Two weeks ago I attended my first ever Creative Mornings (CM). I had always wanted to attend one of their events, but work seemed to get in the way.

Most large cities have a CM chapter and Indy is lucky to have Brittany Mason as the organizer. I first met Brittany through Denver and she does an amazing job leading our city’s chapter. Every month a speaker, location, and topic is chosen.

I still regret not attending Denver’s CM talk. It was held at the stunning Indiana Landmarks building and I have since watched it countless times when I need a little pick-me-up. I remember Denver talking to me about the topic and her nervous/excitement before she spoke. In a way I always got the best part of Denver – the behind the scenes version. To me, she was my best friend from college. I don’t think I really recognized her impact until much later.

On June 17, Elle Roberts captivated the CM crowd with her discussion on the topic of being broken. She began by singing a song that had made a huge impact on her life.  The lyrics say, “it’s never too late to go back and get what you’ve forgotten.”

Everyone has experienced a time in their life where they have felt broken, but not everyone has appropriately dealt with that brokenness. Healing is a lifelong process and never truly ends. There is no right answer or solution, but you definitely can’t do it alone. Elle’s powerful and honest words hit home with everyone in the room.

There was a moment near the end where Elle asked us to share a moment of brokenness with the person next to us. This is easier said than done and while we all shared different depths of brokenness, it was a great exercise in vulnerability. “Practicing vulnerability is the most difficult thing most people will never do,” says Elle.

Writing this blog has made me extremely vulnerable, but I have found that my story is the best thing I can share. We all find comfort in truly knowing another person and there’s no greater achievement than being YOU.

“Nobody can heal in a vacuum. You need to be brave and confront those scary moments. You will be embraced and challenged to move beyond the pain. You will be better for it in the end. There is no set beginning or ending. It is a continuation.”

Elle is like my long lost soul sister. She just gets it. I admired her for her journey, passion for life, and her adorable skirt. She instantly made you feel at ease in her presence and these Creative Mornings are just another reminder of the talented, amazing people that call Indy their home.

This month, CM was held at the Tube Factory artspace near Garfield Park. You cannot miss the funky purple exterior. Big Car Collaborative created the space for artists, creatives, and even writers (like me) to congregate.

Add some Quill’s Coffee and Jack’s Donuts (provided by the nice people at Yelp) and it was the perfect start to my Friday morning. I left thinking of Denver and happy to be part of a community of creators.

Xx, Libby