I came across this great video (see below) from Tofu Design called 29 ways to stay creative.  I really like the title because it assumes you and me are creative to start with, which is my mantra.  Creativity is in our DNA – some of us just have to dig deeper for it if we’ve been discouraged from displaying our creative gifts.

I’ve added to the 29 points to emphasize how you can stay creative when you’re training, creativity being such an important part of training and all.  The first part of each item below is from the video (e.g. surround yourself with creative people), what follows are my suggestions (e.g. include creative folk in your inner circle).

BTW: for the first ten ways to stay creative when you’re training see the first post.  For the final 9 ways see the next post.

11) Surround yourself with creative people - this is key for great trainers, make sure you include creative folk in your inner circle.  Some of my fav friends and sources of inspiration are Dolly Hopkins, Dyana Valentine and Danielle LaPorte.

12) Get feedback – soooo important yet oft overlooked.  When I teach Workshops that Work, a training on how to teach in engaging, creative ways, one of the most nerve wracking yet best received sections is when folks get up and actually practice teaching.  There’s nothing like getting feedback from other trainers (as long as it’s respectful and well intended).  Ask a respected colleague to sit in on a workshop and get their feedback.  Ask them for both specific and general feedback.  For example if you’re unsure of how your introductions are received ask for specific feedback on that.

13) Collaborate – two heads are better than one is an oft used mantra.  Know that when it comes to training it generally takes much longer to co-plan and co-deliver a workshop.  The benefits to the participants are many (e.g. seeing two delivery styles), just make sure you plan your time accordingly.  Also when you co-facilitate make sure you’re clear on roles, who’s doing what, if it’s okay to step in with a comment or not when it’s ‘their’ turn, and how do you signal each other if time is running over etc.

14) Don’t give up – praise the goddess of training!  Training and development is tough.  There will be times when you wonder just how on earth did I manage to muddle it so badly?  Great trainers are made not born.  It takes time to perfect your craft.  And because you’re working with no less than unpredictable human beings, the very same content can go swimmingly one time and drag you down the next.  Be tenacious!

15) Practice, practice, practice – hand in hand with the above, no baby ever came out of the womb teaching another how to breastfeed.  It takes practice, and more practice.  Even if you train the same content continuously, each group will be different, guaranteed.  And likewise each group is a chance to practice and learn.

16) Allow yourself to make mistakes – your training will be downright boring if you don’t. Playing it safe means no leaping into learning, no novelty, no newness.  When you’re trying a new technique however, know that some will rise to the top and others will tank.  Your attitude towards mistakes will go a long way in helping your participants be comfortable in doing the same.

17) Go somewhere new – I’ve done training in the Canadian Arctic in -72 degree celsius weather and in East Africa where I had to watch for hippos by night and monkeys by day.  I’ve done a workshop with Beluga whales jumping at the back of the room and in a room with no heat in the middle of winter.  New venues spark it up and bring new learning to the table so get out and go forth!

18) Count your blessings – keep a file (electronic or paper) of feedback from participants.  Remember why you got into training and development in the first place.  There’s nothing like the rush of helping to facilitate learning and opening doors for participants.

19) Get lots of rest – taking good care of yourself means you’re better able to be the great trainer that you are.  Get enough sleep and make sure you have lots of water to drink.  If the workshop is long enough ensure proper breaks (for you and the participants).  If I’m anticipating a tough crowd I’ll bring some lavender scent with me to help me stay relaxed, calm and open.  Think about what works for you and do it!

20) Take risks - it’s a risk for participants to enter into learning.  It’s about making oneself vulnerable.  As a trainer we can and should model that as well.  Some of my best feedback has come when I’ve felt the most vulnerable and taken the greatest risks.  Take a deep breath and dive into learning!

29 WAYS TO STAY CREATIVE from TO-FU on Vimeo.

What is conflict?

Conflict is universal.  It’s something we all face in our personal and our professional lives.  It’s something we all face in training and development.  Show me a trainer who hasn’t faced a conflict and I’ll show you a moon made out of mocha.

All conflicts have three balls.  The balls are different sizes in relation to each other, depending both on the particular conflict and depending on you.

How big are your balls?

