Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols

"Thought Loops & Thought Scoops?" What are those? Two very different concepts that can help you IMMENSELY in the classroom. Today you will learn: -how to notice that negative self-talk that loops in your brain. -how to break through any thought loop...I use a funny trick that I use for any song that gets stuck in my head and I want to teach it to you! -How to hear + follow that intuitive whisper that I call a thought scoop. -How to follow that thought scoop and share it! Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

In this episode, I share the genius of Liz Gilbert's 2009 TED Talk which you can access here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86x-u-tz0MA What is your genius and where does it live? What if you could have your own genius for teaching? You CAN! Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

What is a heart deposit? What is a life withdrawal? And why might you feel like you're constantly in overdraft?   In this episode, I share my own recent journey beating the sh** out of myself, how being hard on myself is an example of an immense life withdrawal. I also share how I am able to GET OUT OF MY STRUGGLE when I am in this zone. I also show you how to add in more deposits than withdrawals. It works.   Resources:   Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols:   Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

In this episode "Why Bad Days Aren't Your Fault & How to Feel Better at School," I show you: -why your experience of bad days is not on you: how neurochemicals like dopamine and epinephrine work for and against you; -how to feel better even when you’re having a hard day; -how to use the Add-On Method to create deliberate dopamine;   Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Sometimes life is just really really hard. Everything can feel like it takes more effort, heavier, weightier filled with plenty of tears So what can you do? In this Episode, "When Life Sucks" you will learn: * a three step framework to help get you solution-focused instead of problem-focused. * a different way to look at shame * three questions to help jettison you out of victim mode Believe me, my brain loves its telenovella drama so this episode is particularly important to me. If your brain loves to wallow in the suck like mine does, don't miss this episode. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

As teachers, is our worth only what we DO for others? Does our value lie in what we can perform and how we can give to others? In this episode, I tell the story of working with a client who said it feels selfish for her to think about herself. But I challenge you to think about you. The more you can pour into yourself, the more you have for the world.  So how can you be self-FUL? Don't miss this episode to find out!   Resources:   Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Enjoy Episode 110 with Amber Harper of www.burnedinteacher.com. In this conversation that we recorded together, we discuss using real time hacks at the start of your year like batching your work and simply deciding how much time you want to spend at school. The mindfulness piece that I brilliantly add to you and Amber’s listeners is: YOU ALWAYS GET TO DECIDE. Enjoy this podcast swap.    In this Episode you will learn: How to find your own power not only with time but with burnout How to become your own hero and be the change for you Time Management: how we can choose to spend our time more efficiently Concrete Thought Plan   Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call.   More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Want more spaciousness, ease, and calm when it comes to your relationships? OF COURSE! We all do. In this episode, I explore the Let Them concept. It's simple but not always easy. Letting others be exactly who they are at school and in life will give you peace and greater ease, particularly if you identify as a "control freak extraordinaire." Let your brain be your brain and your emotions be your emotions. Let them.   Resources:   Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols:   Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

What's your SHABLAM?   What does that even mean?   What makes you tick? What are your special gifts? What helps you feel at home inside yourself?    In this epsiode, Chrissy shares her own personal shablam.   **Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call.   *** More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Join this amazing interview with published poet and English teacher Eve Ellis, who works in an international school in London. Eve tells us what it is really like to work in live in a vibrant city and still have to grade your essays. Eve also touches on work-life balance and how time thoughts are the same that we all seem to have. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Sure : we all want to change new habits but will they last 6 months from now? In Part 2 of How to Create Habits that Last, using the research of Dr. Kelly McGonigal's work (https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/faculty/kelly-m-mcgonigal), I emphasize why coming from a growth mindset is the key to changing any habit.  In this episode, you will learn: • the 3 E's: ENVIRONMENT, EASE & ENJOYMENT  • how these three tools can set you up for success • the secret of the 10 minute rule • how to feel or "surf" any urge. • how to define success--it's not in creating the habit itself but catching yourself and your mind when you don't. Enjoy this episode of Teacher Talk!  Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Want a habit that will go the distance? Want a new habit that will actually still be working for you 4 months from now on a random Wednesday? YES! We all want that. But you need to ask the right questions. In this episode, How to Create Habits that Last, Part 1, you will learn: * why habit change is hard * how to find your motivation that goes deeper than you thought * how using your values is important in habit creation Leaning on the science of psychologist Kelly M. McGonigal (https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/faculty/kelly-m-mcgonigal), learning about habit formation can help you change and create new habits...that last! Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

