An Unconventional Conference

For the last few years, my dads have gone to Portland every summer for something called World Domination Summit. It’s basically an unconventional conference for unconventional people trying to live extraordinary lives. We headed for our first family trip together in exactly 4 years and I even got to reconnect with friends I hadn’t seen in years

Now, when I say conference, I’m not talking something in a hotel lobby with continental breakfast and burnt coffee in between snoozy talks.

I mean renting out a soccer stadium for an 80s themed opening party.

I mean banana and donut walls that tell you where to collect your snacks after a marching band and acrobats lead you out of the theater and into the park.

I mean a 3 course Cuban dinner that benefits a refugee family and introduces you to instant new friends.

I mean speakers that awaken and inspire something in you. That have someone leap from a ladder, lead you in a not-quite-correct version of Freire Jaques, give you puzzles that inspire people of color, reclaim cinnamon rolls against predators and trolls and have an Indian DJ lead you in dance.

And I mean a botanical party that has giving trees with inspiring prizes, beautiful displays and drag queens.

I went into this conference thinking I wouldn't like it. That it wasn't my "thing" or that I wasn't outgoing enough, or maybe wouldn't benefit from it. This conference is all about living an unconventional, extraordinary life and I felt nothing but ordinary. I thought since I’d never traveled anywhere crazy, never made a bold move, and felt nervous even talking to so many strangers that it wasn’t the place for me.

But I left realizing that everyone has something extraordinary in them. I know that sounds cheesy, but when you’re surrounded by life coaches and motivational speakers and people that sell their houses to live in their cars and trade business suits for mountain bikes, you learn a lot not just about people out there in the world, but about yourself.

I’ve been at a crossroads the last few months. I feel incredibly lucky to have everything I have. I have a great job, an amazing boyfriend, and an adorable studio apartment that takes half my paycheck. I’m happy, both on the surface level and really truly inside. But there’s something about being 23 and having it all “put together” that’s a little terrifying. A good friend of mine started a job right after graduating college, and it was a great paying job with benefits, good hours, and plenty of room for creativity. But after being there for nearly 5 years, he just left. And when I think of where I’m at, I get this feeling of dread of becoming trapped. Of signing into something at 22 and not leaving for half a decade or a decade or more.

I love my job, but I can’t just live the 9-5. I have to live beyond the 5pm and more often than not I make excuses. I’m too tired, I have work tomorrow, I shouldn’t spend money, it’s crazy to drive so far for a 24 hour trip, etc. But coming out of this conference, I learned that you can find extraordinary in the ordinary. You can take your hour lunch to walk over a mile to the ocean. Then you can go further and walk all the way there, load up a card and hop on a roller coaster instead of sitting at your desk eating a sandwich. You can save up your vacation time so that you can take that week long trip, or you can fly across the country to see your favorite podcasters in a place you’ve never been, for 2.5 days.

Being bold and extraordinary isn’t unattainable. And it isn’t defined but what everyone around you is doing or who has the cooler story or more pins checked off on a map. So I’m going to be bold, in whatever way works for me. I’m gonna put my heart into this blog, even if it feels silly or like no one is reading, or vain to take lots of pictures of myself. Because I love to sit here and write this and I think I’m pretty alright at it and that doesn’t really matter anyways because it’s bringing me joy.

So live your extraordinary life, whatever that means for you. Find ways to be unconventional in this world. As I heard at the conference...

“Purpose is the unique way you’ve been called to love this world.” So love it, and love it hard.