We all have fears, many of which we chose not to face. One of my deepest ingrained fears is networking. Specifically, solo networking. The idea of entering a room of strangers and trying to strike up a conversation terrified me. In the past, I have avoided these situations at all costs. I’ve missed out on conferences, lectures, and meet-ups that have piqued my interest. I decided this is an aspect of myself that I’m no longer going to accept. Yes, it’s uncomfortable to challenge yourself, but change is possible.

Therefore, I kicked off March by signing up for not one, but six local events. Yes, you read that right. SIX events! Milwaukee hosted a week long event for female entrepreneurs filled with wonderful speakers and educational workshops. Not only did I survive a week of networking, I left feeling inspired. I’m going to keep my eye out for more events like these that I can attend in the future.

After a wonderful week attending events downtown, Ian and I drove to Racine for their orchid festival. I was sold simply on the idea of spending the afternoon in a greenhouse, but having an opportunity to explore downtown Racine was an additional bonus. Neither Ian nor I have spent much time in Racine, so stopping by O&H Bakery for a danish and taking a walk along the lakefront path were a must.

March ended with an early birthday visit from my family. I set my out-of-office email message and played hooky for the day. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch downtown and spent the afternoon visiting some of my favorite local spots.

For a closer look at what we got up to in March watch the video below!

Eight years. That’s how long Ian and I have been together. You would think by now we would be sick of each other, but that’s not the case. I still feel a tug at my heart each time we have to part. March was challenging because it was full of nights spent in different cities and falling asleep alone. Once we were back in each others arms, it was hard for me to let go again. Luckily, I had mini weekend getaway and a few fun events sprinkled throughout the month to lift my spirits.

The first event on the docket was a Milwaukee Wave game! A friend of ours won tickets through work and kindly invited Ian and I to tag along. At first, I was just there to get my hands on the hyped up ice cream bubble waffle, but quickly fell in love with the game. The energy of the crowd was contagious and made for an enjoyable night.

The next few weeks flew by and before I knew it Ian was dropping me off at the airport. I booked a weekend trip to see one of my best friends out in Colorado. This was my first trip out to the Denver area and I was blown away by the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. It was definitely a change of scenery from Wisconsin. While it was a short trip, we packed in a lot! We snowshoed up to Emerald Lake, danced on Pearl St., ate ice cream at Union Station, and walked around Red Rocks Amphitheatre. I’m certainly jealous of everyone who gets to call this area home!

Once I flew back to Milwaukee I was greeted by an empty home. Ian was on a week-long work trip, so we had to endure eight days apart. While this may not seem like a long time, I was counting down the minutes until his plane touched down and I could wrap him up in my arms. Once he was back home we celebrated by walking to our favorite ice cream shop and indulging in a sweet treat.

If you are interested in seeing a few snippets from our month, watch the video below!