You get to witness the magical presence of the owners – and probably bump into them at some point. You can ask questions to the scientists, play in a Deep Blue ball pit, and just be in full out JOY over all the things!

Convention is a big deal.

Whether you’ve never gone or been to every one since their existence, I thought it was important to bring all the info together in one big post.

Are you ready? Put on the diffuser and grab yourself a notepad and a tea. We’re diving in!

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In the week leading up to Convention, it’s time to prep your body and mind. Remember: CONVENTION IS A BIG DEAL!

Prepping your body:

• eat clean food
• start taking On Guard soft gels daily to pump up that immune system
• walk daily in really great shoes – you want you legs ready for all the Convention walking and you want to make sure your shoes are super comfy!

Prepping your mind:

• start making a list of what you want to bring
• create an intention for Convention (I want to walk away with more confidence in my knowledge about oils, I want to ask questions to the scientists at the Product Showcase, I want to connect more with my team, I want to meet one of the owners, etc)

We always get the same question: what am I supposed to wear to Convention? Let me promise you this: I’m not leading you astray here. Wear for comfort, not for style. Your feet will thank you. Running shoes over heels. Say it with me.

Running shoes over heels.

You will do a crazy amount of walking (sometimes running – you don’t want to miss a thing!). Whatever shoes that are most comfy for you are the ones you are promising you will take. Right? Yep.

Weather can be all over the place, so do check leading up to the event.

This is my 4th Convention and all of them have been gorgeous and sunny. You would assume you’d be good with a tank top, but you’re wrong. You’ll freeze inside the arena or Salt Palace. Bring a sweater, always.

Here’s a checklist of things I typically pack:

• two pairs of shoes (both must be comfy)
• 4 light shirts/tanks
• 1 sweater
• two pants/capris
• bra, socks, underwear
• pjs
• fun coloured pens, highlighter, sticky notes (we get a journal in our swag)
• top 10 oils (plus another 10-15 of my favs), veggie caps, On Guard Softgels, LLV, CorrectX, lozenges, Serenity Softgels
• shampoo/conditioner/toothpaste/Deep Blue samples for myself
• little organza bags with the above samples for anyone non-dōTERRA that I meet, along with these tri-folds that I customize with my info
• ziplock bags of all sizes for snacks and leftover food for my hotel fridge
• utensils and some small bowls/plates for food in our hotel (check the Eat section of this post for the greatest tips for budget eating)
• regular and portable phone charger (believe me, you WILL need this to recharge your phone during the day!)
• laptop and charger
• my kids and hubby

When you actually PACK your clothes, my very best tip is to pile your clothes on top of one another and roll them up. Try it! It saves you a ton of space and nothing gets wrinkled!

We travel to Convention as a family of 4 (plus clothes for gala!) and we manage perfectly fine with two luggages and a carry on each! And that’s on the way HOME. The trick is to pack everything in one luggage and then put that into a bigger sized luggage. Then you only check one bag on the way there and have two for the way home. You know, for all your goodies.

Also, remember that you’ll be receiving a backpack when you register. So that can be used as a carry-on when you head home. Bonus!!

You’re packed and ready to go, now it’s time to get there! Since mostly everyone flies in, let’s talk all about that.

Flights are so much fun. Every time I’ve flown in for Convention I meet all sorts of other WAs I’ve never met. We all know who each other are, even though we’ve never met, you know? We all smell amazing as we stand there at the gate, ready to board. That’s when the initial conversations begin. “I love your bag!” or “Oh your hat is so cute, where did you get it?”. Then it goes on from there. Besties for life.

On the plane there’s always 10-15 unsuspecting people NOT going to SLC for Convention asking why the heck we smell so amazing.

All the flight attendants know who we are, too. And it’s happened MANY times where we arrive to SLC with a new enrolment from the non-dōTERRA person sitting next to us or from a flight attendant. So awesome. Helping others 30,000ft in the air.

