Have you ever walked into a room and wondered,
“Where do I fit?”
I have. Many times.
Belonging has always been a deep longing in my heart — to be seen, to be known, and to feel like I’m enough just as I am. But for a long time, it was something I couldn’t quite seem to find. And time to time, it still raises up within me.
As a little girl, I remember standing at the edge of the schoolyard, quietly watching the other children play confidently, never quite sure where I fit in. I wasn’t the cool one. I was the girl with big feelings — but who often felt too much and not enough all at the same time.
In high school, the “mean girl” years left their mark — moments where I felt left out, the third wheel, misunderstood, or like I had to become someone else just to be accepted. So, I learned to edit myself. To people-please. To play second fiddle.
Later in life, I stepped into leadership roles — managing teams, running events, and building others up. Yet even then, I felt like I had to keep a certain level of distance. I could encourage, inspire, and support… but I couldn’t always be one of them. There were boundaries. Expectations. And that old whisper, you don’t really belong here, would show up again.
And then came two big interstate moves. Packing up our lives, starting again, finding new friends and community from scratch. Each time, I found myself asking, “Where do I belong now? Who are my people here?”
It wasn’t until I slowed down enough to really listen to my heart that I began to realise: belonging doesn’t start with others — it starts within.
Belonging begins with you.
True belonging begins when you come home to yourself.
When you stop trying to earn your place by proving, pleasing or performing.
When you get honest about what matters most to you.
When you let go of who you think you should be and allow yourself to become who you are.
It’s taken years — and some deep personal work — to get here. But slowly, I began to show up with more honesty. More softness. More permission to be messy, vulnerable, and real.
And in doing so, something shifted:
The more I belonged to myself, the more I started to attract the kind of women I truly belonged with.
Women who valued depth.
Women who showed up with their whole hearts.
Women who were craving the same connection I was.
That’s how the Gratitude Table was born.
I didn’t want to host another networking event. I wanted to create a space where women could exhale. Where it wasn’t about credentials or competition — but about slowing down, eating together, and having real, rich conversations that matter.
A space where laughter and tears could flow in the same afternoon.
A space where you didn’t have to fit in, because you were free to be you.
A space of belonging.
Creating belonging with others
Belonging is both an inner and outer journey.
Yes, it starts with us — learning to belong to our authentic selves.
But then we get to go further — we get to build belonging around us too.
It can be as simple and sacred as:
- Saying “Come sit with me” instead of waiting to be invited.
- Choosing curiosity over comparison.
- Being brave enough to go first with vulnerability.
- Creating tables (literal or figurative) where everyone’s voice matters.
If you’re longing for deeper connections — know this: you’re not alone.
Many women are carrying the quiet ache of disconnection, not because they’re unworthy, but because they’ve never had a safe space to simply be themselves.
You belong here
If you’ve been wondering where your place is — let me gently remind you:
You don’t need to become someone else to belong.
You don’t need to earn it.
You don’t need to hustle for your worthiness.
You already belong. Just as you are.
So take a deep breath. Soften your heart. And come home to yourself.
There’s a seat at the table for you.