The Order of the Rising Tide

July 27th, 2010

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At the beginning of March, I made a quick and dirty Facebook status update, asking if other women would want to get together to map out business plans & goals for art/work & network & inspire & brainstorm. The response seemed positive, and more and more interest in this formed in my head. So many women I know are in ruts, or trying to balance financially needing a full time job with emotionally needing their own projects, or just needing a little outside perspective and support as they move forward in new exciting ventures!

tart

In April, a small group of us met over tea and cakes and lemonade. We talked about hopes, dreams, obstacles, and ventures. I’d wanted to be a little more structured for our first meeting, but it was an interesting and thought-provoking start.

Post-wedding,  I want to have another meeting & try out some worksheets and a more strategic direction – a strong format to really launch the idea!

shade

Some amazing women attended, including elly, Liza Ferneyhough, Kate Gibson, Kelly Brown, Kate Phillips, Olivia de Santis. So much talent!

cake

The Order of the Rising Tide is about cultivating a spark into a roaring fire. It’s about recognizing the barriers we do run into; financial, gender, or otherwise. It’s about finding unconventional ways to get around those barriers, sharing resources, finding doors, access points, and opportunities that could otherwise have been blocked to us. It IS about believing that everything is possible, but in a logical, non-”the Secret” way — it’s about knowledge and connections and networks.

To be completely frank I’m a little tired of people telling me how easy it is to achieve anything you put your mind to, that anything is possible. It completely negates the everyday struggles of people who possibly haven’t had the education or opportunities, who come from a hand-to-mouth background, or who maybe haven’t even been given that spark of Knowing that things are possible. That is another discussion for another time, however. But! What I wanted to create with this group was a portable toolkit that anyone can use to brainstorm ideas and bring them to fruition. We may feel overwhelmed as Just One Person, but as a group we can work together, skill share, resource share, and succeed!

flowrs

ladiesHere’s the first missive I sent out:

The Order of the Rising Tide: A Ladies Ship Building Society

What is it?
A group of women get together to map out plans & goals for art or work, (or next steps in life, or career ideas) & network & inspire & brainstorm.

What can I bring?
Yourself, any tools, tips, tricks, insights, or advice you may have. Friends. Snacks if you want to.

What will be provided?
Tea, cakes, worksheets, company, advice, the thrill of being in a secret society.

Why?
Sometimes, it’s easier to gain perspective from outside. What are our best skills? What connections can others make that we may have overlooked? How did someone else discover their path or calling? How can we work together? Where do we all fit? What comes next?  How can I help other women? What is keeping me from achieving world domination? Why do I love cake?

lizacardLiza sent an amazing handmade thank you note!

note

I’m now working on a toolkit & a website where people can post about their own regional meetings, share ideas, post resources, talk about books, etc etc etc. I’m sure I won’t be able to do much before the wedding, but I wanted to share, get feedback, and start feeling inspired to tackle this again!!

What would you want to see on such a site? What would help you move forward? What do you consider your biggest obstacles to success? Would you start your own chapters?

Tags:  inspiration