Ep #146: Time Abundance

Time Abundance

Last week, I gave you an overview of what abundant thinking is and how to actively practice it. Today, we’re turning our attention to thinking abundant thoughts around our time, which is one of our top three assets. This is something so many new leaders struggle with, and so today I’m helping you transform how you approach your time.

So many leaders believe that the key to creating more time in their schedule is using a particular calendar or planner, but I’m going to save you years of time and energy today by telling you that neither of these are the answer. Instead, I’m focusing on how your belief systems are creating cognitive dissonance, and how your brain reacts to overwhelm and confusion when it comes to your tasks.

Read more

/0 Comments/by

Ep #145: Abundant Thinking

Abundant Thinking

October is here, which means we’re diving into a new theme on the podcast. We’re going to be talking about a topic that I’ve wanted to bring up for so long in the context of education, so I’m very excited to introduce you to a concept called abundant thinking.

When you’re a school leader, especially a new one, your brain is on constant guard, knowing that there are going to be scary moments along the way. You may live your life worrying about everything you don’t have yet and everything you wish you had, but learning the practice of abundant thinking is going to be the thing that helps you lead with confidence, clarity, certainty, and calmness.

Read more

/1 Comment/by

Ep #144: The Impact of Coaching on Your Career with Chris Barkman

The Impact of Coaching on Your Career with Chris Barkman

This week, I’ve got my client Chris Barkman on the show to share his journey from teacher to his first tenure as school principal. He signed on to work with me last September, and he’s here to give us insight into what his coaching experience has been like over the past year.

Chris has been my ideal client, and working with him has been such an honor. He has juggled the administration portion of his job while teaching at the same time, and I know his story is going to resonate with anyone who has experienced school leadership as a new principal. Coaching was something Chris decided he needed as he navigated through his first year as principal, and he’s telling us why it is so valuable to him and what he sees as the long-term benefit of having a coach.

Read more

/0 Comments/by

Ep #143: Empowered Decisions in Spite of Fear and Doubt

Empowered Decisions in Spite of Fear and Doubt

This week, we’re diving deeper into the concept of decision making and how to make empowered decisions, even when doubt and fear creep in. I’m focusing this week’s message to new leaders and female leaders in particular, because I know these are usually the groups of clients who tend to struggle to move past their doubts to make decisions from a truly confident place.

As a school leader, you’ve likely experienced the doubt that surfaces when you believe you don’t have the answers or know enough yet to make a decision, or the fear of making the wrong decision and having to deal with the fallout of that result. These patterns of thinking are ultimately disempowering you, and in order to create confidence, you need to understand how your thinking is inherently impacting how you make all decisions.

Read more

/0 Comments/by

Ep #142: Personal Development for Professional Growth with Dustin

Personal Development for Professional Growth with Dustin

I have a special treat for you all today. I’m interviewing one of my amazing clients, Dustin, about starting his first tenureship as a principal. Up until this new opportunity, Dustin was an assistant principal for an elementary school. He came to me when he realized investing in his personal development would make his first year as a principal much more enjoyable.

For many of you listening, I know that coaching is something you’ve thought about but haven’t quite decided to make the investment in yet. Dustin is the perfect example of what can happen when you go all-in on yourself. When school leaders do this work, it affects their teachers and ultimately the kids, which is what matters most.

Read more

/1 Comment/by

Ep #141: Agreeing with Your Reason

Agreeing with Your Reason

Last week, I introduced you to the anatomy of a decision, where we discussed the different stages of decision-making. One important aspect of decision-making is understanding the why behind your decisions, and so today, I’m diving into your reasons for the decisions you make and what liking your reasons helps you do.

As school leaders, our days are full of making decisions, one after another, and inevitably, we’re going to have differing opinions thrown at us. This year especially, where there is still so much uncertainty in the air and some difficult decisions to be made, it’s never been more crucial to dig into your reasons for your decisions and to feel aligned with them.

Read more

/0 Comments/by

Ep #140: Anatomy of a Decision

Anatomy of a Decision

Over the month of September, we’ll be discussing the power of decisions. As school leaders, you are all the ultimate middle manager, caught between the two worlds of teaching and upper admin. Decision making can be so challenging when you’re in this no man’s land where you’re feeling isolated, fearful, and worried, so today, I’m breaking down the anatomy of a decision to help you understand how to make empowered decisions.

We all know the urge to take lots of action whenever an uncomfortable feeling arises. I often see principals getting stuck in a cycle of seeking the temporary relief a decision gives them, and then feeling those negative emotions again when a new situation is presented. But the solution is simple, and I’m sharing it all with you here.

Read more

/2 Comments/by

Ep #139: Other People’s Emotions

Other People’s Emotions

Over the month of August, we’ve been taking a deep dive into the topic of emotional resiliency and increasing our capacity to feel difficult emotions. Today, we’re going to discuss other people’s emotions and how to handle them to the best of our ability as school leaders.

When people around us express intense emotions, it can be really tricky to navigate and figure out how to respond. We tend to get triggered by other people’s emotional experiences, and I’m sharing the two reasons why this happens. While these responses are completely normal, my goal today is to show you how to respond in an intentional way and decide how you want to address the situation.

Read more

/0 Comments/by

Ep #138: Now Is the Time to Re-Evaluate and Act with Dr. Julia Barrow

Now is The Time to Re-Evaluate and Act with Dr. Julia Barrow

I am so excited to share yet another interview with you this week. With me today, I have Dr. Julia Barrow. She’s been an educator for the last 30 years and she’s really done it all. She’s been a teacher, instructional coach, principal, every role you can think of in the field of education. And now, she’s transitioned into life coaching and she’s sharing some of the ways she’s aspiring to make an impact for educators.

Julia has such a deep well of knowledge and experience that she’s gained throughout her time in education, and she’s bringing so much wisdom to today’s conversation. We’re diving into the importance of self-examination in this historic time of our lives, why emotional resiliency is so crucial for school leaders and teachers to have, and why Julia sees 2020 as a year of opportunities.

Read more

/1 Comment/by

Ep #137: Allowing an Emotion

Allowing an Emotion

As the new school year looms, I know many of my clients are feeling anxious. There’s a lot of uncertainty about whether schools are going to open or what changes are going to be implemented, and so it’s no surprise if your brain is spinning right now. We all want to have plans and feel prepared ahead of time, and our brains are constantly having to reassess and shift priorities as new information comes in.

Last week, we talked about what emotional resiliency is and why it’s important for us school leaders to expand our capacity to feel emotion. Today, I’m diving into the process of what this actually looks like and how to start allowing your emotions. We’ve been taught to sidestep negative emotions because they undoubtedly feel awful, but my goal today is to show you why we need to unlearn what we’ve been taught about emotion and start a practice of processing them all the way through.

Read more

/0 Comments/by