Let’s get back to the beginning of the travel. When you’re actually at the airport. A few things: 

• If you have your oils in your carry on, put them all together in a plastic ziplock bag in case you need to take them out for security…because they want to try them (true story)

• Have your On Guard hand cleanser at the ready for your feet when you take your shoes off to walk through security, for your tray table in the airplane, and for the arm rests at your seat. And for all the times when you’ll be using it for hands, too.

• Keep biz cards/trifolds/flyers/whatever and oil samples at the ready. You WILL be running into people who ask who you all are (because, you know, there’s hundreds of you all smelling awesome and heading to SLC).

• Bring a few small snacks for the plane ride, especially if you’re traveling far. Airport prices are almost always insane.

• Airplane food costs aren’t so bad, but I find that they always run out of the food I want to order by the time they get to me (another hint: ask the flight attendants ahead of time if you’d like them to keep some food for you if you have a preference, like plant-based meals or something. They will tell you they don’t usually do that for people, but because you asked so nicely, they will!).

• Be careful with your oils when you open them after your flight. The pressure changes in the flight will cause them to leak a little. Especially with roller bottles!

Keep note of this schedule! Print it off and keep it in your Convention binder/folder. You will want it and want to have full access to it.

If you have data on your phone, grab doTERRA’s Convention app. It’s such a handy things to have, as it outlines in full detail all the speakers and topics. I’m hoping they have it again this year!  

I am always surprised with Registration at Convention. I never know WHAT they will have for us! Will it be oil-infused popcorn? Or lemonade? Will they be doing giveaways to those in line? Who knows?! Either way, I love registration day. It’s always filled with excitement and squeals from people who run into each other and haven’t seen one another for so long.

The energy is awesome.

What to expect:

• Lines can be long. Try going right when they open or later in the day. If you show up in the first hour, the line is looooooooong.

• You’ll need your ticket with you. Once you register, you’ll receive a lanyard (so don’t worry about packing necklaces) and a backpack filled with goodies! You’ll also receive special ribbons for your lanyard if it’s your first time there, if you’ve hit a new rank, hit your Power of 3, etc.

• They have a special line for Silvers+ and Diamonds+. They have a line for International people as well (and us Canadians count!). This helps move things along.

• Be grateful even if lines are long! When we are all happy and patient, we raise the good feelings around everyone 🙂

If you can grab tickets, go visit the campus! It’s a magical place!

When we visited in April 2019, it was sort of like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but Me and the Oils Factory.

You get to see the ginormous vats of oils ($5 million vat of Frankincense, for instance!), watch as the scientists do their testing thang, see the bottles being filled and hand-labelled (could you even IMAGINE how much work that is?!), and oh so much more!

There’s the product store and the CafeTERRA – seriously, I couldn’t get over that name! So cute!

You’ll really get a feel for how the oils are tested for their quality and bottles and see/meet the people behind it all.

Just go, you won’t regret it!

The 2018 Gala was my first. Man, was it incredible!

Not only did I watch my sister walk as a Diamond (that’s her hugging Dr Hill after she came off the stage), but we had friends walking as Blues,  Presidentials and Double Presidentials as well. A night I’ll never forget!

Here’s what to expect:

• You get the SPECIAL Gala oil blend that no one else has access to (until the Holiday catalogue when they release a limited number).
• You receive a tube filled with confetti to throw at people when they walk down the ailse. Seriously, how FUN!
• Everyone dresses up, so take this chance to spoil yourself a bit and do it up!

I swear, the party never ends at Convention! The street party is just the most fun experience to hang out with all your dōTERRA ‘cousins’ and see everyone in a laid-back atmosphere. We dance the night away and eat all the food.

What to wear: something light and easy to dance in, although you may want to bring a sweater for the walk there or if you don’t plan on bringing on the heat while dancing!

What to bring: your new backpack will come in handy, although not necessary. Bring cash for the food trucks, if you choose to grab dinner there (if not, check below for eating tips).

I’m one of the healthiest eaters, so trust me on this whole eating thing. I’ve got the whole snacking thing DOWN – between myself, my hubby, and my boys, we’ve ALWAYS got enough food to keep us from the lines at restaurants and food trucks.

I’ve also got the scoop on the quickest/easiest food places you can find in Salt Lake City – all within walking distance or a short Uber (or delivery!).

