In this episode of the Morning Upgrade podcast I talk with Bri Tartaglione about her morning routine, transforming bad situations, important habits, using self-confidence and much more.
In this episode of the Morning Upgrade podcast I talk with Bri Tartaglione about her morning routine, transforming bad situations, important habits, using self-confidence and much more.
Announcer
Hey, welcome to the Morning Upgrade podcast with Ryan Cote, where we feature casual conversations with entrepreneurs about personal development and growth.
Ryan
Hey, Bri, welcome to the Morning Upgrade podcast. How are you?
Bri
Hey, Ryan, I'm doing well. How are you doing?
Ryan
I'm doing excellent. I'm excited to talk with you. Let's kick off by you telling everyone you're my audience of mourning upgraders and who you are, what you do for a living, and then give us a when you have something positive happening in your life right now.
Bri
First of all, thank you so much for having me, I really appreciate you letting me share the platform with you this morning. So I am Bree Tartaglione. I am a certified school counselor, this is actually the first year that I'm not working in a school in 10 years because I would say my win is that I've gone full force into my small business. So I am a professional speaker, as well as I do workshops and training in positive psychology and really personal development, which I know is a big crossover between you and me and I'm also a podcaster. So I host a podcast called Deep Conversations with Dope Individuals, where I really use my counseling and therapeutic expertise to sort of getting there, so to speak with clients about their personal journey. And then we talk about how that's led to a purpose-driven life for them. So really, everything that I do is all-encompassing and personal and professional development.
Ryan
I love the fact that you had the career for 10 years, and then you pivoted that into I guess what you learned from doing it for 10 years into your own business. That's really cool. I didn't know that story, actually.
Bri
Yeah, you know, it definitely came sort of like a series of events. But you know, as many of us life really changed or shifted when the pandemic hit, and not only did the pandemic kind of shift everything for me career-wise, but I went through a pretty crazy medical experience, very unexpected, that really sort of shifted my whole life perspective as well. So it really took my counseling career and brought it to me sort of bring that to a larger audience. And this all happened within the last couple of years. Yeah, in 2020. Long story short, I found out I had a super rare medical condition that rendered me paralyzed from the waist down and neck up for two weeks. But in those two weeks, I actually never knew if I was going to be able to walk again. So at the time, I was 28, I turned 29 in the hospital and got to move to the rehab center on my 29th birthday. So again, like crazy, you know, life experience. Also, it happened on March 17, 2020, which was really, the day when the world shut down. It was my first day of remote work. So again, it was kind of like worlds collided, and everything shifted for me. And in that time and it really sort of pushed me into the next phase in my life.
Ryan
Like how I'm even sure what questions to ask you that got my head swimming in so many. So how did you do you mind? If we stay on this topic for like, a couple of minutes? Please?
Bri
I wouldn't open it up if I didn't want to or if I wasn't ready to speak on it.
Ryan
Good point. So how did you get like, just like in terms of like mindset, that sounds like really seriously? How did you get through it just mentally, like keeping yourself together?
Bri
It's so funny that you say that because that really is foundational to my journey. So you know, as I said, at the time, when something like this happens, it was really like a 24-hour progression of this numbing sensation that grew up in my body. And I was like, well, something's going on. I was so freaked out. I called my parents because I WebMD and everything and I was like, I don't you know something's not right. Don't let the day. By the way. That's just when you don't know what's going on. Don't do that. But once I was in the hospital, it definitely took a couple of days of, you know, really trying to figure out what was happening. But the pivotal point for me was when I was talking to the psychologists that has to come around to everyone in the neuro unit because it was something that was actually, neurologically, it was a neurological attack essentially, on my body. So that psychologist has to come around to everyone and we were speaking and I had just finished grad school, becoming a certified counselor or certified school counselor. And we were speaking and she was like, you know, how are you feeling? And you know, I realized in so many ways, I found that I wasn't asking why me, I started taking control of it and instead pivoted it to because me and really wow, that journey was happening. I started. Instagram was my primary platform at the time, but I was really using the experience that I was going through to sort of empowering others through it as well. I realized that I was given this. I put opportunity in air quotes because not everyone would see it that way. But this moment in time to really sort of taking everything that I've used in counseling and use it on myself. And to bring it full force to sort of spin that to the world. You know, this is how you get through something like this.