Ball number one: Anxiety

All conflict produces some level of anxiety for the conflictees.  For some, given the choice between facing a conflict head on or having a Brazilian wax, they choose the latter.  For some the idea of getting up in front of a group to teach a workshop means having smelling salts (or today’s version, Rescue Remedy) handy. In both cases the anxiety ball is BIG.

Others are known as sh$t disturbers – in fact they’ll provoke a debate for the rush it gives them.  For some the idea of getting up in front of a group to teach is a thrill, a distinct pleasure.  In both cases the anxiety ball is small.

Ball number two: Suck

All conflict involves stuff we don’t like, things we’d rather not do.  Some people have a tremendous ability to hoc pati filias regis (Latin for ‘suck it up princess).  Others have little ability to face what they’d prefer to avoid.

A conflict may involve a morass of mess – working with an entire group of training participants who are there against their will and who are not happy about it.  Or in the case of my friend & colleague Dyana Valentine, showing up recently to speak to 500 conference participants and realizing 15 minutes before taking the stage that the organizers copied the wrong handouts.  In this case the suck ball is BIG.

A conflict can also involve minor irritants – like a slightly cold workshop room, starting a couple of minutes late etc.  In this case the suck ball is small.

Ball number three: WIIFM

What makes you motivated to resolve the conflict, dig in your heels, hesitate, stall, procrastinate, move towards resolution, back off, back up or back in?

Ahh the taste of personal motivation.  In every conflict our brains seek out ‘what’s in it for me’ (WIIFM).  Sometimes it’s not about the anxiety it’s about there not being enough in it for me.

Your answer(s) to the above questions will decree what size your WIIFM ball is.  Big motivation = big ball.  Little or no motivation = small ball.

Next time you face a conflict consider what size your balls are.  They can be a handful (or a mouthful).

What is conflict?  Look to your balls to tell you.

Hats off to the fantastic team at Cameray for this concept.

My good friend Dyana Valentine took this photo of her friend's necklace while on holiday in Big Sur.

No matter if the journey (Journey Life Lens™) is a strong preference of yours or if you avoid it all costs (preferring to get to the point, the destination – Destination Life Lens™) we’ve all got to deal.

Deal with the open road and the horizon that beckons. Find our own path that works. For us.

Some look forward. To the destination.

Some look around. At the journey.

Some of us get ‘there’ faster than others, that’s the whole point no? Gotta check it off my list and then onto another horizon.

Others meander, tracing an organic, iterative path. You gotta stop and smell the flowers folks!

Whatever journey you’re on, whether it’s measured, secure and contained or wild with risk and opportunities, I wish you your own form of reward.

• What are the biggest blocks or obstacles you see your clients trying to overcome?

If you’re a regular reader of our monthly newsletter you’ll know that they include an article, some resources and then, well, some resources to help you take yourself and those around you not too seriously.

Here’s to those things that tickle our funny bones by way of helping us be on track and be true to yourself:

• When the impossible becomes possible. (1:50 min)

To read the entire newsletter (including a chance to win a free Pitch Perfect session with Dyana Valentine) click here.  Sign up to receive our free monthly newsletter here.

The recent Rock.Paper.Scissors newsletter includes an interview with Dyana Valentine and explores whether being true to yourself and being on track is antithetical.

Worried about the waves these kinds of changes may cause?  Know that water seeks its own level and while there can be some big waves, things will settle in.  This 1:28 minute video proves it.

I have a confession to make however.  At the end of a bad day, my eyes will skittishly wander towards a list only to streak away faster than you can say ‘boo’.  Sometimes I get sick of my lists.  They feel constricting, claustrophobic and controlling.

That’s when I know I need to throw them out and to’odle.  Yes.  To’odle.  As in doing things that let my mind wander, my body relax.  When I have no sense of time, either how fast or slow it’s passing, I know I’m to’odling.

Chris Guillebeau says we tend to overestimate what we can accomplish in a day and underestimate what we can accomplish in a year.  I think he’s spot on.

