The Bright Morning Podcast with Elena Aguilar

Latest Episodes:

Coaching Resistance: Part 2 - Preparing OURSELVES: Episode 148 Jan 16, 2023

Show notes

Did you know a childhood photo or a lunch date can help you coach resistance?

On today’s episode, Elena and Bright Morning teammate, Nick Cains, discuss what they do to prepare themselves to coach resistant clients, and how they tend to themselves as coaches of color who often coach across lines of racial difference. Listen in for concrete strategies and several stories that help bring them to life.

Mentioned on the podcast:

Core human needs (Bright Morning handout)

Opportunities for continued learning:

“The Art of Coaching” Workshop (retired July 2024 and replaced by The Art of Transformational Coaching workshop)
“The Art of Coaching Emotions” Workshop

Visit https://brightmorningteam.com/podcasts/ for links to everything we mention on the show.

Receive weekly wisdom and tools from Elena delivered to your inbox! Sign up at https://brightmorningteam.com/newsletter/

Coaching Resistance: Part 1 - What is Resistance: Episode 147 Jan 09, 2023

Show notes

Elena hasn’t experienced resistance in her coaching conversations in over a decade. In this episode, she shares her five step process to eliminate resistance in your coaching conversations (...and really, in any conversation). This is the first in a three-part Coaching Resistance mini-series you won’t want to miss!

Mentioned in this episode:

What to Say When podcast series and free listening guide
Episode 146: How to ACE Your Coaching Conversations
“The Art of Coaching Emotions” workshop

Opportunities for continued learning:

Listen to Elena’s What to Say When You Hear Something Racist podcast series and expand your learning with our free listening guide
Attend “The Art of Coaching Emotions” workshop
Listen to Episode 87: Coaching Strong Emotions

Reflection questions:

What behaviors have you previously labeled as “resistance,” and how might your interpretation shift if you viewed them as expressions of fear instead
Consider what core human needs might be threatened in those moments.
When you feel triggered or dismissed by someone you’re coaching, what fears are activated in you?
Reflect on how those fears influence your reactions and what might change if you explored them with compassion.
What would it look like in your coaching practice to stay in relationship with someone who’s showing fear—even when it’s hard?
What words or actions could communicate curiosity, compassion, and a willingness to support?

Visit https://brightmorningteam.com/podcasts/ for links to everything we mention on the show.

Receive weekly wisdom and tools from Elena delivered to your inbox! Sign up at https://brightmorningteam.com/newsletter/

How to Set Yourself Up For a Great Year: Episode 146 Jan 02, 2023

Show notes

Resolutions don’t work for the overwhelming number of people, but we know what does! In this episode, Elena shares the simple, research-based, strategy she’s using to support her in making 2023 one of the best years yet. Listen in, grab your free resource, and take the first step in making 2023 a great year.

Mentioned in this episode:

Core Human Needs downloadable resource
Art of Coaching Workbook (retired July 2024 and replaced by The Art of Transformational Coaching workshop)
Episode 105: Morning Rituals
Bright Morning Instagram

Visit https://brightmorningteam.com/podcasts/ for links to everything we mention on the show.

Receive weekly wisdom and tools from Elena delivered to your inbox! Sign up at https://brightmorningteam.com/newsletter/

An Ask: Episode 146 Dec 26, 2022

Show notes

We’re hard at work preparing amazing episodes for you in 2023, starting with a series on resistance in early January (get excited!). So today we’re coming to you with an ask to help make all that’s to come possible.

Help make the podcast happen:

Become a sustaining member!

Visit https://brightmorningteam.com/podcasts/ for links to everything we mention on the show.

Receive weekly wisdom and tools from Elena delivered to your inbox! Sign up at https://subscriber.brightmorningteam.com/resources

REPLAY: Preparing for Break: Episode 101 Dec 19, 2022

Show notes

In today’s episode replay, Elena once again 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.

Visit https://brightmorningteam.com/podcasts/ for links to everything we mention on the show.