It's normal to feel weird about the lack of structure summer brings. But don't second guess yourself. You can want what you want. I am here to help you. In this episode, you will learn: • why it’s normal for us as teachers to have positive and negative thoughts about summer: • 3 strategies to use to help you have your own back about summer;

In today’s podcast I want to focus and share some of the intuitive practices that have not only helped me at school but in my life as well. This is when I turn to Francesca McCartney’s work on intuition. I highly recommend McCartney’s book “Body of Health” and the grounding practice I share today comes from this book. In this episode, I am going to share visualizations that I use to ground myself. What is grounding and how is it beneficial? - A strong grounding connection provides a stable base from which I can feel safe, centered, aware and clear. - I know when I am grounded because my inner voice is accessible. - My decisions are clear because I trust myself. In essence, I belong to myself when I am grounded. Tune in to find out how to ground yourself in and out of school. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Do you belong? To what? To whom? For years, I was a pleaser. I flexed and bent myself to "FIT" into what I thought others wanted of me. But I was a liar. No one got the authentic me. I was so caught up in what I thought others wanted from me, I forgot to belong to myself. In this episode, we do a deep dive into how to belong to YOURSELF. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

In Episode 101, I dive into why our language (and LABELS!) matter when we think about all the stakeholders in education. This look at why words matter will help you see your labels, leverage different labels, and ultimately, come up with different thoughts that serve you and your students. In this episode, I also give you tools that help you get NEUTRAL and FACTUAL when you find yourself in a tough conversation. You won't want to miss this episode! Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

In Episode 100 we look to make our future even better than our present. Remember: the future is yours & summer is coming. So what do you want to create? How about creating a better end-of-the-year? In this episode, you will learn to: 1. Imagine a challenge that you have for the end of the year. Is it grading, comments, packing up your classroom, or moving to another grade level? 2. Imagine that task and think of it as your property as in: "I create my very best end of the year grading." / "I love my grading."/ "I take care of myself as I grade this afternoon." 3. CELEBRATE. Grab a partner and practice Pride Pong: it's like pingpong for your daily wins. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

As teachers, we take care of everyone (students, colleagues, parents, our own families) FIRST before we take care of ourselves. Episode 99 invites you to ask "How deep is MY love for...ME?" I share a personal story of my own brain's shenanigans of emotional depths and shallows. I also give you an exercise that will help you get clear for yourself when your brain wants to keep you shallow and when it lets you go deep, deep, deep. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

“The era of leveraging someone’s commitment to your mission as a way of demanding endless work and overwork ...needs to be over. And I think schools are grappling with that." -Sarah Hanawald In this episode, Sarah Hanawald, Senior Director of One Schoolhouse’s Association for Academic Leaders, talks about how her community meets the needs of School Leaders. In this conversation, we also talk about: • teacher overwhelm + time management • the need for daily reflective time to evaluate the craft of teaching. • why teaching is more difficult in this current media + political climate You can find Sarah Hanawald at www.oneschoolhouse.org, on Twitter @ Sarah Hanawald and on email: sarah.hanawald@oneschoolhouse.org. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call & on email at: thechrissyconcept@gmail.com More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Episode 97: Feeling 'meh'? Low or no energy? Like you're dragging yourself to school each day? That' s normal: as teachers, we all feel it. In this episode, I teach you to have 48% MORE capacity in your life to trust yourself and find the motivation you need. All you need to learn is how to have the ability to have more ability. Don't torture yourself or beat yourself up anymore. I teach you to teach yourself to have the ability you need. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Teachers tell me all the time: "My plate is so full. I don’t want a PD that wastes my time." In this episode, teachers and administrators will learn the ESSENTIALS of better PD. It should be teacher-led, job-embedded, solutions focused, and consider the mental and emotional health of everyone. Enjoy this episode! Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

