Conscious Educator Playground

Amelia's Takeover

AI & Education...Let's Play!

The Power of Celebration!

Decision Fatigue

Our students are often our greatest teachers.

When we take the time to SEE, HEAR & VALUE them as the unique amazing humans they are we often walk away with insights and wisdom we may have missed in the rushing to "accomplish" the things of life.

When was the last time you were immensely present with one of your students or your children?

What did you experience?

What did you learn?

How did you feel; before, during, and after?

As we enter then end of this calendar year it's in the micro-moments when we are present with one another where we find the true joy of why we are all here.

Tune in as we dive into being present and learning through the lens of what Amelia has experienced throughout her educational career and what she sees for the future of education that can serve us all in the new year!

For some what comes to mind is "the customer is always right"...

For some what comes to mind is being a customer shopping for something...

What about in our schools? Who is the customer?

What about in our lives? Do you consider yourself your first customer?

Who do you think of as your customers in your world?...your family, your friends, your colleagues, your clients, your students, your SUPERvisors (more on this another time...just wanted to give you a little food for thought visual 😉)...someone else?

Why is it important to articulate who our FIRST Customer is?

Throughout our days we encounter other humans in all different ways and when we do so from a place of radical responsibility for who we are showing up as AND awareness of how we are approaching each individual we can radically transform our environments simply by shifting this lens to be intentional vs unconscious.

Sending you all lots of love as you navigate this holiday season! 🤗

What does New Year's mean to you?

Is it a time of launching into something new?  Are you excited to jump off the starting line?

Is it a time of a fresh start, slowly allowing this year to unfold? 

Is it an opportunity to reset, leaving behind that which no longer serves you?

Do you celebrate a New Year with the Equinox (around March 21st) more so than the Gregorian calendar timeline (January 1st)?

However you choose, choose it On Purpose...lead with your heart and mind in sync and create a rhythm that serves you first...then flows with those around you.

What does your nervous system crave right now?...do that...listen to your intuition and begin trusting what you KNOW to be true for your needs before others wants.

We will be sharing insights into how creating an intentional rhythm for yourselves and your students will pay dividends in the long run and how you can own your powerful intuitive wisdom about what will allow you to thrive throughout the rest of this year (whatever that means for you).  

Our school cultures are transforming whether we are making it happen intentionally or not.

This ever evolving...rapidly evolving world we are living in is creating shifts in our schools that some have seen coming for decades, generations even...and some that none of us could have foreseen.

How do we take our power back and create aligned cultures, healthy environments for teachers to work in and students to learn in?

When will we say 'enough is enough' and lead from our intuitive strength and wisdom to design and live our Cultures On Purpose? Acknowledging that there will always be forces for and forces against these changes...and they are happening everyday in patterns we can take control of if we zoom out and take the time to invest in the waters we are swimming in each day...and when we all take radical responsibility for who we are showing up as.

We can transform our cultures into comprehensive, sustainable, positive working and learning environments.

We can create the lives we dream of, for ourselves and for our students.

You are not alone, it's going to take all of us, in this together, with one another, without judgement and with a unity of THERE IS A BETTER WAY...we've got this, we're the ones we've been waiting for.

Have we lost sight of the true purpose of school?

What are we really doing here?

And after another tragic school shooting, I'm at a loss for words as I'm sure you are too. 😢😡

There is no "sense" to be made when families are grieving a senseless tragedy.

And yet, we must continue to find a way through this epidemic. How many of us have to say ENOUGH?!

Why are we in school...beyond learning, beyond teaching, beyond the surface of because we've always done it...

Without asking "for what greater purpose" over and over again and really really diving into the depths of CONSCIOUS CONVERSATIONS in every school, in every community, in every state, across this country...we are going to continue to treat the symptoms.

There is no one of us who has the answer. It's going to take all of us, all of us who are DONE with the way the current system is, to wake up each day focused on our purpose, our intuitive genius to come together and collaborate. We get to get to the root cause and create a better system that serves all children and all adults who serve them.

We can create better, we can solve this, we're in this together.

