I really love how brave you are.
Even with social anxiety growing into an epidemic. Even with entrepreneur depression becoming a silent killer. Even with excuse number one, two, three and infinity...you are still fighting. Still surviving. And usually with little to no recognition. Well, I see you. I can feel you. And you're a fucking badass.
I remember falling half asleep from boredom while sitting at my cubicle on 8th and 42nd near Times Square; zoning out to a fast-paced New York City whirling below my publishing office windows...while feeling absolutely jaded, ungrateful, and dying to be anywhere but there at my desk. At the time, I was elbows deep into thinking I should give status quo life the good ol American try, and by that, I do of course mean toiling away at a J-O-B during the day, collecting a paycheck, dreaming of tax return day, and planning a constant escape route between the hours of 9 to 5. Not from the building, mind you, an escape from life.
But why? Why do we sometimes always yearn to be anywhere but where we are?
I'd been in the glittery glamorous publishing industry for just under a year, and I was already tired. How could I possibly do this for the rest of my life? I decided at that moment that no hourly job was going to keep my soul happy, especially one where I could barely socialize and feel connected to the ones around me. And so, without another job lined up, I gave a polite two weeks notice and set the intention that I would find a career that allowed me to work from home as my own boss again, travel around the world, and light me the fuck up from within. Whatever that may be.
I love when humans think our brain is the most clever invention on earth.
Not even one month into my renewed life as girl boss - round two - did I realize how alone I felt in this city of 12 million people. What happened to feeling relieved and like I had all the answers? This sure as heck was not what I imagined. I spent days upon days working alone in my beautiful apartment, while dilly dallying at night trying to fill my time in the company of those who had little appreciation for who I was or what I'd been through as a self-made business builder.
It was time to band-aid patch this shit up with a plane ticket. Because escaping always fixes everything. Right? Right.
Six months later I boarded a plane to Mexico for an indefinite, unplanned amount of time alone, and yet once again I would find myself returning home feeling more alone than I'd ever felt. I decided to leave the city that had lit a fire in my soul all of those years ago and search out a new path.
What are you truly searching for?
I was really quite upset and disappointed in myself to be honest, that an intelligent, logical, and go-getter woman like yours truly could not for the life of me find a community I resonated with in a city notoriously overflowing with millions of people...more than half of them women! I so eagerly craved to connect with a lady gang who embraced and accepted me for me. Workaholicism and all.
After years of dreaming for the freedom most people would kill for, here I was complaining that I had TOO much of it and not enough of what I really wanted....social love. I realized then and there that entrepreneurship could often feel just as lonely as the isolation felt stuck in that cubicle you hate with a passion. That is when a fire ignited in me and it became an unspoken mission: I made a vow to do everything I could to find more in-person connection for myself and every single entrepreneurial woman I came across that also felt the pangs of loneliness, isolation, or lack of support from likeminded kindred souls. Why? Because there was no way in hell I was the only one going through this phenomenon.
As the years passed, I had the privilege of forming bonds all around the globe through Solo Girl Squad, now called The Lady Scouts. Through my sort of childish fantasy of creating that familiar, warm, cozy feeling of having a girl scouts-esque environment for grown ass women, (where earning badges for drinking wine from a box is our new normal) I found an immense power in asking this singular question... "what do she and I have in common?"
I could find something I had in common with EVERY SINGLE WOMAN I came across. My heart exploded and shattered all at the same time. If you take the time to ask yourself this question, you wake up feeling like, holy shit! I am never truly alone. I simply wasn't looking in the right places. And to be fair, the places we crave are hard to find. And so I decided to create new ones.
No matter what we’re doing with our individual lives or businesses, we’re all here on this planet trying to gain a mutual understanding of what navigating a human life as a spiritual being entails.
We’re all excelling, failing, crying, rejoicing, embracing, breaking and putting ourselves back together every single mothafuckin day. We're not experiencing these hurts and joys to prepare us for anything grand, they are present as clues to teach us every single day that we are not separate, that we're one, that you and I, and the woman you think you have nothing in common with - are exactly alike.
So if you're feeling lonely, habitually tired, or like you're ready to throw in the towel on your business, or give in to your fight or flight nature, or crawl back into that deep dark hole that took you years to retrieve your soul from to begin with...I want to invite you to a new home that you can call yours:
Twin flame communities for the multi-faceted, multi-passionate, badass woman with a priority for connection. Pick your poison, choose your adventure. Or have a fabulous time and join both!
It's been over a decade since that lost, wayward, young woman walked away from the cubicle in New York City. These days, I am obsessed with the magnificence that is strangers becoming friends by any means necessary. The joy and thrill that comes when you have a dysfunctional family, but can still find your girlfriends supporting you online, or when you spontaneously move to Europe, and never feel like even a mile has increased between yourself and your new sisters, or when you need a soundboard for all the random ideas that pop in your head and have 24/7 access to women who put community before competition...that is a priceless feeling. I could never sit here and say I am healed of ALL isolation, or confusion in my businesses, or miraculously cured all the flaws in my work life balance. But at the very least I can say I now have zero excuses and no right to complain. The answer for craving more sisterhood stares me in the face everyday, and as the great Tony Robbins says: we are either moving towards our values and priorities, or moving away from them. And I sweet friend, have no reason to play this game with myself anymore and deny that connectedness is a treasured value I hold dear.