Here’s the kicker though –> to reach our dreams and our goals we first off have to be clear about where we’re headed.  Once the horizon is clear and we know where we’re headed, lists help us clarify the steps to get there.  AND if all of our time is programmed, structured, and tightly controlled then we miss out on spontaneity, unforeseen opportunities.  Instead of being flexible and open to possibilities we become brittle, with our lists controlling us instead of the other way round.

So while I’m all about list making (as my husband can attest to, shaking his head in dismay  while asking how we can live in the same house, the anti-list maker that he is) the path to our dreams is far from a straight line.

Sixth and final, in a series, this post celebrates what some remarkably interesting folk have on their to’odle lists.

Make note of how you feel and what you’re thinking when you read about their to’odling.  May it encourage you to to’odle yourself.  Because we all need time that’s free floating, when the incessant tick of the omnipresent clock is but a beautifully muted beat to your own drum.

The series includes things to-do, to continue doing, to stop doing, not to do, to-done, and to’odle lists. See below for a quick summary of each and a link to download a template to create your own.

To’odle – or ‘what to do when I need to float, let my mind wander, and relax‘

From Dyana Valentine, who helps self-starters self-finish and whose Perfect Pitch process is nigh on perfect –

Ohhh, I watch tv on hulu.com, read fabulously trashy magazines in waiting rooms, listen to new music and add things that make me feel giddy to my amazon.com wishlist for giggles and what I call constructive procrastination.

From Danielle LaPorte, lifestyle diva, style maven, Fire Starter & WhiteHot Truth mama – 

Anything by Alan Watts and most TED Talks. And Rumi poetry.

From Melodie Biringer Queen of all we Crave & Mistress of Women’s business development –

I surf facebook and twitter too much, even though it is sometimes a time suck I think it ultimately juices me up and helps me get my to-do list done.

From Kerri Carlson – the Wonder Woman behind the inspirational Every Woman annual conference -

Walk the dog.  Take a bath.

From Oz Sokoh, U.K. Shell Geo-scientist by day and foodie blogger by night –

Think about food.

From Melanda Schmid, UN Habitat consultant in Kenya, non-violent communications fiend & lover of earrings –

Snuggle my dog or go for coffee with dear friends and talk about little nothings.

And in case you think I know not men, this in from Pat Jarvis – dedicated to Paralympic sport, Order of Canada recipient, his perigrination & peripatetic lifestyle is dedicated to making the world a better place (& is brought to you by the letter ‘p’) –

Get lost in the creative mind of a fiction writer — read more, like I used to, just for fun with indirect learning…

From Sam Crespi, writer, ever curious, purposeful wanderer –

I DANCE! Put on some 40s tunes, or salsa and dance myself silly. It’s a real mood lifter, and great for the figger! LOL If not dancing, I may read, go for a walk or invite some women friend over to hunker down and do those women tribal things like give each other mani pedis, laugh, swap stories, ideas and mutual support. Wine, chocolate, popcorn are definitely options. Sometimes I make postcards using funny headlines and colored papers.

Note from Lee-Anne: Sam didn’t actually submit any to’odle items however her to-done list sounds like it fits the bill, which is pretty darn inspirational.

From Michelle Royle, one of the best trainers I know, whose integrity can’t be topped, a deep thinker, traveler & dry humourist -

Check my email, read websites, ISM/BBM, eat, watch tv, sleep, nap, clean, cook, exercise, socialize, read, makes lists, sign up for courses, phone my mother.

From Johanne Gallagher, the wickedly funny, charming Irish Diva living, working & playing in Norway -

I sing, write poetry, dance tango, visit girlfriends, go for walks in nature.

And you? What’s on your to to’odle list?

Happy to’odling.

Read the already covered segments from these same folks:

To do

• things I want to start doing, being or having this month

To continue doing

• these work, so I should continue doing these

To stop doing

• I tried these but they aren’t effective, so I shouldn’t do them anymore

To not do

• I know I want to stay away from these

To done

• yep, that’s not a typo; these are my accomplishments – I am proud of these. This one is left off most lists I know of and yet it’s critical to take time to reflect on what we’ve done not just on what’s left to do.

To’odle

• what to do when I need to float, let my mind wander, and relax

To download your own template to use as you wish simply click here: Rock.Paper.Scissors To Do template.

