Mindful Living With Athea Davis

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode I’m talking about education, policy, and purpose. My special guest today is Dee Dubose. Dee is an educator, organizer, and advocate for effective K-12 schools. Born in rural Alabama, Dee’s educational journey was impacted by both federal, state, and local policies that limited his overall school experience. With that at the center of his work, he has spent the last five years gaining insight as a classroom teacher at KIPP Texas and speaking out as an organizer with One Houston in Houston, Texas. In this way, he hopes to use these stories and experiences in his work as he is starting his dual Ph.D in Education Policy + K-12 Administration at Michigan State University. With this additional context, he envisions working with students, families, and leaders as a district leader to bring about effective research-based practices inside rural schools. Connect with Dee Dubose

Happy Day, Friend! In this podcast episode, I’m talking about how to build healthy, positive, and long-lasting relationships that bring joy and fulfillment to your life, and the lives of those you're relating with. Whether you’re a teacher, leader, parent, or business owner, you’re gonna want to tune into this one because in these roles authentic relationships are key to the success of your family or organization. Relationship building is complex and multi-layered. The most authentic relationships begin with you, and connecting with others from a more balanced internal state. I hope you gain tons of value from the episode. If so, please share with your people. Let's learn, grow, and glow together

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about how to prepare our kids for an unknown future by helping them focus on and develop skills for their “future self”. My special guest today is Shannon Cox. Shannon currently serves as the 12th Montgomery County Educational Service Center Superintendent, in the organization’s history and is their first female superintendent. Her role includes working directly with and advocating for all 16 public school districts in Montgomery County. As the educational leader for the county, she works with various leaders across city/county government, and other public sectors. Shannon was featured as a TEDxDayton speaker, where she gave her TED Talk on “Future Self”. Shannon has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Dayton, where she taught various workshop classes and Educational Leadership courses. Shannon and I talk about: ~ her journey into education; ~ what keeps her inspired to stay in education despite the massive exodus of teachers; ~ th

Happy Day, Friend! In this podcast episode, I’m sharing some of my go-to strategies that I’ve personally used when I received a big “No!” while on the path to achieving my big, scary goals. These strategies have helped me keep going in the face of hearing that soul crushing “No!” and to finally get to the “Yes!” that I was striving towards. I talk about the mindfulness practice of detachment. While working on our goals, it’s important to have a vision of what we are trying to obtain, but it’s equally important to not be attached to any specific results. I know this is a tough one! Be with what you are doing, but stay detached from any specific outcome. This practice will serve you well when you get little or big “Nos” on your own goal journey. I’m giving you 4 (four) strategies that can help you re-frame these challenging moments in your life, and give you the fuel you need to keep going. They’ve helped me stay the course, and I hope they help you as well. Remember, any big, scary goal you take on is about en

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about how to successfully share your ideas. My special guest today is Martine Thomassen. Martine Thomassen is a marketing and mindset coach. She has a masters degree in digital marketing and a decade of experience in the industry. Working with clients, she discovered that the real reason for succeeding in marketing was not being technically savvy or doing lots of market research. She developed the concept "Holistic Marketing", which not only focuses on marketing strategy, but the client as a whole human being. She helps her clients navigate through perfectionism, imposter syndrome, procrastination, niche drama and limiting beliefs to become confident on social media and attract more clients organically.  Martine and I talk about: ~ her journey into holistic marketing; ~ what holistic marketing is and why you want to know about it (because sharing your ideas makes a difference for others); ~ how to shift your inner narrative about marketi

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about how you can let go of limiting beliefs, rewrite your inner narrative, and start living more joy, success and peace of mind. My special guest today is Hector Marcel, the president of Three Jewels, the New York-based global “Enlightenment Studio” dedicated to helping people reach their highest potential through meditation, yoga, public talks and community outreach. He is a social entrepreneur, public speaker and seasoned organizational change management professional specializing in performance, culture, and service. Hector consults from his base in New York City to a variety of international clients, integrating eastern philosophy into corporate culture and modern life. He serves on the board of the Asian Classics Institute. Hector has been studying and practicing Tibetan Buddhism for 25 years and believes that meditation opens the door to every personal achievement.Hector and I talk about: ~ his journey into meditation and mindfulness; ~ how

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about student life, culture, and well-being in my student voices series, Part 2. My special guest today is 8th grade middle school student, Starr K. I had the honor of teaching Starr in our yoga + mindfulness classes at KIPP Journey for two years and I’m so thrilled to highlight her voice and story on the show today. Starr K. is an 8th grader currently attending KIPP Journey Collegiate. She was formally introduced to mindfulness in the 3rd grade, and ever since she has found many ways to use mindfulness in difficult situations. She spends her time doing gymnastics, or you might see her reading a book about mental health or historical fiction. Ever since Starr was in the 5th grade, she has had a passion for social studies and has been curious about what actually happened in history and not just what is seen in the textbooks. Most of all Starr has the propensity to be great and to be a star! Starr and I talk about: ~ current stressors in student lif

