The final keynote at the 2025 New England Area Conference (NEAC) was delivered by Katrina Kennedy, and let me tell you—it was a great way to end the conference. Her talk, titled “Now What? Turn Conference Experience Into Real World Action,” got me thinking. While I already have a personal process for turning conference notes into action, Katrina introduced fresh strategies that made me reflect on how I could level up.
Start With a Preflection
Katrina began the day with something she called a “preflection.” Before diving into the sessions, she asked us to consider what we hoped to take away from the conference. This concept helped to set the tone for the day. The invitation to do a preflection planted a seed for intentional learning. Then, she brought us full circle by having us reflect at the end. Smart.
Brains Are Wired to Forget—So Help Them Out
One of the most powerful reminders from her keynote:
🧠 Our brains are wired to forget.
If we tried to remember everything, our heads would be overloaded. So the real magic comes in how we help ourselves retain and act on what we’ve learned.
Here’s where retrieval and reflection come in. By taking time to review and reflect on our notes, we can actually turn passive learning into real, meaningful action.
From Notes to Action: A Simple Three-Step Process
Katrina challenged us with a practical exercise:
- Recall. Identify three key takeaways from the day. Use your notes if needed.
- Reflect. Think about what those takeaways mean and how they apply to your work.
- Act. Determine one concrete action for each takeaway. Write it down and commit.
📓 I’ve always used an analog journal for this kind of thinking. Katrina confirmed what research shows: Writing things down improves performance. Pen to paper still matters.
Make Reflection a Daily Habit
One of Katrina’s standout suggestions was to build in a daily reflection practice.
⏳ Just 15 minutes at the end of each day can make a huge impact.
- Recall what stood out.
- Reflect on how it applies.
- Plan how to act on it tomorrow.
📝 Pro Tip: Stack This With Your Calendar
Here’s how Katrina suggests increasing your success:
- ✅ Write it down. Declare your intentions.
- 📅 Put it on your calendar. Don’t just plan it—schedule it.
- 👥 Find an accountability partner. Someone who checks in and keeps you honest.
As someone who uses LinkedIn to publicly share my projects (like my upcoming book), I’ve found that just telling people what I’m doing creates built-in accountability. People follow up, ask questions, and keep me moving forward. Katrina’s approach adds structure to this.
Habit Building 101: Triggers + Simplicity
Katrina also referenced James Clear’s Atomic Habits—a favorite of mine. She emphasized starting with a trigger to build your habit:
“When this happens, instead of doing X, I’ll do Y.”
Make it simple. Make it obvious. Make it stick.
She introduced an app from Actionable to help folks kickstart this habit-building process. While I didn’t try it personally, many attendees did. I’m curious to see how it works out for them.
The Ripple Effect: You Impact Thousands
One of the most powerful closing moments came when Katrina asked us to consider:
“How many people do you impact?”
When we did the math in the room, it was clear—collectively, we touch the lives of tens of thousands. Every time we improve ourselves, we also improve the outcomes for all those we serve. That’s a responsibility worth taking seriously.
Final Thoughts: Reflect to Learn
“We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.” — John Dewey
And that’s what this keynote was really about. Reflection isn’t fluff—it’s the foundation for growth.
Takeaway Summary
Here’s how you can apply Katrina’s wisdom today:
- 🧠 Do a Preflection. Set your learning intention before any conference or session.
- ✍️ Reflect & Write. Use a notebook to boost recall and commit to action.
- 📅 Schedule Your Actions. If it’s not on your calendar, it probably won’t happen.
- 🤝 Be Accountable. Tell someone your goal—or better yet, team up.
- ⏱ Use Triggers & Habits. Set cues for behavior change.
Your Turn: What Will You Do With What You Learned?
If you attended NEAC 2025, I challenge you: Pick three takeaways, reflect on them, and take action.
If you didn’t attend, apply this strategy to the next webinar, meeting, or book you read.
Remember: Reflection turns knowledge into results.
Let’s put what we learn into motion.
Photo by Bich Tran and Leeloo The First
