Spark Joy EDU | Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E. featuring LaVonna Roth

In this episode of Spark Joy in EDU, we chat with LaVonna Roth, creator and founder of Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E. You will feel inspired after listening to LaVonna Roth share how she and her team boost schools in embodying a Human-Focused Culture and harnessing the S.H.I.N.E. framework. Every educator has amazing strengths, gifts, and talents- tune in to hear how you are (and can be) a difference maker!

LaVonna's Bio:
As an engaging and interactive keynote speaker, consultant, educator, and mom, LaVonna bridges her passion for how the brain learns with identifying how every individual S.H.I.N.E.s with their mindset and social-emotional well-being. She leads a small business where her and her team boost schools in embodying a Human-Focused Culture. A culture where we put those doing the work at the heart of the impact desired. How? By supporting schools in harnessing the S.H.I.N.E. framework, increasing psychological safety, & building a foundation based on the brain sciences. S.H.I.N.E. is the secret to a work environment where all want to be! LaVonna has 3 degrees, is the author of 8 books, and has worked with organizations in the U.S./Canada, Europe, South America, and the Middle East. She is the creator and founder of the Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E.® framework and also Prime to S.H.I.N.E. where she coaches educators in how to amplify their impact through educational consulting – part-time or full-time. S.H.I.N.E. will leave you inspired. Help you find your power through ah-ha moments. Ignite the fire within you to have the confidence in who YOU are and what you do, because YOU are the difference maker!

Website: Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E.

Connect with LaVonna Roth on:
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/lavonnaroth
www.facebook.com/igniteyourSHINE

Instagram:
http://instagram.com/lavonnaroth
http://instagram.com/igniteyourSHINEnow

Twitter
www.twitter.com/lavonnaroth
www.twitter.com/igniteyourSHINE

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lavonnaroth

Transcript

Tisha Richmond: 0:06

Welcome to the Spark Joy in edu podcast,

Elisabeth Bostwick: 0:09

where we take a magical leap into joyful learning.

Tisha Richmond: 0:13

Your hosts, Elisabeth Bostwick and Tisha Richmond will encourage you to actively cultivate joy in your EDU journey through reflection, inspiration, and practical strategies.

Elisabeth Bostwick: 0:23

Our vision is to leverage Tisha's message from Make Learning Magical: Transform Your Teaching and Create Unforgettable Experiences in your Classroom. And Lis's message from Take the Leap: Ignite a Culture of Innovation, to inspire educators to not only seek joy education, but understand how we can create our own joy, even amidst struggles.

Tisha Richmond: 0:44

There is so much joy in education and we are excited to highlight various guests who will be sharing how they cultivate joy and practical tips and strategies for educators to use in both their personal and professional lives. Welcome to the Spark Joy in EDU podcast. We are so excited to have LaVonna Roth with us today. This is our very first guest and we cannot wait to share with you all. Before we read her impressive bio, we would love to share with you what brought us Joy this week. Tisha, now I know you just returned from a conference tour of sorts. So, what's one thing from the past week that's brought you joy? Well, so many things have brought me joy. The conference tour has been amazing. I had the opportunity to connect with so many amazing people and just get to share and learn at all of the places that I've been. But it is really good to be home. It's really good to be able to sleep in my own bed, to get to spend time with my husband, to get to go to some of our favorite restaurants. And so, I've just really enjoyed being at home this week and seeing my dogs, my dogs missed me, so they have been very, very clingy this week as well. So what about you, Lis? What sparked you joy this week?

Elisabeth Bostwick: 2:03

Oh, well, it's been a great week and I'm so glad you're home, Tisha. There's nothing like being able to be back in your own home and in your own bed. So for me, I'd have to say that here I am living in upstate New York and it's February, and we actually had a day where it hit 68 degrees, and so just be able to be in the sunshine and get outside more was lovely and, really the entire week was nice, but to be able to be in the high fifties and then within the high sixties was just so enjoyable here. So definitely found joy in that.

Tisha Richmond: 2:39

Oh, that's amazing. I know even in our area, we've seen blue skies and though it's been cold, just to feel that sun radiate on you is so wonderful, especially when you've had gloomy or cloudy days, which you've had a lot of. So yeah, I totally can relate to that as well.

Elisabeth Bostwick: 2:59

There's just something nice about the effects of sunshine and a clear sky. So yeah. So I'm excited about our episode today, so let's dive right in.

Tisha Richmond: 3:10

I can't wait.

