Barbara Gruener is an author, school counsellor, and educator who has been in education for over 30 years. She has just written a book called Mr. Quigley’s Keys which has won several awards and is highly acclaimed throughout the education community…
Dr. Kristin Neff is an author, a professor at the university of texas at Austin, and is one of the foremost experts in self-compassion in the world. She and I talked about the self-compassion inventory, the difference between self-indulgence and…
Laurie McIntosh is an amazing change-making educator in Alberta who goes by @mrsmacskinders on the socials. She has made waves on the podcast with her previous appearances, discussing her unique and magical approaches to creating a sense of community…
Dr. Michele Borba is a psychologist, educator, and the author of several books geared at promoting thriving and well-being in children. She blew my socks off during our interview with the number of the strategies she offered, her charismatic way, and…
It’s tough to feel things slipping. Being positive doesn’t mean you deny yourself authentic feelings of anger, frustration, exhaustion, and apathy. Being positive isn’t about faking your way through the day. When things are tough, positivity is about…
Be attentive to how you feel spending time with people. Energy exchange is real. Be deliberate about inviting more positive people into your life and deleting those who drain you of your light. Surround yourself with the dreamers, feelers, and those…
Life cannot be lived in one dimension. We have to accept (and even embrace) the beautiful paradox that presents itself in every circumstance:
For there to be joy, there must be room for pain.
For there to be happiness, there must be space for…
Although it might seem scary at first, don’t let fear stop you from living life differently that you’re used to. Sometimes, shaking things up can be the best gift to yourself. At the very least, you’ll learn something.
There is no shortage of knowledge. We live in an age of knowledge abundance.
What’s important is our ability to curate the knowledge in such a way that it enables our forward momentum.
What’s feeding your thoughts?
What you surround yourself with…
Boundaries are the signposts that inform people how you wish to be treated. You don’t owe people more than you’re willing to give. Ever. Love yourself enough to establish your boundaries and stand confidently behind them.
Fierce self-compassion is about saying yes to you and no to others. It’s the bravest, most generous thing you can do because through your actions, you’ll lead others to create healthy boundaries for themselves. Say yes to you!
Life has a funny way of working out in the end. If you’re in a place of struggle or pain right now, recognize that it’s not the end. You’re in the messy middle and it won’t always feel like this.
Creativity is our truest human expression. Everyone has the capacity for it. We are all creative. The more we play, the more we can access our own creativity. Playfulness is an essential part of feeding our souls.
You are magnetic when you are being the truest version of you. Be more of that. Be less of what the world tells you to be. Trust, believe, internalize that who you are is enough.
Every day is an invitation to live life with intention. The narrative we craft around our experiences influence our overall perception of that experience. We can choose to lament the past or we can step boldly into the future, intentionally seeking…
Seth Godin has written over 20 bestselling books, has been named a marketing guru on a global scale, writes a daily blog that has over 7 million readers, hosts the Akimbo podcast, runs workshops including the Alt MBA and has inspired people to…
This is hands-down the best journal prompt you’ll ever have to gain clarity and give you a sense of purpose when you’re feeling a little lost.
Enjoy part five of my summer self-care series.
Don’t forget to follow my social media on…
Did you know that there are only 6 universal needs that essential control our actions, thoughts, feelings, and desires? We can meet these needs positively or negatively. All we need to do is unlock the key to understanding ourselves and others to…
Often, we forget to see failure as a gift, a feather in our cap. Listen to a little taste of how I transformed one of my most heartbreaking failures, into a blessing!
Enjoy part three of my summer self-care series.
Don’t forget to follow my social…
It’s easy to get stuck in the hard times. Instead, cultivate your own sense of joy, with a joylist!
Enjoy part two of my summer self-care series.
Don’t forget to follow my social media on @smallactbigimpact or www.smallactbigimpact.com
Sometimes, it’s hard to get comfortable with uncertainty. But… here are a few ways that you can recalibrate, when your future seems foggy.
Enjoy part one of my summer self-care series.