Have lots of time on your hands?  More than enough resources to do what you want to do?  Do you regularly feel in charge, competent, controlled? Is relaxed your middle name?

Yes?  Then please send me the name of the deserted island you’re living on.

No?  Then welcome to the rest of the world.

Fifth in a series, this post celebrates what some pretty spiffy folk have on their to done lists.  Things they’ve accomplished, checked off their to do lists.  We’re so busy focusing on what we’ve yet to do, that burgeoning, never completed list, that we rarely take time to pause.  Pause.  Pause and realize, really realize, how much we’ve accomplished.

Make note of how you feel when you read about their accomplishments.  Impressed?  Proud?  Intrigued?

That’s how I want you to feel when you take a look at your own to done list.  Take a read then go make your own to done list.  Afterwards listen carefully. You’ll hear me shaking my pom poms for you!

The series includes things to-do, to continue doing, to stop doing, not to do, to-done, and to’odle lists. See below for a quick summary of each and a link to download a template to create your own.

To Done – or ‘yep, that’s not a typo; these are my accomplishments – I am proud of these.‘

From Dyana Valentine, who helps self-starters self-finish and whose Perfect Pitch process is nigh on perfect –

I am truly proud of launching Pitch Perfect my first digital workshop.  Speaking in five cities to over 1200 people makes me feel like a strutting peacock, too :)

From Danielle LaPorte, lifestyle diva, style maven, Fire Starter & WhiteHot Truth mama – 

Scored a major book deal with Random House to launch an all-new version of The Fire Starter Sessions. Put out regular love and sharp thinking on WhiteHotTruth.com

From Melodie Biringer Queen of all we Crave & Mistress of Women’s business development –

I launched 7 CRAVE books in 7 cities (one of them in Amsterdam), delivered my first keynote talk on my upcoming book, participated in the winning team at startup weekend, rode bikes through the city streets of Amsterdam with my husband.

From Kerri Carlson – the Wonder Woman behind the inspirational Every Woman annual conference -

Formulating a perfect schedule for my self that works for me.

From Oz Sokoh, U.K. Shell Geo-scientist by day and foodie blogger by night –

Refuse to be judged.

From Melanda Schmid, UN Habitat consultant in Kenya, non-violent communications fiend & lover of earrings –

Reestablished myself in a new career path, built a network in a new country and field of work, and I love it!!!

And in case you think I know not men, this in from Pat Jarvis – dedicated to Paralympic sport, Order of Canada recipient, his perigrination & peripatetic lifestyle is dedicated to making the world a better place (& is brought to you by the letter ‘p’) –

Taking actions that back up my desire to be a great life partner and engaged family guy — so got engaged and now having fun making plans for future. And qualified for Boston marathon so signed up and running it on April 18.

From Sam Crespi, writer, ever curious, purposeful wanderer –

I DANCE!  Put on some 40s tunes, or salsa and dance myself silly.  It’s a real mood lifter, and great for the figger!  LOL  If not dancing, I may read, go for a walk or invite some women friend over to hunker down and do those women tribal things like give each other mani pedis, laugh, swap stories, ideas and mutual support. Wine, chocolate, popcorn are definitely options.  Sometimes I make postcards using funny headlines and colored papers.

From Michelle Royle, one of the best trainers I know, whose integrity can’t be topped, a deep thinker, traveler & dry humourist -

I’m humbled by the opportunities I have had with the work I have done, I realized this past year, that I have always had opportunities to serve and I have done that well.  I am so grateful and surprised always, at the windows and doors in organizations, communities and countries that have opened up and been so welcoming to my contribution.

I’m proud of my inquisitive, willing to learn, tireless want to always do better, parenting I stand for – for my kids and my self

I am proud of the quality of my relationship with my former husband.   I’m proud of my shaking-all-the-way, willingness to follow my ‘gut’.

From Johanne Gallagher, the wickedly funny, charming Irish Diva living, working & playing in Norway -

I am proud that I traveled alone in 2010 for 6 months to South America and Costa Rica. I remodeled my kitchen and started a new business venture in 2010.   I became a better friend with myself.

And you? What’s on your to done list?