Elisabeth Bostwick: 3:12

Today we're excited to have LaVonna Roth on the show. As an engaging and interactive keynote speaker, consultant, educator, and mom, LaVonna bridges her passion for how the brain learns with identifying how every individual shines with their mindset and social emotional wellbeing. She leads a small business where her and her team boost schools in embodying a human focused culture. A culture where we put those, doing the work at the heart of the impact desired. LaVonna has three degrees, is the author of eight books and has worked with organizations in the US, Canada, Europe, South America, and the Middle East. She is the creator and founder of the Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E. Framework and also Prime to S.H.I.N.E. Where she coaches, educators and how to amplify their impact through educational consulting, both part-time or full. S.H.I.N.E. Will leave you inspired and help you find your power through a-ha moments. Ignite the fire within you to have the confidence in who you are and what you do because you are the difference maker. Well, welcome LaVonna. We're so excited to have you here today to spark Joy in EDU and we're just so excited to be able to hear from you, be able to talk with you, and one thing I noticed is that in looking at your website, it states that S.H.I.N.E. Is the secret to a school environment where everybody wants to be or we all want to be. Would you mind just taking a moment and connecting how that might also pertain to joy?

LaVonna Roth: 4:46

Absolutely. Thank you, for having me first of all. But when I think about joy, and I think about school, if we look past the past few years and even before the pandemic, you know, first started, there's been a lot of demands and stress factors and so many shifts that I've just felt from teachers by being in schools with them, and I thought the joy is starting to disintegrate and seep out. So when we really looked at S.H.I.N.E. and the S.H.I.N.E. Framework and what it means, it really is about how do we create that human focused culture. That's what we call it, a human focused culture. So that people do want to be there. And that's anywhere from being a part of it in there and feeling that joy and excitement, to academically and how the students are feeling and parents are feeling, and teachers when it comes to instruction. So it's the whole gamut. But joy, like we should be excited about where we want to be and we should want to be there and feel that we should be there.

Tisha Richmond: 5:36

I love that so much. It's so wonderful to have you on the show. LaVonna and I love this topic so much and I love that you share that you want to have this human focused culture. And I think that is so, so important and it's, I think, critical that as we walk into the school that we really do get excited about being there, and this is a place where you, you feel that joy because when we as educators are in a building and we feel the joy and we are focused on those relationships, then that is what students are going to feel and how important to create these learning environments that are joy-filled, where students are truly enjoying and feeling joy in the learning process.

LaVonna Roth: 6:25

Yes, because we know from the brain perspective that's going to help immensely. It's going to put the brain into a state of learning and help them transition from whatever's happening outside of the classroom or outside the school walls, to now being more focused and saying, you know what, I do belong here. My teachers love to be here. So you nailed on the head Tisha, I think it's super important.

Elisabeth Bostwick: 6:43

And I appreciate how you just made those connections too, with the brain and that joy- it's not just about, it's not simply about having fun. It's multifaceted. So, share with us a little bit on how would you describe joy?

LaVonna Roth: 6:58

I think joy, okay, so we talk about confidence, you know, and people are like, oh, once you get confidence, you have confidence forever. No, confidence is who are you around? What's happening in your life? Just different shifts that are occurring. And so it really, confidence ebbs and flows and it goes really up and down. I look at joy as the same, right? So if you are more self-aware of what's happening with you, you know what brings you joy. I think it's different. I don't think it's always stagnant though, and I think there's different levels of joy. For example, if I'm having a frustrating moment, which I may have had recently, I was like, I turned on the radio and one of my most favorite songs popped on, and I was like, all right, you're singing along to this and that was to help shift(well) chemicals in the brain, but also to shift my mood from being so frustrated to just have some fun and you know, don't get so caught up in those moments that are frustrating for us. So what I'm saying is that when it comes to what is it that we need in those moments to bring us joy, and for me sometimes it's the exact opposite. It is complete silence and just having time to sit and process.

Tisha Richmond: 8:01

Wow. That's so important and I think about that in just the midst of this week. Lis knows that this has been an insane week. We're getting ready to go to F E T C for this conference. I'm going back to back F E T C and T C E A and there's just so many things that have entered into our week, unexpected deadlines, meetings, all of the things. And, I think that it is so important that we are self aware of where we're at and what we need to do to help bring joy in those moments. And there have been days where I'm getting off a Zoom call and I'm racing across town to go to an in-person meeting, you know, and, what do I do in that in between, maybe it is getting on Voxer and talking to a friend, you know, just about today. Or maybe it is cranking up my eighties music full blast. And just rocking out for a few moments before I head into that meeting. But, that's really powerful to think about, like how can we really tune in to what we need in those moments and how can we bring in that joy?

