Find Your Spark

In this episode, Stephanie recounts a recent backpacking experience in which she put her physical limits to the test! In an intensive training prep for a backpacking excursion, Stephanie found herself on the verge of giving up after hours of strenuous hiking and climbing. However, when given just a little hope that she could have a chance to stay at a relaxing lodge if she continued, she was able to make it! Listen to hear how hope and her SPARK gave her the energy and willpower to finish her journey!

In this episode, Brooke and Ashley talk about a recent webinar they both attended with Kirk Souder, Co-Founder of Enso. On this webinar, Brooke expressed some concern about limiting thoughts to Kirk, and then both she and Ashley had insights into what each of them were doing that may be getting in the way of SPARK growing as large as it can. Listen as they share their insights, and just how sneaky invisible thoughts can be and how limiting they can become.

In this week’s episode, Stephanie welcomes a special guest from SPARK Australia, Nicole Montgomerie. Nicole has been a teacher for the last 16 years working with kids from ages 4-14 years old. Nicole and Stephanie talk about her experience implementing the SPARK Mentoring program with kids ages 5-7. In particular, Nicole reflects on how much the kids have resonated with the activities, especially the characters of Curious the Dragonfly and his “treasure,” another metaphor for innate well-being and resilience. She describes how useful these metaphors and common language can be when dealing with school-wide issues that require social and emotional skills. She also shares some lovely stories of how kids have been able to better navigate their emotions through understanding feelings and having insights around thought and their minds. Tune in to hear how young learners in Australia have been impacted by SPARK!

In honor of Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness month, Brooke speaks with a very special guest, Brianne Grebil. Brianne was not only a caregiver for her mother the past 5 years, she also recently released a book about her experience, Love Doesn’t Care if You Forget. In this episode, Brianne shares what her experience has taught her about life, relationships, and being human with other humans (on and off social media). Listen as Brooke and Brianne sift through her lessons learned and uncover that in each lies a lesson for us all.

More about Love Doesn’t Care if you Forget: a touching and heartfelt account Brianne’s experience caring for her mother, while they both navigate the changing landscape of onset dementia and what that means for their relationship as the disease progresses: https://www.loveanddementia.com/book.

In this episode of the Find Your SPARK Podcast, Nicole Wilson and SPARKING Change Intern, Jayda Reece, speak about how they navigate through anxiety. Jayda shares her experience as being a young teen with anxiety and now understanding how the mind works has helped her overcome many obstacles that used to limit her. Nicole shares about how we get so used to saying “I AM Anxious” or “I AM Depressed,” that we sometimes think that’s who we are. In fact, we are not any of those things, we are so much more than our feelings! When we realize that, we remember our potential and our SPARK shows back up for us every time. Navigating anxiety can sometimes seem impossible but when we understand that it’s okay to have anxious thoughts and it’s all coming from the inside out, limitations start to be less intense and situations that once looked dreadful or scary, look more possible.

In this episode of the Find Your SPARK Podcast, Ashley and Stephanie share why they are still flying high after the Boost conference last week. The Boost Collaborative provides high quality professional development opportunities for after-school providers and we are honored to be their partner. In addition to presenting at the conference, they had the pleasure of experiencing many of the wonderful speakers, including Principal Hamish Brewer, aka The Education Disrupter. Ashley and Stephanie reflect on him, his way of being, and how his connection with kids has been a total game-changer in his school. Through this discussion, they address one of the challenges mentioned by participants – fostering connections when all you get is push-back.

In this episode of the Find Your SPARK Podcast, in honor of PTSD Awareness month, Brooke Wheeldon-Reece and Nicole Wilson talk about how “PTS,” Post Traumatic Stress, is our body’s natural way to react to a past traumatic experience. They share how when understanding how the mind works, PTSD doesn’t look as scary and helpless when aware of what is happening in the moment. As they share their own stories about PTSD, they both see how clear it is that the mind is just doing its’ job and even though it’s uncomfortable and sometimes scary, it’s just our minds' best suggestion to warn us and keep us safe. When we see how that works, PTSD starts to look a lot more like PTS and that it will eventually pass and we will feel better. Even under our traumatic experiences, we are always OK and our wellbeing is always there.

In this episode of the Find Your SPARK Podcast, Nicole Wilson and SPARKING Change Intern, Carys Mullins join together and talk about the importance of understanding how the mind works in honor of May Mental Health Month! Carys shares what she has seen for herself to be true when learning about the mind and how it has impacted her. She shares how being you is all you need, and there’s no need to recreate or rebuild yourself – everything you need is already inside of you, and everyone should know that!  

In this episode of the Find Your SPARK Podcast, Nicole Wilson and Stephanie Fox talk about May - Mental Health Awareness Month! Nicole and Stephanie discuss the importance of how SPARK approaches mental health in a way that pulls the health (SPARK) out of everyone, instead of putting bandages on peoples mental illnesses. We find it extremely helpful for those suffering with mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, etc. to see that underneath the illness is REAL mental health waiting to be seen.  As long as we keep pointing to that, the seriousness of the illness tends to weaken naturally. We also share the importance of why this is true, FOR EVERYONE! The more we point to everyone’s health, the more it will start to peek through and people will start to see their own potential and capability to do the things they thought were impossible.