Workshops/Speeches

Thank you for your interest in my workshops and speeches. I offer them at schools, community organizations, activist groups, arts organizations, business organizations, private salons, and other venues. Below are the most popular topics.

Each talk or workshop can last from one-half hour to 3.5 hours, and each provides concrete and specific information that your audience will be able to immediately use to improve their lives and more easily reach their goals.

The Time Management workshop is an ideal supplement to any of the others: consider booking it alongside of one of them.

For my professional biography, click here.

For a list of speeches and interviews I’ve given, plus audio clips, click here.

To book a workshop or speech, or for more information, please email me at lifelongactivist at riseup dot net. Thank you. – Hillary

Overcoming Procrastination, Perfectionism, Blocks and Fears

We pull the curtain back on procrastination and blocks, revealing their essential nature and why they are such difficult problems to solve. We also characterize the key procrastination symptoms of perfectionism, negativity, hypersensitivity and panic. We then move on to discuss three solutions for procrastination: a simple behavioral fix; an eight-step process for defeating fear-based procrastination; and the ultimate solution for living an empowered life. At the end of the workshop, participants typically feel energetic and empowered and eager to go home and make some of the changes we’ve discussed. Many later report making more progress on their work than they have in a long time.

Time Management

We begin with a discussion of how time should be valued (contrary to the cliché, time is not money; it’s far more valuable than money); why one needs to manage it; and how successful people tend to view and use time. Then we discuss right and wrong ways to use time, and lifestyles that support or inhibit success. Then we discuss how to budget and track your time, how to set priorities, and how to “create” time through delegation and other techniques. Finally, we discuss tips for sticking to your schedule, and how to deal with people who don’t support you. After the workshop, many participants report being more productive and less stressed.

Why Smart and Ambitious Activists [or Artists or Entrepreneurs or Students] Fail – and How You Can Succeed

A combination of the above two topics, plus career-specific information (e.g., strategy, marketing and sales) geared towards Activists, Artists, Entrepreneurs or Students.

Overcoming Artist’s Block

Artist’s block, an extreme form of procrastination, is a much more easily solved problem than most people realize. Many people have trouble solving it is because they misidentify its root: they think they are blocked because they are lazy or uncommitted, but the truth, in most cases, is that they are afraid. This workshop helps artists pinpoint the specific nature of the fear(s) at the heart of their block, and offers techniques for coping with those fears so that they become manageable or disappear entirely. Almost all artists who take this workshop leave it feeling much more relaxed and optimistic about their art; some wind up doing more art in the next month than they had in the previous decade!

When Hillary Rettig came to our church and led a workshop about leading a joyful and productive progressive life, her message resonated with everyone. Not only did she give helpful practical tools and tips, she helped us get to the underlying issues that stand in the way of being joyful and effective activists. Afterwards, I was swamped with people asking, “where did you FIND her? We really needed this!” I’d strongly recommend Hillary’s book and her presentation to all activists working in Unitarian Universalist and other liberal faith communities.—Marisa Miller Wolfson, Faith in Action committee member, Fourth Universalist Society, New York City

Hillary’s dynamic, heartfelt workshops not only empowered and inspired our staff members, but provided them with insights and tools that they could use to empower and inspire others, including our clients. As such, Hillary’s workshops provide “double value” and I urge all nonprofits in particular to invite her to speak. —George Zeller, Jewish Vocational Service, Boston, MA

Boston Skillshare participants attended Hillary Rettig’s workshops in droves and left with strong tools to manage their lives. Participant feedback described Rettig’s workshops as “inspiring and practical,” “invaluable help to get my life on track,” and a means to “truly examine my time management issues.“—Bart Admonius, organizer

Hillary provided both insight and practical tips that left everyone with a renewed vision of what it means to be a productive activist. She answered every question with true empathy and patience, making the audience feel safe and validated. Her professionalism and organization is impressive, but it’s really her accessibility that’s refreshingly unusual. —Jasmin Singer, Farm Sanctuary, New York, NY

Hillary is a charismatic speaker who has the ability to reach people from various backgrounds and perspectives. Her talks are interactive in a way that benefit all who attend. She gets the balance between giving practical tips and supporting our need to use those tips. Her wisdom should not be overlooked. If you can only make it to one talk this season make it this one. —Aryenish Birdie, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA

The Grub Street community has benefited greatly from Hillary Rettig’s smart, organized, inspiring and valuable seminars. The common refrain in her evaluations is: ‘we want more!’ Hillary is fun to work with, passionate about her mission, and fully engaged with her craft. —Chris Castellani, Grub Street Writers, Boston, MA

So many thanks for such a terrific talk. The group was really energized and inspired. Some talks are merely informative, but yours was many cuts above.—Alix Ginsburg, Ph.D., Temple Emanuel Networking, Newton, MA

On a rainy night in Boston, you lifted our spirits, gave us hope, and inspired us to get out of our own way. Everyone got something out of your presentation, and many of our Chicks told me they went home and put your words to work the very next morning as they sat down to write. Thanks, Hillary! —Tracey Palmer, Chicks Who Write, Norwell, MA

Off-the-charts outstanding. Absolutely astonishing. Honest, respectful, encouraging and sincere. She had us all rapt. —workshop participant

Very well structured – definitely not too “soft.” It is empowering to hear someone derail the myths that procrastination is laziness and that being an artist means being tortured.—workshop participant

It was so helpful for me to hear and absorb that “procrastination is not a moral flaw.” I sat down today and proceeded to empty my email inbox by responding to emails that have been gathering virtual dust there for months if not years. The last one I responded to was from three years ago. Whew! What a relief. —workshop participant

The Lifelong Activist

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Recent posts

Workshops/Speeches

Overcoming Procrastination, Perfectionism, Blocks and Fears

Time Management

Why Smart and Ambitious Activists [or Artists or Entrepreneurs or Students] Fail – and How You Can Succeed

Overcoming Artist’s Block