Not everyone who takes a seat at our table is necessarily looking for new friends though, or feel ready to hold themselves accountable to goals they have been chasing for years on end...getting nowhere fast. Some of you are just nosy! Some of you are curious. Some of you are trolls, (it happens!) Some of you are already members of one group and don’t want FOMO for the other group. Many of you though are feeling aimless, or overworked, or uninspired, or disconnected, and just not quite sure which community in this world of 3 billion people will make you feel most at home. You want to air some grievances, share how much your day sucked, do an air kick or get a high five when something finally went your way, grab a glass of wine to celebrate the fact…that it’s Wednesday.
Your courage leaves me in awe, sometimes in tears, yet never that surprised. We are womxn after all. Born with untapped power unlike anyone else. But when you reach out and share your stories with me, your journey, heartache, triumphs, laugh-at-yourself moments…with me, a complete stranger, well damn. I’m like, how did I get to deserve such an honor. I’m just your average neighborhood connections dealer.
I honestly don’t know what to do sometimes. I’m not a therapist, or life coach, or sage monk, but I make a damn good friend. So thank you; keep sharing, keep being brave, keep up that optimism and striving to change dark matter into light. Did you know our tagline is “better, together”? It’s so true right! Air hug. Love ya girl.
But I mean, who am I really, to build these micro communities for women as extraordinary as you? Well, I’m simply a curious little bird who is obsessed with the strangers to friends phenomena.
Alright, alright. It’s not really a phenomenon, but I’d venture to say that even Maya Angelou herself would agree there is something in the water when it comes to women. We are such fascinating creatures. Willing to befriend anyone. Care for everyone before ourselves. Blindly meet someone. Hug them, french kiss them, (the air cheek version of course, geez don’t get so aroused!) cry with them, laugh with them. I know, because I see it every single day inside Supported AF. It’s the most strange yet delightful thing. One of the member testimonials say it best:
"That was one of the best days I've ever had with strangers that are now friends!"
Or our lady gang member Stephnie who said:
I have joined many FB groups that claimed to offer support. A FEW of them have actually been supportive. However, Letitia's Supported AF group is the ONLY group I have found where the owner of the group has EVER reached out to me herself, and is actively involved in the every day conversation! I have never managed to post in the group without her responding, and her posts are ALWAYS supportive and meant to drive every single person in the group to improve and be better, not only in business, but in life! Letitia, you're amazing!
Amen sister.
But the truth remains, for a lot of us...reaching out is the hardest part. It's usually a dire situation meddled with anxiety, judgement, nerves, negative self talk, and a complete disregard that we are actually, when found in our natural habitat, worthy of love. We are all so worthy of getting to know and be known. YOU are so worthy of being known. I haven’t met a single lady from our community yet that didn’t leave me feeling, hot damn, I wish I met her sooner! For reals. All the feels.
I want to introduce you to some strangers I have manifested into something more, simply by setting the intention to do so. I want to share with you my competition too, oh yes, because they are worthy of being discovered.
Some Strangers You Should Know:
Do you know Cardi B? Lizzo? Pretty much everyone's new spirit animals. Yeah? Ok, cool. Just checking to make sure you’re alive. Moving on….
Do you know Megan Crabbe? No? Holy crap lady, where ya been! Get all over her asap. She is the bees knees. Not a celeb, or insta famous, or overhyped socialite for no reason, simply a down-to-earth lady who is fucking as authentic as they come. She is unapologetically herself whenever she shows up online, and that’s what I love about her. Her smile is contagious, her words raw, and her #bodyimage ideals clearly living high above shattered ceilings. When I’m not busy wishing I could be her for a day or 10% as fierce, I’m quietly stalking everything she does and buying anything she sells.
Kitchen Table app, which I didn’t realize was in 8 states already, is the ultimate supper club in your pocket. Tired of having dinner alone? Go eat with your neighbors, and learn something new while you’re at it!
Tea With Strangers, is heading to London, but they’re based in the states. If you’re a picnic loving gal like myself, hit up their crew this weekend.
Strangers To Friends is based only in Denver, but the concept is a tickle-you-pink reminder of just how willing people are to get to know you, if you’d just give them a chance.
And of course I would be fired (wait....I'm the boss now in this story, ha!) if I didn't bother to mention the only community you'll ever need. Yes my loves, I speak of course of our twin flame sisterhood communities that exist both online and IRL for the boss lady with major money moves happening or the woo woo spirited unicorn who loves her some daily affirmations. Supported AF for the boss ladies and Aligned AF for my magical beings. You can't go wrong. Join one, join them all!
And if you are doing your power pose in the mirror right now, winking at yourself while you brush the egg mcmuffin you promised yourself you wouldn't get from that drive thru again, repeating your mantra that affirms just how brilliant and lovable you are…I want you to introduce yourself as well. If and when you do join one of our sisterhood groups worthy one, I want to know you. You deserve to be known and supported and made space for. Don't fucking forget it! I made a deal with Taylor Swift a couple years back anyway. I’ll start a squad just as cool and powerful as hers. And it will be incredibly easy. I know it. Because I got YOU babe.
You're not alone lovely, you're just getting started. If you're seeking a community of women to lift your spirits, hold you accountable to your personal expansion and growth in a loving, judgment-free space, joining the Supported AF or Aligned AF inner circle is going to be your jam. And you know it ;)
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