If you’ve attended a fitness conference recently, this may or may not resonate. Online fitness conferences in the past few years have been different. Back in real person, we’re all a bit hungry for the community and excitement that bringing people together offers. But have you experienced this? A drained feeling, a definite adrenal rush potentially, but also a superficial show of persona as opposed to real connections? This may resonate with you if so.    Sometimes you just know that you’ve landed. Whether it’s because you find your people, or you have also found yourself and you’re comfortable in your own skin.    The soul-sucking information pathway that social media has become for me was taking a toll. I was definitely not looking forward to this trip. I could think of a million reasons not to go! We’re launching a new cohort of the Flipping50 Menopause Fitness Specialists and it was the last 4 days we’re open. I had just opened our recent launch of our 12-week consumer course-plus-coaching offer. I had a mastermind meeting to prepare for. And every once in a while, I can take for granted where I’m at and what I’m doing and wonder if I’m offering any new insight in my talk.    Definitely my thoughts before the fitness conference. Of course, in the process of presenting, and answering questions, and having people thank me and ask follow-up questions, I realize that I... I am the biggest benefactor of presenting because in doing so I remind myself that from 0 to 6-figure months is nothing to take for granted. I realize that sharing that story was crucial for me to have the reminder of what I am capable of doing… again.     Time to Attend a Real Fitness Conference I was long overdue to attend a fitness conference that wasn’t full of superficial “awesome” high-fives and selfies and find some source of peace and collective goal-seekers.   Mission accomplished.    I’ve known the hosts of this conference for a decade I guess. I don’t know at all. Cody Sipe was first on my radar I believe as a presenter and award-winning fitness pro with ACE (American Council on Exercise).    He and partner Dan Ritchie formed Functional Aging Institute. They hosted a first event in 2015 and I was invited. It’s a small world, where I’ve met other guests that will be familiar to you if you’ve attended the What, When & Why to Women’s Exercise Summit: https://www.flippingfifty.com/womensexercise Dr. Emily Splichal – who is your go-to for all things feet issues that may limit your clients and for improving balance, stability and continued activity for life.   Bedros Keuilian – who is a renowned fitness marketing mastery expert and who has evolved as so many fitness and health pros do, to mindset and personal growth. Fitness Marketing Secrets.   Sister team Kymberly Williams-Evans and Alexandra Williams of funandfit.org co-wrote a guest-contribution to You Still Got It, Girl! (published by Healthy Learning in 2015).    Dan and Cody also contributed to the same book’s chapter on strength training. And Dan was a guest speaker on The What, When & Why to Women’s Exercise Summit.   And here’s why.    The Health & Fitness Professional Experience   When you meet good people, hold onto good people. I’ve had many “lunches” with fitness pros over the past few decades. But many of them were networking from the beginning, felt like networking, and I couldn’t wait to recover after.    Others, like lunch I had with Dan a couple years ago, and the lunch I enjoyed with Lindsay Vastola (you may recognize as prior editor of PFP magazine for 10 years) and a few others, this weekend were rich in real connections and laughter.    It’s not fair I suppose to compare pre-pandemic to post but I do believe there’s more to it. It’s also not fair to compare an early career or tendency to wear imposture syndrome, with seasoned career and an attitude of I just don’t care what people think, I’m doing the right thing.   I’ve seen too much about the inside of fitness conferences and ab