Betty Jo Waxman's Magnum Debut
EVERYDAY AWE
Savoring Moments of Wonder
"Awe is MAGICAL."
So Who Is Betty Jo Waxman?!
Betty Jo Waxman is a masterful Senior Trainer with over 40 years of experience, renowned for helping thousands break through limitations and unlock their full potential through transformative workshops and coaching.
- Helped transform the lives of over 6,500 individuals, companies, and couples
- 20,000+ hours of coaching and thousands of workshops facilitated
- Featured in Scrappy Women in Business: Living Proof that Bending the Rules Isn't Breaking the Law
- Brings humor, heart, and powerful insights to every session, inspiring lasting personal growth
Productive Learning is proud to host her Magnum Debut workshop, drawing from her immense career and razor-sharp insights!
As Betty Jo herself tells it...
As if on cue, just as I turned sixty-five, friends and family and acquaintances began to ask me things like, “how much longer are you going to work?” and, “what are your plans for when you retire?” I had no answer. Because I hadn’t thought about it. So, I got busy making plans. It didn’t feel right to just pick a date to stop cold, so I decided I’d begin to cut back. Slowly. And over time, I’d get down to leading one or two workshops a year and that way my exit would be gradual, and thereby relatively painless. I passed on my plan to Lindon A who, of course, got right on board, “if that’s what you want...we’ll make that happen,” he told me. “I’ll offer you the workshops and trainings I’d like you to lead, and you get to say, ‘yes’ or ‘no’”. Sweet! Done!
Fast forward five years. Lindon brings me a corporate training he thinks would be a perfect fit for me to pick up. “Yep! I’ll take it!”
“You do realize, Betty Jo” he says to me, “in five years you’ve said ‘no’ only ONE time. It’s fine by me, but what happened to your ‘offramp’?”
That’s what I had been calling my plan. I told everyone who asked me that I was on a “slow but steady offramp”. Because the questions about my plan to stop working continue, to this day, to roll in.
How do I reconcile the fact that I am clearly NOT winding down?
Here’s what I think happened. Five years ago, in response to repeated outside influences, I blindly followed the crowd. I’m sixty-five! I need an exit strategy. So, I made one. Checked the box and moved on. I never questioned it. I never confirmed that it was in alignment with what I’m here to do. I remember thinking it sounded cool to have a “retirement plan”. Had I stopped to do any kind of assessment I would have registered the following: I am at the height of my career. Feeling supremely confident in my work and simultaneously being challenged to keep expanding and learning. The younger generation is running the show, and they are pushing in all kinds of new directions that truly excite me. I’m right in there with them and getting to do all the things I love most. I’m in my sweet spot. I’m on the freeway. There is no traffic. I’m in 5th gear. My car is fully charged. My “Betty Jo’s Favorites” playlist on Spotify is on a loop. Why on earth would I be look for an off ramp?!?
So, I’m staying on the road. I don’t have any desire to slow down. Because I’m not done. I’m not even CLOSE to done. In fact, during the past few years I’ve felt pulled to dive into a topic that folds perfectly into the work we’ve done together for over 4 decades. It’s a subject that I’m compelled to share because it’s been so powerful for me! And why the LAST thing I want to do is wind down my life’s work. You see, this freeway I’m on has a lane I’ve never driven in. I left that lane to others on my team. That is, until now. I’m fired up about this new material. I put on my turn signal and my team has cleared the lane for me to move over. I’m NOT creating a retirement plan; I’m writing my Magnum Debut!
I have never written a workshop before. I’ve taken hundreds. I’ve led thousands. All were written by others. I have co-led hundreds of workshops. Some with other facilitators, most with Lindon! And now I’m moving into this lane.
As I was crafting this message on a Saturday afternoon, I turn on the TV to see what Olympic events are on the air. I catch the start of the women’s 800-meter freestyle.
I’m alone. And it is ELECTRIC! The announcer calls the race with a child-like enthusiasm that adds to the drama. Katie Ledecky wins her ninth gold medal, tying the record for the most all-time gold medals by a female Olympian. The camera turns to her family who are jumping, wide eyed, hugging each other, screaming and crying. My cheeks are wet. I multiply how I feel by tenfold to imagine what it must feel like to be there in person, because experiencing it alongside other humans adds to the sensation. I am overcome with the magnitude of the moment, acutely aware of the massive amount of work that has taken place behind the scenes to bring these athletes to this place. And there it is. Another instance of the magical emotion of AWE.
Awe is truly a magical emotion. Awe transforms us.
According to Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology at UC Berkley, awe quiets the nagging, self-critical, overbearing, status-conscious voice of our ego, and empowers us to collaborate, open our minds to wonders and to see the deep patterns of life. Awe brings us joy, meaning, community, healthier bodies and more creative minds. And we can learn how to put ourselves in positions to experience moments of awe on a daily basis. I want that.
I’m designing an adventure built to offer unending opportunities for awe. And Lindon is going to be there to co-lead it with me. Because, well, 40+ years. It will be exponentially more spectacular doing this together. We are going to create, participate in and be spectators to the experiences that spark moments of awe and wonder. In the spirit of PL and my lineage, it will be Extraordinary.
This is your invitation to join me on our
2026 International Adventure:
Everyday Awe: Savoring Moments of Wonder!
A 10 day, 9 night experience at Thornbury Castle in Great Britian
Oh, and there’s more... An Awe-Inspiring After Party!
What if the moon discovered one of its superpowers was that it could block the sun and create a mind-blowing experience for the inhabitants of earth who are in a specific geographic band?
We’re going to end this trip just in time to hop over to Spain on an optional 4-day/3-night post trip so we can go to that very geographic band and be there together for the awe that is a Solar Eclipse! Scroll down for details.
Everyday Awe 2026
Join Us for a Royally Unique Adventure
Tuition
$15,495 - $19,495 per person, depending on occupancy
*NOTE: There's a catch! 16th-century castles aren't exactly build for crowds. Each royal room is uniquely divine, but space is limited. Once it's gone, it's gone!
Don't miss your change to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime adventure - reserve your spot right away!
Dates
August 2 - 11, 2026
Location
Thornbury Castle
Castle St, Thornbury
Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
Tuition Covers
Occupancy of your choice (based on availability), breakfast plus one additional meal daily, all workshop/group activity fees, workshop, and ground transportation
Awe-Inspiring After Party
Tack on a spectacular viewing of the solar eclipse in the full-totality path.
Tuition
$4,295 per person (double occupancy)
Dates
August 11 - 14, 2026
Location
Oviedo, Spain
In the full-totality path for the solar eclipse
Tuition Covers
Transportation from the castle to the hotel in Spain, transportation to and from the eclipse viewing location, daily breakfast, one group dinner, all workshop/group activities, and workshop content