Get Out of Your Environment For Inspiration

If you're new to Motivate To Inspire you'll see my reflection on life experiences.  My hope is that these reflections help you live better, do better and be better to have a more fulfilling life.

This week I attended a workshop on collaborative group teaching strategies.  My brain was in hyperactivity mode.  Can I complain about having SO many ideas?  Of coarse not, but it's always overwhelming trying to digest everything you learn at a conference.  It's hard not to think, "how am I going to find the time to incorporate all these new strategies?" Or, if I didn't have four or five preps maybe I'd have more time? Or, if it wasn't for...X...Y...Z.  OK, STOP RIGHT THERE!  Sure, stress can create those crazy thoughts but let's think about the big picture here.  Getting out of your environment shouldn't be overwhelming it should be inspiring! 

Whether the four walls in which you work are called school, a place of business or a home office - getting out of your environment point blank makes you BETTER.  Before teaching, I sold advertising for eight years, ending my sales career at MTV Networks.  Each year MTV Networks would take its entire sales staff to Puerto Rico for the ultimate, multiple day, sales meeting.  Of coarse I have fond memories of the social aspect of the trip but I got a lot more out of trip than that.  The best way I can describe it - it's like you're pumped up on a six pack of Red Bull.  You leave the conference with passion for the brand and new ideas to grow your business.

But have you ever turned down an opportunity to go to a workshop, conference or training? Often times we feel we can't afford the time away from the office or we don't want to deal with playing catch up.  Now, think of all the times you have gotten out of the office for workshops - are you glad you went?  Sure, not every workshop has been as beneficial as the next but I ALWAYS feel that I grow as a business professional or as an educator.

Now you come back from a workshop with all these new ideas and you're on that imaginary Red Bull buzz, how do you deal with it?  A veteran teacher gave me a piece of advice at the workshop this week, "pick one new idea you really like and try to incorporate it."  And that's how we grow.  We crawl, we walk, we run.  One little moment at a time.

REFLECTION: Take every opportunity you are offered to learn and be open minded to who and when you can learn.  Leave the four walls where you work - get out and live and you'll find the inspiration to move you forward.