Run Your Life Show With Andy Vasily

Send us a textLife is so incredibly precious but very fragile at the same time. Without question every single one of us experiences hardship and obstacles that can impede our growth and development in life. When faced with such roadblocks, what is our default setting in regards to how we respond to these challenges? Does the way in which we respond to crisis help to empower or disempower our own narratives? In today’s episode, Cory Weissman and I discuss his moving story and the major life lessons he has learned about the importance of self-belief, goal-setting, and personal excellence. Cory was a college basketball player ready to break into the starting lineup when, just prior to his second season, he suffered a major stroke at age 19 that almost killed him. Cory’s life since has been all about the choices he has to empower his own narrative and journey by choosing to strive for excellence along every step of his recovery. Now a motivational speaker, Cory engages audiences around the United States by inspiring them to know and understand that they can achieve anything if they set their mind to it. Cory’s steadfast determination and resilience is a lesson for all of us regardless of our age or the obstacles that we face on a daily basis. Cory shares several gems of insight in today’s episode that are immediately applicable in our lives and work. I hope you enjoy this episode with Cory Weissman. Cory’s BioCory Weissman is a motivational speaker that suffered a catastrophic stroke at the age of 19. Cory was a 1000-point scorer in high school and was on his way to being a standout guard at Gettysburg College, but that all changed on March 26th, 2009. The debilitating stroke would not stop Cory form getting back out onto the basketball court, so he worked for 3 years until he finally achieved his goal and was able to play in one final game. Not only did he play in the game, but he scored a highly unlikely point to cap off his college basketball career. Cory’s story spread nationwide throughout numerous media outlets including ESPN Outside the Lines, Yahoo Sports, Sports Illustrated, NPR and many more. The inspirational story was made into a full feature length film called, ‘1000-1: The Cory Weissman Story’ starring David Henrie, Beau Bridges, and Jean Louisa Kelly. The movie chronicles Cory’s recovery including all of the obstacles and adversity he had to overcome to get back onto the basketball court and score the hardest point of his career. The movie can be found on Netflix, iTunes, and Amazon. Cory speaks at various camps, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools all over the country. He spreads a message that no obstacle is too great to overcome. He discusses how hard work and sacrifice are crucial to succeed in any facet of life. He talks about the importance of appreciating the lives we have. He knows from personal experience that you can lose everything in a blink of the eye. Connect with CoryEmail: Coryweissman@gmail.comTwitter: @CoryWeissman3 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Coryweissman3/?fref=tsThemes Discussed:Resilience, Goal-Setting, Adversity, Making a Difference, Empowering Our Narrative, Striving For Excellence, 1000-1: The Cory Weissman Story

Send us a textLife offers us many opportunities for growth and development from both a personal and professional perspective. When we remain open to what these experiences can teach us, we ultimately provide ourselves with the tools necessary to see our work and purpose through a different lens. In today’s #RunYourLife episode, Dr. Martha James-Hassan shares her major life lessons learned throughout her 25 years in education and how these lessons continually help to shape her professional practice. In our discussion, Martha and I explore what quality physical education means and the impact that a great program can have on helping to inspire young people to take initiative on being physically active for life. We delve into the role that fitness plays in a physical education curriculum and the key factors necessary for deepening teacher practice. Martha shares some gems in this episode that will truly challenge us to think about the current stances that we hold about what is most important in our profession. Martha’s BioMartha James-Hassan earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Kinesiology, her Master’s from Hamline University in St.Paul, Minnesota, and her Doctorate in Critical Pedagogy from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is a graduate of the AASA/Howard University Urban Superintendents Academy and the Saint Paul Public Schools Leadership Academy. She is a researcher, teacher, and leader with nearly 25 years of experience in urban public education. Dr. Hassan is currently aAssistant Professor at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. Her research agenda involves investigating in-service teacher professional development, cultural fluency, and interdisciplinary education.In addition to her teaching, Dr. Hassan has served in local, regional, and National leadership roles throughout her career. Currently, she represents the students and families of Baltimore City as a Commissioner on the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners and as a Board of Directors member for the Maryland Association of Boards of Education.Martha has been honored as an Upper Midwest Human Rights Fellow, State Teacher of the Year, National Social Justice and Diversity Teacher of the Year, Joanna Davenport Outstanding Doctoral Research Awardee, The National Association of Kinesiology in Higher Education’s Outstanding Young Scholar, a Faculty Diversity Fellow, and the Baltimore-Area Badger Alumna of the Year.She is the proud parent of two adult children, wife to an amazingly supportive partner, and in 2008 she became an Ironman by completing the 140.6 mile course in 14 hours 9 minutes and 31 seconds.Connect With MarthaTwitter: @DrJamesHassanEmail: mjameshassan@gmail.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martha-james-hassan-25314a102Themes Discussed:Systemic Change, Quality Physical Education, The Role of Fitness in PE, Socio-Emotional Wellness, Meaning and Purpose, The Bigger Picture

Send us a textWhen trying to better understand what mindfulness means and the powerful role it plays in education, it is important to continually search for resources that can help us learn more about it. In celebration of the 10th episode of ‘4 X Mindfulness’, Andy and Neila take the time to share their top ten go to resources that have helped to shape their mindfulness practice. Included in this top ten list are inspiring people, books, Ted Talks, and online resources that Andy and Neila hope to connect you with in order to push your mindfulness practice to a deeper level. BiosNeila Steele and Andy Vasily are international educators who have worked at fully authorized IB schools in 4 different countries over the past 16 years (Japan, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, and China). Andy is a consultant, workshop leader, presenter, and speaker. Neila presents and leads multiple workshops in the area of mindfulness. They have devoted themselves to sharing the powerful effects that mindfulness has on promoting greater mental, social, emotional, and physical well-being.Connect With Andy and NeilaNeilaTwitter: @neilasteeleWebsite: www.mindfulandpresent.comAndyTwitter: @andyvasilyWebsite: www.pyppewithandy.comResources Explored:Tara Brach, The Enlightened Brain, The Essential Marcus Aurelius, The 5-Minute Journal, Scientific American Mind Magazine, David Steindl-Rast, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Marina Gijzen, Brene Brown, Ted Radio Hour

Send us a textWhat is your formula for success when it comes to deepening your learning of things that you are passionate about? What role does reflection play in this process? How often do you take the quiet time necessary to recharge your own batteries in order to be at your best both personally and professionally? What types of patterns and routines present themselves when eating each meal/snack of the day? To what degree do our emotions cloud the decisions that we make when trying to overcome a challenge? In the 9th episode of ‘4 X Mindfulness’, Neila and Andy explore these themes in an effort to share strategies and approaches that have been proven effective in better developing these areas. They look at the work of best-selling author, Ryan Holiday, and delve into a specific type of digretion therapy that Sting once did to overcome writer’s block that had persisted for years. As well, the theme of mindful eating is explored and the positive benefits it has on our digestive system and overall well-being. As always, thanks for listening to ‘4 X Mindfulness’ with Neila Steele and Andy Vasily. BiosNeila Steele and Andy Vasily are international educators who have worked at fully authorized IB schools in 4 different countries over the past 16 years (Japan, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, and China). Andy is a consultant, workshop leader, presenter, and speaker. Neila presents and leads multiple workshops in the area of mindfulness. They have devoted themselves to sharing the powerful effects that mindfulness has on promoting greater mental, social, emotional, and physical well-being.Connect With Andy and NeilaNeilaTwitter: @neilasteeleWebsite: www.mindfulandpresent.comAndyTwitter: @andyvasilyWebsite: www.pyppewithandy.comThemes Explored:Mindful Eating, Creativity, Sting, Ryan Holiday, Plus/Minus/Equal Theory of Learning, Emotional Resilience, ReflectionBooks Mentioned:The Obstacle is the Way and The Ego is the Enemy (Ryan Holiday)

Send us a textGratitude, Reflection and Being PresentCapturing more time in our lives to better develop our sense of well-being is no easy task. When trying to integrate more mindfulness practice into our lives, we must adapt and modify these strategies in a way that best suits who we are and our level of comfort with putting these approaches into action. There certainly is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to employing more mindfulness in our lives. Some things will resonate more greatly with us and other things not so much. What’s most important is having an open mind to the possibilities that exist then tinkering with these approaches in order to determine what works best for us. In today’s episode, Neila and I discuss our go to sources of inspiration and insight for this week in regards to our own mindfulness practice. Neila shares a great reflection that includes asking ourselves 3 essential questions at the end of each day. She delves into what each question means and how to apply it in our lives. As well, Neila gives an example of how pets can help us to be more mindful and present. Andy shares a new visualization and gratitude activity that he recently started putting into practice that is all about helping to sync up the energy of heart and mind. He also shares one of his favorite quotes and how this relates to better understanding and identifying the talents that we bring to the world. Thanks for listening to the 8th episode of ‘4 X Mindfulness’. BiosNeila Steele and Andy Vasily are international educators who have worked at fully authorized IB schools in 4 different countries over the past 16 years (Japan, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, and China). Andy is a consultant, workshop leader, presenter, and speaker. Neila presents and leads multiple workshops in the area of mindfulness. They have devoted themselves to sharing the powerful effects that mindfulness has on promoting greater mental, social, emotional, and physical well-being.Connect With Andy and NeilaNeilaTwitter: @neilasteeleWebsite: www.mindfulandpresent.comAndyTwitter: @andyvasilyWebsite: www.pyppewithandy.comThemes Discussed:Gratitude, Visualization, Daily Reflection, Non-Judgement, Presence, Tony Robbins, Self-Awareness, Service to Others, Jim Carrey Commencement Speech

Send us a textTo what extent do the roles of creativity and innovation play a factor in your personal and professional development? In what ways do you learn best and how does this learning apply to the work that you do? In today’s episode, Denise Rosetto, the Creative Director at BBDO Toronto shares her work, her journey, and major life lessons learned over the 20 years that she has worked in the advertising industry. Our productivity and levels of success are often a result of drawing upon a wealth of experiences that ultimately shape our personal and professional journeys. Denise has used these life experiences as a source of major inspiration in her pursuit of excellence within her field. Denise provides gems of insight and inspiration that are immediately applicable in any line of work that you do in life. I hope you enjoy this episode with Denise Rosetto. Densie’s BioDenise recently joined the BBDO team and is proud to be Executive Creative Director of an agency she has always admired.After consistently being named one of the top ten copywriters in Canada, Denise was appointed Executive Creative Director of the DDB Toronto office in 2010. That year she was part of the team that led DDB to be named top agency in the country. They repeated that feat again in 2012.Denise now enjoys the distinction of being one of Canada's top 10 creative directors. She has won awards in every national and international award show including:  Cannes Lions, The One Show, Communication Arts and D&AD. She has brought home numerous Lions in several categories for clients such as Cialis, Subaru, Epson, Crime Stoppers and Mott's Beverages. She has also won the Grand prix for the most effective Campaign in the country for her team’s work on Auto Trader.Denise has judged several international award shows including Communication Arts, London International, the New York Festivals and was a 2012 Cannes judge and a 2015 Cannes judge.She sits on many advertising panels and was recently a moderator for Women of Influence. Being a mom of twin seven year-old boys she would love to do a campaign that changed the world for the better.Connect With DeniseLinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/denise-rossetto-9a0a422bExamples of Denise’s Work:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6bRKx23E60https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RDmxnJIRJ4Themes Discussed:Creativity, Inspiration, Where We Get Our Ideas From, Design Thinking, Emotional Hooks, The Art of Great Advertising, Staying Motivated

Send us a textWhat do new beginnings really mean? Our 7th episode of ‘4 x Mindfulness’ is devoted to change and new beginnings which occur on multiple levels within our lives. Each seed of mindfulness that is discussed in today’s episode is about becoming more present and aware when approaching our life and work but doing so in a different manner. Looking at change and new beginnings through a different set of lenses allows us to become more fully cognizant of things we wouldn’t normally pay attention to or let enter our radar. For Neila’s two seeds of mindfulness, she shares a peaceful resolution and communication strategy rooted in the work of Dr. Amy Saltzman and her book A Still Quiet Place. Neila also shares a quote that has deeply resonated with her that deals with the natural ups and downs of life and how to approach these ups and downs with a more mindful attitude. Andy shares a quote from Austin Kleon’s book Steal Like an Artist. The quote was taken from Jim Jarmusch, an American film director. The message is very clear and has to do with being more mindful of everything that exists around us and when we do this we can always find something to fuel our inspiration, innovation, and creativity. However, we MUST remain open to understanding that learning takes place in many forms that exist in our lives. The other seed of mindfulness that Andy presents in today’s podcast has to do with teacher and administrator well being. To use an anaology that Andy first heard this past week, teacher and administrator well being must begin by looking upstream at the key factors that empower educators to function at their best. Andy discusses what these key factors are and how to better apply them in our work and life. Andy and Neila hope you find a gem or two in this episode that can be applied in your own lives and the work that you do

Send us a textIn the 6th installment of ‘4 X Mindfulness’, Neila and Andy record this episode live at Blue Mountain Ski Resort in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada. Neila shares specific strategies related to mindful walking and hiking that are immediately applicable in your own environment wherever it is you may live. As well, she also shares an excellent breathing strategy (called the ‘stoplight breath’) that helps to reduce anxiety and stress that you may experience while driving. Andy shares a great quote from George Bernard Shaw that has to do with the illusion that communication has taken place when it really hasn’t. Embedded within this quote is a powerful message about how to be better communicators and listeners. Andy also shares a story about Neila that is funny, but also contains a valuable lesson about the possibility of impacting others, who we least expect, in very positive ways. We hope you enjoy our 6th episode of 4 x Mindfulness.BiosNeila Steele and Andy Vasily are international educators who have worked at fully authorized IB schools in 4 different countries over the past 16 years (Japan, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, and China). Andy is a consultant, workshop leader, presenter, and speaker. Neila presents and leads multiple workshops in the area of mindfulness. They have devoted themselves to sharing the powerful effects that mindfulness has on promoting greater mental, social, emotional, and physical well-being.Connect With Andy and Neila Neila Twitter: @neilasteeleWebsite: www.mindfulandpresent.com Andy Twitter: @andyvasilyWebsite: www.pyppewithandy.comThemes DiscussedMindful Walking, Stress Reduction, Breathing Techniques, Communication and Listening, Default Responses