Look for the moments of joy not just for the big wins...

Easier said than done, right!?

We know that being connected to a bigger why, a bigger purpose is a vital component to the science of happiness and how we can live happy lives...AND does it have to be a BIG why?

I know that throughout my life I've always had a desire to be a part of something bigger than myself and I am grateful to have found work that fills my greater purpose cup..and yet it's not where I find the majority of my joy.

The majority of my joy, my wellbeing, my happiness comes in the simplest of moments...the seemingly mundane micro-moments in life.

For example, today one of my favorite moments that brought true joy to my entire nervous system was opening a package I got of packing-bags to use for my move and while on FaceTime with my niece joking that I could fit inside these bags and proceeded to climb in! 🤭😂🤓

We often focus on the big picture of how life is going or if we've achieved the milestone or goal we are aiming for, not being truly satisfied until that point. Which leads to not being fully present where we are and enjoying the journey.

Life's a game and if we learn to enjoy the game, the play of it all that's where the true magic is. Why wait for just the big celebrations...build them in throughout your day...notice what is working. I promise it's life changing!

It's not easy at first, since we are hard wired to look for what isn't working and keep ourselves and others safe from any impending danger...AND with practice you can change your life by shifting what you focus on and as Wayne Dyer's book titled "Change Your Thoughts Change Your Life" talks about, you have the ability, you can truly create the life you dream of, one micro-moment at a time!

Tune in as we dive deeper into how transformational living for the micro-moments can be!

This wild ride of a week!…

So you know those times when you just have one of those weeks that every possible emotion comes flooding in all at once and your body can’t seem to choose which one to feel so it’s a wild mixed bag of all of them…which makes you feel crazy and debilitated and frozen? This has been that week for me!

Let’s go through the list for just the 24 hours of Wednesday morning to Thursday morning…

Catastrophic hurricane with a bee-line direct for my sister and brother-in-law that had our entire family on pins and needles for 36 hours going through all the worst-case scenarios in our minds while trying to remain positive…CHECK

My little sister going through surgery #2 after her car accident last May…mind you at the exact time that the eye of the hurricane was flying right by where my older sister lives…CHECK

Opening escrow on my house to sell after living in Vegas for 24 years and now shit is REAL and I haven’t found my place to move into yet in Portsmouth…CHECK

Waking up to a call from my son at 12:44 am because he had just hurt his fingers really bad and was wondering if he should go to the hospital…CHECK

Mom watching the news about Florida calling and waking me up early worrying because there is absolutely nothing we can do…CHECK

Finally hearing from Stacie that they are safe and their home is safe…CHECK

Hearing from Hunter that his fingers are sore but going to be ok…CHECK

Feeling love and connection from so many friends and relatives around the world…CHECK

Trusting that selling my home and making this move is going to be a great start to this next book in my life (because this start is too big for just another chapter)…CHECK

…AND BREATHE! 😮‍💨🧘🏻‍♀️

Sending you all love as you navigate the wild ride we are on as conscious humans feeling all the waves of our evolving world! We’ve got this…because we’ve got each other! Love you! ❤️🤗

What is your natural rhythm in any given day?

Do you wake up at the same time each day?

Do you have a morning routine that fills your cup each day?

Do you have a nighttime routine that satisfies your nervous system to rest easily each night?

Do you find micro and macro moments each day when work feels effortless and time passes with joy, giving you more energy?

How would you define your superpower in this life?

We all have one...even if the experiences of life and the itty-bitty voices in your mind tell you otherwise...

We all have a superpower that when we find it, embrace it, nurture it, celebrate it and amplify it...we find a flow and a rhythm to life that accelerates our attraction of all the success, wealth and desire we dream of.

It's taken me a couple decades of intentional practice...and there are still days when I fall out of rhythm...to create a flow that serves me in all areas of my life. I'd love to accelerate that learning for you so that even in the midst of the craziness that inevitably happens, you've got this and you know exactly how to find and follow your unique flow.