LaVonna Roth: 9:09

Yes. Yes. And it does go back to being self-aware and recognizing what you need and when.

Elisabeth Bostwick: 9:13

In thinking about joy and how we experience that, and especially in those challenging moments it's interesting because for me there are times I will also put on music and listen to the music in the car, sometimes vox people. But, sometimes for me, finding joy in those moments is actually kind of going into like a seclusion. Not in isolation by any means, but just going outside and on a quiet walk. Even just taking our dogs for a walk and stepping away. And I find that sometimes the cool air can just feel like such a relief, and I sometimes just find joy in those simple moments too.

Tisha Richmond: 9:49

Totally. Yeah, I can totally relate to that because, I'm an introvert by nature, and so I do enjoy being around people. I enjoy being social, but I also really need that recharge and to be able to slip away and do just like what you said, like walk outside be by myself, be in a, you know, if I'm going to a conference, like finding those spaces where I can just get away from all of it and kind of recenter myself again. So yeah, absolutely. I think we all just have different things that we need in those moments, and so to be able to recognize that is so important.

LaVonna Roth: 10:24

Absolutely. I appreciate what you're both saying because I know that they couldn't see, but when Tisha said, you know, that, oh, I'm an introvert. I raised my hand. Like, yes, that would be me too. And I'm finding as I get older, I need more of that opportunity to, it brings me joy to have some alone time to regroup, to just have, like I said, anything that I need in that moment to have that, to be able to bring even more to others for the future. If we don't take that time and refill ourselves for whatever that looks like and we need, then the joy does start to dissipate.

Tisha Richmond: 10:55

Absolutely. So when I think sometimes of joy, I bring myself back to my childhood, and when we're children we experience joy. It's just so authentic, right? And so, I don't know, there's just something about that childhood wonder and joy and I think sometimes it helps us to kind of think back to what it was like for us when we were kids, especially in our school systems. And so I'm wondering LaVonna, if you were to think back on your school experiences as a child, is there one that really- like an experience that stands out above all others where you really felt that joy in learning?

LaVonna Roth: 11:38

It's funny you asked that because a lot of my learning, looking back at elementary was really good, but in middle school and high school, my grades began declining and I started to not like school. I started to not do well at all, and even my report card had Ds and Fs in high school. And so, you know, I think back and I'm like, where was the joy? But a joy for me, was that I was the social butterfly. Ironically, as I talk about being an introvert, I was in every club you could possibly imagine. I was in the marching band, the pep band, and was field commander. I played the flute, the piccolo, and I played the piano for the choir. I did everything else. But, I think it was in order for me, looking back, it was to help me feel better about myself because I wasn't performing at the academic level that I, well, what the system says I should be, right? And in the way that I should be. So really, when I think about that joyful moment would go back to Mrs. Lawrence, and that is in high school. She was my biology and anatomy teacher, and it's kind of twofold. I've realized over time, I'm very hands-on. I have to touch things to learn and manipulate. When I was in college, I didn't understand math throughout the majority of my school career. Then, I entered college and for the first time I had a professor give me manipulatives to learn how to teach math, and it was the first time I began to understand math. So, I had joy in that moment and that's exactly what Mrs. Lawrence did, because she made everything so hands-on. We were dissecting and spinning things around to see what the blood cells did, and went around looking at all the different organisms in the jar and smelling stuff. She just brought the whole experience with it. And my favorite part about Mrs. Lawrence, and it's honestly partly why I became a teacher is that she gave the hardest test in the entire world, which doesn't sound very joyful, but they were so hard. But every time we'd say to her, Mrs. Lawrence, is this going to be a hard one? Her response every single time was, Nope. It's going to be an insult to your intelligence. And let me tell you, it never was. But her words, just her belief in us and never saying like, yeah, it's going to be hard... you better study. She truly honed in on that. I look back on the joy that she brought me as a learner and having the ability to be able to learn in a different way.

Tisha Richmond: 13:49

Oh, I love that.