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about student life, culture, and well-being in my student voices series, Part 1. My special guest today is 7th grade middle school student, Charles O. I had the honor of teaching Charles in our yoga + mindfulness classes at KIPP Journey for two years and I’m so thrilled to highlight his voice and story on the show today. Charles O. Jr. is a 7th grader currently attending KIPP Journey Collegiate. He was formally introduced to mindfulness in 5th grade, and he has practiced it in some form ever since, whether it be in the academic setting or beyond the classroom. He enjoys reading books, particularly those centered around historical fiction. He also has a passion for mathematics. Most of all though, he understands the pressure that accompanies a perpetual striving for excellence. Charles and I talk about: ~ what it’s like to be a middle school student in the world today; ~ how mindfulness, yoga, and meditation are helping him navigate many aspects of

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about how to get what you want out of your life and your goals, get past the inevitable “Nos”, and finally get to the resounding “YES!”My special guest today is mindfulness educator and life coach, Christy Land. While she has been in education for 11 years as a high school teacher, she learned that there was something missing not only in her own life, but the lives of her students. She started exploring with mindfulness first in her personal life, then started experimenting with it in the classroom 5 years ago and has seen a dramatic shift in herself, in her classroom environment and in her students.Christy creates and teaches online courses for educators to support them in escaping teacher burnout and how to implement a mindfulness practice into their personal lives and in their classrooms.She is passionate about teaching the whole child through implementing mindfulness and trauma informed practices. And in addition to the many hats she holds, sh

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about what you and your kids need to know about the college admissions process and how your teens can navigate college with more clarity and purpose. My special guests this week are Beth and Greg Langston, creators of the College Flight Plan, a digital program to help teens clarify their values, strengths, goals, and purpose to gain acceptance to college and graduate in four (4) years. For the last twenty years (20) years, Beth and Greg have empowered students to master their self-discovery, allowing them to successfully activate their life’s purpose. Beth, who graduated from Purdue University in Education, has guided hundreds of high school students worldwide to navigate the dreaded college application process with tremendous success. Greg also graduated from Purdue’s Krannert School of Business. Greg pursued an international business career which allowed him to mentor hundreds of young professionals while leading businesses over $1 billion and w

Happy Day, Friend! In this podcast episode, I’m giving you some tips to get a little more control over those pesky negative thoughts and emotions you might be experiencing. This episode is a follow-up to an episode I did a while back. It was one of my top 5 podcast episodes of all times. I definitely recommend you listen to that episode. You can listen to Controlling Our Thoughts and Emotions (Part 1) on Ep. 49. I hope my tips help you bring awareness to your own negative feedback loop in your mind so you can shift it and begin creating a positive feedback loop. It will help you drive out limiting beliefs and create more empowering ones so you can live your magic and your special spark out in the world. Remember, the world needs your gifts in action. If you have any questions, thoughts, or comments I would love to hear from you: connect with me on social media @atheadavis!   And, don’t forget to subscribe so you can stay tuned in to all the mindful living love.Stay connected

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about discovering your inner spark.   My special guest this week is Jessica Mougis, the creator and host of The Kids Yoga Podcast, a podcast about all things kids yoga! Jessica Mougis has been working with children and families since she graduated from Connecticut College in 2007. She began by teaching creative movement, ballet and modern dance. In 2009 she took a brief hiatus and followed her dream of attending film school in Sedona, AZ. There she had the honor of winning the Pinnacle Award for Best Director. Upon moving to NYC, Jessica realized how much she missed working with children and knowing the impact yoga had on her own life, she began teaching children's yoga. As Director of Programs of Yogi Beans, she taught yoga and mindfulness to thousands of children in schools and studios around NYC. She also trained adults to teach yoga to children both nationally and internationally. She is 200-hour Vinyasa Yoga certified through Laughing Lo

Happy Day, Friend! In this podcast episode, I’m sharing a self-reflection practice to help you start your new year from a place of balance and alignment instead of operating on autopilot.  Christina Sell taught me this practice several years ago. I also had her on the podcast a couple of years ago to talk about yoga and what it means to live a life of wholeness and freedom. You can check out our conversation (note: we don’t talk about the self-reflection practice on that episode) on Ep. 20: Wholeness and Freedom with Christina Sell. The self-reflection practice is called PIES. It’s an acronym that represents the four main domains of our human development: physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. It will help you tune into what you need in each of these domains to be in balance and in alignment with your most authentic self. You can use this practice to create your 2022 life’s vision, or for different phases of your life when you feel your needs are changing. This is also a great practice for each day

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking how we can connect to our inner wisdom.  My special guest this week is internationally-renowned wisdom teacher, author, and speaker Sophie McLean. Born in Algeria, educated in Morocco and France, and with a professional career in the USA and UK, Sophie McLean has had an eventful life. She’s been a helicopter pilot, a teacher, a designer, a relief worker, a war refugee, and a CEO. She’s been shot at, shipwrecked, and widowed. She lived on a farm, a boat, a penthouse, and an ashram. As a wisdom teacher, Sophie spend decades leading transformational seminars to over 80,000 people around the world of all ethnicities, ages, religions, and social backgrounds – all engaged with the universal existential question of “Who am I?” and “What is my life about?”Now after seven years in France, Sophie McLean is in New York City to begin Act III of her life – speaking, consulting, writing, and teaching courses and online seminars within the framework of Access to