Don’t forget to follow my social media on @smallactbigimpact…
Laurie is a mama to 3, wife of 1 and kindergarten teacher to many. She currently teaches a full day, full time kindergarten program for Holy Spirit School Division in Lethbridge, Alberta. Laurie is known as @mrsmacskinders on Instagram and Twitter…
SHARING MY STORY – About Barbara
Growing up on my family’s dairy farm in Wayside, Wisconsin, I learned what it meant to work hard and make a living off the land. My parents always welcomed people into our home including foreign exchange students and…
The question we ask ourselves is – how can we make this happen? What exactly is “effective literacy instruction”?
Reading Power and Writing Power are meta-cognitive approaches to reading and writing instruction grounded in research and developed to…
The question we ask ourselves is – how can we make this happen? What exactly is “effective literacy instruction”?
Reading Power and Writing Power are meta-cognitive approaches to reading and writing instruction grounded in research and developed to…
Dr. Stuart Shanker
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
We are in the midst of a scientific paradigm-revolution in our understanding of the effects of excessive stress on behaviour, social-emotional development, intelligence, empathy, motivation, and…
Dr. Kang is passionate about providing science-based tools that optimize the power of the human brain. She is the founder of Dolphin Kids: Future-Ready Leaders, CEO of Spark Mindset App, and host of the YouTube show; “Mental Wealth with Dr. Shimi…
Listen as I speak with Stephen Shedletsky, one of the primary speakers from Simon Sinek’s Start With Why company. He talks about motivation, starting with why, and clarifies the difference between “nice” and kind.
Check out my website at…
What does it mean to be kind? How do we show up for one another in authentic ways? Why is kindness so challenging? Join me as I speak with Houston Kraft about kindness and how to bring it to the forefront.
Check in with me at smallactbigimpact.com…
Listen in as I interview Gender Inclusion Specialist, Kingsley Strudwick about the ways that we can create more inclusive workspaces and learning places.
What does it mean to be resilient? How can some of our experiences give us anchors to survive and bounce forward in the face of adversity? Join me as I speak to Dr. Jacqueline McAdam about the topic of resilience.
One of my proud moments when I interviewed the one-and-only Seth Godin. Although I interviewed him before Covid-19 hit, so much of his wisdom can inform the choices we make and the approaches we take around what school is for and some of the practices…
It’s simple but not always easy to practice self-care. I’ve outlined some of the easy ways that you can create your own self-care bucket list. I’ve even included my own list. You’ll probably be surprised by some of the things on my list. I can’t wait…
In this episode, I take you though the four ways we make memories and how trauma can impact your ability to make, keep, and retrieve memories. Also, I talk about the practice of building a robust positive memory bank upon which you can draw gratitude…
Raphael (Didier) Vincent from Port-Au Prince Haiti, grew up as the middle child in a family of five brothers. The family left Haiti when he was at the age of 10, arriving in Victoria in the spring of 2008.
Growing up, Raphael was inspired by his…
Why you should listen
Dr. Nadia Lopez is pioneering a path of inspired leadership. The founding principal of Mott Hall Bridges Academy, a New York City Public School, Lopez became a viral sensation after one of her students was featured on the popular…
Monique believes that Love is Medicine.
Monique Gray Smith is a proud mom of twins, an award-winning, best-selling author and sought after consultant. Monique’s first published novel, Tilly: A Story of Hope and Resilience won the 2014 Burt Award for…
Linda Cliatt-Wayman is a renowned education leader with an unwavering belief in the potential of all children. She uses her decades of experience to move educational leaders from knowledge to practice in ways that are transformative for children…
School Leadership Expert
One of the most sought-after school leadership experts and education presenters in America, Principal Kafele is impacting America’s schools! He has delivered over two thousand conference and program keynotes, professional…
Adam has been a teacher, Principal, Director of Innovation for a district with 35,000 students and enjoys pushing the envelope to always do what’s best for kids! Adam is passionate about technology integration with all educators and a huge advocate of…
A letter to my children…that I actually read to myself, once in a while to remind myself of what’s up.
Also…how to hold two paradoxical thoughts simultaneously…and how it’s more common than you might think.
In this host-on-mic (that’s me) episode, I explore some of the science of trauma, co-regulation, and how our brain launches us into fight, flight or freeze.
