191: The Secret to Getting the Most Out of Any Online Workshop

See the show notes for this Episode here.

This transcript has been automatically generated.

Bonnie Christine:
Hey there. Happy Tuesday. Welcome back to the Professional Creative Podcast. I'm excited for this Shorty episode because, well, first of all, I get to share with you something that I'm really excited about. But I'm also sharing six tips for how to show up for an online event. I think in our world today, there are so many classes, courses, workshops, all the things, webinars that are available, and it's our focus that's lacking. We feel like, I don't know, or is that just me? Sometimes I sign up for something and I have every intention to dive into it. And then life happens, kids get sick, I forget about it, my to do list, on and on.

Bonnie Christine:
So I wanna give you some tips that I've implemented in my own life anytime that I'm serious about taking an online event, and they've helped me so so much. I'm Bonnie Christine, and this is where all things creativity, design, business, and marketing unite. I'm a mama living in a tiny town tucked right inside the Smoky Mountains running a multi 7 figure business doing the most creative and impactful work of my life. But when I first set out to become an entrepreneur, I was struggling to make ends meet and wrestling with how to accomplish my biggest dream of becoming a fabric designer. Fast forward to today, I'm not only licensing my artwork all over the world, but also teaching others how to design their creative life and experience the same success. I'm here to help you spend your life doing something that lights you up. I'll help you build a creative business that also creates an impact, changes people's lives, gives you all of the freedom you want, and is wildly profitable. Welcome to the Professional Creative Podcast.

Bonnie Christine:
The reason that this is top of mind for me is that I'm teaching a free workshop right now. And if you're not in it, it's not too late. It only started yesterday, and it's free, and there are replays available. So let me tell you about it. It is for anyone who is looking to turn their creativity into a career, specifically through surface pattern design. So the workshop is called Your Pattern Design Playbook. It's completely free. I only teach it once a year, and it's really my favorite thing that I get to do.

Bonnie Christine:
So it's an immersive learning experience, and I teach you seven secrets to breaking into the industry into the surface pattern design industry. And it's over a week, so there are four in-depth lessons and four live coaching Q and A sessions where I really break it down step by step. So anyone who comes and participates gains a ton of momentum. You get to see what it would really feel like to be a working surface pattern designer. It's also beginner friendly. So there are tons of tools and resources. It's super in-depth, and many people find this workshop really transformational. So come join us.

Bonnie Christine:
It's bonniechristine.com/workshop. And it is happening between February 10 and the 18th, but replays are available until February 25. Okay. So if you're already in, hooray, you're gonna love today's episode. And if you're not, you're still gonna be able to use this episode for any workshop or webinar or class that you're showing up for in time. Are you ready? This is my step by step plan to get the most out of attending an online event. Step number one is mark the time off on your calendar. So if you're coming to the Pattern Design Playbook, each lesson is thirty minutes long, and each live session is about an hour.

Bonnie Christine:
So it's only about five hours across the week for my workshop. Now side note is that we've calculated how much this workshop is going to give participants back, and we've calculated that it's just over fifty hours of time back. That, my friends, is a 10 x on your time investment. So, again, come join us. We have a, a magical calendar that you can subscribe to that automatically blocks the time for the lessons and the lives on your calendar so that they will just immediately integrate with whatever calendar you use. So no matter what you're attending, block the time. Sometimes I like to make it an appointment with my future self, make an appointment with the more successful version of myself is not to be missed. Step number two is to anticipate, like, think ahead of time how you're going to create a distraction free zone.

Bonnie Christine:
I think one of the problems with attending something online is that you're online. Right? And so, like, tabs and research and chat GPT and Instagram, it's all right there, and it's a click away. And so think ahead about how you can create a distraction free zone. Maybe you watch it on an iPad so that you're not so tempted, or maybe you have to kind of close all the tabs and remove your devices from the space. Literally, this is what I do. I will treat myself like the toddler that I am and go put my phone in another room because, clearly, I can't handle I can't handle the temptation. So if you need to do something like that, just do yourself a favor and find a space and a place that you can focus. Turn off notifications and then have a notebook ready to take notes with.

Bonnie Christine:
One of my mentors always says, If you don't write it down, you don't remember it. And it stuck with me because, you're right, sometimes I think I'll remember it, and really, I don't. So I write it down that way, I'll remember it, and I can also come back to it over and over again. So anticipate taking notes and removing the distractions. Step number three is, for whatever you're attending, just kind of know the flow of what to expect during the week. Know how much time it's going to take and know how you're going to fit it into your day. If you leave it up to chance, chances are you won't find the time. So you've got to find the time for what's most important.