Want to learn more? Stream this episode to join the conversation as we dive a little deeper into amplifying your superpower in the midst of this wild ride called life.

You can try to mandate what matters...

Yet most often it is met with resistance...

So how do we define, measure and hold others accountable for what matters most?

Humans thrive when they are connected to a greater purpose, engaged in meaningful work, and in an environment that leads with trust and safety, unifying a sense of progress on what matters most.

In John Doerr's book "Measure What Matters", he brilliantly layers in the foundational elements of a comprehensive, sustainable, positive culture with OKR's (objectives and key results) as the system to achieve increased productivity and innovation in any organization.

In its simplest form we can apply this wisdom to our daily lives at work or home:

Set your objective (or intention or vision).

List the important key results (milestones/ways you will know you are on the right track).

Set the dates of when you will achieve those milestones/results.

Layer in healthy communication (with yourself and others), aligned values (to ensure you and anyone else involved have the authentic buy-in and belief that this is in fact important and meaningful to you) and rewards...and you have the recipe for success.

It takes time and practice...AND the results make it all worth it!

How many of us are good planners? How often do we really have time to plan ahead?

As humans who live to serve others, it's why we wake up every day...we often feel as though the best laid plans get derailed. So then, why plan (says the itty bitty shitty committee in our brains)? 🤪

We all know that having a roadmap to follow helps us get to the destination we desire, whether that's an actual map to drive or fly or walk somewhere, or if that's a plan for how we will teach throughout our time with our students, or if it's a roadmap for how we want our life's journey to be.

And yet, it's not always easy to slow down long enough to actually put that plan together in a way that we feel in our bones that it is real and WILL HAPPEN.

This week in the Culture Playground Masterclass we are going to go through a simple structure to allow you to apply it to all areas of your life, your culture, your classroom and feel a sense of control and authentic resonance that your plan will be realized over the next 12 months. In 25 minutes I'm going to share with you the simplicity of designing, creating and living your life and your culture...ON PURPOSE!

Come Play, Learn & Grow in the Conscious Educator Playground! You'll be happy you did...& you may even take something with you that you can share with your students and your colleagues. :)

We can't wait to see you Thursday at 9 am PT! And remember if you can't make it live, please watch the recording at your convenience...it's only 25 minutes and I'm positive you'll walk away with at least one nugget you can use to your benefit.

What impact would you notice if we all showed up to communicate with the desire to create trusting, healthy relationships on purpose?

Do you believe it's possible?

My ever optimistic mind believes it is...AND that it will take time, practice and intention from all of us to create the spark and the ripple to make it happen.

We have the wisdom and the power to design, create and live our lives as we dream them to be. And it starts with our relationships, most importantly our relationship with ourself and those we spend the most time with.

Tune in as Sheeba and I discuss the cost of the lack of effective communication and trusting relationships in our schools, the ripple of impact that is has on all facets of our world and how we can take radical responsibility to change it one trust building conversation at a time.

When was the last time you took a deep dive into your current culture and experienced it with all of your senses?

Culture is the collective capacity of who we all show up as. The culture we experience is connected to our senses.

What's it like for you, your staff, those you serve to walk into your school, your office, your classroom (virtual or in person)?

This week in the Culture Playground we are diving into all of our senses to discuss the power we have to create our environments on purpose and the impact that has on all those who enter our spaces.

Ask those who come to visit what they experience...it's a beautiful window into designing, creating and living your CULTURE ON PURPOSE.

Tune in for a 25 minute deep dive conversation that will empower you to own each piece of your environment to create the experience you desire.

What are you proud of so far this year? Where are your opportunities for growth and learning?

What path are you on? Is it working for you? Is it aligned with your core values?

As I traveled though 7 different countries during my month of travel this summer I had a lot of time to notice the path I was on literally and figuratively. It helped me anchor in my core values in a deeper way than I had before, noticing in the micro-moments when I was in or out of alignment with each experience and being able to speak up for what was working or not working for me. Most of the time it was a subtle shift that allowed for the alignment, other times it was a "time-out" to recalibrate.

