Who’s sitting in your front row?

The other day I was meeting with a group of women in a business book club I'm a member of, and our discussion drifted toward the importance of having truly supportive friends. The chatter reminded me of another book I read several years ago, "The Woman Code" by Sophia A. Nelson, where the author talks about the significance of your "front row;" the people who show up for you, cheer for you, and steady you when life gets loud. 

This memory came to me at the perfect time. It made me reflect about how grateful I am for the circle of colleagues, friends, and family who have always supported me, but are really coming through during this time of transition. Having people who build you up truly matters. Because, let's face it, we all have moments of doubt and negative thoughts that can push us into overthinking and mental paralysis. The more people who believe in you, the more grounded you become. 

This may sound strange since I'm writing and posting this on LinkedIn (as well as my blog!), but I don't dig too deep into the feed these days. The job market and economy are heavy right now, and a lot of people are feeling it; myself included. And with that heaviness comes a lot of online negativity. I simply cannot expose myself to it for fear of absorbing it. The world is dark and feels chaotic, and I'm choosing to protect my peace by seeking light and inspiration. 

I hope to return to the feed in the future. But for now, I'm leaning in to my personal network, online and offline, to help guide me through this chapter. My sincere hope is that some of my words and lessons learned provide some encouragement to others. 

𝘼𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮, 𝙬𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧.

I hope you can surround yourself with a core group of people who remind you of your strength, purpose, and potential. You have everything you need to conquer the season you're in. Hold tight to the good, and try to be the light for someone else. If I may borrow for Ms. Nelson, your front row matters. Choose it with intention and honor it with gratitude.