::M Live! The Expo About Modern Midlife:: JOIN US THIS WEEKEND

::Momma Disclosure:: This is a sponsored post but all opinions are my own and true. 

Register for free online with code: MOMMAOFDOS

Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/m-live-the-expo-about-modern-midlife-tickets-28532414219

::DESCRIPTION::

When it comes to menopause, we all get there at different times, with different circumstances, for different reasons, and at different times in our lives. There's not one thing about menopause that's the same for any one of us—but we all arrive at that place, that intersection, at some point or another.

But, midlife is about infinitely more than menopause. And while menopause plays a role, it's not the be-all, end-all of midlife.

Did You Know?

51% of all women are in menopause, but not every woman in midlife has gone through menopause. As women, menopause and midlife are as inevitable as death and taxes. We are the forgotten women. When we are girls and mothers of girls, we are told how to handle puberty, but who helps us how to handle when we go OUT of puberty?


Welcome to M Live!

M Live! is THE Expo about modern midlife - focused on empowering women and providing resources, support, education, entertainment, and opportunities that they can’t find anywhere else. This isn’t your momma’s midlife, this is modern midlife personified.

M Live!—brought to you by Intersection M—features speakers that specialize in integrative and traditional medicine, gynecologists that specialize in menopause and fitness and nutrition experts to provide tips on whole body health and most importantly the opportunity to have your questions answered by a panel of health practitioners that have your best interest in mind. Need motivation? We have speakers for that too! Want to understand finances? We have you covered. Our speaker on finance in midlife will have you set for retirement.

Meet Us At The Intersection!

Being held at the Health Museum in Houston, the day will be filled with information, education, laughter, sisterhood, botox, fillers, advice, questions and answers, vendors who sell fantastic things, a yummy lunch, snacks, giveaways and contests!

It's going to rock your midlife!

We are going to be bringing it, and we want the same from YOU!

Midlife today is what you make it, let's celebrate it together!

FAQs
What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event?
The best way to get the event is via car or you can always Uber! Parking is free at the Museum, surrounding streets and at the McGovern Gardens across the street.
How can I contact the organizer with any questions?
You can contact Lee at lee@intersection-m.com or Faith at faith@intersection-m.com.
What's the refund policy?
We would be happy to refund up to 10 days before the event. Unfortunately, we can't refund after that!

WEBSITE: https://intersection-m.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/intersectionm/ 

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/modernmidlife

::Inner Healing and Supporting Women:: Renaissance Women Summit

::Momma Disclosure:: Post was created in collaboration with Amanda Russell of Fit Strong Sexy , Interesting Houston, Danelia of  Project Z and local group the Houston Latina Bloggers.  All pictures are property of Momma of Dos, if you wish to use them please contact me: mommaofdos@gmail.com 

There is much to be said when other women invite you to their table with open arms. Much to be said about women outside your circle who trust you instantly to be brought into their space. And, far more to be said about women who are truly supporting other women. In a clear and genuine way. 

I attended the Renaissance Women summit this past weekend, the vibe and the energy were incredible and it was all due to the coming together of several local women and one amazing visionary, Amanda Russell.  

I heard two messages loud and clear and I feel we would all, as women and simply humans, benefit from them.

::Inner Healing::

The thought that hurt people, hurt people is true. One of the speakers; Jen Groover, spoke very honestly and openly of this topic. Her testimony hits very close to home for me. Her mother was an abused wife and as a child, she witnessed so much that now she wants to empower her own daughters to be strong and stand up for what they believe in. More importantly to be more emotionally aware than most children their age, which was very impressive as a fellow Momma. Her biggest power is the idea of self-healing and not allowing those bad moments to create bitterness and sadness but instead learn from them and grow away from those toxic environments. 

We all have the power to heal. Some of us might need lots of help and support but that's OK, at the end of the day healing is your goal. Some may not have the tools that they need to heal but could find those tools in others through empathy and compassion.

Jen has such an amazing story of survival and triumph, she is such a true warrior! Again her story made a great impact on me and how I have healed over the years. And, honestly this healing is on-going. We are always going through experiences and situations that don't always go our way. We must continually learn and grow from our traumas and bad experiences. It's the only way to move forward, evolve and be successful! 

One statement that really resonated with me was:

"Successful people work on themselves first." 