Send us a textIn this episode, best selling author, Michael Bungay Stanier and I have an in-depth discussion about his latest book entitled The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever. Michael provides a rich insight into the power of questioning and the role it plays in empowering those around us. Although Michael’s work is deeply rooted and directed toward the corporate world, there is excellent takeaway value for all educators who listen to this podcast. Great teaching is all about asking great questions. The themes of staying curious, the importance of reflection, and being more comfortable with silence are also explored during this episode to emphasize just how critical a role they play in helping to construct a meaningfully rich learning environment for our students. There is no doubt that you will find immediate takeaway value in this podcast with Michael Bungay Stanier. Bio:Michael Bungay Stanier is the Senior Partner of Box of Crayons, a company that helps organizations do less Good Work and more Great Work. Box of Crayons is best known for its coaching programs, which give busy managers practical tools to coach in 10 minutes or less.On the way to founding Box of Crayons in 2002, Michael lived in Australia, England, the United States and Canada (his current home), where he worked in the fields of innovation and change management. He’s written a number of books, the best known of which is Do More Great Work, with almost 100,000 copies sold. He’s proudest of End Malaria, a collection of essays about Great Work by thought leaders that has raised $400,000 for Malaria No More. His latest book, The Coaching Habit, is already being called a modern classic. To balance all this out, Michael was banned from his high school graduation for “the balloon incident,” was sued by one of his law school lecturers for defamation and managed to give himself a concussion while digging a hole as a labourer...He was the first Canadian Coach of the Year and is a Rhodes Scholar.Connect with Michael:Website: http://www.boxofcrayons.biz/homepage-2/Twitter: @boxofcrayonsLinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/michaelbungaystanierFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/boxofcrayons.biz/?fref=tsThemes Discussed:Empowerment, The Power of Questioning, Inquiry Teaching, Well-Being, The Coaching Habit, Reflection, Maximizing Impact, The Meaning of Work

Send us a textThe 5th installment of ‘4 X Mindfulness’ was recorded live at Manhattan Bar and Grill in Nanjing, China. This is the last podcast that Neila and Andy recorded while living in China, so this episode took on a special meaning as they are saying good bye to the life they’ve known for the past five years. Neila shared her two seeds of insight and inspiration for the past week with the first one being rooted in the idea of non-attachment and the nature of impermanence in our lives. She shares the work of Marie Kondo, a famous Japanese organizational consultant who focuses her work on decluttering the unnecessary in our lives. Neila also shared the inspirational story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, an author and past editor of the French fashion magazine ELLE. It is an extraordinary journey that led to the book The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. For Andy’s two seeds of mindfulness for the past week, he shares his thoughts on the impermanence of relationships in our lives and the importance of always remaining open to connecting with new people who cross our paths as it’s sometimes these new people who may very well have a very special, lasting impact on our lives. Andy also shares some inspiration he gained from the latest Tim Ferriss podcast featuring the work Ryan Halliday. Ryan discusses the ‘Blank Canvas’ strategy which is all about putting others first in our lives. Neila and Andy truly hope that you gain some takeaway value from this episode and would like to thank you all for taking the time to listen to their 4 X Mindfulness series. BiosNeila Steele and Andy Vasily are international educators who have worked at fully authorized IB schools in 4 different countries over the past 16 years (Japan, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, and China). Andy is a consultant, workshop leader, presenter, and speaker. Neila presents and leads multiple workshops in the area of mindfulness. They have devoted themselves to sharing the powerful effects that mindfulness has on promoting greater mental, social, emotional, and physical well-being. Connect With Neila and AndyNeilaTwitter: @neilasteeleWebsite: www.mindfulandpresent.comAndyTwitter: @andyvasilyWebsite: www.pyppewithandy.comThemes Discussed:Impermanence, Decluttering, Marie Kondo, Mike Kuczala, Jean-Dominique Bauby, The Blank Canvas Strategy, Embracing the Unknown, Gratitude, Perspective, Saying Good Bye