Receive weekly wisdom and tools from Elena delivered to your inbox! Sign up at https://subscriber.brightmorningteam.com/resources

REPLAY: First 5 Minutes: “Who is a fictional character…”: Episode 98 Dec 12, 2022

Show notes

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 replay of our 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, models what that might look like, pulls back the curtain on why this question works and shares some wisdom on how to artfully put this into action.

This episode is for you if:

Your conversations are feeling a little flat
Your coachee is more compliant than actively engaged
You’d like to learn a new way to open your coaching conversations
You like concrete coaching tools!

Opportunities for continued learning:

The Art of Coaching (retired July 2024 with the release of Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching)
The Art of Coaching 101 (retired July 2024 and replaced by The Art of Transformational Coaching workshop)
The Art of Coaching Emotions (Online course)

Visit https://brightmorningteam.com/podcasts/ for links to everything we mention on the show.

Receive weekly wisdom and tools from Elena delivered to your inbox! Sign up at https://subscriber.brightmorningteam.com/resources

REPLAY: First 5 Minutes: Tell Me About a Place…: Episode 92 Dec 05, 2022

Show notes

Today we’re replaying an episode from our First 5 Minutes series. These short episodes provided you with all you need to know to incorporate one resilience-boosting question in your conversations. Listen in and consider adding these to both your work and home conversations.

This episode is for you if:

Your coachees are drained and/or overwhelmed and working from limited resilience reserves
You’d like to learn a new way to open your coaching conversations
You like concrete coaching tools!

Opportunities for continued learning:

The Art of Coaching (retired July 2024 with the release of Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching)
The Art of Coaching 101 (retired and replaced by The Art of Transformational Coaching workshop)
The Art of Coaching Emotions (Online course)
12 Ways to Boost Resilience in New Teachers (Blog post)

Visit https://brightmorningteam.com/podcasts/ for links to everything we mention on the show.

Receive weekly wisdom and tools from Elena delivered to your inbox! Sign up at https://subscriber.brightmorningteam.com/resources

In Conversation with Dr. Dena Simmons: Episode 145 Nov 28, 2022

Show notes

Dr. Dena Simmons, the founder of LiberatED, a collective focused on developing school-based resources at the intersection of social and emotional learning, racial justice, and healing joins Elena in an uplifting conversation about healing, authenticity, imposter syndrome, hope and play. This is an episode for BIPOC educators who have been made to feel like they don’t belong.
Mentioned in this episode:

The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture, Gabor Maté
Dena’s TED Talks
The Ways of White Folks, Langston Hughes
Atlanta
Abbot Elementary
Dena’s forthcoming book, White Rules for Black People

Visit https://brightmorningteam.com/podcasts/ for links to everything we mention on the show.

Receive weekly wisdom and tools from Elena delivered to your inbox! Sign up at https://brightmorningteam.com/newsletter/

Disrupting Racism at the Dinner Table…And Beyond: Episode 144 Nov 21, 2022

Show notes

The winter holidays can include many things: time with family, a break from work…and maybe some casual racism over dinner. In today’s episode, Elena provides a quick overview of her What to Say When You Hear Something Racist framework. This is the content you need for the most essential holiday prep: preparing to disrupt racism.

Mentioned in this episode:

All My Relations (podcast)

Opportunities for continued learning:

What to Say When You Hear Something Racist (Podcast series + companion guide)
Coaching for Equity (book by Elena Aguilar)
Coaching for Equity (Bright Morning workshop)

Visit https://brightmorningteam.com/podcasts/ for links to everything we mention on the show.

Receive weekly wisdom and tools from Elena delivered to your inbox! Sign up at https://brightmorningteam.com/newsletter/

Disrupting Racism in Coaching Conversations: Episode 143 Nov 14, 2022

Show notes

“Why don't you disrupt racist behavior more immediately? Our kids needed change yesterday…”

We get asked a version of this question frequently, so today Bright Morning teammate, Nick Cains, joins Elena to explore how we center transformation (and our own humanity) when disrupting racism in our coaching conversations.

Mentioned in this episode: