I seem to be talking more and more about soft skills and community. Two weeks ago I shared why I choose AssistU (yes, that is active: choose). Choosing a strong, like-minded community and then participating within it are soft skills I am proud to have. Building my support system helps me thrive.

I believe our AssistU community is very unique and the reasons why are difficult to explain to those who don’t experience it for themselves.

• We are currently all women, but that is not what makes us unique.
• We are all Virtual Assistants, but that is not it either.
• We have all completed the same rigorous training, but that really isn’t a part of it even though I bet it bonds us in a way.

We aren’t all visible to one another all the time (we are really all off busy in our businesses) and not everyone is able to make the journey to attend homecoming each year (even though it’s our one chance to all be together). But, we are each involved and committed to our community on some level. When we gather together, virtual or in person, magic happens. It’s really hard to describe.

That magic happened at our Educational Event in Baltimore: Deep Rooted. This event, part of AssistU Homecoming, was an all-day experience of community growth. There was potential bouncing off the walls: for friendship, support, fun, understanding, growth, and even doing business together. We worked together, under Anastacia Brice’s leadership, to create and deepen the connection and community we have together. We learned about one another’s deepest desires in business, our skill sets (both hard and soft) and our unique brilliance. We came away with a giant list of who-is-who and what-she-can-do  that I have never experienced before. We found commonality and resonance.

We nurtured our community. We explored our connections. We created deeply-rooted business relationships and cultivated friendships.

I am so excited about what this experience means to my future, my clients, and to me. I came away with a newfound understanding about our community and what it means to have social capital, and I feel so much more connected than ever before. It has renewed my commitment to being as involved in AssistU as my schedule allows because of the magic here. It has renewed my commitment to make the time to do what it takes to deepen my relationships within the community. They are vital to our existence.

I only wish everyone could have felt what we felt and shared the experience with us. Maybe next year…