The Mindful Education Warrior David K. Richards

In this solo episode, David starts with a short guided practice to help you get calm and connected. He then shares his feeling of how we are experiencing a tectonic shift in our world. The pandemic was a watershed moment in our history. How will you respond? Do you want to choose to co-create this new reality as we experience this great time of change or do you want to go back to the same old ways from the past?  
 
As an education changemaker, ask yourself these questions: what wants to come through you as an emanation of your highest light? What is blocking you from letting this come through? As you continue to do this inner work, you begin to see your true north want to emerge through you. Be open to what this is. You already know this deep down. David invites you to open up, let life flow through you, and listen deeply to get clear on what it is. 
 
David shares his story about taking his vision of starting his own school to making it a reality. And, how he continued to follow his heart regardless of how the scared part of him wanted to talk him out of it. 
 
As you begin to continue your inner work and stay open to the infinite possibilities, take small action steps toward your highest calling. Live in your heart and follow your own truth, and create something one moment at a time.  Connect with your inner flame and your fire and go for it! 

David’s mission is to reach as many education changemakers as possible to help them be the changemaker they have always desired to be. If you feel moved by his mission, please go and rate and review the podcast or share with a friend.

Linda Ryden shares her experience teaching mindfulness since 2003 and how this led her to launch her non-profit organization, Peace of Mind. Linda’s work helps children apply mindfulness and neuroscience to notice and manage their emotions, build positive relationships, and skillfully handle real-life challenges like conflict resolution, bullying, implicit bias and racial, gender and other sorts of discrimination. Linda believes in the transformative power of mindfulness to help children become happier, more successful human beings who care about themselves, about each other, and about making the world a more fair and just home for us all. In this conversation, we discuss how her time teaching mindfulness has allowed her to fully embody the practices in her daily life. 
 
In this episode you will learn:
The brain science around the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the prefrontal cortex, and how this knowledge can help you understand how to manage your emotions How to use metacognition to recognize your state of being, emotions, and how to use these skills in your daily life to become a better educator and/or leader The importance of integrating brain science with mindfulness practices How love is a radical act that can change the world and how to use simple compassion practices to move in this direction How she teaches 700 kids a day and uses mindfulness practices throughout her day to remain calm and effective and greatly improves her practice as an educator The basics of meditation and how there is no right or wrong way to practice
 
Linda also shares great resources for you to review further:
https://drdansiegel.com/
https://jeffwarren.org/
https://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Teachers-Productivity-Classroom-Neuroscience/dp/0393708071 a book by Tish Jennings
 
How to find Linda
https://teachpeaceofmind.org/
https://www.facebook.com/peaceofminddc, https://www.instagram.com/TeachPeaceofMind/, https://twitter.com/peaceofmindorg

David’s mission is to reach as many education changemakers as possible to help them be the changemaker they have always desired to be. If you feel moved by his mission, please go and rate and review the podcast or share with a friend.

In this episode, David speaks from his heart, and shares the need to heal ourselves after this tumultuous 3 year period of insanity. He discusses how he lives in his “why” each and every day. 
 
David implores you to feel your pain and commit to being the best version of you for your community. He reminds you that you have all of the power and reviews the simple process that each of his guests use to take care of themselves, live with less stress, and make their “why” the north star that keeps them focused and free. 
 
This is a powerful episode where David shares the importance of living in your “why” while also acknowledging the deep pain we have experienced over the last few years. 
 
Pain is the portal to powerful growth and evolution. Keep the “why” as the vision for your daily life and commit to healing in order to build the habits needed to love your work every day. 
 
This episode will make you feel inspired and reenergized as you finish up the busy school year. 
 
David’s mission is to reach as many education changemakers as possible to help them be the changemaker they have always desired to be. If you feel moved by his mission, please go and rate and review the podcast or share with a friend. 
 