As teachers, we are rarely sick. Or maybe we don't "let" ourselves be sick? In this episode I discuss the thoughts and mindset around seeing sickness as weakness. What if we could think in a different way around sickness? I also dive into the favors culture or transactional payback system that happens when colleagues depend on other colleagues when absent. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Gabriela Deambrosio is an Education Consultant who links families with the right educational and therapeutic options for their children. Gabriela holds two Bachelor's Degrees a Master’s of Education from the University of Connecticut. She was a dedicated educator and school leader for over a decade in both independent and public schools in two continents before becoming an educational consultant.  She believes that every student deserves to find “their people,” to feel a sense of belonging, support, authentic trust, and to become part of something bigger than themselves.  For an inquiry call, please contact Gabriela at gdeambrosiollc@gmail.com Instagram: @edconsulting_gd   Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

In Episode 93, I teach you 3 important steps to befriending your inner critic, especially as you make big moves at school. From contract negotiations and standing up for yourself to saying "no" when someone asks you to do just a little bit more, I show you how to stay with yourself. In this episode you'll learn the importance of naming that fearful feeling and why being clear on your "why" can help you to do it sweaty. Because you are doing it exactly right. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Episode 92 gives you FOUR steps to help you with any decision. School decisions like: Am I staying? Am I leaving? What books should I order next year? Do I like the team that I am teaching with? Would I prefer another grade level? Learn how to make a decision and how to support yourself throughout the process. You won't want to miss this episode. Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

What do you value in life and at school? As teachers, we spend A LOT of our lives at school. In Episode 91, "The Value of a Coach for Teachers," I tell you more about what I do and what I don't do. In this episode I talk about: -the difference between therapy and coaching; -the VALUE of looking inside your mind; -how coaching helps with challenges at school and at home; -how coaching is the opportunity for a brain reset; -why everyone needs a coach; -why I invest in my own coaching; Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.   *Correction: This is episode 91...I say "episode 90" in my intro.

Calling all School Counselors! In Episode 90, I talk to Rachel Davis, owner and founder of Bright Futures Counseling, an online membership community designed just for school counselors with resources to help school counselors in public and private schools. In this fascinating conversation, Rachel and I talk about the challenges of student case loads, the feeling of isolation, and the struggle that led her to create Bright futures counseling.  You can find her https://brightfutures-counseling.com and on Instagram at Bright Futures. Enjoy this conversation with Rachel Davis.  Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Want 5 ways to improve your relationship with yourself and everyone around you? Just in time for Valentine's Day, these steps will help you give yourself a break while still creating discipline and creating the life you want at school. Just the act of noticing your feelings and realizing why and how this feeling makes sense will change you in the classroom. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

I used to be VERY mean to myself but I called it self-discipline. Discipline does not mean speaking to yourself meanly or giving yourself the beat down. There is another way to get your grading done, stay on time, and thrive at school without beating yourself up. In this episode you will learn how to:  1. Chunk and chew your goal down into bite-size chunks; 2. Decide the smallest amount of time you can do on your WORST day: 4 minutes is enough. Plan it. 3. Show up and do it. You don’t have to like it to do it. If you don’t have 4 minutes, still put in 1 or 2min--you are becoming a person who shows up. Step 3: Never miss twice. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Want to forgive someone at school? (This podcast will also help you with any person in your life.) If you're like me, your idea of what it means to forgive may need a little clarifying. In Episode 87, I turn to Oprah for her definition of forgiveness. It turns out, forgiving is not forgetting. It's actually ALL about freedom. Forgiveness is letting go of the past so that it does not have power over you. Resources: -Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. -Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.  

