The Bright Morning Podcast with Elena Aguilar

Effectively responding to racism requires you to act with a clear purpose. In this episode of our What to Say When You Hear Something Racist limited series, Elena shares a process for you to get clear on your purpose for saying something, including the five categories of purposes you’ll likely be drawing from.  Mentioned in this Episode: Download your "What to Say When You Hear Something Raci...

Elena shares her simple framework for responding to racism and demonstrates how she recently put it into action while antiquing (because unfortunately, racism is everywhere).  Mentioned on this episode:  The Conscious Competence Ladder: Understanding the Learning Journey (Free tool)  Download your "What to Say When You Hear Something Racist" Guide The 3 Ps framework: Purpose Power Possib...

“We can’t go forward unless we look backwards”  In today’s episode, Elena shares the three vital reflection questions you must ask and answer for yourself as you reckon with your own history of experiencing racism. This reckoning is the fourth and final foundational element to prepare you to respond effectively when you hear something racist.  Mentioned on this episode:  The Art of Coaching (retir...

How can people build knowledge around what racism is and build the accompanying skillset to identify racism in our daily lives?  Today Elena is joined by her teammate, LesLee Bickford, to explore this question first through story-telling and then through unraveling the many steps along a learning journey. Mentioned on this episode:  Coaching for Equity  Download your "What to Say When You Hea...

In the second episode of our new, “What to Say When You Hear Something Racist” series, Elena shares the next step you must take if you want to skillfully respond to racism: engage with your own emotions.  There is no way that we are going to transform our schools, our communities and our world without encountering emotions. Today Elena is sharing the three steps that will prevent our emotions from...

In the first episode of our new, “What to Say When You Hear Something Racist” series, Elena shares the first step you must take if you want to skillfully respond to racism: deepening your understanding of your own identity.  When you know yourself, you'll be able to better understand when you are inclined to step up and take action, or when you might be tempted to step away from something cha...

Today Elena is dropping into your feed to introduce a new limited series we’ll be sharing during the months of February and March, 2022: What to Say When You Hear Something Racist.  Listen in today to hear more about what to expect, and then tune-in on Monday for the first full episode!  Mentioned in this Episode: Download your "What to Say When You Hear Something Racist" Guide Visit htt...

Here’s the secret to ending the year feeling fulfilled and accomplished: reflect and adjust along the way.  If you’ve set a goal or an intention for this year, or if you’ve identified a word to guide you, then you don’t want to miss this episode. Today, as we continue our January series designed to set you up to have a fantastic year, Elena shares the end of month routine you need to help you fulf...

Do you struggle with decision making fatigue?  Do you want to make decisions with confidence, knowing they are aligned with what matters most and will support your vision and goals for the life you want to live?  If so, listen in today as Elena shares the three step decision-making process that will help set you up to live with intention and thrive this year.  As a bonus, this process is one you c...

What do you need to quit in order to stay?  This week we continue our January episodes focused on helping you get set-up to have a fantastic year. Today Bright Morning COO and podcast producer, LesLee Bickford, joins me and we dive into the juiciest question I’m asking and answering so far in 2022. You’ll hear where this question came from, how we’re currently answering it, and how this question w...

Are you starting the day in a way that serves you and sets you up to have your needs met?  How you spend the first part of your day sets the tone for the day. And how you spend your day is how you spend your life.  If you want to take a more intentional approach to 2022, start with your morning routine.  In today’s episode, Elena pulls back the curtain on why routines matter, considerations for cr...

Have you been dreading the first day back to work after the break?  Or are you feeling refreshed and looking forward to the year to come…while feverishly hoping you can maintain that energy and optimism?  In this first episode of season 7 of the podcast, we’re focusing on the feelings that come up when you return to work after some time away and how you can get your needs met on a more regular bas...

Would you benefit from an infusion of energy, healing and joy?  That is what we’re hoping to provide you with today’s episode - a replay of one of our favorite How to Feel Better resilience strategies: make and create. This topic feels very timely as many of us head into a break where we (hopefully!) have a little more space to slow down and get in touch with our needs. More time to find some spac...

In today’s episode, Elena becomes the coach in your ear, providing some guidance for how you can think about winter break to ensure it serves you and your needs.  The 2021-2022 school year has been a beast for educators everywhere. This is your time to center your needs, and Elena is here to help you do just that.   Visit https://brightmorningteam.com/podcasts/ for links to everything we mention o...

This is an episode you won’t want to miss. Today Elena is joined by her co-author, Lori Cohen, to give you a sneak peek into their forthcoming book: The PD Book: 7 Habits that Transform Professional Development.  The book isn’t releasing until May 2022, so for the next five months this episode is the only place you’ll be able to hear about:   10 strategies to shift a mood The 4 questions that shou...

Are you interested in strengthening your leadership muscles to support your teammates in engaging in healthy conflict?  Are you conflict averse but want to get better at sharing your needs?  If so, this episode is for you.  Listen in to hear Elena and Bright Morning teammate, Lori Cohen, discuss what makes engaging in conflict challenging for many people, how to strengthen your muscles to engage i...

How do you support a client when they are working at capacity and still feeling like a failure because the demands are never ending and time is finite?  How do you support a client who has transitioned into a new role and is suddenly experiencing the disorienting reality of being a beginner again?  And how do you do that all in the midst of a global pandemic?  Today’s coaching conversation provide...

How can we bring some creativity and levity to our coaching conversations? What about helping our clients access their needs? Or connecting them to their power?    In this fourth and final episode of our special four-part First 5 Minutes series, Elena will walk you through how to do just that with one question that opens up your next coaching conversation.  In addition to providing you with a new...

How do you kindle a sense of power and agency in your coachee when they are feeling deflated or overwhelmed?   In this third episode of our special four-part First 5 Minutes series, Elena will walk you through how to do just that with one question that opens up your next coaching conversation.  In addition to providing you with a new question each week, Elena also walks through how to introduce th...

How can we instill our clients with confidence in their potential to learn and grow?  In this second edition of our special four-part First 5 Minutes series, Elena will walk you through how to do just that with one question that opens up your next coaching conversation.  In addition to providing you with a new question each week, Elena also walks through how to introduce this new type of question,...

Today’s episode is the first in our special four-part First 5 Minutes series. These short episodes will provide you with all you need to know to incorporate one resilience-boosting question to use in your conversations. In addition to providing you with a new question each week, Elena also walks through how to introduce this new type of question, models what that might look like, pulls back the cu...

Does your life feel like it’s one checklist after another? Are you feeling unbalanced with your energy being spent only on what must get done and not pursuits that fill you up? If so, this is the episode for you.  Today we’re kicking off Season 5 of the podcast with some Quarterly Wisdom from Elena. Tune in to hear about an energizing practice that will support you in connecting in meaningful ways...

Today's episode is a Coaches' Corner episode where you have the opportunity to be guided by Elena in your own "coaching" session. Today Elena walks you through five essential questions to assess your resilience reserves. This episode is for you if:  You're experiencing   irritation, resentment, caring less about things or shame. You appreciate time and space to reflect on...

This week we are replaying an earlier coaching conversation with Kathrina Mendez, a teacher in California we first met in episode 2 .  This was the second coaching conversation between Elena and Kathrina. In it Elena uses the ACE framework discussed in last week’s episode as she supported Kathrina in her quest for growing self-compassion and implementing power doses of self-care.  If you haven’t a...