Bonnie Christine:
For our workshop, if you're attending the playbook, lesson days are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and the following Tuesday. Lessons go out at 11AM Eastern. They're about thirty minutes long, and they're prerecorded, so you can watch them anytime once they're released. Then there are live session days. Those are the in between days. So Tuesday, Thursday, and the following Monday at 3PM. So there in the afternoon, I'm on the East Coast, so that's Eastern Time. These are about one hour and they're live.

Bonnie Christine:
So if you want to be there live and have the opportunity to ask questions, you have to be there at 3PM. And that is where you can get coached, ask questions, and dive deeper into the material. I think the biggest mistake people make is skipping the live sessions. Here's why you don't want to do that. You're going to get so much clarity and direction on what to do next. You're gonna see real time questions being answered and breakthroughs happening. You're also gonna be surrounded by a really incredible community of people who are walking this path with you, and you're gonna fall in love with them. So, go ahead and know the flow and plan on watching.

Bonnie Christine:
Now, if you're coming to the playbook, the live q and a sessions are also recorded, and those replays are also made available the same day. And they'll be also available until February 25 in case you do miss one. Step number four is to connect. One of the most powerful parts of any kind of online experience is to not do it alone. So whether it's my workshop or something else that you're attending, have a buddy system, someone to learn alongside, share insights with, and keep each other accountable. It makes all the difference. I know this from my favorite example of going to the gym. If I'm gonna go to the gym all by myself and nobody's there and there's no class time or anything like that, I've proven to myself too many times that I'll put it off and I won't do it.

Bonnie Christine:
And if I do do it, I don't push myself very hard. But if I have a class and a buddy waiting for me who is going to text me if I don't show, I'll be there and I'll also push myself really hard. Same thing applies for an online event. So do yourself a favor, invite a friend and have a buddy. So you will progress faster, you'll stay motivated, you'll push yourself, you'll have somebody to, you know, share those insights with, but also hold you accountable to having an insight in the first place. So engage, share your takeaways with your accountability buddy, and be there for the experience. Now, we have two more. Step number five is stay on track.

Bonnie Christine:
And also don't worry if you don't. Life happens, schedules get busy, kids get sick. There is typically, especially in my workshop, there's no falling behind, so there's nothing to worry about if you miss a lesson or you miss homework. I would say and encourage you to come anyways. Even if you miss a lesson, even if you haven't done, kind of, the take action for the lesson, come to the next lesson or live session. Because for me, every live call, I design to give you clarity and help you kind of move forward and apply what you're learning, whether or not you're caught up or not. Plus, you can always watch the replays. Again, you have until February 28 to watch the replays of the Pattern Playbook.

Bonnie Christine:
Now, step number six, so important for every online event. Before you begin, I want you to connect to why you want to be there in the first place. So why do you want to attend? What do you want to walk away with from the experience? And then one step forward from there is why is that important? This is kind of like, initially, you'll have kind of a head response. So for my pattern playbook, maybe you want to see your artwork on fabric, or maybe you want to finish a portfolio. And to that, I would say, Awesome. Perfect. You're in the exact right state. Now tell me why you want that.

Bonnie Christine:
So it moves you from your head to your heart. Why do you want that? Is it because you have always known that your creativity is meant for something bigger? Is it because you want to be able to quit a job that's draining you? Is it because you want to supply revenue for your family? What is the why behind the want? And I think that that will be what guides you to really showing up for any event that you're attending. So write it down, say it out loud, tell somebody else, anchor yourself to that vision. And because of that, you'll see momentum. You'll have taken real steps towards moving towards that why, and you're gonna find that it picks up much more quickly. Okay, my friends, that's it. You're all set. You've marked your calendar.

Bonnie Christine:
You've created a space to focus. You know exactly who you are going to invite to do it with you, and you've decided what you wanna get out of it and why. So my friends, again, join us this week. You have nothing to lose. It is an incredible experience. We have nearly 50,000 people signed up, so you're not gonna be alone. Come join us at bonniechristine.com/workshop right now and grab your free spot. I can't wait to spend this time with you.

Bonnie Christine:
And I know by the end of this workshop, you are going to feel so inspired, so confident, and clearer than ever before. I'll see you there.