Once you’re in your hotel, there are two things you can do: visit a grocery store yourself or order a delivery of groceries from Instacart. Delivery via Instacart is easy and doesn’t need an explanation. Let’s chat local grocery stores instead:

Harmons Grocery – Only two blocks east from the Salt Palace, this is our fav place to shop. They have lots of fresh fruit and veggies, plenty of natural food selections, and it’s so quick to get to!

About 8 blocks east and 3 blocks south (or a quick Uber drive away) from the Salt Palace is Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Sprouts and Natural Grocers. All amazing options for delicious and healthy food. I also have an Amazon Prime membership, which gives me all sorts of perks at WholeFoods. BONUS!

Sack packing at Convention is my specialty. Basically, you want simple snacks:

• protein bars
  
• fruits like apples and bananas
  
• veggies like mini carrots and chopped up cucumber (see why I pack utensils??)
  
• packages of trail mix or nuts
  
• mini packs of hummus and pretzels
  

We also like to pack sandwiches (in those ziplock bags I pack!) for the lunch break.

The reason why it’s SO much better to bring/eat your own food is because:
1. you don’t have to wait in the lines for food and,
2. eating food you have on you will be faster so you have more time doing the FUN things, like the Product Showcase or Marketplace or all the other various shopping adventures (see below).

Now here’s the kicker: the Arena doesn’t usually allow for snacks. However, keeping things ready to go at your hotel is still do-able.

We have only ever done the Salt Palace for this reason. We snack all.the.time and I couldn’t imagine sitting for hours without a bit of chomping on something.

TIP from one my my reader, Nadine D: bring your fav tea bags! I LOVE this suggestion because it would also work well to have them on the plane, not just at Convention. 

If you’ve not been to Convention before, you’ll want to set a budget. I’m talking, bring your cash and leave your credit card only for your convention kit purchase.

Then promise yourself you’ll stick to your budget. Double promise.

Or, you know, just go crazy. 🤷‍♀️

Here’s the thing: there will be so much stuff…you couldn’t even image. Stuff you never knew existed. And you’ll want it. You’ll want it all.

You’ll see everyone ELSE getting all the things and, well, you happen to get into this trance. It’s a magical I-will-have-all-the-things trance. So prepare yourself!

Now that I’ve got the fine print out of the way…

dōTERRA will have a marketplace set up inside the Salt Palace and their hours vary, depending on the day. Some people will wait 3-4 hours in line to get a peak at their exclusive stuff.

I’ve never done that.

My process is usually to wait until the end of the day or when I just happen to walk by and there’s no line. But that’s just me! Some people want all the things and they want it now. You do you!

This year, things will be a bit different because of the change in hours and days of the actual event. The Marketplace will open on Tuesday September 10th and remain open until the end of Convention.

What you can expect at the Marketplace:

• dōTERRA trinkets (think: headbands, socks, keychains, luggage tags, etc.)
• dōTERRA clothes (sweaters, jackets, shirts, hats)
• dōTERRA branded cases, boxes, wallets, and other things you could never imagine!

Here’s a map of all the places you can find stores and shops that pop up during Convention 2019. I’ll update it as I find more places to add! So be sure to keep coming back to check, especially leading up to Convention. You can also find this as a download in the Convention Workbook (download below!).

 These shops usually have some great daily deals.

Oil Life – At the northwest corner of the Salt Palace/north east to the arena, you’ll find the huge Oil Life tent! Ohhh the deals….this is often my first stop for shopping (see why below). Here’s their FB event to keep in the know.

AromaTools – I love that their Modern Essentials Guide has all of the actual oil names in them! Be sure to grab one at their main store at The Gateway or in their mini store inside the Salt Palace.

Got Oil Supplies – You can’t miss these guys, on the east side of Salt Palace they’re in a HUGE white tent and always have pretty unique stuff and great deals (here’s their FB event page) 

Then there’s a huge vendor event at the Radisson Hotel Salt Lake City Downtown on Monday 12pm-8pm and Tuesday 8am-8pm of Convention week.

You’ll also find street vendors outside and all around the Salt Palace.

