My first 48 at South by Southwest: Immersing in the experience and eliminating self-doubt 

“Passengers, please secure your tray-tables and personal belongings as we make our final decent. Welcome to Austin!”

In that moment my stomach flips and I think to myself, How did I get here, and why me? What value can I possibly bring back that will impact tangible change for the community I call home?

My head continues spinning in thought as the pressure while landing glues me to the back of the seat and my ears begin to pop.

Naturally, I cue ‘Texas Hold ‘Em” as the plane touches down and think, If Beyonce can make waves in a new genre, what is stopping us from trying? 

Fast-forward 48 hours (give or take) and I am sitting in a line with waiting for a coveted wristband that will guarantee me a seat to hear the phenomenal Brené Brown present on Sunday. I have found navigating the endless options on the schedule, and moving from venue to venue, has been the best distraction for my inner dialogue and self-doubt.

Hugh Forrest, SXSW co-president and CPO, said in his opening remarks, “You will have FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) so embrace the JOMO (Joy Of Missing Out).” Meaning, make the most of the experience you have while missing something else, and find the joy in that. 

So, what can I send back to all of you from the first 48 hours? Here are some of my moments of JOMO from my first days at SXSW 2024:

There could be life on Jupiter’s second moon.

Or at the very least, it has all the makings, atmosphere, etc. for life — the biggest indicator being signs of H2O. NASA is currently working on the Europa Clipper spacecraft that will start its journey to Jupiter’s second moon launching October 2024.

NASA has a long history of sending inspirational messages to the depths of space. The Europa Clipper continues this tradition by including an engraved poem (in her own handwriting) by US Poet Laureate Ada Limon. We had the honor of hearing her read her poem to us, and were even shown the prototype of actual piece that will be sent to space.

As you may imagine, the piece is profound and moving, entitled “In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa.” It includes the line “We too, are made of water” — simple yet profound, it quickly became the motto embraced by the team of NASA scientists working on the project, even printing it on the back of their t-shirts.

I spent International Women’s Day 2024 surrounded by women from all over the globe.

I hold a special place in my heart for International Woman’s Day since it came on radar several years ago. But this year, I spent the day people-watching, learning from, and truly surrounded by women from all over the world.

I heard handfuls of conversations happening in different languages and saw representation across their age, race, style and passions. It wasn’t lost on me to truly be surrounded by an international span of women on International Woman’s Day. 

Now seems like the perfect time to share with you all an idea I have been sitting on for a while: What if, next year (and in the years moving forward), Mansfield recognized International Women’s Day by changing our name to Womensfield? Please don’t hear me wrong; I’m not crusading from a far-leaning agenda. Rather, I think it could be a way that as a community, we recognize all the women who made and continue to make our city great — and with MAN literally in our name, why not represent the other half of the population, too?

Just a thought.

The theme that laughter, humor and joy really is the best medicine.

One of the sessions I attended was a live recording of Esther Perel’s Podcast, “Where Should We Begin?” with guest comedian Trevor Noah. They had a conversation about how humor and laughter fosters unity, solidarity, validity and even closeness as a shared experience.

Even in our darkest times, there is a place for joy. Trevor Noah said, “Humor is one of the few emotions that robs your pain of it’s power.” To which Esther Perel responded a little after, “You get to decide your reaction to situations you cannot control.” 

In another session, I heard from Dr. Laurie Santos a professor at Yale University present on the topic, “5 Ways to Improve Well-Being in the Workplace: Emerging Trends From The Science Of Happiness.” Companies should be worried about their culture and the happiness of their work-force with the same focus they give to emerging technology. 

She shared data from a study showing a correlation between the happiness of a company’s workforce and their increase in profit. If your company is not investing in the happiness of your current workforce, you will get left behind. 

The Solar Eclipse on April, 8^th is a HUGE deal!

A panel of NASA scientists shared resources and ways we can continue to prepare for the solar eclipse and why we should be really excited to be in the line of totality.

They shared that this is the most accessible eclipse we will see for centuries. It’s a unifying event where everyone and every living thing across will experience it together. Yes, your animals will do strange things, they will sense it. Your own mind may do strange things as it attempts to process what it’s seeing.

Some additional good news: even if Ohio’s weather is, well, “Ohio” that day and is overcast, rain or snow, we will still experience total darkness. If we do have a clear sky, we will be able to see the stars, six planets, and a possible comet. There will be a 360-degree view of a sliver of twilight, and the “night” sky above.

They couldn’t emphasize enough to make it a special experience with people you love, from a place you love, and buckle-up for an unforgettable three-ish minutes of awe and wonder. 

So what’s next?

I still have three full days ahead of me here at SXSW and can now say with confidence, there is no shortage of ideas, opportunities, and moments of JOMO I can bring back to you all at home. 

I hope you found some value, inspiration, or at the very least were entertained enough to keep reading to this point. That’s it for now, I’m off to find some tacos!