The theme of this week’s sales conference has been all about being different…think different, play different, BE different.

It was written around the lanyard around my neck with my nametag. It was flashed on-screen in a snazzy logo for the week’s sessions, and it was exactly how I felt from the first step into dinner the first night.

Different.

I felt different. Better. Happier. Confident. Not intimidated.

I felt different because I belonged. Because I am part of this team. And because I have made a difference.

I felt different because when I introduced myself to people, they instantly knew who I was, they remembered my name, had seen what I’ve done for social media and as part of the corporate comms team, and simply being recognized…felt incredible.

To be asked to meet up for drinks with some of my team and a) not being scared or saying no and b) enjoying every minute of it, laughing, joking, engaging in conversation with everyone, made me feel so incredibly good. I belong here. I am part of this team. And I daresay I am making friends and I didn’t even realize I had.

I felt different also because I look different. And people noticed. I think partially because maybe I carried myself differently this week than this time last year, but also in the physical changes. My boss’s boss (my interim boss while she was on maternity leave, as you may recall) again said how good I looked and how proud I should be of the changes I have made. Another coworker asked what I’d been doing and said I’d totally ‘leaned out’ since last year (and this comes from a guy that has 2% body fat and is a fitness fiend!), and another that said I was ‘all muscle.’ Um wow, thank you…that too felt different. In that I accepted the compliments and felt proud of them.

And the funniest part of the week, hands down, had to be when the SVP of worldwide sales (aka hello big wig!) said at the opening remarks at day two of the conference in front of the global sales and marketing team ‘and this morning, at the gym, I ran next to Jolene and if I thought so-and-so [removing name for anonymity] kicked my ass, I was wrong. Jolene kicked my ass this morning on the treadmill!! (I am partially glad the room was dark as my face went beet red…even though I was at the same time, incredibly proud of that moment – thank you interval day! – it was definitely the funniest and one of the most memorable of the week! Even though I felt like a sweaty, gross mess running next to him that morning…it paid off!)

In a nutshell, this week was confirmation that the past year of hard work, dedication and focus, in my job and in my personal fitness journey has completely paid off. And it confirmed that I do have a game face, I can convey confidence and I am kicking that self-doubt that plagued me last year, and even just a few days ago.

Think…Act…Play…Be…Different.