Raw Emotion

Only July 23, we gathered for the Brave, Not Perfect event. The second offical event but the first of it's kind having guest speakers. It wasn’t about being polished. It wasn’t about having it all together. It was about showing up, real, raw, and ready to connect.

And we did.

From the moment the first woman walked through the door, there was a shift in the energy. We weren’t strangers anymore. We were women with stories, with courage, with things we’d carried for years and hadn’t yet spoken aloud. The theme Brave, Not Perfect resonated on such a deep level, it was like we all gave each other permission to drop the pressure and just… be.

The heart of the event was the stories shared. Brave moments don’t always look like headlines. Sometimes they look like:

• Saying no without apologising

• Walking into a room where you don’t know anyone

• Starting over after a setback

• Admitting you’re tired or you need help

• Choosing to rest

Two incredibly amazing women shared their story. Both sharing the story publicly in such a way for the first time, vulnerable and honest. The floor was opened up to questions and discussion afterwards and one by one, you could see shoulders relax, eyes widen, heads nod. I saw women realise, “I’m not alone.”

What I loved most? There was no pressure to perform. No need for the perfect outfit, the perfect story, the perfect life. Just connection. Authentic, heart-to-heart connection. We laughed. We cried. We celebrated the messy and the magnificent.

One of my favourite moments? Meeting women I’d followed online and talked to for months, and finally seeing them face to face. It was like we’d known each other forever. The conversations picked up like old friends, and big hugs were shared without hesitation. That’s the magic of community, it doesn’t always start in the same room, but when it comes together, it feels like home.

Events like this are why I started Women of the Murray. Rural and regional women are some of the most resilient, resourceful, and inspiring people I know. But we don’t always get the space to talk about the real stuff. This event proved just how hungry we are for it and how powerful it can be when we come together, not as competitors or critics, but as allies.

Thank you. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for speaking your truth. Thank you for letting your brave be seen.

Let’s keep choosing brave, in our choices, our voices, our rest, our boundaries, our dreams.

You don’t need to be perfect to be powerful.

The full gallery and thank you to all involved is now online in past events.

Photography and content by: Casa Sozzial