Elisabeth Bostwick: 13:51

I do too. And one thing, if I'm hearing you right, one thing I'm connecting is that joy doesn't always mean that it's like easy and fun and carefree, but joy could actually be, involves some challenge, but challenge that's combined with believing in yourself too. And also the experiences, the learning experience and engagement

LaVonna Roth: 14:13

Yes, like if I got a C or even a B in her class, I wasn't upset because I didn't get the A or the 100 percent I was celebrating because I knew how hard they were and that, okay, but look at what you did here. And so, it was just a unique opportunity for me as far as my school time.

Tisha Richmond: 14:31

Ah, yes. I love it so much. And I think. How that resonates to my learning experience as well, because I really struggled all the way through school, and I think a lot of it was because learning wasn't presented in a way that made sense to my brain because I needed that hands-on. I needed that tactile, I needed the manipulatives, like you're talking about, probably why I became a culinary arts teacher. Part of it was because that was just such a hands on learning environment, all the senses, right? Learning environment. I loved it so much, but I think about that and just our kids' experiences in school and how we go through the school system with a certain measure of what smart is supposed to look like, right? And we're tested kind of in a certain way. And if we fall into this kind of way of learning, then we're considered smart or we're not. And how as teachers, I feel that all the way through that school system. Students need to not only know that their teachers believe in them, but that they can truly feel smart, that they can really experience learning in the way that makes sense to them, because there's so many different definitions of what that can look like, you know, based on the learner.

LaVonna Roth: 15:55

So many. As a matter of fact, I don't know if you know this, but you know, ignite your S.H.I.N.E. And we use S.H.I.N.E. As an acronym, as a framework, but it was originally not Ignite your S.H.I.N.E. It was not the word shine at all. It was the word smart. Mm. And that's exactly what I was going after Tisha, because so many of us don't actually fit into the education system as it's been designed.

Tisha Richmond: 16:16

Wow.

LaVonna Roth: 16:16

And so I thought I, I was tired of me not thinking I was smart. I was tired of my students and my classroom who did not fit the mold, and were brilliant in so many other ways, but we didn't identify as smart because it wasn't academic. And A, B, C, D, F, was the grading system. And it drove me crazy. And then the final pinnacle was when my daughter went through the same exact challenges. She learns very much like I do. And I thought, you know what? Enough is enough. And so I was, it was going to be smart. And, someone had said to me that I would never change the definition of smart in education. And part of me said, Hmm, yeah, watch me. You know, because a little bit of like, Ooh, challenge? Do I hear a challenge. And then part of me went, okay, yeah, but what if they're right? And I'm actually grateful because it expanded my view, and it's now called Ignite Your Shine. And it's, it just, it's a much broader umbrella than just smart, but that's a big core of what we're going after. What is smart?

Elisabeth Bostwick: 17:11

I really appreciate that. And, everything that Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E. Stands for. And Tisha, I don't know if you and I have talked about it so much, but I know LaVonna knows about me, but I actually had a very similar experience too. So it's also why I went into teaching. I didn't know I was going to go into teaching at first. It actually took my psychology courses for me to really understand more about the brain to really help me to know that that's what I wanted to do, to go in and change, do whatever I could to change learning experiences. So, going back to Ignite your S.H.I.N.E., I would love to hear from you LaVonna too, with your work, with Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E., as we know there are so many benefits of joy. And so, when you're thinking about the field of education and all the work you do, do you have any specific tips for educators on how they might be able to cultivate joy in, in either their personal or professional lives or even just to find joy amidst the struggle?