What is the "it" for you that you would love to let go? Is it an emotion?  Is it an aspect of teaching or family life that you wish would simply melt away? Is it letting go about releasing control in some area in your life? In Episode 86, I share my own personal journey of how letting go can be incredibly helpful and has made me feel more free. What can you let go of in your life right now? Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Want to improve your classroom management ? In Episode 85, we rewire, innovate and manage our brains in order to connect before we correct. In this episode, you'll learn how these three statements will change engagement, focus, and student attitudes: "I belong here." "I matter." "This is fun." How would you be as a teacher if you repeated these three statements each day? How would it be for your students if they practiced these ideas for themselves? Mind management is the key to classroom management and I give you real tips and strategies to have a more connective and vulnerable classroom experience. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Are you in a toxic relationship with your school? Are you getting the message that you're not a team player or you should really LOVE doing more without getting paid? No! No! No! In this Episode, I do a deep dive into all the ways toxic schools can be like bad relationships and show you that IT IS 100% OK TO WANT WHAT YOU WANT! No, you are not crazy for wanting to have a decent wage and retirement benefits. You are not asking for "too much" or pushing "too hard." Get what you want--I'll show you how.  Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

In Episode 83, I share my two passions: teaching and skiing.  How is skiing like teaching? Skiing, like teaching, is incredibly difficult. Even if you use a lift, skiing can make you so sore that you feel muscles you didn’t even know you had the next day.  Teaching challenges us to use all sorts of emotional and pedagogical muscles that you never knew we had. We may not even know we needed to flex those muscles until the situation arises, like in skiing, until we have to turn a certain way, until we need to react in just the right way to a student or a parent or a colleague. Inevitably, in skiing, just like in teaching, there is falling.  When we make a mistake in our classrooms, when we lose our balance, when our lessons literally fall flat, some days our teaching mistakes feel not so big and we just fall into some gentle powder. Other days, our mistakes feel so big and so bad, we hit the metaphorical hard snow and really fall so hard, it feels like we bounce. It’s in those moments that it feels hard to get up. But we do. We may be bruised but we come back to work, get on the chairlift again, and point our skis downhill, into the challenge of our day to day at school.  Finally skiing can be slightly dangerous as we ask our legs and our bodies to literally flow into the gravity that takes us downhill. If we resist, if we clench up, if we tighten, we resist how the gravitational flow can help us.  But if we allow the flow of our teaching day to support us and trust it to help us down the mountain, we don’t need to effort as much, we don’t need to feel as if we have to control what is not in our control. We just submit.  ENJOY THIS EPISODE! Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

In Episode 81, I gave you the first part of how to self-coach yourself in any challenging relationship and that first part is to  take responsibility for your thoughts and feelings about this person.  (Do not underestimate this step, my friends! Responsibility means getting out of victim mentality and it is HUGE!) Step 2 is to INTENTIONALLY decide to be in a relationship with this person. You heard me. You need to deliberately decide to be in relationship with them. To decide to be in a relationship, ask yourself:1. Who do I want to be? (NOT WHO DO YOU WANT THEM TO BE, who do YOU want to be?) 2. How do you want to behave? 3. How do you want to think about this person? 4. How do you want to act? There is SO MUCH power, especially at school, to decide that you will be a CERTAIN way no matter how someone else acts.   So Step 1 is doing your own work of taking responsibility. Step 2 is deciding ahead of time who you want to be so that you are not a helpless victim without any power with this person.  Step 3: Realize that everyone gets to act exactly as they want. It is EXHAUSTING to even think we can control others and we know we can’t.  To repair any relationship, only one person needs to clean up his/her side of the street. Ready to clean up yours? Don't miss this episode which is right on time for teachers and the school year! Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Teachers, are you celebrating YOU? This bonus episode is not your typical gratitude episode. In this episode, I remind all teachers to celebrate what is going right-what can you celebrate about you? What makes you, well, YOU?  I am so grateful for this mind thought work and I celebrate YOU. I celebrate your wins and losses, the tough moments, and yep, the fails. But please be sure you are celebrating yourselves!   Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

In this episode, we are going to look at WHY a relationship at school is tough and how you can identify if you have certain thoughts about a person at your school or in your life that no longer serve you. You'll learn: • How to identify your thoughts; • The one action we all do to help identify if you have thoughts about a colleague; • What taking responsibility for your thoughts really looks like; • Why thought responsibility is essential to staying in your power; By owning our own thinking, we can ask ourselves these very important questions: What am I thinking? What am I feeling in this relationship that is creating challenge? Notice it. That is your homework.  Can you just be with it? Enjoy this part 1 of a two part series! Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

