EngineerHer

Many of you will have seen my LinkedIn post from a few weeks ago on the event I’m taking part in on the 10th November. If you haven’t, here’s the link with all the details. The event is called “Radiance Revolution” and you can sign up here.

But, the event is raising some questions for people so I thought I’d answer them.

Why Radiance?

There is a reason that “joy” is step three in my six step process for reclaiming your career and your life. Sometimes, we forget that actually… we are allowing to feel joy. In our lives and our careers. There is no universal rule that says “life must be a struggle” or “thou shalt hate thy work”. (Trust me, I was reared Irish Catholic, there is no commandment that deals with work at all!)

This event, this workshop, is about bringing you back to the happy, joyous, alive version of yourself that existed before life beat you down. We’re aiming to get you to thrive, not just survive. Let’s face it, survival is all very well and good, but thriving is far better!

You know when you meet an old friend and they just look like the light of the world is shining through them? That’s what we’re aiming for. That’s what the revolution is about.

Why Revolution?

There are people objecting to the use of the work “revolution” on many levels. Mostly because of the violence involved. And it’s true, many revolutions, most in fact, are violent.

We want to launch a quiet revolution though. We want the women of the world (yes all women, regardless of gender assigned at birth) to join us in an internal revolution. Step up to doing the work that’s required to heal old wounds and bring ourselves to our best selves.

Revolution is the only word I know that captures this sort of transformation. By the time you’ve been through Carina’s manifesto on happiness, my journey to the root of yourself, Beth’s path to resilience, Tanio’s powerful writing and Sabrina’s art to unlock the core of you… trust me, you’ll be transformed.

(Seriously – for those who know me and know there isn’t an artistic bone in my body – Sabrina took me through an exercise using grass and mud in art to reveal parts of myself I’d pure forgotten!)

Why take part in this event?

Are you feeling happy, alive, sexy, in charge of your destiny? Then, while you’re welcome at the event, it’s not aimed at you!

This event is for you, if you are feeling sad, overwhelmed, dejected, like life has lost it’s lustre, if it ever had any! Because yes, there are societal problems we all face: sexism, poverty, homophobia, transphobia… look, I could write a list a mile long here. This event isn’t really going to affect these things on a societal level.

But we, the presenters here, firmly believe that as women, we can articulate change within ourselves and propagate that to the world. By initiating change within ourselves, we initiate change in the wider population. By firmly rooting ourselves in the truth of who we are, not what society would prefer us to be, we are grasping our personal power and activating change.

That all sounds really vague, although hopefully uplifting, right?

Personal story

Well, here’s my story. I was chatting to someone only last night, who knew me in a professional environment years ago. He couldn’t believe the changes he could see in me.

I was more confident. More engaged. Better able to articulate. Definitely more able to engage in conversation and disagree with people in a way that was non-confrontational.

That change didn’t happen overnight. But it started at an event very similar to the one on November 10th. That too was a free event, with, if I remember correctly 4 speakers, rather than 5.

But the effect was similar. It opened my eyes to what was possible. I started to realise the work I needed to do to reclaim myself, my spirit, my soul… the core of who I was. That work has involved much journaling. Many communications courses, technical courses, stretching myself in ways that felt – at times – like it was all too much.

I pushed to achieve the things I needed for myself. Things like the Engineers Ireland Women in Engineering Group. Things like publishing peer reviewed academic papers. Things like gaining accreditation as a coaching master.

It has also led to me regularly reviewing where I am in life and making sure I am looking for the right things to support me as I am right now and not as I was five years ago. Again journaling. But also – spending time alone. Reading thought provoking books. Listening to podcasts I’m not sure I’ll enjoy. Moderating my media intake.

I’ve gone on retreats.I’ve been to engineering conferences. I’ve presented at engineering conferences. I’ve spoken in different organisations about my experiences and every talk was a learning experience. I’ve used coaches and mentors. I’ve read other women’s account of life as engineers or women in STEM.

I’ve prayed. I’ve meditated. I’ve danced. I’ve laughed and cried.

And if you don’t think prayer has a place in engineering – have you never been facing a stubborn pump at 3am with no support and no bloody clue how to fix it? No? Just me then…

Join us

Look, at worst, you’ll have wasted 2 hours of your life.

At best, you’ll embark on a journey to the core of yourself. The best and worst parts of you, but you will remember who you are. You will regain that radiance that life has, perhaps, worn out of you. You’ll hear some amazing women speak to their radiance and how we have navigated the world and ourselves to regain that radiance.

We want to change the world. We want to start with you.