::Supporting Other Women:: 

I knew the summit was directed towards women and that in itself was amazing. I met women from many walks of life and professions. I was fulfilled with that alone. But, then there was a constant message with the speakers; Tamilee Web-Hall better know for being the face of Buns of Steel, Jen Groover a Ted Talks speaker and serial entrepreneur/business woman, Anika Jackson and Staci Henderson of Interesting Houston and Amanda Russell. They all spoke to how they couldn't have done it without each other. They spoke about how if one person succeeds it never hinders your own success. There is, and always will be enough room at the table for everyone. The limiting thought that I must protect my success and not share or be able to promote other women within my industry, niche, or even within my own ethnicity, is ridiculous. I want all women to succeed, and be happy. This will set the norm for all successful relationships. 

#communityovercompetition should be something that is practiced across the board and that we should as women, embrace. We will only be able to succeed when we understand that everyone's grass can be green no matter what. The mentality of "every man for himself", while it can be productive in some instances, should not be what drives us to move forward. We should truly and genuinely build one another up and decide that in order to break the glass ceiling, we must unite. Dr. Noreen Khan Mayberry, one of the events panelist, spoke to this as well, empowering women and having one another's backs. It's what our community should be about, no matter what your industry is! 

Overall, there was an amazing sense of relate-ability among us all. We all have a story to tell and somehow our stories resonated with similarities. Some how, no matter what our background, ethnicity, age, or upbringing, some how our similarities, prevailed.  

This type of event fills me with true joy, first off as a Latina who passionately peruses empowering the women in her community, and secondly because I want to better myself as a woman, Momma, employee, wife, career-driven person. The Renaissance Woman Conference encompasses all of those important factors that push me forward towards a better me. I love representing the Houston Latina Bloggers and try to do my best with every opportunity I gain. ~Connie Gomez (Houston Latina Bloggers) 

::Top 10 Reasons to attend LOCAL Conferences:: #BACHou16 Recap

I will always express my gratitude towards having been able to attend LATISM here in Houston back in 2012. I think that up until that moment I felt that good conferences only happened outside my city but truth is they can be even better when they are local. All you have to do is seek them and as they say, you will find them. A couple of  weekends ago Houston Latina Bloggers attended a new local conference that I am sure will only grow in the coming years. We went to the Business Advancement Conference which was held at the Houston Food Bank and was hosted by a young, yes, local entrepreneur Kiersten Kindred of Kindred Communications. 

The conference gave a bigger and broad insight into starting your own business, the steps you need to take and the resources that you will need to acquire. It featured a great group of speakers, mostly local entrepreneurs that helped cover a great amount of detail in each of their topics of expertise. Because, like most people who create something new, Kiersten learned along the way of building her own business that she needed specific people who could assist her but they were not all in one place. From that lack of resources, she created this conference, a kind of "one-stop shop" for all your business needs! It was a very informational conference filled with good, local contacts that will help you get to that next level of entrepreneurship you might be seeking. 

Speakers Included: 

• Bob Keplinger – The Action Coach, The Woodlands who presented Five Ways to Massive Profits For Your Business! 
• Local blogger: Kirsten Oliphant – Create If Writing who presented  The Art of Crafting The Perfect Brand Story
• Toni Harris – Constant Contact who presented  The Power of the Inbox to Advance Small Business
• Donna Wick – WICKed Publicity who presented It’s All About You, It’s All About Yes!
• Kristal Howard, Kroger who presented Do-It-Yourself Public Relations
• Liz Robinson, Turningstones who presented SEO Essentials
• Thais Amaral Tellawi  & Saeed Tellawi – Amaral Tellawi Law Firm who presented Using Business Entities to Achieve Your Goals
• Ronald Richmond – Weebly  who presented  How To Build A Website And Online Store In 30 minutes

Houston Latina Bloggers were invited to attend as Conference Mentors, we were honored and happy to be a part of this event: http://www.businessadvancementconference.com/mentors-houston-business-conference/

Here are 10 reasons to seek out and attend local conferences, enrichment programs, and/or workshops:

1. Resources at your fingertips, literally you will be able to reach out and being local makes it easier to meet up with new people after that initial connection. Sometimes that face to face contact is needed to conduct certain business items. You can reach out to local connections and meet in person without worrying about being miles and miles away from one another. 

2. Making a local impact is very important and easier done if you attend local conferences, you can learn where you fit in the circle of needs and close that gap almost immediately. Making that connection in your own community is always gratifying. 

3. Creating friendships from local connections usually, it's easier to establish not only partnerships but long lasting friendships when you are both in the same city. It makes it easier to find a common ground and again it will make meeting up easier. It's happened to me several times now.  

4. You don't have to worry about travel and board, the expense is less and you don't have to worry about extra out of pocket expenses. As a momma money isn't everything but it's very important that I make money wise decisions. When you are a new entrepreneur you want to save as much as you can and invest in areas that you know will benefit you more than others. 

5.  You get to explore your own city. Some of the events or conferences that I have attended are in areas of town I don't usually get a chance to visit. This makes exploring new locations in my own city a fun part of local events. I always say that I like to stay in my bubble or own area of town, but attending events is a good excuse to visit new areas of Houston.

6. Your tribe can join you! It's easier to get a group of ladies to go to something local than to have to worry about travel, it becomes more accessible for everyone. And, it also makes it easier to work around schedules when it's a few hours out of your day. 

7. You get to meet your online connections in person, even though Houston is a large city seeing people who you have connected with online is very likely when you attend local events. And, it's always fun to put a live face to your online profile. 

8. Time is well spent, when events are local you can make time to attend an event, 1-day conference or workshop and then go about your day as usual with family or friends. No one's time is really impacted or sacrificed which makes staying local a great investment.

9. Because really nothing can replace that face to face interaction. I don't care how great the world wide web is and how fancy we have become at communicating with one another, there is just something to be said about always being able to meet someone in person. To be able to reach out and shake their hand and heck why not, even give them a hug! The need for human interaction will never die. Ever. I love meeting online people in person. It's fun. 

10. It's fun! Simple as that, having this type of conference or event locally allows you to have fun and be close to home. Having fun and enjoying yourself, for me, is a big part of the puzzle and what keeps coming to this type of local happening. 

::How can you empower YOUNG women:: #SXSW

Music Keynote Speaker and First Lady Michelle Obama. Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.

Powerhouse women. That's who was united on the stages of SXSW this week. Powerhouse people, artists, creatives, and doers. As a Momma, as a Woman, as a Writer. I am affected and fully inspired by these types of events.  One of my favorite panels was Let Girls Learn Panel. Moderated by Queen Latifah. It was composed of the most epic Boss Lady/Tribe ever. Michelle Obama, Queen Latifah, Missy Elliott, Diane Warren, and Sophia Bush. I mean who wouldn't want any of the ladies sitting on stage in their corner and it got me thinking... who do I have in mine?   

You know who I keep in my corner? Women who love me and support me. People, who believe in me. People. Who want me to succeed. Those people who will look at me and be real, who will say...yeah you are crazy but go for it! I have people in my life who are honest and hurt my feelings but love me. I have people in my life who inspire me, motivate me, push me. I have people in my corner who keep me humble and remind me...it is NOT that serious. And, who don't take me for granted. I have people in my life who allow me to be me, who allow me to miss dates or rescheduled appointments because I have a family. I have people in my life who don't create more drama and issues for me but instead, help me solve issues and give me solutions.

That is what this panel brought to mind. How can I feel empowered and in return empower the younger generation of women? More importantly, how can I empower those young women in my life, especially my daughter! 

LET GIRLS LEARN PANEL: the FIRST LADY was JOINED BY MISSY ELLIOTT, DIANE WARREN, SOPHIA BUSH, AND QUEEN LATIFAH

"Find your passion, turn it into Action! Support your Sisters!!" -Queen Latifah

Equal rights is the work of both men and women. 

You can't look to other for a change...."Change happens on the ground!"-Michelle Obama

• Never give up
• Work Hard
• Nothing will ever be handed to you
• When others tell you, you are a nobody, show them who you are and MORE! 
• Don't let anyone hold you down. 

Powerful women, empower women. 

How can you help empower young ladies in your life?

1. Be Involved- Volunteer, advocate, and support those organizations that will help young women achieve the dreams and create an impact. There are so many out there, locally and nationwide. The one presented in this panel was #62MillionGirls 

2. Tell them they CAN- Your words can make a huge difference. Encouraging young women, mentoring them and telling them that they CAN be the difference everyone speaks of, is a very important and powerful part of the puzzle.