LaVonna Roth: 18:04

Yes. Oh, can we spend three hours on this right? No. The S.H.I.N.E. Framework, I will share the first two letters and for me that's, well, really the first three letters are going to be the difference maker. So when we talk about S in S.H.I.N.E. It is the word stands for other letters stands for self. So what are your strengths, gifts, skills, and talents. So we're really focusing on you. But notice all the good things. It's not focusing all of the weaknesses, and that's primarily because Gallup research says that a strength will remain a strength, but a weakness will never become a strength. So it's not that we won't work on the weaknesses, but they will never get to the level of our strengths. So what if we personally look at ourselves from a different lens of what do we bring as a gift, strength, a skill, a talent to the table of our team, to our school. And now it's no longer feeling, you know, comparing yourself as much to other people, but you're uplifting yourself. So that's the one thing is I'd encourage people to start that lens of looking. It's fascinating when we do our professional development schools that when we ask them to reflect, I will have some who have a list of their strengths and others who, who can't think of one. And that's just a tiny red flag to, to us, that if, if you're not seeing the strengths that you have, you're not thinking about the things you actually do well and bring to the table and why you're here. And then H in S.H.I.N.E. Is heart. It's all about passion. So what brings you that joy? Like what lights you up? What gives you that energy? And also be aware of what drains you. And if you're putting that in your life personally, professionally, and you're feeling any waning, how can you bring more passion into what you do? And if it's professionally, it might be taking a task off your plate and giving to someone who loves doing that, but it drains you. And then there's the swapping in other ways too. And personally, if professionally is draining you, and you just cannot in this moment, figure out how to reignite that passion. Because I doubt people are doing it for the money. You know? Probably not. It's probably because you love what you do and love seeing the difference with kids. So how do you get that passion at home? And that's where all this, you know, your podcast is going to bring so much delight with so many guests that are coming on to be able to share about that joy and that passion and that excitement, which also leads us into the letter I and that stands for inspire. So again, bits and pieces coming in to, how do you uplift yourself with that and to be inspired and to have that more joy in there. But it starts with moving that lens away from being so critical about yourself and instead of putting up those mirrors that allow you to be able to see that you do have goodness. And if I may, I want to share one story. It was a quick little thing that happened in professional development, but we were talking about this and I had a teacher say to another tea to me and in front of her colleagues, and she said, you know, LaVonna, you're asking me to go to other people when I'm not good at doing something that, so you're, you're asking me to go to someone who has a strength in something, which means I have to admit I'm not good at it. And I said, I am. And, she said, do you know how embarrassing that would be? And I said, well, let's flip the lens. If you, let's see..Your colleague here is Cheryl. If you were to go to Cheryl and say, Cheryl, I am having a hard time with this, but I know it's your strength. Would you be willing to help me in this? How do you think Cheryl will feel in that moment? And she said, oh my goodness, she would feel great. And I said, exactly. So you just gave her an opportunity to use her strengths to support you and help you. You also got what was needed. But with so many times, we come from our lens of ourself and we forget about the difference we can make with others.

Tisha Richmond: 21:31

Wow, that's so powerful. It really is. Yeah. I love that. I think, you know, I think about my own district. And the leaders the ones that I've just really I don't know, have, have served as mentors to me and have just really helped me just learn. And those are the leaders that have really been able to see my strengths and have empowered me to use them. And I've also noticed how they do that with others, my other colleagues too. And if something, if part of a job description isn't fitting, then find one that does, you know, and allow those people to be able to, to live in their strengths. And it's amazing how it really turns somebody around because you can feel so deflated if you're working in your weaknesses, you're just continually going to feel defeated and feel like you're not adequate. But, if you can really be empowered to live in those strengths that you're so good at, it just, it changes our whole mindset and and approach to the work that we do. So I think it's so vital that we understand that about ourselves and that as leaders, that we can really see that in those

LaVonna Roth: 22:54

that we serve. Yes. And imagine our students beginning to understand the strengths that they have, to be able to support them academically and the passions, and now become such a win-win for everybody.

Elisabeth Bostwick: 23:07

Well, and I can actually speak to that too, because I did use the Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E. Framework in my classroom, and so I was able to see firsthand myself, the transformation that can take place in the classroom when you start having students call on one another and leverage each other for strengths, just like teachers can. And I appreciate it too, LaVonna, how you mentioned like somebody might feel like, oh, I, I have to admit that this is not a strength of mine or this is a weakness, but I think we have to remember. We can't be strong in every single thing, and that when we, when we reach out to a colleague or a student, reach outs out to a peer, we're adding value to them. We're uplifting them, and ultimately, we're all joining hands together you know, to, to make everything happen. To make everything come to fruition.

LaVonna Roth: 23:52

Yes, yes and yes.

Tisha Richmond: 23:57

Oh my goodness. We are all speaking the same language. I love it, oh, I love it so, so much

LaVonna Roth: 24:04

Hearts are aligned.

Tisha Richmond: 24:07

Absolutely, absolutely.

Elisabeth Bostwick: 24:08

So I do have one other question I'm kind of curious about. So I'm just going to add this in too, but I'm curious how might educators also be able to take their passion? Because you talk a lot about passion. I know you do a lot with coaching people in consulting too. So I'm just curious how might educators also be able to take their passion and create

LaVonna Roth: 24:29

joy in education

Elisabeth Bostwick: 24:31

outside of the school building through consulting? What are your thoughts on that?

