Tonight I went to the Boosted Diplomas fundraising event and it reminded me why I care so much about community, opportunity, and showing up for people. Boosted Diplomas is an amazing local organization that provides tutoring, educational advocacy, and encouragement to youth experiencing foster care at no cost. Their staff are amazing individuals who are passionate about the work they do and go beyond in assuring youth have the support needed to be successful. Across the country 48.5% of children experiencing foster care graduate high school, while Boosted Diplomas defies all odds with a 84.6% graduation rate.
It also reminded me how far I have come in building confidence, especially when I walk into a room and realize I am the among the youngest there. For a long time that feeling would make me want to shrink a little. I would look around and assume everyone else had more experience or more to offer. I would convince myself that I was still figuring things out while they already knew exactly who they were.
But recently something has shifted. I have been learning that age does not define value. Being the youngest in the room does not mean you are behind. Sometimes it simply means you worked hard and arrived sooner than you expected. Tonight I focused less on comparing and more on connecting. I let myself be curious. I listened, I asked questions, I learned from their stories. And instead of feeling out of place, I felt like I was exactly where I needed to be.
Networking has slowly become something I look forward to. Not the awkward kind where everyone tries to impress each other, but the real connections where people share experiences and ideas that actually matter. Tonight was a perfect example of that. Conversations drifted toward purpose, community, mistakes that turned into lessons, and victories that changed lives. There was no pressure to be perfect. I just showed up as myself and let things unfold naturally.
What I am realizing is that building confidence often happens in these small moments. It is found in the choice to stand tall even when you feel unsure. It is built through every conversation where you learn something new. It grows when you allow yourself to be both a student and someone with something valuable to offer. Learning from others has become one of the best parts of this journey, and it makes me excited for every new room I walk into.
Leaving the event tonight, I felt grateful. Grateful for the people I met, the stories I heard, and the reminder that I am still growing into the woman I want to be. Grateful that the money raised this evening will help at least 140 youth access services! I am finding myself in these connections, in these shared passions, and in every moment where I choose to believe I belong.
If you want to keep following along as I balance career, community, and personal growth, join me on Instagram @s.idneylauren and visit sidneylauren.com for more.
life outside of 9-5 
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