Free Self-Improvement Topics in Chicago

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  • Drop the Emotional Baggage and Get Younger with Age!

    GuruNischan, Owner, GuruNischan Unlimited

    GuruNischan will explore the physical, mental and emotional components that affect our energy level, skin, digestion, sleep, mood and how fast we age and will teach steps and everyday “live-better” strategies to feel and look your best – naturally.

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  • Where Are You Growing? Cultivating a Growth Mindset

    Susan Neustrom, Ed.D., Leadership Coach, Author, Speaker, Educator, Leading to Action

    Do you have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset? Your mindset determines your behavior and thoughts leading to your success, your performance and your impact on staff, co-workers, family, and friends. There are two mindsets, fixed and growth. If you have a fixed mindset you believe abilities and intelligence are determined early in life. Therefore, challenges and failure only serve to support your belief. In contrast, if you have a growth mindset you view challenges and obstacles as opportunities to develop skills and continue growing and learning. Most individuals exhibit a combination of a fixed and growth mindset but intentionally cultivating a growth mindset results in enhanced resilience, increased accomplishments and expanded potential. In an organization, a growth mindset leader creates a culture of innovation, risk-taking, teamwork, and trust enabling others to adopt a growth mindset. MORE >

    In this interactive session, Dr. Susan Neustrom explores how mindsets are formed and the dynamics and strategies involved in shifting mindset to optimize positive impact both personally and professionally. Using the theoretical framework of mindset, grit, and mental contrasting this session will engage participants in a new approach to decision-making, problem solving, teaching, and learning.
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  • Increasing Your Happiness!

    Bette Lawrence-Water, Founder and Principal Consultant, Spectrum Strategic Solutions

    Increasing one's happiness can be done through the power of positive thinking. That is one skill that this presenttion will touch on to teach participants how to be happier. Happiness can spread throughout an organization, and have a positive effect on everyone.
    During this interactive and energetic discussion participants will engage in unique and helpful ways to increase their happiness. This 45-60 minute presentation will have a robust effect on their professional and personal lives, improve their communication skills, increase productivity, and lesson absenteeism. MORE >

    Presentation Objectives:
    •Discuss how planning ahead cultivates workplace happiness
    •Create a nightly routine and daily plan
    •Relate more effectively to others in the workplace
    •Understand how the workspace environment impacts happiness
    •Think more positively
    •Take actions that will create greater workplace happiness

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  • The Comfort Zone Illusion-Solving the Mystery

    Susan Neustrom, Ed.D., Leadership Coach, Author, Speaker, Educator, Leading to Action

    Are you ready for change? Are you a leader embarking on change within your organization? Whether change is planned or unplanned, more than likely you and your team need to step outside your comfort zone and do something different. However, leaving your comfort zone is frightening and fear can stifle growth, halt progress, and negatively impact behavior making you feel as if you lost control, stuck, and not moving forward. When implementing transformational change in an organization leaders are challenged with getting everyone excited and motivated about new ways of working. Often times, leaders are met with resistance, complaints, and frustration because people are being asked to step outside their comfort zone. Change upsets routine and structure and opens the door allowing fear to enter and demonstrated in thoughts and action. Of course, it doesn’t need to be this way because the comfort zone is really an illusion. MORE >

    This presentation unravels the mystery of the comfort zone to expose the stark reality of the discomfort of change. Therefore, enabling leaders to discover why leaving your comfort zone is so difficult, what creates fear during times of change, and how to develop strategies for engagement and empowerment that eliminate the fear of leaving your comfort zone and to view change through a new lens.
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  • Becoming An Innovator

    Stephen A. Di Biase, Ph.D., President, Premier Insights, LLC.

    "10 Keys To Unlock Your Innovative Self" offers the reader a short, simple, easy and fun treatment teaching anyone how to use the basics of innovative behaviors for becoming a more effective problem solver leading to a higher quality of life. Specifically, this treatise touches on why every human being is an innovator at birth, how we can maximizes, this natural trait, the importance of curiosity, imagination, inquiry, methods of learning, the importance of play and passion and how to use the scientific method while being careful of formal education. MORE >

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  • Interpersonal Skills

    Bette Lawrence-Water, Founder and Principal Consultant, Spectrum Strategic Solutions

    We've all met that dynamic, charismatic person that just has a way with others, and has a way of being remembered. Participants will identify ways of creating a powerful introduction, remembering names, and managing situations when you’ve forgotten someone’s name.
    The Interpersonal Skills discussion will help participants work towards being that unforgettable person by providing communication skills, negotiation techniques, tips on making an impact, and advice on networking and starting conversations. Bette will help audience to identify skills needed in starting a conversation, moving a conversation along, and progressing to higher levels of conversation. MORE >

    Discussion Objectives:
    • Understand the difference between hearing and listening
    • Know some ways to improve the verbal skills of asking questions and communicating with power.
    • Understand what is ‘non-verbal communication’ and how it can enhance interpersonal relationships.
    • Identify the skills needed in starting a conversation.
    • Identify ways of creating a powerful introduction, remembering names, and managing situations when you’ve forgotten someone’s name.
    • Understand how seeing the other side can improve skills in influencing other people.
    • Understand how the use of facts and emotions can help bring people to your side.
    • Identify ways of sharing one’s opinions constructively.
    • Learn tips in preparing for a negotiation, opening a negotiation, bargaining, and closing a negotiation.
    • Learn tips in making an impact through powerful first impressions.
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  • Developing A Personal Brand for Career and Life!

    Bette Lawrence-Water, Founder and Principal Consultant, Spectrum Strategic Solutions

    Personal Branding is identifying your assets, characteristics, strengths, and skills as an individual. Understanding Personal Branding will provide advantages in your participant’s personal and professional lives. Branding is a mix of how you present yourself and how others see you. It is important to be aware of how you are viewed. MORE >

    During this lively and enlightening personal branding discussion, participants learn to uncover their vision and passions for career and life. Then, find out how to utilize this knowledge through Social Media to define and influence how others see you. You are your brand so protect it. Live it.

    Discussion Objectives:

    • Define your image.
    • Control your image.
    • Understand how to sharpen your brand.
    • Use social media appropriately.
    • Manage your brand in a crisis.
    • Develop a professional appearance.

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  • Tapping into your Superpowers Mindfulness and Meditation.

    Jacqueline McCarty, Owner Certified Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher, Om At Work

    Mindfulness can be practiced in any aspect and any task in your life! By remembering this tool of focus and awareness you can transform it into pure presence. Your awareness is currency, where your attention goes energy flows. Meditation is a training for your awareness and can have lasting effects on your brain and nervous system when practiced regularly. Learn these practices and transform your work and life. MORE >

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  • Speaking with Confidence in any Situation

    Suzanne M. Bracken, Managing Director, Ludicrous Theatre Company

    This lively presentation will address the causes of fear associated with speaking when we are not comfortable doing so. Learn how to make those butterflies in your stomach "fly in formation," so you can get your point across in a confident and effective manner.

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  • What’s the one thing you can’t buy? Time.

    Kimberly Kolb, Author & Speaker

    168. That’s how many hours are in a week. Do you use them wisely? Kimberly wrote a novel in a year while working and raising three kids in travel sports. She will show you how to find that kind of time for you. MORE >

    Kimberly is proud to be a part of Free Speakers since 2015, but will only present to not-for-profit groups.
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