Going Off Script

 

**“Like” or “Comment” on this post for your chance to win one of two free tickets to this year’s Keyholder event where Vanessa Williams will be the keynote speaker!**

You and I (and Timehop and “On This Day” on Facebook) know, full well, that a lot can change in a year.

This time 365 days ago, my now butt-length box braids were nonexistent. I was rocking a short, very voluminous ‘do. I was working somewhere else. Living somewhere else. I, in essence, a year ago, was someone else.

 

 

Weird to say out loud—but it’s true.

 

 

My concerns were exclusively on vanities. I didn’t want to meet new people; I wanted new people to meet me. I didn’t want to help my community—I wanted my community to recognize me. I was obsessed with these ideas. With being seen and praised and talked about. With sounding smart and appearing pretty. That felt like success to me, last year.

So, one year ago, when my friend invited me to this random event called “Keyholder,” I saw it as a networking opportunity. This was another chance for me to get dressed up, shake all the hands I could shake, and let everyone in my social media circle know what I was doing!

But what happened at last year’s Keyholder was not what I had scripted for myself at all.

I walked into that evening a selfish, narcissistic jerk… and left a philanthropist.

Weird transition—I know. Let me walk you through it.

There was no out-of-body moment during the Keyholder event where I had some earth-shattering epiphany. I didn’t suddenly shed my less-than-perfect ways. But I did experience an overwhelming sense of camaraderie and connection to every woman in attendance that evening. And not just as women, mind you, but as members of this amazing community united on the front of gender equality. I did feel like I had a real opportunity to impact Central Ohio for the better. Right there. At my fingertips.

So I gave. I became a philanthropist at the end of the evening. And I didn’t stop there. Every other event the Women’s Fund of Central Ohio hosted, I attended. Every opportunity I had to volunteer or help out – I took.

And a year later, I can proudly say that I’m a lot less narcissistic and a lot more connected. The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio feels more like a second home to me than anything else. Using my resources to shine a light on issues that are impacting women and girls here in Columbus is a much larger part of my life than “being seen” and “shaking hands” once was.

I won’t be ask dramatic as to say that attending Keyholder COMPLETELY CHANGED MY LIFE—but I certainly think it was a catalyst to… sort of… rewrite the narrative…

Or…

Just helped me go off script.

xo K

 

 

 

**“Like” or “Comment” on this post for your chance to win one of two free tickets to this year’s Keyholder event where Vanessa Williams will be the keynote speaker!**