3. Be the example- As most things happen, we must show others what we are capable of by leading and being the example that young women need. You do have to lead by example.

4. Instill an education- I say it all the time and I know that many great people have not needed schooling and are self-taught. But, when a child is taught that an education can change their lives, it helps them grow with that mindset. I want my children to know school is an option. And, when other children want an education and can't get one, then we should take advantage of that and run with it.

5. Give them options- Just as I mentioned before, we want our children to know that they do have option. If a 4 year degree isn't for them, maybe some other type of certification or enrichment programs can be obtained. And, always letting them know that they can follow their dreams by taking different paths.

6. Inspire their dreams- In that same sense, we want to feed our children's dreams, support and encourage those dreams. I want my children to know that they can do anything they want, as long as they put the work in and become educated in what they want to do.

7. Let them be creative- Allowing young women to freely express, to be creative and to know that they can express their dreams through different outlets.

8. Help them find their voice- In the same sense of feeding young ladies dreams and allowing them to be creative, we can help them find their voice through mentoring and exposure to different resources.

9. Help them produce change- And, like with anything else you want to help young ladies and walk with them side-by-side to help them achieve their dreams. Providing resources and information they need to grow and learn.

10. Be the change! -  We cannot move forward without truly creating change, unless we create action and do those things that we say we are going to do! That's what it's about.

http://www.sxsw.com/

The Business Advancement Conference #BACHou16

Momma Disclosure: This is a compensated post. All opinions and statements expressed are my own. 

Houston is very diverse. The opportunities are infinite and as our group Houston Latina Bloggers continues to grow we want to create opportunities for our readers. Which is why we have partnered with Kindred Communications and their upcoming Business Advancement Conference. This conference will offer not only a day full of networking and workshops, but also personalized mentoring, professional headshots and so much more.

Join us on April 9th at the Houston Food Bank for a day filled with developmental growth and business networking which will help your business grow. The conference is sponsored by Constant Contact, Weebly and many others, you can see them here: http://www.businessadvancementconference.com/sponsors-houston-business-conference/

In the upcoming weeks, Houston Latina Bloggers will be featuring more about this conference. 

::About the BAC:: {Information provided by Kindred Communications}

The Business Advancement Conference will be held April 9, 2016 (Saturday) at The Houston Food Bank from 8 to 3:30 p.m. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the food bank. 

This conference will help you take your business and brand to the next level with its workshop-style format. At the Business Advancement Conference (BAC) we will educate, elevate, empower and excite entrepreneurs, bloggers, business-oriented individuals, and strong career-minded individuals about their business/brand.

At BAC, attendees will learn how to efficiently plan for their business, branding, networking, do-it-yourself public relations, email marketing, key tips for blogging, SEO essentials, financial planning and legalities for all business types.

This conference will help attendees take control of their business and brand by providing the necessary tools and resources to win in every aspect of their business life.

Who this conference will serve: Entrepreneurs, small businesses, medium-sized businesses, bloggers, business-oriented individuals, career-driven individuals trying to take their brand to the next level and college students looking to brand themselves for their perfect career.

You can purchase your TICKETS HERE. 

:: About the Creator and Organizer::

Meet The Creator of The Business Advancement Conference Founder and CEO of Kindred Communications, Kiersten Kindred, received her Bachelor of Arts from Sam Houston State University, graduating with honors as magna cum laude with a major in Mass Communication and minor in History. Kindred Communications, is a full service communications/media firm specialized in communications, marketing, branding, entertainment, community engagement, consulting, career services and media relations for individuals, small and medium-sized businesses.

Ms. Kindred has been featured in national publications such as, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Seventeen Magazine, InTouch Weekly, Life & Style Magazine, and had her own weekly entertainment column in the Fort Bend Herald Newspaper. Kiersten is also a Public Speaker and Author of the comprehensive marketing book, Five Steps to Marketing Success: A Small Business Guide. She specializes in communications, media, marketing and defining brands. 

Ms. Kindred created The Business Advancement Conference, to assist businesses and individuals take their brand to the next level. The workshop-style/interactive conference will be a one-of-kind event and she is excited to offer it to such a diverse community. 

