5 Powerful Takeaways from GLOW

I’ll never forget the sound of that room.

Dozens and dozens of women, laughing, crying, breathing a little deeper than they had in months. It was like the collective exhale of women who had been holding it all together for far too long.

That’s what happens when you walk into the GLOW Women's Event. You realize you’re not the only one carrying a million things: the invisible lists, the late-night worries, the never-ending pull between what the world needs and what your own soul needs.

Last year’s event reminded me that we are all walking this wild, beautiful journey together, and there are some truths worth carrying with us all year long.

Here are five powerful takeaways from last year’s GLOW Women's Event; ones that might just be the reminder you need today.

1. You are not alone.

Somewhere between carpool lines, deadlines, and dinner dishes, it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one barely keeping up.

But when you sit in a room filled with women who nod as you speak, who understand your exhaustion and your hope in the same breath, something shifts.You remember that community isn’t a luxury, it’s lifeblood.

You don’t have to be the strong one all the time. You just have to show up.

2. Your story matters.

We heard women stand and speak words they’d held in for years. Stories of loss, survival, faith, and starting over.

And with every word, another woman in that room exhaled, “Me too.”

That’s the power of storytelling. When one woman finds the courage to speak, it gives another woman permission to heal.

Your story doesn’t have to be tidy or polished. It just has to be true.

3. Rest is powerful.

We’ve been told that rest is a reward, something you earn after you’ve done enough. But rest isn’t earned, it’s essential.

At GLOW, we slow down on purpose. We breathe. We refill.

Because the truth is, you can’t pour from an empty cup, and burnout isn’t a badge of honour.

Resting isn’t quitting. It’s remembering who you are underneath the noise.

4. Faith fuels boldness.

There’s a kind of bravery that doesn’t come from muscle or grit, it comes from belief.

Faith is what helps you take the next step even when you can’t see the whole path.

Every woman I talked to that day had faced something that tried to dim her light. But leaning into faith, in herself, in something bigger, in the promise of “maybe this time it will work” gave her strength to keep going.

5. You carry the spark.

When the music fades and the chairs are empty, GLOW doesn’t end.

That spark you felt? It’s yours to carry.

Every morning when you get up and try again- that’s GLOW.

Every time you speak kindly to yourself or show grace to another woman -that’s GLOW.

Every time you remember your light, even in the dark -that’s GLOW.

You don’t have to wait for another event to ignite your flame. It’s already within you.

I can’t wait to see what this year brings, because if last year reminded me of anything, it’s that when women come together, really together, the world changes.

Keep shining, my friends. 𝒳𝒪𝒥𝑀

GLOW Women’s Event, women’s empowerment, Jonelle Marie Carter, women’s retreat Illinois, faith and boldness, self-care for women, rest and renewal, sisterhood, women supporting women, women’s event takeaways