This Thursday we will be reigniting our Playground Masterclass at 4 pm PT streaming live in our Facebook group and posting the recording on our YouTube Channel AND our new Podcast channels!

I'd love for you to join us live if you can as we dive into a meaningful conversation of how to align your core values in the micro-moments, being intentional about the path you are on and choosing that path intentionally each day.

YOU GET TO CHOOSE IT, every day...

What path will you choose from here forward in your life?

Will you choose to stay more connected to your past or your future?

Will you choose to notice what is working for you or what isn't?

Will you choose to celebrate the micro-moments or nit-pick and judge them?

YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE! And that is a beautiful gift!

Celebrate YOU, every part of you...You're worth it!

Are you soooooo ready to take some time for YOU?!

It's time to nurture ourselves and reignite those simple routines that make the world of difference in how we show up each day. Those things that don't take a lot of time nor a lot of money, yet they have a big impact on our wellbeing and our interactions with those around us. 🤗

Join us for some inspiration and hacks to turning those simple things into sustainable healthy habits that become your new non-negotiables...because YOU MATTER FiRST!

Join me, my co-host Sheeba Rashada, and Elise Foster for our latest episode where we dive deep on Elise’s teachings and books as well as different types of leadership. Through talking about leadership we asked this one question: Why do some leaders amplify intelligence and some leaders drain it? 

Also, you'll get to hear Elise and Sheeba talk about how her teachings are applicable to Sheeba’s classroom and my work that I have used for the past 10 years. Loved getting to talk to these two brilliant women. Enjoy!

Are you soooooo ready to take some time for YOU?!

It's time to nurture ourselves and reignite those simple routines that make the world of difference in how we show up each day. Those things that don't take a lot of time nor a lot of money, yet they have a big impact on our wellbeing and our interactions with those around us. 🤗

Tune in for some inspiration and hacks to turning those simple things into sustainable healthy habits that become your new non-negotiables...because YOU MATTER FIRST!

In my sit down with Anthony White we discuss the impact of human first education and what educators can really do when they focus on each other and their students as people first and teaching second. Anthony has been an Assistant Principal for a little over two years, although he originally intended to be a lawyer with a bachelor’s in political science and history. Listen to hear Anthony's nuggets of wisdom as a Trusted Educator who came from a non-traditional background to lead an emerging performing arts magnet school in Las Vegas.

I had the pleasure of having a conversation with an educator who was at the top of my list to give a spotlight to: Lakeisha Young. 

She works as a high school Assistant Principal but has seen all sides of a school administration. 

Throughout our talk we had a common theme, authenticity and loyalty. Not only for others but for yourself first. We discussed the fact that we need to look at the whole human when it comes to students. 

I can’t wait to see what Lakeisha will continue to do with her career!

Are you tired of hearing people say the words self-care, take care of yourself, make time for yourself, ...and the list goes on?

...in a sea of overwhelming expectations these often feel like ONE MORE THING, one more expectation of what you "SHOULD" be doing!

While everyone is well meaning, these words don't often help with what we are truly needing right now.

Join us this week as we take a deep dive into what we are actually craving...beyond the well deserved time off...*on a private beach or in a secluded cabin ;)

We will talk about our hierarchy of needs and how to rewire our thoughts and nervous system responses to align with our own self advocacy and self regulation. We will learn together how to foster self respect through paying ourselves first so that we are operating from an abundant cup for those we live to serve.

In this conversation Suzie Serna and I talk about her journey from substitute teacher to assistant principal in the fifth largest school district in the country. We talk about empathy, connecting with students, and times where she questioned everything. Suzie is another example of how we can each live our lives ON PURPOSE!

How many of us are good planners? How often do we really have time to plan ahead?

As humans who live to serve others, it's why we wake up every day...we often feel as though the best laid plans get derailed. So then, why plan (says the itty bitty shitty committee in our brains)? 🤪

We all know that having a roadmap to follow helps us get to the destination we desire, whether that's an actual map to drive or fly or walk somewhere, or if that's a plan for how we will teach throughout our time with our students, or if it's a roadmap for how we want our life's journey to be.