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about self-reliance, retreat, and inner power. My special guest this week is nature writer, David Gessner. How has the tragic experience of COVID-19 changed the way we live—and the way we want to live—for those of us lucky enough to have made it through? When the pandemic struck, acclaimed nature writer David Gessner turned to Henry David Thoreau, the original social distancer, for insights and a wide-ranging conversation across the centuries. The resulting book, QUIET DESPERATION, SAVAGE DELIGHT: Sheltering with Thoreau in the Age of Crisis , is a lyric yet urgent meditation on life and this earth which includes lessons about rediscovering our own backyards, self-reliance, and rewilding—the last especially poignant after a year of environmental healing. David Gessner is the author of Leave It As It Is: A Journey Through Theodore Roosevelt’s American Wilderness and the New York Times–bestselling All the Wild That Remains: Edward Abbey, Wallace Ste

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about inclusive affirmations for kids and the mindfulness resource deck you must add to your holiday gift list. My guest this week is author and creator, Fionna Wright. Fionna and Madison wrote 100 Days Inside as a special mother-daughter project during their time at home (during the pandemic), and the story is based on their experience, and all the big emotions that came with it. They wanted to create a book where their diverse aesthetic and co-parenting family dynamic was represented in a positive light. Fionna and Madison have extended that into their newly released project, Mindful Littles: Daily Affirmations for Kids. The deck of cards aims to be diverse and inclusive so that every little one feels represented while they practice mindfulness. This mother-daughter duo is creating the change they want to see. Fionna and I talk about: ~ her family’s journey into mindfulness; ~ her personal experience, and the BIG emotions that came with it, duri

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about higher education in prison, and why it’s an important policy initiative to help incarcerated young people to begin their life’s journey again, and to live a meaningful life steeped in the values of truth, responsibility, and freedom. My guest this week is Patrick Rodriguez.   Patrick was released from prison in December 2019, and since then, he has worked to serve those who have been impacted by the prison system. Working as both the Co-Executive Director for the Georgia Coalition for Higher Education in Prison and the Director of Special Projects for Common Good Atlanta, he has learned what it takes to implement prison college-accredited programs and support formerly incarcerated students who are seeking to navigate the university space. He was selected out of 432 applicants to be one of eight Justice Fellows with the Education Trust. The goals of this fellowship consistent of understanding policy at the intersection of higher Education and

Description:Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about grief, loss, and meaning. My guest this week is author, Maryanne O’Hara.  Maryanne O’Hara is the author of LITTLE MATCHES: A Memoir of Grief and Light. Her daughter Catlin died at 33, after a lifetime of living with Cystic Fibrosis and a harrowing last two years waiting for a lung transplant that finally came but was unsuccessful. In her grief and search for answers, Maryanne trained as an end-of-life doula. Her favorite aspect was creating legacy projects, something she didn’t do with Caitlin because of her single-minded focus on her survival. She planned to do it with her mother, but with a sudden illness in the midst of Covid, that opportunity slipped awayMaryanne O’Hara is also the author of the novel Cascade – the Boston Globe Book Club’s inaugural pick, a finalist for the Massachusetts Book Award, and a People Book of the Week. The former associate fiction editor of Ploughshares, she has taught creative writing at Emerson C

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about how educators and students can ignite their shine in the classroom through brain-powered learning. My guest this week is LaVonna Roth, creator of the Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E. for schools. As a former elementary and secondary educator, keynote speaker, author, consultant and mom, LaVonna bridges her passion for how the brain learns with education and shows every individual how to S.H.I.N.E. through their mindset and social-emotional well-being so achievement soars for all. She is the founder of the Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E.® framework and creator of brain-powered learning.  To elevate educators further, LaVonna teaches educators how to get into educational consulting – part-time or full-time - through her Prime to S.H.I.N.E. consulting course and membership site. LaVonna will leave you inspired, remembering why you got into education, and how to create substantial change in your classroom, district or organization that is sustainable. She is here

Happy Day, Friend! On this week’s podcast episode, I’m talking about teacher self-care and how teachers can continue to do what they love while also prioritizing and loving themselves. My guest this week is teacher, author, and wellness advocate, Danielle Nuhfer. She’s been teaching for twenty (20) years, studying mindfulness for ten (10), and combining those fields for five (5). She is also the founder of Teaching Well. As an ICF-certified coach and Mindful Schools instructor, Danielle provides teacher wellness coaching and other services to time-crunched teachers trying to find time for self-care. Danielle and I talk about: ~ the four (4) noble truths of teaching; ~ doing the inner work of the educator; ~ the impact of self-inquiry work on students and classroom culture; ~ how you can choose calm over chaos; ~ her new book, The Path of the Mindful Teacher; and ~ and so much more! It was such a great conversation. I hope you gain a ton of value and discover tools to help you with your own self-care so you ca