Ryan
So you were looking at it as like, it's not happening to you, it's happening for you, because you're now going to use it as a platform to help others that might be going through, maybe not necessarily this specific situation, but as a major life situation. That's, you know, a curveball, I guess you can call it.
Bri
Exactly. And you know, when I didn't really see it, like, at the time, you know, you're not in the hospital thinking like, Oh, this is this, this is a good business move. But it really was, it was that moment where I was, like, you know, I've I have always really been very interested in involved in human development. That was part of the reason why I became a therapist, to begin with, because I think that we hold powers that are locked deep inside of us, that we can unlock with the mindset and different practices. You know, there are so many other there are so many ways to unlock that. But it was really as if everything that I learned from counseling in my therapeutic career came full force at me, and it was like Brianna, practice what you preach this, this is it, maybe you will never walk again. And it was really in those moments. But what does that actually mean for the rest of your life? Does that mean that your life is over? Or does that mean that a new chapter of your life has begun?
Ryan
What was it like when you were able to start walking and moving your head again, like, what was that feeling? Like? Kind of added? Obviously, obviously, good. But did it change you in any way? Like the way you look at things like the lens that you look through?
Bri
Absolutely, absolutely. So luckily, with everything from the neck up, it was a totally numbed sensation. But I started to be able to sort of rotating my neck, that was really the first thing that I was able to do. And that was about a day and a half after being in the hospital. That was definitely, I'm trying to think of the best word to describe like an empowering experience, because it was almost like, Okay, this is one half of me that I'm that I think I'll be able to regain function up. And then with my legs, it actually started with a toe wiggle, which is so so so small, but when you wake up in the morning in the hospital, and you just try so hard to move something, and you see that your big toe can move, not even a millimeter, but it can move that might have been one of the most self-empowering experiences I have ever had to imagine.
Ryan
Amazing. I'm not sure how this is gonna be an awkward transition. I'm not sure how to transition to my normal questions, but I want to, I want to talk to you about your morning routine, how do you start your days?
Bri
No, it's not an awkward transition at all. Because, you know, like that experience for me, as I said, has propelled everything thereafter, including morning routines, all my routines, everything that I do. So morning routines are so important, again, personal development person over here, morning routines are incredibly important. So for me, I can be transparent and say that early rising is difficult for me, but I do it through self-discipline and habits. So I tried to get up by six, if I'm not up by six, I have to be up by 630, I kind of give myself that buffer room. But this is really how I buffer. So I like to get an hour of reading done in the morning, I like to split it between information and education. So I like to get sort of a solid mix of daily, you know, world events, or what's happening in the world today, as well as something that I can read that is sort of pushing me forward as far as, educationally so learning something new. So if I'm up at six like I should be, I do both those things, if not, you know, I have to fit them both into a smaller window of time. But I start my workday at seven. So that is really, you know, if I am choosing to sleep and a little bit later based on whatever reasons it might be, then I just try to get that reading in at a different point in the day. But other than the reading, I also like to really set goals and an intention. A lot of times my intention will be the same all week. But typically my I'll set three goals each morning and my goals will change every day. You're reading right now. That's a great question. So I have a couple of books that I always have on hand one of them that I'm reading is behave. Robert Sapolsky that very much everything from the psychology to the neuroscience of why we do what we do.
Ryan
I’m reading a sales book right now I try to read every morning to like even if it's only a few pages and I cycle between like business books and self-development books, those are like my, my bread and butter as they say bread and butter as they say.
Bri
Yes. Yep, I feel you. I try to get a little bit of both, especially again, as I said, this is my first-year full time in business and that is a huge learning curve. So definitely He's tried to incorporate that business education as well as that self-help personal development space.
Ryan
Before you mentioned habits, what are some of the go-to habits that you rely on?
Bri
Yeah, so physical fitness is a non-negotiable for me, though I can say I flex what point in the day just based on my schedule, I wish I could incorporate physical fitness into my unequivocal morning routine, but it just doesn't always work out that way. But I will work out daily five to six days a week. And since everything happened, medically, that's, I've also become a runner I used to really despise running now I run to make sure that I can in the winter months right now, though, I do take a break from running, and just do full weight training. But physical fitness isn't a non-negotiable habit, so to speak, that I've been, you know, in process for the past? About 15 years, I started my fitness journey. So that for sure is something that I will never ever be able to give up.
