We All Carry Rocks: Young Professionals of Cape Area Summit 4/17/2025

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the 7th annual Young Professionals of Cape Area Summit. I was genuinely excited to connect with fellow young professionals and soak up insights from some truly inspiring speakers.

The day was full of meaningful takeaways. I learned how to climb the Ladder of Integrity when navigating conflict, explored the newest features of ChatGPT in a session with Codefi, and most memorably, sat with the words of keynote speaker Sandy Stover, who asked us to reflect on the "rocks" we carry.

We all hold onto heavy things like fear, bitterness, imposter syndrome, or the quiet ache of self-doubt. Sandy reminded us that the way we speak to ourselves matters. What if we chose softer words? What if we set down the weight we've carried so long we forgot what it feels like to walk free?

I found her message especially powerful because, as we've talked about before in the hashtag#TrailblazerTuesday series, negative self-talk and imposter syndrome are things many young professionals wrestle with, but often in silence. It can still feel taboo to bring those struggles into the open.

Thank you to YPC for hosting such a meaningful event. And a huge shout out to Emma Brown for attending with me so we could strategically split up and hear from all of the speakers! It’s always exciting to gather with a community of professionals who are still becoming who they’re meant to be and bold enough to keep growing!