It was such a pleasure to speak with Lindsey Frank, M.Ed., who is the President of the Coalition of Schools Educating Mindfully (COSEM). She has been an educator for over 12 years working with students from early learning-8th grade, and has been a districtwide Climate & SEL Coach. She has dedicated her work to integrating wellness within education through mindfulness and social-emotional learning. Her master’s is in Educational Leadership, she is a Mindfulness-Based SEL children’s book author, a special educator, and developed her education well-being company (The Butterfly Within, LLC) to support schools on their resilience journeys. Lindsey is committed to being a changemaker within education. 
 
We have a wide ranging conversation from the state of education from a wellness perspective, the courage to change yourself even if just one turtle step at a time, and how we want to move forward individually and collectively to heal ourselves and our communities after an incredibly rough few years. 
 
In this episode you will learn:
About the soda can analogy and how you can only take so much before you explode How to navigate your daily life with simple mindfulness practices by finding small moments throughout your day as an educator to practice What mindfulness superpowers you already have and how to use them About Lindsey’s personal transformation of using health issues to take back her life by using mindfulness practices to mitigate her anxiety and panic attacks Her simple H.E.A.R.T. practice to use throughout your busy day How to overcome resistance or fear around practicing wellness and mindfulness How to use mindfulness to live your life in flow with the natural order of life And so much more!   
Lindsey also shares great resources for you to review further:
 
Website: www.TheButterflyWithin.Me  You can find out more about her children’s books on her website and you can order books on Amazon.  For podcast listeners, you can access a free download of her Teacher’s Guide to The Superpower of Your HEART (visit her website, add the guide to your cart, and put in the code: MINDFULPODCAST) Consider joining a community of mindful educators and leaders for continued growth, become a COSEM member and explore our MBSEL Micro-credential: Visit www.EducatingMindfully.org   
Where to find her on social media:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lindsey-frank-m-ed-6452a6157  
Instagram: @LindseyFrank88
​​https://www.instagram.com/lindseyfrank88 
Twitter: @LindseyFrank88 
https://twitter.com/LindseyFrank88 
Facebook: @TheButterflyWithin 
https://www.facebook.com/TheButterflyWithin 
 
David’s mission is to reach as many education changemakers as possible to help them be the changemaker they have always desired to be. If you feel moved by his mission, please go and rate and review the podcast or share with a friend. 
 

David speaks from his heart in this solo episode and shares how he overcame his painful past by committing to a deep healing journey of befriending his wounded inner child. David shares openly and honestly about his past sexual abuse and abandonment as a child and how this pain held him back for so many years until he had the courage to face it with love. 
 
As he committed to a path of mindfulness and meditation, he opened up a deep path for healing the wounded parts of him that were keeping him safe. He shares his specific practices that he teaches clients about how to heal with an open heart and take back your life. 
 
In this episode you will learn:
David’s method for reparenting that he uses daily  How triggers are tied back to your wounded child and are running your life without you even knowing How healing opens up your intuition, insights, and gives you a clear sense of purpose in your life How recognizing and being aware of the way you speak to yourself is important How life is the best teacher and will show you exactly what you are ready for 
David’s mission is to reach as many education changemakers as possible to help them be the changemaker they have always desired to be. If you feel moved by his mission, please go and rate and review the podcast or share with a friend.

In this solo episode, David shares the true purpose of mindfulness and meditation as taking back your life and getting to know the real and authentic you. You are journeying back home to yourself through these practices. One easy step on this journey is to connect with the playful and free inner child. 
 
In this episode you will learn:
How self care and being in the present moment is part of a deeper game to being free and authentic  That handing the “keys” to your playful inner child will set you free What happened to this playful and free version of you as you became an adult How this can help you be a more effective educator  
David asks you to take the simple step of doing something that you loved as a child for a short amount of time each day. Play, sing, dance, draw and just commit to being free each day for a bit. Don’t overthink it and get in your head. Follow your heart. 

David’s mission is to reach as many education changemakers as possible to help them be the changemaker they have always desired to be. If you feel moved by his mission, please go and rate and review the podcast or share with a friend.