You are invited to a special unveiling ceremony!
Virtuosa Society has partnered with Healthy Klamath for the Alleyway Activation Project, calling on artists to paint portraits of the women who helped shape Klamath Falls. These portraits will be installed as murals in the downtown area to help keep history alive, and the stories of these women will continue to inspire generations to come.
Mark your calendars:
Friday, October 25th at 4 pm
925 Klamath Avenue | Downtown Klamath Falls
As women, we spend our lives navigating what’s implied. Before we even have the words to identify unspoken double standards, we learn to adhere to them.
Many of us got the impression that it’s a rite of passage. Our mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers had similar experiences, always reaching to meet the expectations that we would grow up to fill the role that’s meant for us.
Then, as we get older, we realize how impossible that is. Most of us have experienced burnout at that point, sick and sore from shoving ourselves into the mold that has been looming over us ever since we can remember.
It affects every aspect of our lives, even down to the simplest things: what we wear, how we carry ourselves, and especially our conversations and how we relate to the world.
In today’s society, it’s often implied that conversations should come easily. There is truth to the implication as we are social creatures, from building our communities to networking as professionals. Connecting with others is just an everyday aspect of our lives, yet it can still be a struggle as we find who we truly are outside of unspoken expectations.
How many of us actually struggle with conversations and have never had the tools to grow out of that? How many of us relate to the challenge of finding the right words, of getting out of our own heads and truly listening, regardless of the circumstances of the conversation? At the Maestra Masterclass last weekend, radio host and speaker Georgene Rice reminded us of what really matters: at the core of every conversation is our ability to remain authentic.
Georgene came ready with the perfect agenda for the day, aptly titled The Art (And Beauty) Of Conversation. She invited us to ask simple, yet profound questions: Who am I? What kind of woman do I want to be?
What quickly followed was the duality of fulfilling conversations: the wonder of connection and the challenge of authenticity. Her guidance was a powerful reminder of how much value is truly in our words and the words of others.
In conversations, there are four personalities:
The Shapeshifter – the person who will mold their answers and always have a “Yes!” on deck
The Wallflower – the person who has no desire to interact
The Innovator – the person who is curious and always has questions and feedback to offer
The Primadonna – the person who wants all eyes on them and all conversations to revolve around them
If you identify with more than one of these, you are not alone! We often find ourselves morphing into any one of them during the course of our conversations. In learning this, we began to identify our own tendencies and explore ways to identify them in others… which led to a realization gently guided by our guest speaker.
The reason authenticity is so important in conversations is that authentic women don’t underestimate their value, so they bring value to the conversation. If they bring their value, they will inherently see and cherish it in others.
Sometimes the worst thing we can do is wear a facade for the sake of others. Conversations are most healthy when we are honest and assertive, and a good conversation requires skill and vulnerability. It’s important for us to have all the facts and hold back on judgments and assumptions, because someone else can always change the climate of the room.
That’s where the itinerary for the day began to shift.
Raise your hand if conflict resolution has ever been a struggle for you, ladies. Now take a deep breath knowing you are not alone. Georgene gave us some excellent tools to remember, because these conversations are vital to our growth as humans and women.
In all times, set boundaries.
You don’t have to take abuse! You have the authority at any given moment to say you need to stop a conversation.
Above all, kindness and respect will quickly diffuse conflict.
Conflict resolution requires patience, discipline, and respect for others. We always have the option to choose good faith and bad faith. Good faith is deciding to trust that even when you actively disagree with someone, you know they are still a person that deserves respect. Bad faith is deciding the opposite and assuming you know everything about the person and conflict at hand. Good faith will always reflect our own authenticity.
A little vulnerability goes a long way.
Georgene shared stories of years long conflicts between her and her coworkers, something many of us can relate to in our own walks of life. When they finally came together to bury the hatchet, they ended up becoming dear friends through their shared vulnerability and honesty.
The Maestra Masterclass session was wrapped up with the joy of listening and being heard. As women who have struggled with having meaningful conversations, there is nothing like the fulfillment of being seen and opening ourselves up to people who will truly hear what we have to say.
Here are Georgene’s tips for embracing that joy:
Acknowledge your blind spots and bias.
What are the areas that affect you when conversing with someone else? Appearance? Assumption? Gossip?
Be curious and hold space.
Show interest in the other person and hold the door open for them to accept your invitation to step through. It’s easy to jump into a conversation without remembering that everyone brings value and we are all learning. Sometimes people just need to talk and letting them fill that space is a way to respect them.
Don’t put words in people’s mouths.
Let them say what they want to say, and don’t interrupt. Truly listening to others is nourishing to our spirituality and connects us through faith – in each other, in a greater good, and in hope.
Avoid story-topping, bright-siding, and letting yourself become distracted.
Part of authentically knowing yourself is knowing where your distraction points are, and conversations are easily derailed by toxic positivity and unnecessary comparisons.
Listening isn’t always outwardly rewarding.
It’s an internal process. A discipline. The reward comes in time and will pay off dividends. Don’t fall prey to needing praise as a listener and undermine the authenticity of your human experience.
After drinking from this fountain of wisdom, it was time to eat and mingle! Keegen Mueller prepared seasonal faire that blew us away, nourishing our taste buds and souls with a Fall themed menu. Dessert prepared by Bonnie Nork and the ladies at CocoGlow was a blessing and a curse as we will never think about ice cream the same way again! The delectable art of seasonal food was the perfect compliment to the soul nourishment of this masterclass.
Nana’s Tea Room also prepared a bespoke blend of tea for our guests while Jordan Wendt’s table decor invoked feelings of nostalgia, comfort, and creative inspiration. It was a beautiful gathering at the Collman Dairy Barn, and we have our friends at Poppy on Main to thank for letting us use their gathering space.
When it all came together, we were immersed in an atmosphere of inclusivity that demonstrated how much we value each other and the lives of women. Our goal will always be to uplift and elevate our experiences.
Participants also received a swag bag filled with goodies, both as a thank you present for coming and as a reminder that everyone deserves a little something extra! These bags contained a book co-written by Georgene and her longtime friends Deborah and Gerutha Greenidge titled Undaunted, a notepad and golden pen, a packet of Cocoglow’s Classic Blend, one of Poppy on Main’s signature felt ornaments, and a special apple cider caramel treat by Bonnie Nork made with Cocoglow’s Sex Chai blend.
Thank you to all the women who came to learn and grow with us at the Maestra Masterclass. Our events are specially curated to elevate our experiences – as humans and as women. We saw many new faces and have since received many kind words in response to this event. We simply can’t wait until the next!
Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter to stay updated on VS gatherings. We hope to see you all at the next one as we continue to walk our nonlinear journeys together.
May your conversations always be fulfilling, your table full of nourishment, and your circle always surround you with love and support.
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