Watch for upcoming and already covered segments from these same folks:

To do

• things I want to start doing, being or having this month

To continue doing

• these work, so I should continue doing these

To stop doing

• I tried these but they aren’t effective, so I shouldn’t do them anymore

To not do

• I know I want to stay away from these

To done

• yep, that’s not a typo; these are my accomplishments – I am proud of these. This one is left off most lists I know of and yet it’s critical to take time to reflect on what we’ve done not just on what’s left to do.

To’odle

• what to do when I need to float, let my mind wander, and relax

To download your own template to use as you wish simply click here: Rock.Paper.Scissors To Do template.

Stay tuned for the final compilation – the to’odle lists.

Chances are if I ask what’s on your to-do list you’ll be able to pull 1 (or 10) out of your Blackberry, IPhone, daytimer and/or nightstand.  Or out of your brain matter if you’re not the scribing type.  Chances are your list is long.  Chances are it weighs you down.

What about lightening the load?  What about creating a list of things not to do?

Fourth in a series, this post collates what the following folk have on their not to do lists.  They’re keeping their plates clear of clutter by not filling them up with stuff that doesn’t keep them interested, intrigued and on track.

The series includes things to-do, to continue doing, to stop doing, not to do, to-done, and to’odle lists. See below for a quick summary of each and a link to download a template to create your own.

Take a look.  See what speaks to you and what doesn’t.  How does it affect your own not to do list?

Just as with the stop doing lists, who knows what will happen when the resulting space is created!

To Not Do – or ‘I know I want to stay away from these‘

From Dyana Valentine, who helps self-starters self-finish and whose Perfect Pitch process is nigh on perfect –

Hmmm, not much comes to mind here. I think this is sort of aligned with a post I did on regret I can’t think of any really big stops because I’ve learned a lot by running red lights this year:)

From Danielle LaPorte, lifestyle diva, style maven, Fire Starter & WhiteHot Truth mama – 

Giving yes’es to unqualified requests for meetings. Let me explain… WHY do you want to meet? WHY should we have tea? Exactly WHY are you interested? A lot of meetings could happen in fifteen minutes on the phone, or be avoided entirely if more clarity happened at the invitational stage.

From Melodie Biringer Queen of all we Crave & Mistress of Women’s business development –

I don’t want to overbook myself and feel overwhelmed.

From Kerri Carlson – the Wonder Woman behind the inspirational Every Woman annual conference -

Worry.

From Oz Sokoh, U.K. Shell Geo-scientist by day and foodie blogger by night –

Spend every evening at the computer.

From Melanda Schmid, UN Habitat consultant in Kenya, non-violent communications fiend & lover of earrings –

Eating too much and exercising too little.

And in case you think I know not men, this in from Pat Jarvis – dedicated to Paralympic sport, Order of Canada recipient, his perigrination & peripatetic lifestyle is dedicated to making the world a better place (& is brought to you by the letter ‘p’) –

That energy sapping, mind numbing television.

From Sam Crespi, writer, ever curious, purposeful wanderer –

I want to stay away from naysayers with their incessant messages of conflict and doom. I’m not a cock-eyed optimist. Life is richer for the shadows along the path. It’s all in how we see.

From Michelle Royle (that’s her, upper left, swimming with dolphins) one of the best trainers I know, whose integrity can’t be topped, a deep thinker, traveler & dry humourist -

To not eat Potato Chips; to not listen to married mens’ sagas about how crummy their marriages are.  To not not do the things I sign up to do; to stop hanging out with people who focus their energy on negativity; to stop doing things, relationships, people and work when it no longer feel like its a mutual positive gain.

From Johanne Gallagher, the wickedly funny, charming Irish Diva living, working & playing in Norway -

Criticism and complaining.

And you? What’s on your not to do list?

Watch for upcoming and already covered segments from these same folks:

To do

• things I want to start doing, being or having this month

To continue doing

• these work, so I should continue doing these

To stop doing

• I tried these but they aren’t effective, so I shouldn’t do them anymore

To not do

• I know I want to stay away from these

To done

• yep, that’s not a typo; these are my accomplishments – I am proud of these. This one is left off most lists I know of and yet it’s critical to take time to reflect on what we’ve done not just on what’s left to do.