In Episode 80, I describe some real life scenarios that I have experienced or seen in classes and ask you, "Do you have a Thought Plan for this?" Scenario: A student pulls out his/her phone without permission. Scenario: A student refuses to sit in his seat and says "This f****ing class is BS," and leaves class without permission. Sound familiar? The point is you can prepare for that. You can create a thought plan for yourself. Thought preparation, like all of our preps, involves preparation and practice. Have you practiced your thoughts? Here's one: I have a plan for that. Enjoy this valentine for your ears. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Episode 79 starts with one simple question: Would you date yourself right now? Would you? If you are a teacher who is looking for a partner who is kind, are you speaking to yourself with kindness? If you want a partner who is FUN, ask yourself, "Am I fun? How do I know that I am fun? Do I have fun with myself?" If the answer is "yes," great. But if the answer is "no," keep listening to this episode for ways to date yourself, ways of seeing yourself with new eyes, ways of evaluating what you have to bring to the table.  Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Why did Teddy Anderson leave teaching? In this episode, you'll find out how this inspired teacher of math and physics felt the kind of fatigue that left her, well, exhausted. But, the silver lining? Teddy reminds us we all have power. We are not powerless. Enjoy this conversation about burnout, fatigue, and why teachers need to use our power. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

In Episode 77 "How to Slow Down & Shut Up" I show you why it is ESSENTIAL to listen to the words you are using. The easiest way to do this? The trick is PAYING ATTENTION TO  our thoughts and changing our words to SERVE us is to notice them. This episode reminds you that your thoughts are the super-highways to anything you want. And language, our WORDS, make up our thoughts.  Remember, if you want to teach your mind, you are always your own first student so show up and pay attention to how you talk to yourself. So, get quiet and pay attention to your thoughts and words. In this episode, you will learn:  • why the word "I want" or "I need" create lack and scarcity  • why taking a breath of 3 before you speak can give your mind "think time" before you speak  • how changing your words to "I can," "I choose" and "I create" is a game changer. This episode also references episode 76 "Rejection Therapy." Want to know more about Rejection Therapy? Tune into the previous episode to find out more about the big moves I am making at The Chrissy Concept. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Rejection Therapy? What is that? In this episode, I talk about my own journey to fall more in love with my own sense of rejection and fear as I apply the tools I am learning from actively seeking rejection in my own life and in my business. My inspiration comes from Jason Comely and Jia Jiang who shared his own powerful journey with rejection in a TedX that you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vZXgApsPCQ. Impressed by Jia, in this episode, I share how I have started to create a closer relationship with rejection by simply asking a question. I am able to collect a no and it doesn’t kill me. The fear of what people will think, the fear of a no, the fear of disapproval: it no longer hurts me as it may once have. But these things don’t have to be big asks for us to experience big change. Asking for what you will change your life.  So where can you ask for what you want? Where can you feel nervous about a rejection but ask it any way? Enjoy this episode about fear and rejection. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Every wonder what our principals are actually thinking about? In Episode 75, I am in conversation with high school principal Ingrid Gustavson. In this episode we discuss the highs and lows of her job, the way she models and cultivates balance in her work, and the pitfalls of trying to "do it all" as either administration or faculty.  Ingrid describes the importance of teacher time and "working around the edges" of our daily time and reminds us claim time for ourselves because, "there will always be one more paper to grade." Ingrid also describes how she says teachers have come through Covid, why and how they are frontline workers, and how we rebuild mental health for students and teachers. The key, says Ingrid, is play and her suggestions might surprise you. Enjoy this conversation! Ingrid joined the Rowland Hall community in summer 2016. For three years before her move, Ingrid served as director of studies at Darrow School on the New York-Massachusetts border overseeing all things academic, from curriculum development and scheduling to faculty and student support. Prior to Darrow, Ingrid worked at three schools in California including, most recently, Sage Hill School in Orange County. Ingrid wore many hats there over 11 years, including dean of faculty and history department chair. She has also taught World History, AP Art History, and French, and coached volleyball and basketball. Ingrid and her family enjoy exploring Salt Lake City and the surrounding areas. They especially love road trips, hiking, birding, and skiing. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Want more trust, a greater class culture and a better vibe? It is possible to create it NOW, even when the year is underway. In this episode, I lean on the amazing Brene Brown and her work on vulnerability for teachers.  