I attended a series of events on Day 7.  The first was the Atlanta Women’s Expo and the second was Quiet Thoughts on a Canvas.  The expo was a big event with rows and rows of vendors.  I wasn’t a fan of the crowd. Everyone seemed to be walking on top of each other.  The overall flow of the event was ok but half of the vendors seemed disengaged and just sat at stared back into the crowds. It took about an hour to get from one end to the next. I didn’t spend much time checking in with myself I was mainly trying to get from one end to the other to get a feel for if this could be a potential avenue for me to use at a later date.  The only thing I could think to say when asked was that it was clean. Needless to say I probably won’t be back to the event.  It didn’t leave any kind of impression for me to reflect on.

The second event was a mental health awareness event which I thought was a great topic.  This was a live painting event where five local artist created a canvas in reference to a mental health issue many people face today.  The artists focused on a specific topic and worked to create their version of it on canvas. The topics ranged from depression to schizophrenia.  I honestly thought it would be a great event to network at because there are a series of mindfulness techniques that deal with depression, anxiety and stress reduction. What I teach is definitely not meant to replace anyone’s medical needs but rather to enhance and complement. There was also a live singer and vendors.  The vibration of the room was very laid back.  There seemed to be a little cloud and not everyone looked upbeat.  The hostess was great, she walked around consistently to chat with people.  However, the actual attendees seemed a lot more reserved and just kind of there. I loved the concept but just couldn’t get a good feel for the room so I left within the first hour.

What I learned was that a great concept means nothing if the crowd isn’t that into it. I struggle with critiquing other people’s ideas and events because I never want to be that person.  I feel like people get enough negative responses in everyday life so I’d like to be the one to bring a little light to the subject or find the good in the experience. I think it takes a lot of courage to create and host these events so to flip things around in the coming weeks I’ll be asking organizers and host for feedback on their events.  I think this will give a little more insight into how it works on the other side.

Peace and Blessings