Contact Information: Kiersten Kindred 

Website: Kindred Communications KcFirm.com 

Email: info@kcfirm.com

::Thoughts about the conference from the creator::

"This conference will be different than any other conference you have ever attended. We will do the work. At BAC, you will receive the education, inspiration and motivation you need to take your business or brand to the next level."

"I'm excited to be able to host such a dynamic conference for the community of Houston," said Kiersten Kindred, Founder and CEO of Kindred Communications. 

"I came up with the concept for the conference, when I was thinking about all the steps I had to take when I first started my business in 2013. I had to do strategically plan my business, brand myself, handle my public relations, motivate myself, etc. It takes work and you have to have the resources and tools you need to succeed. My hope is that I can offer the attendees of BAC everything they need to succeed in their business."

Hope to see you there! It will be amazing. 

#LATISM15 Conference Recap

                     ::Momma Disclosure:: This is a compensated post. All statements are my true and honest opinion. 

There is something powerful about a large group of Latino's who come together. Trust me I have experienced it first hand. We have filled the U.S. Capitol and stood firm against the rain, united. It's what LATISM did to us. Brought us all together, both Latina's and Latinos into one city to be heard as one voice. Not of anger or filled with fighting words but educated, informed and knowledgeable about what we believe in. I didn't know what to expect, I was scared to voice my opinion, then we convened the first night. After which I was asked by another conference attendee to join forces with her and bring more strength to our cause, women rights. Especially against violence, against deportation, against separating families. 

I know that we didn't come together in DC to prove anything but instead to learn how we can further reach our communities and grow to help our causes. My cause was simple, women rights and more specifically, equality for moms. But, it reaches so many areas; equality for women in general, women rights as a whole, women empowerment, immigration, rights in the workplace, accessible and affordable dependent care and so much more.  Which is why when I was selected to attend the conference, I immediately accepted. Not to prove that I could do it but to do more, to learn more, to become more noticed and to further voice what I truly believe.

LATISM provided the perfect platforms and increased the power I felt, as each moment continuously inspired me. Inspired to speak up, to become involved again, to be informed in my own city and never give up! The conference had so many areas of interest and covered a long list of important topics you can see them all here but today I am sharing my favorite top 10 take-away's from the conference.  

1) Meeting New Bloggers- While I know many amazing bloggers who have inspried me along the years. Each conference helps me create a broader base of support and new found sources of inspiration and ideas. Meeting new bloggers, writers and thinkers creates new collaborations and brings out the best in everyone. Meeting new people helps me think of new and fresh ideas. Plus meeting new people is always good for personal growth.

2) Meeting up with other Texas bloggers- You would think that when you belong to specific groups it's easy to keep up with one another. But, Texas is huge and bloggers are spread out, throughout the state. Keeping in touch, meeting up or even catching up with some of us can be tricky. We all live different lifestyles and have conflicting schedules. Getting us together even at conferences can be difficult but in DC, I enjoyed the company of some Texas bloggers. And, finally got to meet more of them in person. Which is always special!

3) Visiting the local sites- While the conference kept us very busy, we were able to get away in small groups or large ones to enjoy the local sites. Oh yes, and the eateries. The food was great! Visiting the local sites to me is very important. You learn so much about the city, and it allows for more time to get to know the other conference attendees. While you don't want to miss out on the conference, who can resist getting out and exploring? DC was a first for me, so I did have a short site seeing bucket list. I was able to visit my top 3; the White House, the Capitol and the Lincoln memorial.

4) Shopping- I am usually not into shopping, but being that I was visiting DC for the first time and that my children are huge presidential fans. It was a must. It was nice to take a moment from the conference and really think about the small things that would make my children happy. They loved their gifts and I loved seeing their reactions. They now have a little memory from a special place where their Momma has been. It's the small things that count. I brought back t-shirts for my parents and trust me they were ecstatic. That again makes me happy and feel a small sense of accomplishment.

5) Connecting- Being a Momma can sometimes make me feel like I don't get out much and like maybe I lack in networking encounters. But, conferences like LATISM make me feel different. Connecting with others, especially brands and large companies is a good way to update and practice my personal brand pitch. It's also a great way to feel connected to something other than your small hometown circle. And, it's definitely a good way to get your company or blog recognized.