I also explore my recently released 21-Days of (Covid-Friendly) Kindness for any teacher,…
A special, Mother’s Day Episode dedicated to resilience, moving forward and what can we do to overcome a problem?
David Jay aka The Dope Educator is a fifth grade educator-rockstar from Memphis Tennessee. The 32 year old started gaining the attention of the masses including Access Hollywood, good morning America, and top podcasts for his groundbreaking approaches…
Live the life you want to be living by stepping into the 4 Cs: Chill and Recharge, Connect, Compass, and Create.
I take you through the step-by-step exercises and journalling prompts that will help you lead a more balanced life as an educator,…
Practice some of the KindSight 101 strategies, meditations, and tactics to help you be more self-compassionate, more altruistic and generous in your assumptions about others, and to truly step into the life you hope to have by bouncing back from…
Dr. Jody Carrington (child psychologist and author of Kids These Days) talks to me about the Corona Virus pandemic and what we can do to get a grip during this uncertain rollercoaster ride.
Listen as she outlines how we can:
-navigate the topsy…
Child psychologist, Dr. Shimi Kang (author of The Tech Solution and The Dolphin Parent) explains how to navigate this uncertain times during the Covid-19 pandemic. We cover a lot of ground and here are a few ideas she shares with us:
-the three…
In this unprecedented time of distance learning due to Covid-19, Trevor Mackenzie takes us through how to plan for your students remotely. He shares:
-the most important things to keep in mind before planning even begins
-his favourite platforms that…
Sharon and I discuss how to overcome perfectionism, how to set realistic goals, how to overcome the tough stuff in your life, and how to support those going through difficult challenges.
Plus, she gives you the three main steps you need to rebuild…
Tables are turned when I get interviewed by Teresa Quinlan and Rhys Thomas on the TNT ESQ Leadership Podcast.
Here, I talk about:
-The origin of the Small Act Big Impact Kindness challenge
-The small ways we can take steps to making a big impact,…
Scott Perry is the ceo of Creative on Purpose, which helps people like you see and step into possibility in endeavors that make a difference. I met him as a coach on Seth Godin’s Akimbo workshops and was struck by his generosity, work ethic, and…
In this episode, Dr. Rick Capaldi and I explore some of the main concepts in his new book, 21st Century Parenting: A Guide to Raising Emotionally Resilient Children in an Unstable World. We talk about:
-Developing a parenting GPS
-The Three R’s of…
Monique Gray Smith is a mixed heritage woman of Cree, Lakota and Scottish ancestry and a proud Mom of fifteen year old twins. She is an award-winning, best-selling author and sought after consultant. Some of her books include: Tilly: A Story of Hope…
This is part two of my interview with Kristin Wiens.
Today, we focus on her work with activist and musician, Raffi, talking about the 9 principles of child-honouring, exploring her collaborative online course with him, and highlighting her beautiful…
Have you ever wondered which small shifts in your classroom practice could make the most impact? In Part One of my interview with Inclusion Coach, Kristin Wiens, we discuss the transformative and creative use of visuals in the classroom including…
We discuss how the concept of child-honouring came to Raffi in a dream, how his earliest memories as a child in Egypt then as an immigrant to Canada framed his passion for inclusion and diversity, how important it is to care for those in our culture…
Are you feeling stressed?
Have you beat up on yourself lately?
Take a self-compassion break with my friend, Lisa Baylis. I guarantee you’ll be feeling restored and rejuvenated after this.
