So many things come to mind when we think about gratitude: family, friends, home and work. Those things come to my mind right away. But this year, something else has, too.
I lost my brother at the beginning of this year, just four months after starting my new business, Ember Women. I was in the beginning stages of building a women’s community that had me fired up. Then the new year came, and I found myself stuck in grief, in a place I hadn’t anticipated.
I had a networking event planned for mid-January. I moved it to the end of the month, still unsure how I was going to show up. On January 22, only three weeks after my brother died, I got dressed, got the kids off to school and drove to Roots Coffee in Sugar House.
I found a cozy spot and waited for the women to arrive. I repeatedly told myself, “I am here to serve these women.”
My internal pep talk was interrupted when a woman sat down across from me.
“Are you here for the Ember Women event?” I asked.
Her eyes brightened and her smile grew. “Yes.”
That morning was filled with conversation and connection I didn’t realize I needed. As I left the coffee shop, I was overcome with emotion. It was the first day in three weeks that I felt an ounce of myself again.
I thought I was there to serve those women, but instead, they served me in a way I will always remember and be grateful for. They brought me back to myself.
I started Ember Women to bring women together, increase visibility for their businesses and motivate them in their careers. But mostly, I started Ember Women to fuel the women behind those businesses and careers.
I am fueled through belonging and knowing I am not alone in whatever journey I’m on. That day in the coffee shop, I belonged to those women as they held space for me and gave me strength.
I am grateful to belong to a community of strong, brilliant and passionate women. I’ve discovered that the foundation of any community is showing up for one another. Cheering each other on through passions and projects, and holding each other through struggle and grief, is what Ember Women is all about. We see the woman behind the business or career, and we fuel her.
On November 10 from 1–3 p.m., Ember Women will host a Growth and Gratitude Panel at Kiln Holladay. Panelists Becca Post, Amanda Murphy and Courtney Lewallen will explore self-trust, authenticity, intentional living, navigating change and turning personal insight into meaningful growth.
Join us to reflect, reconnect and recognize how far you’ve come while intentionally choosing what comes next.
For more information on Ember Women events, Katie's website is https://www.ember-women.com/
“I thought that I was there to serve those women, but instead, they served me.”