UPDATED 04/14/2025
When this post was originally written, social distancing was a thing and virtual conferences were on the rise. A company I had grown to love—The Hollis Co—put on virtual conference centered around being healthy and happy. If you know me, you know that’s what I stand for. The RISE Healthy & Happy Conference was everything I needed and more.
Rachel Hollis is the brains behind The Hollis Co. She’s a woman that motivates, inspires, and encourages people all around the world to become their best self. She just seems to “get me”. Maybe it’s because she’s a woman that supports fellow women or maybe it’s something else, but every time I listen to her podcast, I feel inspired.
The RISE Healthy & Happy Conference was a virtual one and the speaker lineup was top notch. Here are some of my biggest takeaways from the conference 2020. I hope my notes below inspire you to follow leaders like these and make your personal growth a priority, just like I have.
Rachel Hollis, creator of RISE Healthy & Healthy
During conferences, Rachel says so many things that move me. But two things stuck out this time:
- You need to generate your own energy. – The is something Brendon Burchard says a lot and I love when I hear it because it’s true. During conferences, at any point in time, Rachel will say “5, 4, 3, 2, 1” and the DJ starts playing dance music and YOU DANCE! Those few moments of dancing generate energy and make you more focused to continue the day.
- Healthy is NOT about your looks. – Rachel believes you should celebrate your body, not shame it. You can learn to love your body as it is right now and be proud of everything you’ve done. When I hear this, it makes me look back at my life and realize just how far I’ve come. Although I’m not where I want to be, I’ve come along way and need to be happy for all that I’ve done.
Trent Shelton, purpose-driven leader
I didn’t know Trent Shelton until I started following The Hollis Co. His energy is like none other. He makes (and takes) no excuses and is constantly working on improving his life.
The thing that Trent said that stuck out to me the most is FACTS OVER FEELINGS. So much so that I even have a sticker on my laptop that says “Fears are not facts”. When I heard Trent say this, it brought me back to my science roots. Feelings help guide us and lead us one way or the other. Facts, though, give us the raw truth that we can follow to grow and take true, honest action.
Today, I even have a sticker on my laptop that says something similar: “Fears are not facts”.
Stacey Flowers, empowering optimist
When I first heard Stacey Flowers speak, I was immediately connected to her vibe. Her thoughts on self-care and mental health hit home BIG TIME!
Stacey talked about trust and how we need to succumb to trusting what comes to us. She reminded us that:
- We need to be grateful for what we have around us
- How we need to think about the thoughts we have and how they affect us and those around us
- And that we need to give ourselves grace because we are all doing the very best we can in this crazy world
Stacey changed my outlook on life and I’ll forever be grateful for her words.
Kelly LeVeque, science backed wellness expert
I absolutely LOVE what Kelly LeVeque stands for and how she teaches the world about food. Kelly says something that I connect with on so many levels:
Consistency will ALWAYS outpace fad diets.
This one statement is so simple yet so powerful. The world is all about diets, losing weight, and being skinny. But being healthy is so much more important! When it comes to eating, you should have foods that make you feel good. And if you’re going to make changes, start with just one thing at a time. It will make your new habits easier to handle and help those changes last longer than you might think.
Nick Vujicic, limitless inspirational speaker
Wow! Nick Vujicic legit moved me to tears. He was born with no arms, no legs, and eventually attempted suicide. I relate to his mental health journey and these three things made me cry like a baby:
- If you tried to commit suicide and made it, think about what you would have missed. – When I think back on my suicide journey, I realize I would have missed a lot. Nick made me realize I survived for a reason.
- Don’t get stuck in the muck. – We all have face challenges in our lives and some of those last a while. But when we face those challenges head on, we have the biggest opportunity to learn and grow.
- Failure is your classroom. – A lot of people (including me) don’t like to fail. But Nick says to use that failure as fuel and learn from it. Examine what happened, what you did, what you could have done, and grow.
Dave Hollis, motivational change agent
As I update this, I’m sad that this guy is no longer with us today. Dave Hollis was the guy to follow if you wanted to know about accountability. He changed his life and became the person he was known for. He got out of his own way and changed for the better. Dave gave us two questions to ask ourself:
- What do I need right now for who I am becoming?
- How do you feel about yourself when you’re by yourself?
These two questions help you determine what (or who) you need around you, what actions you need, and if you need to make adjustments so you can continue your growth journey and be happy and healthy.
Jay Shetty, modern day monk
Once a monk, now an author and coach, Jay Shetty teaches us how being present, using meditation, and finding our purpose can lead you to enlightenment. Two things he said stood out to me:
- Location has energy, but time has memory. – When he refers to location, he is talking about the spaces you go to in your home or around town. These spaces should give you energy and serve a purpose. The time you spend in those spaces is what your subconscious mind will remember.
- Every day for at least 5 minutes, we must take TIME. –
- T: Be thankful for something we have in our day
- I: Acknowledge something that inspires us
- M: Make space for moments of peace
- E: Fit in some exercise and daily movement.
These speakers moved me to keep going, push through the hard times and the chaos, and live my life with passion. Attending conferences like RISE Healthy & Happy inspire me and keep me focused on my path. I try to attend at least two a year, whether in-person or virtual. If you are thinking of incorporating conferences in to your personal journey, know this: You get out what you put in at these events. I promise you, if you’re focused and committed, you will reap the benefits.
