Everything you want

I spent the weekend at a the Montana Farmer's Union Women's Conference in Chico Hot Springs with my sister and I would guess 48 other wonderful women from around the state.  I got up early both mornings and enjoyed early morning runs despite the single digit temperatures.  I even convinced fellow Team Beef Montana runner Katie from Prairie Ponderings to run with me Sunday morning.

It was just light enough to see when we headed out and when we turned around we enjoyed this view back to the resort. Katie is an Iowa city girl married extreme rural farmer and has really embraced the life.  I love that I had someone to run with and got to know her better.

and this view off to the side.  The weirdest thing about being in the mountains to me is the lack of sunrise, it just sort of gets light.  Katie and I decided that while the mountains are beautiful they can't hold anything over a prairie sunrise.

My sister and I had a great time not cooking, not cleaning and not chasing kids for two days just soaking in the hot springs, reading, talking, and of course the amazing conference.

and to try to be good bloggers Katie and I took a picture at the end of the conference.

Like all great conferences I came away from this one feeling inspired and empowered, I even stood up and spoke a little in front of the whole group, which is amazing because public speaking terrifies me!

Some of my favorite takeaways from the conference:

• "Everything you want is on the other side of fear"
• "Be courageous for this moment"
• Mistakes can become something beautiful
• If you mirror in your life everyday becomes the same, you shrink from awareness and no change happens
• You are responsible for your own happiness
• "Rural living and farm life needs believers, because our voice is so small it needs to be powerful"
• What we put in our minds is so important
• You are teaching your children to approach life the same way you approach it

We also talked about marketing strategies, owned vs earned media, telling your story, we had a photography workshop, a writing workshop, and a discussion of goal setting.

Such a great weekend.  My sister and I are hoping to do this conference again next year.  The biggest disappointment for me was no cake with dinner.  We did have a wine tasting Friday night and were supposed to see a cheese making demonstration but the cheese maker was ill. 

The speakers were all excellent and inspiring and I made some fabulous new friends.  I just wish they lived closer. 

What was the best thing about your weekend?  For me it was lots of empowering woman time!