My Story of HOPE in Action: Leading Through Life’s Challenges

1
00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:04,400
Welcome to Lead.
With hope.

2
00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:08,720
The podcast where we explore the
power of hope, leadership, and

3
00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:13,000
resilience in today's world.
I'm Brandy Kelly, and each week

4
00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:17,160
I will bring you stories,
insights, and actionable advice

5
00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:21,200
from leaders, innovators, and
change makers who are using hope

6
00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:25,600
as their compass to navigate
challenges, create positive

7
00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,480
impact, and inspire others to do
the same.

8
00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:32,240
Whether you're a seasoned leader
or just beginning your journey,

9
00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:36,160
this podcast is here to remind
you that no matter.

10
00:00:36,160 --> 00:00:38,960
The obstacle.
Hope is the fuel that can drive

11
00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:42,800
transformation, so let's dive in
and discover.

12
00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:44,600
How you?
Can lead with hope.

13
00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:49,520
Welcome back to the Lead with
Hope podcast.

14
00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:53,840
I'm your host, Brandy Kelly, and
today's episode is going to be

15
00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:56,040
just a little bit different.
It's just me.

16
00:00:56,920 --> 00:01:01,040
I want to share something with
you that I hope will inspire you

17
00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:05,480
to see hope in action in your
own life and leadership.

18
00:01:06,960 --> 00:01:09,480
A long time ago, my brother
Brandon drowned.

19
00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:14,840
I was young, just 15, and in
that moment, my world changed.

20
00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:20,080
But what I remember most isn't
only the pain.

21
00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:23,000
I remember how our community
showed up.

22
00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:27,920
I remember the connection, the
care and the love.

23
00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:34,320
That experience showed me first
hand the power of hope, the

24
00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:39,640
power of people showing up when
someone needs them the most.

25
00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:44,360
And that moment planted a seed
in me and maybe this will

26
00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:48,280
resonate with you too.
It inspired me to go into

27
00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:53,320
education so I could be the same
source of light and hope for

28
00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:57,000
others.
And for over 20 years, I served

29
00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,480
as an educator and a school
leader.

30
00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:04,120
I poured myself into my work
helping students, families, and

31
00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:08,000
teams.
And here is something that I've

32
00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,280
learned along the way, something
I want you to think about.

33
00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:17,200
Have you ever felt like
something is missing, even when

34
00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:19,160
you're doing the most meaningful
work?

35
00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,520
Well, that was me.
I realized I hadn't dealt fully

36
00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:29,040
with the wounds in my life
because trauma isn't a single

37
00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:33,560
catastrophic event.
Trauma, literally defined, is a

38
00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:38,800
wound, and it's how we perceive
what happens to us, how we cope

39
00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:41,520
with it.
That's how it shapes us.

40
00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:47,080
For a long time, I coped by
pouring myself into my work.

41
00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:52,040
But when I began writing my
book, Lead with Hope, building a

42
00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:56,640
system of self efficacy, by the
way, it's available on Amazon,

43
00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,040
that's when I started reliving
old memories.

44
00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:04,880
It was hard, but it was also
revealing.

45
00:03:05,640 --> 00:03:10,120
I realized that my purpose was
changing.

46
00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,880
And in this season of my life, I
wanted to help people.

47
00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:19,160
I wanted to help leaders like
you grow through what you go

48
00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:24,360
through, to find purpose in your
pain, to rise stronger, and to

49
00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,840
lead with a system that can
carry you forward.

50
00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:31,080
And that's what the Hope System
is all about.

51
00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:37,200
Habits, an optimistic outlook,
purpose and excellence.

52
00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:42,280
And 1 practical way to bring
hope into your leadership is

53
00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:47,320
through my Hope cycle.
This is assess and vision,

54
00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:55,320
Focus, Measure, act and Realign,
and here are three strategies

55
00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:57,800
that you can start using right
away.

56
00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:02,880
First, assess.
Take a clear, honest look at

57
00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,480
your current situation.
Increase your level of

58
00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:09,000
self-awareness.
You might be able to do this

59
00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:14,160
through personality typologies
like the Enneagram or a values

60
00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:17,680
assessment.
Identify what's working, what

61
00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:22,160
feels off.
It's helpful to understand where

62
00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:25,880
you are, and this is the first
step in creating meaningful

63
00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:30,120
change.
And then envision and focus.

64
00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:35,080
Zoom out.
Go big picture and picture the

65
00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:39,600
impact you want to create, both
for yourself and those you want

66
00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,440
to lead.
And then zoom in and focus.

67
00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,760
Focus your energy on the steps
that will move you toward that

68
00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:50,000
vision.
This is where purpose meets

69
00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:54,520
action.
And 3rd act and align.

70
00:04:55,280 --> 00:05:00,120
Take deliberate steps, track
your progress, celebrate your

71
00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,760
wins, learn from your
challenges, and be willing to

72
00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:06,720
adjust your plan.
Because leadership is not

73
00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:09,120
linear.
It's about moving forward

74
00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:12,720
intentionally, even when it's
messy.

75
00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:15,680
And we all know that leadership
is messy.

76
00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,080
And if you're ready to take your
leadership to the next level,

77
00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:23,560
I'm excited to invite you to the
Spark Cope Edu Leadership

78
00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:27,080
Coaching cohort.
It's forming now and it starts

79
00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:30,760
on October 8th.
This cohort is designed to help

80
00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:36,160
you put hope into action, create
real impact in your school, your

81
00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:41,080
district, or your organization.
You can apply today in the show

82
00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:46,440
notes, but don't wait.
I'm looking forward to watching

83
00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:50,680
you step into your purpose and
lead with hope in a community

84
00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:55,400
that supports, encourages, and
helps you tapped into that

85
00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:59,680
greatness inside of you.
Thank you for listening today.

86
00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:04,000
If this story or these
strategies resonated with you,

87
00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:06,960
share this episode with a friend
or a colleague.

88
00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:11,040
And don't forget to subscribe so
you can keep discovering

89
00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:16,280
practical ways to put hope into
action in your life and in your

90
00:06:16,280 --> 00:06:19,920
leadership.
Until next time, keep leading

91
00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:25,160
with hope.
Thanks for tuning in to the Lead

92
00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:28,600
with Hope podcast, where we
share stories and strategies to

93
00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:30,280
help you.
Rise Lead.

94
00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:34,800
And redefine what's possible.
If today's episode inspired you,

95
00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:38,000
please take a moment to like
subscribe.

96
00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:41,600
And leave a review.
Your support helps us reach more

97
00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:45,480
leaders like you who are ready
to lead with heart purpose.

98
00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,200
And resilience.
Don't forget to visit

99
00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:54,160
sparkhopeedu.com for resources,
upcoming events, and tools to

100
00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:58,000
help you build a culture of hope
in your life and leadership.

101
00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:00,640
We're so grateful to be part of
your journey.

102
00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:04,080
Until next time, keep leading
with hope.