You guys ready for an Alt for Everyone recap?? Let’s do it! But first, can I just say how much I LOVE these photos by photographer Sandra Freij… major art crush!

Okay, the conference. Hands down the BEST part of the conference was Joy Cho’s keynote, The Art of Being a Goal Getter.

Here are some takeaways + my thoughts:

+ You can’t wait around for it. Whatever “it” may be. You’re the only one who can make your dreams happen. Whether that means quitting your un-fulfilling day job or working extra hard to let go of limiting beliefs because YOU KNOW you’re worth more, it’s your job. Get started now. You’ll be so glad you did.

+ You have to want it. Being a blogger (or any kind of freelancer) is hard work. You have to be SURE this is the path you want to go down. There aren’t any shortcuts, it requires passion and a whole lotta go-getterness.

+ Do your research. Be strategic about your goals. I’m a big believer in the power of positive thinking, but that alone won’t cut it. You have to be willing to do the work and plan wisely, cuz there are approximately a bazillion options out there. Find the ones that give you butterflies.

+ Put together a presentation that shines. Joy talked a lot about how she’d put together amazing packets and send them off to companies she loved. So simple, but so inspiring. I loved her courage to reach out! Make contact with your dream companies, you never know where it will lead. Show them how rad you are and convince them they need you!

+ “No” is not the end of the world. Just because something doesn’t work out – a specific pitch or job – doesn’t mean it was all for nothing. The universe might have something even more incredible lined up for you…!

My next favorite Alt for Everyone sesh was with Yoked on How to Craft the Perfect Pitch. They put together this incredible resource page for us, check it out! Oh my gah, so helpful.

Ooh a lot of you asked about the Pinterest class! Here are my favorite tips from that class:

+ Focus on niche boards. For example, break “Food” boards into smaller categories, like “Desserts.” Ooh I could totally see myself breaking my “Partay” board down… imagine, a whole board dedicated to confetti!!

+ Use the “like” button. Liking pins is a great way to show fellow pinners some love without taking up room on your boards. It’s always good to share the love!

+ Comment comment comment! Pinterest is a social site just like twitter and facebook. It’s about community and interacting, too!

+ Chose images wisely. Be mindful about your pinning, pin images that are clear, concise, cropped, and colorful.

+ Keep tabs. See what people are pinning from your blog by going to:

http://pinterest.com/source/YourBlogURL

IN CONCLUSION

I must say, much like Alt SLC, my favorite part of the experience was connecting with other bloggers. There was so much twitter love! That was the best part.

There’s only so much you can learn in a class before it’s time to just do it. Start writing. Start designing. Start pitching. There aren’t any shortcuts to becoming a successful blogger. There isn’t going to be a class that tells you that one secret ingredient you’ve been missing. Do your best work, be consistent, be bold in your pitches, and confident in what you’re creating. That will set you apart… and that, along with a crazy amount of drive, will bring you success. (And P.S. you probably know more about being a rad blogger than you think you do!)

Were you at Alt for Everyone?? What was your favorite part?

It’s Thursday and that means a whole gang of rad bloggers are talking about happiness! Join the movement below, on facebook, and on twitter with #BeHappylinkup!

Photos by Sandra Freij.