No Boundaries ...

Quite simply, I am adamant that the "format" of our monthly Girls Nights Out is fun and informal. The "fun factor" of the Fabulous Shoe Night concept is integral to our very foundation, so I strive to keep our evenings as unstructured and casual as possible. Women, as a whole, are master minglers, so I like to sit back and just let nature take it's course. And since not every FSN member can attend each and every month, there's always a different group of women in attendance, which keeps things fresh.

With this "unstructured structure" in mind, January's GNO was a little different. An impromptu suggestion by one of our members that we all stand up and introduce ourselves, as well as state something we are grateful for in 2012, created a subtle, yet powerful, shift in the dynamic that evening that took me completely by surprise.

I got up and went first. Standing before the 20 or so women there (about 5 of which I didn't even know), I thought for a second of what I wanted to say. Gratitude is big, and something to be taken seriously. As I took those few moments to organize my thoughts, I drank in the vibe of the women before me. We are all there for the same reasons … a love of shoes, to be sure, but, ironically enough, that's by far the most insignificant reason for our gathering.  A love of fun, and meeting other charismatic, compelling women; a night away from the grind of work, children, chauffeuring, etc ... but most important, what drew us there that night, and every other night we meet, was the desire to make a positive difference and give back ... together.

After my brief introduction, I paused and said, "I am grateful that Fabulous Shoe Night … has legs! I look around at all of you here, and I see that it's working. It's working. We're making a difference … because of you." My eyes filled with tears as they clapped … not for me, but for the unity we all felt  joining together for something so wonderfully positive and fulfilling. At that moment, I remember thinking, "They get it. This is really happening. And ... it's going to work." 

I sat in awe as this diverse group of women stood up, one by one, and expressed the things they were grateful for. Very often, to my surprise and delight, they said they were grateful to be a part of Fabulous Shoe Night. They can see my long-term vision, and they're happy and excited to be a part of it. And I, in turn, am equally thrilled to be on this journey with them.

This simple, spontaneous gesture taught me that standing up and verbally expressing gratitude is remarkably powerful. It puts a positive charge into the air, and felt like someone sprinkled fairy dust on the evening, at least for a little while.

Going forward, I am grateful that not only are we in the position to help … and that we can help … but, most of all, that we are helping. And as Fabulous Shoe Night grows and expands, we will help even more people. 

How lucky is it, then, that gratitude knows no bounds … ?

To the remarkable women of Fabulous Shoe Night, it simply means that the landscape of possibility is endless …

"Gratitude is an opener of locked-up blessings."  ~~ Marianne Williamson