and networking and getting dressed up and taking a bajillion photos…my desire to attend that party was a zero haha and this year I felt so secure in telling people I wasn’t going, just because I didn’t want to go! Previously I was always so afraid that that would make me look like a loser. And this year, I just didn’t care! It’s the most freeing feeling!
Outfit details: Madewell striped midi dress | free people sandals | madewell leather tote | kendra scott earrings
photos by: angie garcia photo
When I started praying about the rewardStye conference this year, I felt like the Lord kept reminding me: “I have called you to this, I have equipped you for this.” So, no matter what comparison game you are battling, I just want to encourage you to run your own race. The Lord has called you and equipped you for this very thing. He looks at you and says you are enough, and you can walk into any situation with so much confidence and peace because of that!
On a completely separate note – Angie shot these photos for me in Dallas and she used a different preset in editing than I’ve ever used before! But I think I love this editing style and these colors! What do you guys think? Should I start using this on all my photos? Would love your feedback in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
xo Lauren