In our conversation, we discuss the one tweak we can all make to transform our educational learning spaces and businesses, the responsibilities every leader has in an organization, how to rethink antiquated approaches to leadership, and how to measure…
Practice some of the KindSight 101 strategies, meditations, and tactics to help you be more self-compassionate, more altruistic and generous in your assumptions about others, and to truly step into the life you hope to have by bouncing back from…
Have you ever wondered what the number one predictor for high-achieving teams was? What about optimizing the brain’s most basic neurochemicals to live a happier life? Did you know that there are three main ingredients to create belonging in the work…
Practice some of the KindSight 101 strategies, meditations, and tactics to help you be more self-compassionate, more altruistic and generous in your assumptions about others, and to truly step into the life you hope to have by bouncing back from…
Raphael Vincent a Haitian-born artist and activist based out of Victoria, British Columbia, who celebrates the concept of strength through unity in order to bring a sense of belonging and identity to school-aged students through the creation of…
Practice some of the KindSight 101 strategies, meditations, and tactics to help you be more self-compassionate, more altruistic and generous in your assumptions about others, and to truly step into the life you hope to have by bouncing back from…
Have you ever dreamed of a doing extraordinary things with your life but haven’t known where to start? Amy Perkins, an educator and teacher coach turned entrepreneur and influencer, walked away from a 25 year career and an overwhelming sense of…
Practice some of the KindSight 101 strategies, meditations, and tactics to help you be more self-compassionate, more altruistic and generous in your assumptions about others, and to truly step into the life you hope to have by bouncing back from…
Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a the kind of educational leader that nurtures excellence while building a powerful sense of community?
I’ve got another gem for you today…the one and only Jimmy Casas!
In our wide-ranging conversation,…
Practice some of the KindSight 101 strategies, meditations, and tactics to help you be more self-compassionate, more altruistic and generous in your assumptions about others, and to truly step into the life you hope to have by bouncing back from…
Have you ever wanted to know the secret to truly achieving success? How to create rapport in less than one minute?
What about rethinking your personal brand-everyone has one (you can either be intentional about it or let someone else create it for…
Practice some of the KindSight 101 strategies, meditations, and tactics to help you be more self-compassionate, more altruistic and generous in your assumptions about others, and to truly step into the life you hope to have by bouncing back from…
Have you ever wondered what it takes to overcome a pivotal career crisis like getting fired? Well, my accomplished guest takes us through the 4 steps to creating confidence in the face of catastrophe. She also tells us the keys of closing a sale, a…
Practice some of the KindSight 101 strategies, meditations, and tactics to help you be more self-compassionate, more altruistic and generous in your assumptions about others, and to truly step into the life you hope to have by bouncing back from…
It turns out being a magician is pretty similar to being a teacher. In this episode, Brian Miller and I explore tactical ways to create connection with people in such a way that we can serve the world more fully. Have you ever struggled to remember…
Practice some of the KindSight 101 strategies, meditations, and tactics to help you be more self-compassionate, more altruistic and generous in your assumptions about others, and to truly step into the life you hope to have by bouncing back from…
If you are an educator, school administrator, parent, camp counsellor, or employer, chances are you’ve had experience with challenging behaviours.
So often, we focus on crisis-management and behaviour-modification to attempt to make challenging…
Practice some of the KindSight 101 strategies, meditations, and tactics to help you be more self-compassionate, more altruistic and generous in your assumptions about others, and to truly step into the life you hope to have by bouncing back from…
We talk about self-care non-stop these days, but certainly, it has to be more than bubble baths and pedicures. In this episode, Lisa and I explore the three research-based components to self-care, the importance of getting intentional with your…
Practice some of the KindSight 101 strategies, meditations, and tactics to help you be more self-compassionate, more altruistic and generous in your assumptions about others, and to truly step into the life you hope to have by bouncing back from…
Kindness has the power to change even the toughest class!
Allie Apels is a mother of two, a wife, kindergarten teacher, and Sensei to her KINDergarten Kindness Ninjas based out of Airdrie Alberta, Canada. She is passionate about empowering her…
Practice some of the KindSight 101 strategies, meditations, and tactics to help you be more self-compassionate, more altruistic and generous in your assumptions about others, and to truly step into the life you hope to have by bouncing back from…
I wanted to have Dan Buchner onto KindSight 101 to talk about the ways that innovation, leadership and learning interconnect within this global world and the ways that edcuators can foster environments that encourage creative thinking vs. compliance….
Practice some of the KindSight 101 strategies, meditations, and tactics to help you be more self-compassionate, more altruistic and generous in your assumptions about others, and to truly step into the life you hope to have by bouncing back from…
With the recent popularity of sketchnoting in schools, I wanted to have her on the show to talk about the different ways that we can use visuals to tell a compelling story about ourselves and our students. We learn the three life lessons that can help…