Workplace & Entrepreneurship
“Parlez-vous français?” What happens when we meet someone who communicates differently (literally or figuratively)? Do we shy away, or challenge ourselves to make “The Connection” with an open mind? It takes effort and creativity to bridge the gap of differing styles and perspectives. Once we do, we unlock comfortable team collaboration, better engagement across diverse roles, increased productivity – and even more fulfilling work!
Is it your job? Let's talk about empowering individuals at all levels to move beyond defined tasks and cultivate a proactive ownership mindset. Discover creative thinking and actionable strategies to take initiative and contribute meaningfully, regardless of title. Learn how to embrace an "owner's" perspective for personal growth, collective success, and a powerful win-win for both employee and organization.
Unleash collaborative creativity in this unique and engaging team-building workshop! Using guided prompts, participants will work together (as one team or in smaller groups) to develop simple lyrics and melodies, facilitated by a musician with guitar. This fun, musical experience strengthens communication, builds understanding, and celebrates the collective creativity involved, leading to enhanced camaraderie and a memorable shared outcome. (No prior musical experience or talent is necessary!)
Dream of being your own boss but value job security? This talk, given by a person who’s experienced both sides, offers a balanced exploration of the employee and entrepreneur paths, weighing the realities, rewards, and challenges of each. Gain clarity on your aspirations, risk tolerance, and the practical considerations for making an informed decision about where you can best thrive – whether within a company or building your own.
Beyond the initial spark of passion, adaptability and resilience fuel the fire. This session tackles the crucial question: is passion enough to sustain success? We’ll delve into common challenges entrepreneurs face and provide practical, real-world strategies for pivoting and building stamina while navigating the path to success. Gain valuable and actionable insights from Paula's personal 'all in' experiences of turning passion into a viable business.
Everyday Arts for Living
When life presents us with a "vehicle", do we jump in or wait for the next "ride"? This speech explores our catalysts for movement and significance of our responses when a “ride” appears. Decisions and the realities that follow, are "vehicles" that navigate us “somewhere”, intended or discovered. Let’s examine the potential outcomes of consciously jumping in or staying put, understanding that each path has its own consequences.
Does your favorite song lift your spirits or calm your racing thoughts? In this talk, we'll explore the health benefits of music, from regulating our body mechanics to relieving stress. Music can connect us, speak for us, shake us up, or settle us. Song lyrics, rhythms, genres, singing along, and playing instruments are all ingredients to create our own unique melodic potion for relaxation, enjoyment, entertainment, and life!
"Life Happens!” A good excuse, but what can we do about it? Having navigated my own share of life's unexpected turns, I know change is inevitable as we grow. We can’t control every detail or stop time, but we can embrace change, learn how to pivot, and recognize new opportunities in the aftermath. In this discussion, we’ll explore ways to top off our half-full cups with brimming possibilities.
Think Like a Creative Genius: Creative potential isn’t just for artists. We don’t need to be an Albert Einstein or Steve Jobs to figure out how to bypass a roadblock. This talk helps us explore our own “Creative Genius” and offers practical steps to using it. Additional benefits include building self-confidence, faster problem solving, seeing how skills from one area can boost another, practicing patience and persistence. By honing the right mindset, anything is possible!
Jimmy Buffet’s 1981 release lightly considers challenges faced while aging. When there’s less time ahead of us than we’ve left behind, do we resume a former passion, start a new career, check things off our bucket lists, or simply have more fun? Life need not end beyond 50+! This talk addresses the merits of positive mindset, flexibility, and re-framing our self-images as we move past the half-century mark.
Parenting and Youth
Hope our kids will thrive and surpass us? How can we help them get there? Over-pushing or stifling their ideas causes them stress and risks lowering self-confidence. Let’s explore ways to ignite creativity, follow what excites them, offer encouragement, and help them succeed on their own terms. In the end, our happy empowered children will surprise us in ways we never imagined.
Is what we learned from family, teachers, organizations, peers, workplaces, volunteering, mobile apps, and computer screens enough to carry us into adulthood? Our discussion will cover strategies for extracting practical applications from what we’ve learned so far, and other tips towards independent decision-making, managing money, maintaining a household, honing soft skills, and getting where we need to go. (Soon-to-be-empty-nesters, and teens ready for take-off are welcome to attend!)