To’odle

• what to do when I need to float, let my mind wander, and relax

To download your own template to use as you wish simply click here: Rock.Paper.Scissors To Do template

Stay tuned for the next compilation – the to done lists.

Stop in the name of … love?  Peace? Sanity?  Self-preservation?

Yes.  Stop.

Third in a series, this post collects some wonderful musings of what some equally wonderful folk want to stop doing.  Far from filling up their plates with more to-do’s, these are things they want to take off their plates.

The series includes things to-do, to continue doing, to stop doing, not to do, to-done, and to’odle lists.  See below for a quick summary of each and a link to download a template to create your own.

Click here for a look at the to-do lists of the folks below and here for their to-continue lists.

I hope you find inspiration for holding up and waving your own stop sign.  Who knows what will happen when the resulting space is created!

To Stop Doing – or ‘I tried these but they aren’t effective, so I shouldn’t do them anymore’

From Dyana Valentine, who helps self-starters self-finish and whose Perfect Pitch process is nigh on perfect –

I commit to stop questioning myself around adventures. For example, several workshops, classes and trips I took last year were really wonderful. The lead in to making those decisions was like a game of mental ping pong (played by Olympians who never miss): yes, no, yes, no, oohhh! good shot, yes, no. It was exhausting.

From Danielle LaPorte, lifestyle diva, style maven, Fire Starter & WhiteHot Truth mama – 

I have a “No Way Jose” list. I: don’t do red eye flights, don’t speak for free unless it’s for fundraising for charity, don’t do client work on weekends.

From Melodie Biringer Queen of all we Crave & Mistress of Women’s business development –

I wrote a book this last year about the 20 businesses I have started over a 30 year span and discovered some common lessons learned that I have been repeating.  What I would like to do this year is pay attention to my top lessons learned and stop making the same mistakes.

From Kerri Carlson – the Wonder Woman behind the inspirational Every Woman annual conference -

Worrying.  Packing too many things into my work time (Because I get frustrated when I don’t accomplish all that I wanted to do).

From Oz Sokoh, U.K. Shell Geo-scientist by day and foodie blogger by night –

Thinking & not Acting.  Judging.  Presuming.  Assuming.

From Melanda Schmid, UN Habitat consultant in Kenya, non-violent communications fiend & lover of earrings –

Arguing with my mother!

And in case you think I know not men, this in from Pat Jarvis – dedicated to Paralympic sport, Order of Canada recipient, his perigrination & peripatetic lifestyle is dedicated to making the world a better place (& is brought to you by the letter ‘p’) - 

Making business decisions to please others rather than to remain true to my own pursuits and interests.

From Sam Crespi, writer, ever curious, purposeful wanderer –

Being lazy about exercising.  Judging myself instead of taking more leaps of faith.  I happen to love The Fool in the Tarot deck and adore Charlie Chaplin.  Both follow their instincts and are willing to ‘jump off the cliff.’  If things go wrong, they pick themselves up and start all over.  Their behavior implies the willingness to be vulnerable and the ability to laugh at one’s mistakes.

From Michelle Royle (that’s her, upper left, swimming with dolphins) one of the best trainers I know, whose integrity can’t be topped, a deep thinker, traveler & dry humourist -

Staying up late.  Beating my self up for ‘failing’.

From Johanne Gallagher, the wickedly funny, charming Irish Diva living, working & playing in Norway -

Worrying about money.

And you?  What’s on your to-stop doing list?

Watch for upcoming segments from these same folks and/or already covered posts:

To do

• things I want to start doing, being or having  this month

To continue doing

• these work, so I should continue doing these

To stop doing

• I tried these but they aren’t effective, so I shouldn’t do them anymore

To not do

• I know I want to stay away from these

To done

• yep, that’s not a typo; these are my accomplishments – I am proud of these.  This one is left off most lists I know of and yet it’s critical to take time to reflect on what we’ve done not just on what’s left to do.

To’odle

• what to do when I need to float, let my mind wander, and relax

To download your own template to use as you wish simply click here: Rock.Paper.Scissors To Do template

Stay tuned for the next compilation – the not to-do lists.