THE LAST WORD
A Word of Grace By Brian Green
At the start of every year, I begin my journey differently than most. Most people make fantastic resolutions, but for many, they never last; heaven knows I was always one of those. So, for the last few years, I have shifted to picking one word to guide me for the year. This year, that word was “sonder.” By definition, it means “the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.” This word has been a critical factor in my year of giving grace to others and, more importantly, myself! We work in an incredible industry that creates magical moments for clients across the gamut. We are there to be a part of so many couples' love stories. We are present and purposeful in helping brands deliver their message, and we are there to do the good work of supporting charities to provide a message of hope and positivity. We are the cornerstone of every magical moment in people's lives, and we do it most every day with vigor and enthusiasm. However, some days, we are not at our best and are often exhausted. It is in those days that I lean into actively remembering my word of the year and giving people grace. Grace, by definition, is a noun; for me, it's a verb. Giving grace is an act—it is a purposeful decision to allow people just to be human and to have a human experience. When my best friend of 25 years passed away unexpectedly, I found myself like a fish out of water—the person who was my one constant in my adult life was abruptly gone, and I genuinely could not think, feel, or function. It took everything out of me for months (and still does some days now). I was going through the actions but was nowhere near my best. My team knew it, my vendor partners knew it, and I am sure that some clients could feel it as well. It was hard.... It still is hard.
Then, one day, I woke up and decided that instead of hiding it, I would share with everyone what was happening and ask for grace as I learned to navigate the world in a new way. Too often, as event pros, we suffer in silence, assuming that our own complex lives do not matter as much as someone else's or a client's needs. We push down our own emotional needs, and we “suck it up” and push through as best we can—but we aren't doing anyone any favors by not being fully ourselves in those moments. By sharing my truth, my team was better prepared to help me when I needed it, my vendor partners knew how to support me, and even my clients were more understanding if a timeline was not met precisely as we had intended. By sharing the complexity of my life, I found grace in a community that is often moving at lightning speed with little time for errors and emotions for its industry pros. All of us—without exception—are dealing with complex lives: heavy loads at work and home, and in 2024, a year that seemed to be mixed with super highs and dramatic lows for so many in our industry, the pressure was immense—but what I learned was that we have a community ready to support and give grace when you need it. Our community will help each other in tough times once they know what is happening and you share your truth. So often, we feel isolated in our issues, but I am here to tell you to share your truth, and your community will come to your side. As I look forward to 2025 with the strength of my community behind me, my word will be “Meraki.” It describes “doing something with soul and creativity, pouring a part of oneself into the act, and making each experience purposeful and intentional.” That is the perfect word for us in the event world, and I will be leaning into it each and every moment of the year to come.
Too often, as event pros, we suffer in silence....We push down our own emotional needs, and we “suck it up” and push through as best we can—but we aren't doing anyone any favors by not being fully ourselves in those moments.
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SPECIAL EVENTS
WINTER 2024
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