Woman Plans Lavish 'Vision Board' Party for the New Year. After Everyone Cancels, One Video Changes Everything (Exclusive)

• Beka Gillis planned a vision board party for a group of female friends in hopes to build community

• By the time she was ready for the event, everyone had cancelled

• Beka's candid TikTok about her disappointment opened the door for cultivating a community she never dreamed was possible

A woman looking to build community and spread positivity ahead of the new year found herself disappointed when all of her guests slowly cancelled on her.

Beka Gillis, on TikTok @bekagillis, shared a video on Dec. 29 expressing her disappointment when all the friends she invited to her vision board party started to bail on the event, the day of. Gillis tells PEOPLE that she put together the event to try and build meaningful bonds with other women in their 30s.

"I'm 32 and I'm single and I've always been somebody who really desires community and deep connections," she explains.

"I just feel like it's so important. We weren't meant to walk the world alone. I moved from Atlanta to Sacramento right after the pandemic. I had a wonderful community life I'd built in Atlanta and I was missing that. I got super depressed and in a dark hole for a few years and I just started doing anything I could to climb back out of it."

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In recent months, Gillis focused on trying to meet "other like-minded women" and found that while there were positive interactions at various events, the connections weren't lasting beyond them.

"Everyone's kind of settled with their friends and in their ways. And, you know, it's understandable at a certain point in life, but it still sucks, you know? But my mom has always said to me like, 'If you can't find it, go create it.' And so, that was kind of what I was trying to do."

Gillis' video, which has gone viral with more than 1 million views, explains how much she put into the event, which she says people seemed excited about when she first extended the invitations.

"I'm so sad right now, bestie. I planned a vision board party six weeks in advance, sent out real invitations, invited 30 girls, of one I'm only close with. It is just so hard to make friends and build community when you're in your 30s and in a place you're not from and that's just what I'm trying to do."

Gillis notes in the video that "Seven girls RSVPd yes and that was so exciting."

"I spent so much time and so much money preparing for this party. I have this cute disco and fresh floral spread on the table. Menu, food, all of the vision board supplies."

Gillis tells PEOPLE, "I invited girls I felt like would enjoy it and the ones who RSVPd were super excited. I have planned parties in the past and I think a lot of people were excited to come to something I planned."

"The night before the party, I felt like whoever was supposed to be here would be here," she continues. "I had a thought, almost protecting myself, as I set up, like, 'What if nobody comes?' It's a normal fear, but then I woke up to two cancellations."

She continues, "One by one, they started trickling. I was down to two girls when I sent them a text, 'Can't wait to see you today!' One girl was sick and the other didn't even answer me."

Gillis says she was having "a little mental breakdown" when she decided to take it to TikTok.

"I think vulnerability is a superpower. Every since I've had a TikTok, I've used it as an outlet to express myself, especially when I moved and wasn't talking to people as much. Even though I want to believe it happens as it's supposed to, I definitely felt discouraged."

Gillis was prepared to tackle vision-boarding solo when TikTok showed up for her. Her mom had suggested she try to turn the event into a virtual gathering, but the creator didn't initially think it was possible. Then, hundreds of commenters urged her to do the same.

"It literally had me in tears because I'm just a girlie that needs reassurance like most people in life. It reassured me that it's okay. I am on the right track and doing the right things," she says. "I am appreciated and loved, even if I don't know these people. I've always felt like I have a gift for helping and serving others and hearing from so many people gave me some direction in how I can utilize my gifts. It was so special to me."

On Saturday, Jan. 11, Gillis will host a virtual vision board party on TikTok Live. "Not everyone has community. I like being the kind of person to connect people. Not everyone puts themselves out there like I do, or tries to talk to people. Since I am able to do that, why not cultivate that space for them? It felt like a no-brainer."

Gillis is hopeful this is the beginning of more such events that bring women together with others in their space in life.

"I think it's just so difficult, for any age group really, to find and build community. It's special that we do have places like TikTok where we can still find each other. So I'm hoping to host more events for groups and people who need that space."

She's also bringing positivity to her career as a wedding photographer and content creator.

"I feel like all of this has given me confidence to work harder on other areas of my own life too," she says. "It's a good reminder that showing up for myself can also mean showing up for and helping others."

Read the original article on People