I left NYFW with a sprain/strained shoulder but I would do it again.

Going to NYFW has been on my wish list for years. I’ve watched the street-style photos, the fashion shows, the parties, the networking, the designers and all of the excitement surrounding Fashion Week and always thought, “One day, I’m going to experience this.” This year, that one day finally came. Allegiant helped get me to New York, and what started as an opportunity to attend my first NYFW turned into so much more. I was able to network, meet new people, create some really great content and, most importantly, make connections that opened the door to even more opportunities. I’m already looking forward to the possibility of coming back with even more on the table, and that is something I don’t take lightly.

I think we sometimes put too much pressure on ourselves to know exactly what an opportunity is going to produce before we say yes to it. We want to know who we’re going to meet, what the outcome will be, whether it will lead to a partnership, whether someone will call us back or whether it will immediately turn into something tangible. But that’s not always how opportunity works. Sometimes you have to show up simply because you believe there is something on the other side of that door. You have to get on the plane, walk into the event, introduce yourself, start the conversation and trust that something will come from it. That doesn’t mean every room will lead to a major opportunity, but you certainly can’t make the connection if you never put yourself in the room.

That’s what NYFW reminded me of. I didn’t go to New York knowing exactly what would happen. I went because I had a dream, an invitation, an opportunity and enough faith to say, “Let me see what happens.” And what happened was pretty amazing. I got to experience Fashion Week for the first time, I created content that I’m genuinely proud of, I connected with people I may not have met otherwise, and I walked away with conversations that could lead to future opportunities. Sometimes the biggest thing an opportunity gives you isn’t the immediate result. It’s the next door it introduces you to.

Of course, Fashion Week is also WORK. Between getting dressed, traveling around New York City, shooting content, attending events, networking, trying to look cute while walking everywhere and attempting to actually enjoy the experience, my body was definitely working overtime. Somewhere along the way, my shoulder decided it had had enough and apparently wanted to become part of the NYFW story too. I’m still dealing with a sprained or strained shoulder, but even that has become a funny reminder of just how much I packed into those few days.

I came home tired, a little sore and very grateful. Grateful to Allegiant for helping get me there, grateful for the people I met, grateful for the content I created and grateful for the doors that opened simply because I decided to go. More than anything, I’m grateful for the reminder that faith sometimes means taking the first step before you know where the entire path is going to lead. You can pray for the opportunity, dream about the opportunity and prepare for the opportunity, but eventually you have to put yourself in position to receive it.

My first NYFW may have left me with a sore shoulder, but it also left me with memories, connections, content and new possibilities. And honestly, I’ll take all of it. Sometimes you just have to get yourself in the room and trust that the right doors will open. You never know who you’ll meet, what conversation you’ll have or what opportunity will come from simply showing up. So yes, I left New York with a shoulder injury, but I also left knowing that I need to keep showing up, keep creating, keep networking and keep believing in what’s possible. And if another NYFW opportunity comes my way? Well somebody better tell my shoulder to get ready, because I’d do it all over again.