As we celebrated International Women’s Day yesterday it made me think that I want to be the woman my daughter’s look up to. I want to exemplify a strong woman that goes for her dreams so that they see it firsthand and model that.
That is one reason I was at Rachel Hollis’ RISE this weekend in Toronto. I got some AMAZING takeaways from that event that I want to share with you.
Rachel Hollis and I.
DAY 1 was about Owning Your Past. It was probably the most emotional day for many, as we tend to carry burdens from our past; things we bury and don’t talk about. Rachel Hollis did a powerful exercise called “Stand Up for Your Sister.”
Everyone wrote down on a piece of paper something that they were carrying; a trauma, or a personal loss like a parent or sibling from childhood. It was anonymous. She listed 16 different things that could be possible burdens.
Then the papers got shuffled around so much that no one could tell who had whose paper. She called out the different things from the stage, and if the paper you were holding had it, you stood up. It was SO POWERFUL. There were hundreds, sometimes thousands, of women standing up for different issues. You weren’t standing for your own past, but for a fellow attendee whose paper you held.
With close to 4000 women attending, it became SO CLEAR that we are not suffering alone. We don’t realize that the things from the past, that we keep so quiet and secret, are things that we daily carry the weight of. We don’t realize that there are many who struggle with the same burden.
The biggest realization for me was how far I’ve come. Without going into detail about what was on my paper, I will say that it is truly remarkable what we can overcome. That is what I want. My intention is to deal with my past so that my children can have a better life. The past is in the past.
DAY 2 was all about Owning Your Present. There was a lot of focus on health, both physical and mental health. What kind of habits you have, and what kind of habits you want to have. My biggest takeaway from Day 2 was a decision to focus on my physical health. For the last ten years I have been really working on my mental health, and I believe I am in a good place, so now it is time to focus on the physical!
A highlight for me was listening to Amy Porterfield! I am a big fan of hers, and it was really great to get to sit and listen to what she had to share about owning your present.
DAY 3 was all about Owning Your Future. YES! Goal-setting is my jam. I have said this before, and I will say it again, I am a goal-setting GEEK! I get really excited about the future, putting out some visions and setting some goals …. and then going for them! My big goals are:
- Get my health in order
- Build my publishing company. I want to help other people who have inspiring children’s books. I want to help them put them out there. I know it is hard to take the leap and publish, but it is my passion. I love helping others succeed! I've got some announcements in that regard, coming down the line, so stay posted!
Would I go back to RISE? Definitely.
Made some friends and attended a Roaring 20s Party
Taking the time to attend events like this is life-changing - as long as you go and learn, AND then apply it.
I'm excited to go back and apply what I learned, and I hope you found some value in the highlights I was able to pass on today.