And yet, it's not always easy to slow down long enough to actually put that plan together in a way that we feel in our bones that it is real and WILL HAPPEN.

This week in the Culture Playground Masterclass we are going to go through a simple structure to allow you to apply it to all areas of your life, your culture, your classroom and feel a sense of control and authentic resonance that your plan will be realized over the next 12 months. In 25 minutes I'm going to share with you the simplicity of designing, creating and living your life and your culture...ON PURPOSE!

So...I'm back in the dating world...YAY & UGH!

And it's got me thinking a lot about what/who we are attracted to, what/who is attracted to us, and how it works across all levels of who we are as humans and the choices we make.

Often we talk about attraction in the sense of what is visually appealing to us, and that is one element...the other which is where our power lies, in what we attract to us.

We attract a lot of things to us, some desired and some not so much...

What do you want to attract?

How do you attract what you desire?

Why is this important in the cultures we create?

We will dive into these questions and discuss the power of the things we are drawn to and the wisdom of how to draw in the things we desire.

We will dive into this flow and learn together how we can amplify more of what we do want in our schools vs consistently fighting what we don't want:

What is courage?

Why am I connecting it to culture?

We all have these moments where fear or anxiety or *insert emotion here* holds us back from saying
or doing what we know in our gut is the right thing to say or do. And how often do we wish we had the
courage to take the leap? How often can we look back at the times we did say the thing or take the
action and are proud of where it led?

No matter what your answers, courage is a part of our daily lives and in our working and learning
environments it is filled with moments to be courageous and grow beyond our fears to achieve what our
hearts, minds and gut instincts are telling us.

I hear you, I see you, I honor and acknowledge the courage it takes every day to show up and work your
a** off to make a difference in the lives of your families, students and colleagues.

And when we can accelerate the speed of courage, especially courageous conversations we can create
cultures we truly desire and can feel safe to be ourselves.

Join me this week as Sheeba & I welcome our special guest: Aleischa Coover, the incredible principal at
Imagine North Port who I have had the pleasure of working with for the past 4 years watching her lead with
courage and inspire her staff and students to do the same.

We all crave connection...some moments more than others. ;)

As someone who navigates the world as a highly sensitive person (HSP) as well as healing through my attachment traumas, I go through times of craving true authentic connection and other times when I need a serious dose of all by myselfness.

And I've learned that both ends of the spectrum and everything in between are all ok...the key is learning to communicate my needs and allowing others in my life an opportunity to feel connected through my authenticity of what is true for me in the moment. The balance is in allowing my nervous system to feel safe when I'm expressing my needs and not making the other person wrong for their needs if they happen to be different than mine.

There are so many layers to how we connect intentionally and in a meaningful way,

How do you know when you trust someone?

How do you know when they trust you?

How do you measure trust?

The word trust is used in so many ways, and yet when was the last time you slowed down your thoughts around what it really takes to trust and be trusted?

And, without it we have no authenticity, no freedom, no safety, etc.

We are taking a deep dive into how we build and grow trust...On Purpose. And why it matters most in the micro-moments.

As many of you know I'm back to my #citydating adventures this week visiting more towns in the New England area...it's so beautiful here, even in the winter!

The past couple of years for me has been filled with several big life changes; pivoting my business to 75% online, ending an engagement, moving, buying my home with the intent of "reverse empty nestering" my son, my son graduating high school, and now planning to move to a city I fall in love with.

And through it all this word belonging has been coming up:

Where do I belong...

What does belonging mean...

How does one know when we belong...

Creating environments and lasting cultures where all members (old and new and everywhere in between) feel like they belong is about designing it that way...AND teaching everyone how to settle in and trust that they belong.

Tune in and learn how to tap into your intuitive sense of belonging and how to create the cultures of belonging for all those you serve!

We all crave to belong somewhere, to know our place in the universe, to know our people and to feel seen, heard and valued amongst those people.