6) Giving back- One thing I have always been about is giving back. Within my local community and within my network as a whole. Feeling as if all that you have learned is being used for good. As well as giving back to fellow bloggers for all their support in form of mentoring and sharing my experiences. LATISM gives back, in so many ways but most importantly to the Latino Community. That's so important, as a group we should give back to one another to form and create bigger and better networking circles that we can all learn from. 

7) Work in the community- I love the work that is being done in the community, with the youth especially. Sharing the diverse passion we have for all causes with the young Latino community is amazing. LATISM is definitely working within our communities for a better future. Who better to help lead the way than the youth who form part of the inner-city or under-represented rural communities. To have a group like LATISM step in and want to make a true difference in education is a great step forward.

8) STEM & Congress visits- There are so many areas of science and technology; that I still don't understand and should. There are areas of our government that I still don't understand, and most definitely should be involved in. LATISM has reignited my interest, as a parent in these subjects. Most importantly in STEM and how much our children should be involved in different areas of focus. Math and Science are vital to many areas of our lives. I want my children to learn as much as they can and reach their potential in any or all areas of focus. I feel that I should be more involved, especially for my daughter, I want to help make a way for her to study anything that she wants and succeed. 

9) The Team- Putting together a large event is not easy. Bringing together all of the logistics, people and topics can be a hard task to accomplish. But, the LATISM team accepts the challenge and takes it on. At the end of the day, everyone gains. The experience is exciting and one to learn from. I commend all those involved, and appreciate all of the hard work. 

10) Traveling Alone- I recommend it for all Momma's. Especially if you are like me. I didn't get to travel alone much as a young adult. I either traveled with my family or my Husband (while we were dating and newly married). So traveling alone, being in a new city alone, and sleeping without my kids and husband was very new to me. Not something I was used to. But, as I have gone on several trips now it's definitely a good break from the norm. It also helps me appreciate and miss my family, even more. The experience is very unique and helps remind me as a Momma that I am capable of so much more. It's a wonderful reminder really!

:: 3 things to know Before attending a Conference:: #LATISM15

                               ::Momma Disclosure:: This is a compensated post. All statements are my true and honest opinion. 

                                                All pictures taken by:  Andy Ramirez  http://www.andyphotographer.com/

Last week, as you all may know, I attended LATISM. It's one of many conferences I have been to. You would think that I know what I am doing, right? Well, as I left DC Friday night the shoulda, coulda, woulda was starting to settle in. Thinking about the many more connections I could have made and how much more I should have prepared for the conference. Immediately made mental notes as to what I should do differently next time. Because, there are always other opportunities to make good connections. Here are ::three:: things I think are important to know, before you attend your next networking event or conference.

1) Review the agenda 

One thing I like to do is review the agenda before the event. It will give you information about times, location and what will be discussed. The amount of information can be overwhelming, but being prepared helps ease the stress. I try to remain on a single track and attended the sessions I know  will be interesting to me. But,  I also like to attended sessions a bit out of my scope and learn something new. Before you attend your next event, review the agenda. Know the times and where your sessions are located so you can plan accordingly and select topics not only that you know but those you can learn something new from.

2) Make a list of companies, brands or contacts you want to connect with at the event

Most events have group pages on Facebook where they disseminate information or list their sponsors on their websites. It is smart to review the list carefully. Know who you want to connect with and more importantly make sure that the brand fits your blog. I understand wanting to connect with big companies and brand names but at the the end of the day, if it doesn't fit your blog, the partnership really won't last. I was able to connect with a couple of personal blog contacts, I have followed certain blogs for years and wanted to meet some of the ladies behind those blogs. I did also make great new connections with brands who want to work with Latina's in Houston. Having a defined brand and knowing what you are seeking long-term is very important. Some brands knew me because of my time in the business. And, I connected with others because I knew exactly what I wanted to say to them. Being prepared is important, in all instances.

3) Relax and Enjoy

Being unprepared causes for a lot of missed time and running around. Which is why being organized and knowledgeable before the event is important. And, at the end of the day, yes, you gain valuable lessons, important contacts and great new partnerships. But, if you didn't have fun and enjoy your time, it becomes point less. You don't want to be burned out during an event or conference the frustration can show and you can miss a good opportunity to interact with others. If you want to have a good productive time at a conference you need balance. Know what you want to achieve and who you want to connect with but also have fun and relax. The real you is more authentic when you are having fun.