Onward

by Alli Romanski

∙ Jun 4 ∙ 3 Min Read

The mountains whisper ‘go west, go west.’ As I turn to go the oceans call ‘come back, come back.’

I wrote this in my journal, at Campowerment, my very first, back in September 2016. I was still a college senior then, eyes wild with blind hope and optimism that world was full of potential…that I would find my place in it.

Flash forward— I landed a dream of a post-college internship, only to realize how truly massive corporations function wasn’t something I was cut out for. A piece of my optimism chipped away.

Flash forward again— I signed on to freelance for Campowerment. It wasn’t easy but I liked it. I made mistakes but I learned from them. I stuck around and kept pushing myself (and the team, I think) forward and upward, so that in the end hiring me full time felt like it had been in the cards all along. Optimism creeped back in.

Since 2017 I’ve been part of a team that brings to fruition the most life-affirming and action-inspiring experiences I’ve ever been a part of. Campowerment is the family that chose me. For the first time in my entire life I find myself in a community of people who are for each other, who take the time to see each other for more than the just labels life has slapped on us all thus far. I’ve gotten to share stories of resilience and power and growth. Now, I can’t escape the optimism.

And on our very own horizon, growing like the rising sun on an eastbound airplane at dawn (my favorite of all), are the beginnings of a program to revolutionize corporate culture, and what it means to be part of a team that is truly working towards a shared goal, with a shared mindset of support.

So I’ve been hesitant to share this news. Whenever I’ve told anyone about my job, no one has ever NOT looked at me in awe or told me how cool, how inspiring my work sounds. But, the next step is calling, and I can’t ignore it.

I had been asking my heart for advice for a while before I finally listened. At every point, head found reasons to say ‘no, stay where we are, stay safe.’ At every point, heart has said, ‘yes this; onward.’

Here’s the news: I’m going to grad school. This September I’ll be a student at the University of San Diego, pursuing a Masters in Education. When I graduate, I’ll teach students with special needs. I’ll teach English to middle schoolers and high schoolers. I’ll continue to share my passionate belief in the power of a good story, in the power of compassion, kindness, connection and reflection; that optimism wins.

Why? Besides the calling, because through Campowerment, I’ve so many women who found the courage to change their lives at 20, at 30, at 40, at 50, at 60, at 83…how could I not follow this dream of mine?

I’m not going anywhere. Campowerment launched me into this next phase of my life, but it’s still a part of my journey, and I am still a part of its. You can catch me running Inner Circle, and you can meet me in Ojai this November. See you there, and world: watch out: I’ll see you, too!