by Gwen Bortner | Training & Instruction
Whenever we look to add something new into our world (specifically if it takes time), we have to decide what it is we are going to stop doing. So long as we stay on the planet, time is the one resource that that we all receive in equal amounts. How we utilize our time is where the distinction takes place.
[featured-image single-newwindow=”false” id=”131123-SpinningGlobe” alt=”Time Spins By”]Photo Credit: Rich900 via Compfight cc[/featured-image]
Everybody is very busy these days; it is the nature of our lives. The truth is, everyone has been busy for many decades and many centuries. In the past, our time was just filled with doing different sorts of activities versus what fills our time now. We make different choices today about what fills our time than people made 100 years ago. Instant access, easy travel and over-night delivery makes it seem like we do more (and maybe we do get more accomplished), but it is still based on the same amount of time.
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by Gwen Bortner | Training & Instruction
When embarking on making a change within your organization, the first step is to clearly define the new goal. This may seem like it is obvious, but we often fail because we are not able to answer some very basic questions.
These questions not only help better define your goals in clear, measurable terms, but they are also the tools we can use to keep us motivated as we go forward. Each time I have successfully made a major change in behavior or habit, I was able to answer each of these questions. Times that I have tried and fallen short, at least one ( if not more) of the answers were not clearly defined.
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by Gwen Bortner | Training & Instruction
A few days ago I wrote about the power of habits that increase your productivity and now I am suggesting that you break the cycle of habits. But in fact, these two concepts actually go together much better than it might appear at first glance.
Creating new habits is always first about changing old behavior: there is no space for something new when all of the “old” is still intact. But so often we cling to the old and familiar while trying to do something new and different and then we are surprised that we are not able to succeed with the new goal.
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by Gwen Bortner | Tips & Tricks, Training & Instruction
Everyone has special gifts, talents or skills that just seem to come naturally to them. One of mine is the ability to know how to design a class. But even though it comes easily for me, I know others struggle to get through the process. Like most things, when you understand the steps, the task becomes easier.
[featured-image single-newwindow=”false” id=”131028-Steps.jpg” alt=”Steps”]Photo Credit: Lincolnian (Brian) via Compfight cc[/featured-image]
Keep in mind, these steps are just for designing a class, developing the concept and getting ready for submission to a group or organization. Development of a class is yet a different thing and will be covered in a later post. But knowing how to design a class is the first task in getting someone to hire you to teach it, so it is a very critical element.
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by Gwen Bortner | Presenting, Tips & Tricks, Training & Instruction
When I was a kid, one of my very favorite cartoons was Scooby Doo. A giant dog that is scared of everything … pretty funny. Interestingly, now I have a Scooby Doo of my own. She too is a Great Dane, afraid of everything, but very good-hearted.
I learned some great lessons about overcoming stage fright from Scooby Doo (not so true with my own dog). These days I rarely experience stage fright. I can’t be sure it was from the lessons on overcoming stage fright I learned early in my life from Scooby Doo, but regardless I think they still apply.
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by Gwen Bortner | Abundance, Training & Instruction
That was the title of my message on Sunday. It was laity Sunday and I was asked to preach on or around the topic of financial giving to the church (woohoo…..). But I care about the topic; I have found personal satisfaction, contentment and joy in giving and decided to focus on how, not why.
[featured-image single-newwindow=”false” id=”131020-GiftEnough” alt=”Stairway to the Sky”]Image courtesy Kellie Nuss[/featured-image]
This was the first image of the message; the quote really gets to the point of when we have enough. The wise woman who said those words? That is my mother!
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