WHAT IS MTH2010? + THE 1ST CLASS SCHOLARSHIP + WE’RE LIVE!

Phew! It’s been an insane day full of … oh, you don’t really want to hear what I did today.  Y’all are busy too!  I’m writing this post a mile a minute, so ignore the typos.  Thanks. There are sparks flying from my desk tonight and I am, to say the least… FIRED UP! My heart is full, my mind is clear and I’m beyond inspired by my new amazing incredible fun generous brave giving honest real brilliant warm courageous creative awesome driven hilarious friends.

So, lots of people want to know… “What in the world is MTH2010?”  Well, it started as a workshop I wanted to give to empower people to make bold moves and let go of what was holding them back.  It is partly that… but I never could have fathomed what it has become.  MTH2010 has taken on a life of its own.

It has become a community of people who are dedicated to building each other up, bringing positive encouragement to each other daily and even hourly, conquering fear with purpose and courage, taking their businesses from good to blow-them-out-of-the-water great through deep examination of their personal brands and education, and most of all… it’s a community of people who are passing their knowledge freely to others.

You have to understand one thing… it’s not about me.  I did not do this.  I may have lit the match, but they have created the movement that is MTH2010. I can’t stress that enough.

You’re not coming to have me or Jeff or any of the guest speakers “fix you” or give you “the answer”.  You’re coming to join a community of like-minded creative driven people who really want to ignite a change in their lives and in the lives of others.

We give you the simple tools and ask you the tough questions; you act on them.  The MTH2010 community is all about accountability, challenge, and active support.  MTH2010 was founded on the idea that you have the choice to change your life.  Making Things Happen is about personal evolution.

It has become much bigger than Jeff and I ever imagined thanks to the First Class who set the standard.  Watching what has happened since the first intensive in Watercolor has been mind-boggling.

The “First Class” has developed an incredible spirit of paying it forward.  They got together recently to make one very big thing happen in a matter of 36 hours.  Feeling the fire, they created a scholarship for someone to attend MTH2010. Unbelievable!  They raised $710 almost instantly.  To continue in the spirit of paying it forward, we’ve decided to donate the scholarship money to the Pink Initiative, a collection of wedding industry professionals and private donors dedicated to funding awareness, outreach, education and research for breast cancer. Huge thanks to the First Class for making this happen and to the Pink Initiative for giving us the opportunity to pay this forward again.

Oh, yes, I’m still giving a scholarship!  Actually, two.  I told Chris and Emily the night they presented this to me that I wanted to donate the money and double whatever they raised.   All of the entries were honest, heart-felt, and every person is equally deserving.  I enlisted the help of the First Class and my staff (and my husband and the people I love) to help pick two people that we all feel will take this opportunity and run with it!

I have chills just typing this, thinking about the potential these two people have to change the world through their art and passion.  I’m thrilled to announce that Heidi Bartlett and Sara Capers will be joining us as scholarship recipients on the MTH2010 Tour!  Ladies, please email me so we can get your scholarship seats reserved.  Thank you again to everyone who entered!  Because of the First Class’ generosity, we’ve also given a few partial scholarships to people that we really wanted to give a chance to attend this.  Congrats to those people as well (two of you we haven’t had a chance to get in touch with today, so sit tight if you haven’t heard from us!)

Sara’s entry: Hi Lara – I’m not an event professional, I don’t own a business, nor do I have the next big creative idea.  I work at Bloomingdale’s. I have a boyfriend.  I want a puppy.  Really, I’m a simple twenty-something girl.  But throughout my past three years in the “real world” (after college), I’ve floundered.  I’m in a holding pattern waiting for things to happen, fearful of what others may think of my decisions.  I’ve tried tech pr, I’ve tried legal services, I’ve considered MBAs, MATs and law school.  And the only thing I’ve realized is what’s not for me.  I would like to attend MTH2010 to take an introspective look at how to use my existing interests and skills to make things happen for me. To stop caring what others think of my life and start living my life. To take what I love (design, decor, clothing, event planning, customer service, helping, putting out fires, PEOPLE) and pursue work that reflects those passions. Fortunately, I live in Atlanta and would love to attend the intensive scheduled for February.  Unfortunately, my salesgirl salary won’t allow my attendance, which is why I’d be thrilled to be a recipient of one of the scholarships.  As a coda to my plea, I’d like to mention how I felt reading “The Comment That Started It All” post.  I was a winner of one of the Carrot and Stick Press notebooks from the swsmag.com contest. I thought, “Yay! I’ll use this to keep track of my thoughts, goals, etc.”  Of course, it ended up at the bottom of my purse, half full of grocery lists.  Then, I read the post about Emily’s sweet, sincere yet aggressive tactic to do what she loved.  She used her blog, that notebook and her guts to get where she wanted to go.  I wondered, “What if I’d used my notebook in a more productive way? What if I’d sent a thank you note, mentioned how much I loved the blog, enjoyed reading about the Southern Weddings girls, mentioned how I would love to meet with you to gain some insight the industry?”  Instead, I did nothing.  Now, I have the chance to do all those things and more by attending the intensive.  I’d really appreciate the chance to learn how to better myself, get out of my holding pattern and take charge of my life.  Thank you for your insightful, inspiring blog and the BEAUTIFUL photos and interesting content on swsmag.com.  Even if I’m not blessed with a scholarship to the conference, I’ll continue to be an avid reader of both!

Heidi’s entry: Lara – You brought so many emotions to the surface when I read this.  Even though I have not met you in person, I feel I was introduced to you tonight, yet have known you for years!  There are no words to describe your courage and strength! As you already know, I’m DYING to attend MTH2010. I’ve had my design business, idieh design, for 3 years and have had my own personal struggles & successes along the way.  But, I’m tired of SAYING what my dreams are and I’m ready to ACHIEVE them!  Up to this point, I have had to keep a full time job for financial stability, but I’m ready to map out a plan to make idieh design my one & ONLY true passion. I want to attend MTH2010 in order to connect with others and to work & inspire one another to achieve our dreams and goals!  Just as someone at MTH2010 could be the perfect person to help me achieve great things, I hope to be that someone to another.  I can’t wait any longer – NOW is the time to make my dreams come true and make all my hard work thus far really pay off.  I know the past three years have only been small stepping stones, but I’m ready to make the BIG LEAP into the ocean.  As you know, I would love to attend MTH in Phoenix, but since that isn’t an option, I’m open to attending in Atlanta, Nashville, or New York City. And, a huge THANK YOU to Emily, Chris and, the whole First Class of MTH2010 gang for making this scholarship possible.  They have no idea what this would mean to me and, just as they have done, I would love to pay it forward!  Ready, Set, Go!…

Oh but there’s more! …I’m doing a happy dance in my office chair right now… The (temporary) MTH2010 site is LIVE!  Yes, it’s temporary.  The official site, which Ross and I have titled “The Beast”, will launch in a few weeks.   Big thanks to Ross and the Flosites team for putting this together so quickly for us!  Yeehaw!

OK, must. keep. packing….

Who’s making things happen with us in the next ten days???  Woot woot!

xo

images :: wesley leytham.  thank you wes!