My one recommendation: hitting up Oil Life on day one to grab last year’s version of the small Essential Life book. In past years I’ve purchased them for $6 each!! They are PERFECT for incentives to host a class or purchase a kit. At $6 you can’t go wrong. Then, as soon as dōTERRA releases their new kit, go back and purchase the most updated book so you have a reference for all the new oils for yourself. You’ll want it for that awesome class you’ll teach when you’re home!

Every year dōTERRA has a SPECIAL Healing Hands event. I’ve never (to my very big regret) been able to attend one of these because they are always sold out before I grab my ticket. If you’ve done one of their events, tell me in the comments! I’d so love to hear about it!

This year I FINALLY grabbed a ticket – we’ll be making mama and baby bags. Oh my heart!

This is one of the things I look forward to the most! The Product Showcase is SO FUN and always different each year! I can’t quite explain it, so how about you just take a peak at all the fun we had at last year’s Product showcase (most of this video!). It’s from my boys’ YouTube Channel – Essential Oils Kid.

My best tip for the Product Showcase is to visit the counter where they display every oil! They keep tall containers (like olive oil-type bottles) FILLED with On Guard and Peppermint Beadlets. So if you’re feeling run down or need some energy, visit that station and grab one!

Also, bring ALL your oil questions for the scientists there.

And promise me you’ll take time to be a kid again and do all the fun things they’ve set up for us! Take the time out and just PLAY!

Aside from Convention, there are a few other conferences, trainings, and certifications you can take while in Salt Lake City. Here are some of the ones still open for registration.

Tiffany Peterson’s Heart & Hustle Live 2019
Date: Monday September 9th, 2019
Time: 5:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: Marriott City Center
Cost: $69 on sale ($99 reg)

Emotional Wellness Conference
Date: Monday September 9th, 2019
Time: 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Location: Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek
Cost: $69

Whether you’ve got babies, teens, or anything in between, I’m a HUGE advocate for bringing them along if you can.

• First, there are Mother and Baby rooms as well as Family Rooms in both Track A and B locations. This is a great place for the kids to have space to move around, for mama to feed, or for toddlers to run. Yep, they’ve got big screens in those rooms! So you won’t miss a thing.

• Bring activity books, travel board games, or tablets (no judgement here – happy kids = happy mom for the 4 days!).

• Snacks are key. We buy special treats they wouldn’t have otherwise, plus their favs (carrots/hummus/apples/nuts).

Seriously, though, my boys learn an INSANE amount from being there! They love shopping for their own roller bottles (yep, they save up just like me), they have NO fear just walking up to any of the owners and asking them questions (they’ve had more convos with them than I have!) and they learn so much in the product showcase and from the inspiring/engaging speakers.

We use Convention as a part of our ‘homeschool’ curriculum. They learn everything from science to serving others. What better place to learn?

I’ll know my sister reads this post when I get a message from her about this picture LOL. Let’s just say her and my hubby took a ride on scooters down the main street.

There are a few different scooter companies that have scooters throughout Salt Lake City for rental. It’s as simple as downloading their app and taking a scooter!

This can be SUPER helpful if you’re hotel is a bit of a ways away from Convention and you’d rather not walk. Or, take them because they are FUN! {do you sense a theme of fun here?!}

How does FREE sound? It’s so awesome to have the downtown area include free access to the train. Here’s a map of the area where you can hop on/off for free access to Convention from all over downtown.  The Zone covers an area of approximately thirty-six city blocks and the boundaries are roughly North Temple, 200 East, 500 South, and 400 West. All within Convention!

After all of this, if you aren’t able to actually physically attend Convention, you can always purchase the Live Stream (and if you quote my ID number as referring you, I’d be ever so grateful! 1762724).

Convention is a big deal. It’ll be one of those times you’ll look back on in years to come and look forward to every year.

Enjoy every moment, meet as many fellow advocates as you can, come with high vibes and high fives. And if you see me, stop me and say hello!

Have any favorite doTERRA Convention memories? Something you can’t wait to do/see/buy there? Any tips you want to add? Share them in the comments below!