Can you believe the first quarter of the year is already behind us? I spent the month of March absorbed in Alt Summit land, preparing for the conference and then shooting all the video for the event! It was a whirlwind which meant that I didn’t have time for much else that wasn’t Alt. However, I managed to sneak away for a day in Palm Springs before all the activities began. I spent the day exploring with my love Nicole Breanne Photography and our beautiful friend Sophie Gray. The experience reminded me of a few essential aspects of this creative journey I’m on, so I decided to use the footage for March’s vlog. Without further ado, here’s my Alt Summit recap.
It’s vital to connect with others who understand you.
Sometimes life can get lonely (no matter what career path you’re on). There’s something about being in an environment with so many other people who just “get it” without a lot of additional explanation. It’s one of my favorite things about Alt Summit, that everyone you run into “gets it.” Spending the day with Nicole + Sophie running around Palm Springs with our cameras out just making pretty things was good for my soul in so many ways. 2019 was my third Alt, and it felt like a creative reunion. Even though we only see each other in person once a year, we’re supporting each other from afar all year long. So when we get to chat in person, it feels so precious.
It’s vital to ask for what you need.
I was planning on flying in on the day Alt Summit started and flying out the day it ended. I remembered feeling frazzled about that in years past but had accepted it as part of the job. However, as soon as Nicole reached out to me about coming early + spending some time resting + adventuring before we dove into work, I knew that was what I needed. And I was SO glad that she asked. I ended up spending around $150 extra to come two days early, which was well worth it. Surround yourself with the people who ask for what they need + learn from them.
Another note from Alt itself: this year, WordPress had relaxation cabana at the Parker Hotel and let me tell you. I felt SO SEEN. These big events can be overwhelming for introverts like me, but there was a whole beautiful space for us. Complete with comfy pillows and noise canceling headphones. Where we could acknowledge that no, we’re not hyped 100% of the time about meeting new people + making small talk in big spaces, but we still deserve to be here.
It’s vital to create for the sake of creating.
I read a fascinating article about the monetization of hobbies + how we aren’t doing things for fun anymore because there is pressure to turn everything into a side hustle. I know that for myself, I don’t often make things for pure enjoyment anymore – there always has to be a “business purpose” behind how I spend my time. It’s part of the reason I jumped back into the 100 day project after coming home from Alt Summit. My goal is to dedicate a portion of each day making. This day of photo-taking + video-making with Nicole + Sophie was not a paid project. There was no agenda, no client, just some friends who love art hanging out + making stuff. And it was so, so beautiful!
At Alt Summit, I got to take a quick break from shooting video to participate in one of my friend Miranda’s indigo dying workshops + there is magic involved with getting your hands dirty in the creation process. Dying fabric isn’t a skill I’ll monetize. It’s not something I did for Instagram. It was just…fun. And we need those things in our lives — the magic, fun things. I’m so happy there were maker spaces at Alt Summit this year just for this reason. Learning + playing can happen together!
Alt Summit Recap 2019
I can’t wait until I have videos from this year’s Alt Summit conference ready to share with you, but I wanted to share some of my thoughts + do an Alt Summit recap while it was still fresh in my mind. Attending a creative conference can be such an overwhelming experience (I felt like both my brain + my heart were sponges ready to explode by the end of it all!), so I’m sure there will be more nuggets to share as I sort through everything.
But most importantly, I was reminded that my purpose as a human is more significant than just my business. More than just making sweet videos. It’s connecting with other humans. It’s participating in the magic of creation. And I feel pretty damn lucky for it.