I describe my "a-ha" moments from two of Brene's talks: her keynote address at South by Southwest for Educators (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVD8YRgA-ck) and in an interview on her Daring Classrooms Hub (https://brenebrown.com/dc-interview-series/). In this episode, you'll see that it is never too late to create vulnerability and safety for your students by doing your own work with it first. Where do you need to feel like you belong at school? Where do you feel like you need support in your learning and career? How can you be more like "a turtle without its shell"? Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Hard days at school actually do not exist without your mind. It's true! The hard or bad is not made by the day.  The hard or bad is made by our thoughts about the day. A day at school is neither hard nor easy without your thoughts making it so!  In episode 73 you will learn: -how coaching your mind helps you to get to the cause -how to have a more neutral stance about your day -how to make a thought choice about the kind of day you want to have -how you can take responsibility for the kind of day you want to have I reference the thought leader Marianne Williamson. For more about her, go to https://marianne.com. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Gary Mackelprang is a writer, seeker, reader and my favorite traveling partner. Gary is not only the love of my life but my favorite bibliophile as he added 5,000 books to our home when we merged households. Gary is the proud father of four amazing daughters and loves ideas, cozy naps, and a good cigar.  In this episode, my husband and I discuss how coaching has changed me and his experience watching my journey as a coach. Gary talks about both my struggles and celebrations and describes how he sees the practical application of coaching in education. Gary also shares his own thoughts and experiences of going back to school at age 61 and the power of a good teacher. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Want a better relationship with yourself? Want to set your future self up for success? In Episode 71, I teach you a tool that I use to help my teacher clients (and myself!) grow into the future that they want for themselves.  In this episode, you'll learn: * Questions to ask your future self so that you can live a more rich present moment * How to create the future that you want for yourself * Why writing and thinking about your future comes naturally to teachers already * How thinking about yourself in the future is the ultimate form of self-care. Episode 70 also can help you create the week that you want one Sunday at a time. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Want to make Sundays calmer, more peaceful and less stressful? This episode will help you feel more in charge of your week as I share: * Three ways to make your thoughts less scary on Sundays * Mindset shifts to help you look forward to your week * Ways to think about "finishing" at school * A strategy you can do on Friday to make Monday feel MUCH more peaceful Tune into Episode 71 to take these future tools to the next level! Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Do you ever wonder what happens on a coaching call? Or how is life coaching different than therapy? Tune to Episode 69 where my client Kate Murphy explains what her experience is like.  In this call, Kate, who had never done any kind of coaching: * describes her experience as a client * explains some of the tools she has learned * describes how coaching has already transformed her life.  * explains why every teacher needs a coach. Kate Murphy teaches first grade in Helotes, Texas and has been a teacher 16 years. Her superpower in teaching is collaboration: parents request r child to grow in reading and writing, you would want to be in Kate’s class. She is that go-to teacher that principals tend to give their hardest behavior students to. She is a mom and a wife and loves nature: camping, fishing, and anything outside. She is an avid traveler. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

In Part 2, I give teachers my best, most helpful tips about how to handle Parent-Teacher Conferences.  In this episode, you'll learn:  * Why having a plan and being proactive will SAVE you time and energy  * How communicating with parents can actually help you in the long run;  * How not to create welcoming energy that will also serve you; Announcing "Weight Loss for Busy Teachers," my 5-week coaching course for teachers beginning on OCTOBER 17. If you want to lose weight for the last time, this group is for you where you’ll be with no more than 4 others like-minded teachers, encouraging you along the way. To sign up, go to my website www.chrissyconcept.com for details. You must sign up October 13th to get this unbeatable offer. Resources: Follow Chrissy on Instagram @chrissyconcept. Sign up for a FREE 30 minute coaching call. More About Teacher Talk with Chrissy Nichols: Teacher Talk is the podcast for educators like you who are on the brink of burnout, or are already there. It’s your guide to feeling better about being at school and being in your life. Your host, Chrissy Nichols, is a life coach for teachers. In her weekly episodes, she will give you quick tools, tips, and brain hacks to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. It’s time to find the joy in teaching again and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.