It’s hard to believe that another ShiftCon has come and gone. Once again, the conference did not disappoint. My shero and the founder of ShiftCon, Leah Segedie, continues to set the bar higher and higher every year. She and her husband Mark along with their incredible team work tirelessly for months beforehand making sure that everything is ready to roll.

Going to ShiftCon has become an annual highlight for me. Here are a few things I learned this year.

Eating GMO-free food at a conference is possible

All the meals at ShiftCon were GMO-free! And they were healthy and delicious. I was in heaven the entire weekend.

The non-toxic, green market is booming

Connecting with over 50 like-minded brands in one space was incredible. I was a fan of many of the brands already (Stonyfield, Beautycounter, Organic Valley, Boiron, Goddess Garden, Earth Mama Organics) and was introduced to so many more.

A special shoutout to my lovely new friends at Replenology who sponsored a wonderful dinner for award finalists (I was a finalist for Best Lifestyle Blogger! See below for more exciting news on this).

I really love public speaking (especially when I’m passionate about the topic!)

This year I presented alongside my friend and colleague, Amy Thieringer, who worked with my son weekly for over two years and cured him of his nut allergy. Yes, cured him.

Realizing that so many of your friends and colleagues are rockstars

The workshops and panels were truly outstanding and many of them were led by superstars in the green space (Lindsay Dahl, Andrea Donsky, and Amy Ziff).

Connecting IRL is huge

Bloggers spend much of their time working solo in front of a computer screen.  Many of us collaborate online and rarely see each other in real life. Heading to a conference like this and having an opportunity to hug a person with whom you’ve worked with for years makes the weekend so worthwhile. I’ve worked with Mike Schade from Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families for many years and FINALLY met him in person. He’s the mastermind behind the #MindtheStore campaign that I frequently write about.

I also finally met Amity from Green Child Magazine (have you read the latest issue?)

There’s nothing like spending time with friends (old and new)

Me, Mike (Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families), Harriet (Climate Mama), Amy (A.R.T.), Micaela (Mindful Momma), Amity (Green Child Magazine)

Winning an award is pretty awesome (and shocking!)

This was a big one. I’m incredibly honored and humbled to have received the “Best Lifestyle Blogger” award.  Wow. I still haven’t wrapped my head around this. Thank you to Leah Segedie and Mark Segedie everyone who voted for Groovy Green Living. Thanks to Amy, Harriet, and Micaela for getting me back on time!

It’s really cold in California at 6:30 am

I was not prepared for an early morning, outdoor yoga class. Next time I will have a blanket ready.

This has been a tough year on so many levels. Thanks to ShiftCon, I’ve returned home with a renewed sense of purpose, hope, and inspiration.

Ready to join me at ShiftCon next year? Hope so!