Yet for many of us this mostly unconscious fear of not belonging, not being accepted, not being included, not being seen, heard or valued is driving the bus of our thoughts, words and actions on a daily basis.

And that voice, that fear in the drivers seat of our lives prevents us from leaning in...leaning in to be seen, to be heard, to be valued for the unique amazing humans we are at our core.

Cultures that are inclusive, that are safe for us to show up as our unique weird selves, that allow us to feel accepted don't happen with just one activity or one benefit or one training. These environments take time to design, create and grow.

Tune in and dive into the critical pieces that create the foundations for these cultures to grow in all aspects of your life. They don't happen on accident...they happen On Purpose!

So much of our world is out of balance right now!...that might be the understatement of the century! *facepalm*

And yet we all seem to be chasing some version of balance in our lives. But what is balance?

What does it look like?

What does it feel like?

How do we know when we have it?

& How can we keep it when we find it?

I like to think of it as a dance vs something to catch or arrive at...it helps my sanity and it resonates with my soul in fueling my "I'm enough exactly where I am" bucket. And since I love music, finding my rhythm or my flow feels so much more attainable (even though I am no where near a professional dancer...I prefer to simply move in ways that feel good to me). ;)

Which is all why this week's episode will be about how to find your natural rhythm and the version of balance that resonates with YOU! Because you are worth it and YOU MATTER!

What is courage?

Why am I connecting it to culture?

We all have these moments where fear or anxiety or *insert emotion here* holds us back from saying or doing what we know in our gut is the right thing to say or do. And how often do we wish we had the courage to take the leap? How often can we look back at the times we did say the thing or take the action and are proud of where it led?

No matter what your answers, courage is a part of our daily lives and in our working and learning environments it is filled with moments to be courageous and grow beyond our fears to achieve what our hearts, minds and gut instincts are telling us.

I hear you, I see you, I honor and acknowledge the courage it takes every day to show up and work your a** off to make a difference in the lives of your families, students and colleagues.

And when we can accelerate the speed of courage, especially courageous conversations we can create cultures we truly desire and can feel safe to be ourselves.

Join us on this episode as Sheeba & I welcome our special guest: Aleischa Coover, the incredible principal at Imagine North Port who I have had the pleasure of working with for the past 4 years watching her lead with courage and inspire her staff and students to do the same.

As most of you know if you are following me on social I am on a bit of an adventure exploring different cities in the US looking for a new home base.

Super exciting and a little scary! For the first time since I chose which college to go to over 25 years ago I am allowing myself the freedom to choose what's next for this next chapter of my life as an empty nester.

Which leads to one of the reasons I chose the topic for this week's episode to be "How To Create A Culture of Safety". With so much uncertainty in the world it's vital to create environments that allow us to thrive. We will dive into the framework of the culture of safety and how you can implement these frameworks in all aspects of your workplace and life.

Holy bananas this year is already a doozy!!!

I got the "lesson" of slowing down due to being sick with COVID over the new year and the past couple of weeks (Thankfully, I am finally back feeling like myself this week!)...and it gave me a lot of time to ponder life and what is really important!

AND it's my connection to you! My ability to be in community with so many incredible educators and edupreneurs who are working tirelessly to make a difference each and every day despite being burnt out and overwhelmed and sick and tired and...and...and......YOU keep showing up and doing the work you were meant to do to make the difference you were born to make each and every day!

With that, I have decided to launch an E-P-I-C podcast channel to connect with YOU and this amazing community of conscious educators!

I've been missing you all over the past year that we haven't been meeting weekly so I've brought back the rhythm that allows us all to ignite our inner spark and create the change we want to see in the world!

And I promise to keep it short, relevant and impactful!

Each week we will cover topics that will give you the nuggets you all tell me you love, that give you the pep in your step to keep flowing through all the craziness that happens throughout the week.

Our topic this week is: Canceling The Hustle Culture

We will take a deep dive into why this type of culture is so addicting to our nervous systems and what we can do to change that unconscious patterning that no longer serves us, nor our students.

Why should you tune in to the Conscious Educator Playground Podcast Channel?