Ryan
The question for you, if this was too difficult to answer on the spot, let me know we'll just cut this part out. But if someone is going, if someone listening to this is going through a major life challenge, as he went through, and they're having a really hard time getting through it, like in one or two minutes, like what would you say to that person?
Bri
It's a heavy question, but definitely, one that deserves an answer. And what I have found, and I actually think I can sum it up in a sentence, and I can expand if you want, but what has become my tagline, since those moments for me is buy into the possibility of you. And it can go so deep, but it really is understanding. Even if it needs to be borrowed confidence from another person telling you that you will get through this, you have to know that you will get through this, and buying into your possibility is really a way for that I help others sort of understand that the power stems from you, and it stems from deep within you. And I know it's not always easy to reach down and find that. But in the physical world, you can buy are the smallest amount you know, cash flow is a penny. It's like if you can buy into you just a penny's worth to know that you can get through this then that you know is my most sincere advice to know that even just a sliver of hope is better than no hope at all.
Ryan
But I asked that that was very powerful. And I'm happy to end with hope too, because a lot of the books I read and the video lessons to the Optimize program, they talk about having hope like that's like a key trait that you need, you need to need to believe that tomorrow next week or next month could be better, you know if you work hard enough. And so I'm glad you ended with that. Absolutely. So Bri, I've got one last question for you. I was gonna ask you about the meaning of life. But I think I'm gonna guess you go to business? Because I think you kind of would that last answer, you kind of touched upon it a little bit. So I want to talk about your business. Now. It's a new business, and you're obviously trying to grow it. How are you? What are your plans? What are your plans to grow? Like? What are you going to do? I'm asking you because I want to maybe spark ideas for people listening to that may be starting a business and hadn't thought to try this for growing it. What do the next 12 months look like for you for your growth plan for the business?
Bri
Absolutely. So I love that question. There are a lot of moving parts. But I'll just sort of give you a few things that are in the works for me as far as growth. So one, I do the podcast and the podcast is really cool because the podcast is almost like my own research in finding out everyone else's self-development story and personal development sort of growth in their journey. So I have the podcast, which is consistently happening sort of on the back end, but I use everything that I learned from my guests, and I take it and I'm sort of packaging it into different self-development plans. So as far as real, tangible goals for growth for the next year, I'm really building out my email list, which is huge just for being able to have you know, in business, it's like a warm lead. So if someone has, you know, come to my website or you know, inquired about anything, I have their email so I can use that email list. So that's a major source of business 101 build out that email list. I have an app that's in the works the app is great for membership plans, building out that membership plan is really really important. What that membership plan will include. It's still in the beta or you know, the beginning phases, so to speak, or the learning phase but I do have different PDF AFS and Downloadables and programs that I've put together so memberships will have different access to that. As far as speaking engagements and workshops, I have sort of a separate pipeline from my separation from my email list, but a pipeline of potential places that I can speak and that I would like to speak. So getting those paid speaking engagements out to the right audiences is really just a matter of firing away at, you know, find finding the right decision-makers to you know, show your stuff to essentially and try to get those rolling. So, lots of things are in motion for me for my business, but there's definitely growth monthly that I'm, you know, growth, monthly growth goals that I'm following as well.
Ryan
Love it. But it sounds like you're planting a lot of seeds. And hopefully, hopefully that little brainstorming session just sparked some ideas for people listening. Thanks for sharing.
Bri
Yeah, of course. Thank you for the questions.
Ryan
Well, Bri, this was great. I'm glad we had this conversation. Feel like we covered a lot and it was appreciate everything you shared. If someone wants to reach out to you, where should we send them?
Bri
Thank you for providing me with that opportunity. Because I really appreciate that if anyone is looking to get in touch, especially for speaking engagements and workshops, you can go right to my website, which is briundeniably.com. That's briundeniably.com. And you can actually find me on every social platform at Bri_undeniably. So that is really what I go by. So if you're looking to be a podcast guest requests if you need a speaker, if you want a consultation as far as different coaching and plans or if you're looking for a workshop in personal development, that is really everything you'll find right there on my site, as well as if you are looking for just the podcast page on Instagram you can find it on Dope Individuals podcast.
Ryan
Perfect. I will link everything up in the show notes. Thanks.
Bri
Great.
Ryan
Thanks, everyone for listening.
Bri
Awesome. Thank you, Ryan. I really appreciate it. Hope you have a great rest of your day.
Ryan
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