LaVonna Roth: 24:36

I cheer educators on when they wanna do that because they've gained so much knowledge and created their own pathways and processes and such. That it would be so beneficial to many other educators. And a lot of times what, I find is that yes, they have a passion for it, but they think everybody does it the way they do it and they don't. Mm-hmm. So after, I've been doing this since 2008 and so it's been a no wait. I can't be that old... No, I'm just kidding. 2008. And so I've been doing it for over what, 15, 16? I don't know. I'm not the best at math, so whatever those years are at this point, and I've gained so much knowledge by traveling even internationally and just learning what it means to be consulting and the beauty that it brings to others and the joy that it brings to yourself when you get to see that in others as well. So. We, I wasn't planning on it, but I kept having people all throughout the year say, Levana, how do I do what you do? Or how do you, where do you begin? And what if I'm already doing it, but it's not being as successful? And finally, right before Covid, I decided, you know what? I have all this knowledge that can help other people who want to make an impact outside of the school walls. And so I started Prime to S.H.I.N.E. And there's a course that teaches them five modules from who are you as a consultant and really doing some deeper self-aware work going all the way into, okay, we have to talk taxes. It's not fun, but. It's real, you know? So we have all of that and then we have a private Facebook group and just lots of support from the community with it. So it's been a lot of fun and it's just been joyful for me to help save people a lot of time, money, mistakes, but also be able to share what the love that they have that will really, you know, elevate others educators. That's awesome. And

Elisabeth Bostwick: 26:14

I think there are so many educators out there that who have something, their own niche that they wanna share and sometimes don't know how to go about that. So I love that you provide that and just have that opportunity for people to connect like that as well.

LaVonna Roth: 26:27

Thank you. Well, our community's amazing. Like everyone's so super helpful and it's not competitive. It is all about supporting each individual because there's plenty, plenty of schools out there that need support.

Tisha Richmond: 26:39

So I have a little quick fire. We can call it a challenge. I like games and so, I don't know, we, we can call it a quick fire challenge of some questions that I have just to tap into your joy and the things that, that bring you joy in their life. So, are you ready, LaVonna? I'm going to ask you four questions.

LaVonna Roth: 27:00

I am. Let's do it.

Tisha Richmond: 27:01

Okay. First question is what is a game or an activity that brings you joy and laughter?

LaVonna Roth: 27:12

Okay, it's going to sound crazy,, but I tend to go on my phone a lot and I have certain games I play. So I am originally from Ohio, and we played Euchre in Ohio. So Ohio, Michigan tend to know what Euchre is. A lot of other people don't. But I play Euchre and I have Euchre on my phone. And then this is sillier and this is where my head went. There's a game called Park Parking Jam or Park Jam, something like that. And you literally swipe the cars to get them out of the. I am like addicted. So when I need a brain break time that's where I go.

Tisha Richmond: 27:41

And that's a game on your phone?

LaVonna Roth: 27:43

Yes, both.

Tisha Richmond: 27:44

Okay. So I have heard of Euchre. I have not played it. But is it now, is it a card game?

LaVonna Roth: 27:51

Yes.

Tisha Richmond: 27:51

But you play with a normal deck of cards, or do you have to have a special Eucre deck?

LaVonna Roth: 27:55

You, you play the normal deck, but you do pull a few out and, but they're very, they're assigned very different. Yeah. It's a little bit challenging to learn, but once you learn it's so much.

Tisha Richmond: 28:05

Okay. First time we meet in person, you're gonna teach me how to play

LaVonna Roth: 28:08

Okay. Sounds good. I love it. I'm going to find that game on the phone.

Tisha Richmond: 28:12

Okay. Ready for your second question?

LaVonna Roth: 28:14

Yes.

Tisha Richmond: 28:15

Share a favorite place to relax and recharge.

LaVonna Roth: 28:21

I'm going to say the balcony of my place where I live. I have an egg chair out there if you know what that is. So it kinda like hangs and swings a little bit. Yes. And so that is a favorite spot of mind to just breathe and relax and take in the view.

Tisha Richmond: 28:36

I love that. Yes. Okay. Question three. What is something that you enjoy savoring? So, I know sometimes when we think of savoring, we think of food, but this is really any, it could be anything. So it could be sitting with a friend over a cup of coffee. It could be sitting in the sun and feeling that, that warmth but something that you just kind of soak in that moment. As well.

LaVonna Roth: 29:05

First of all, being a foodie, savoring is where my head goes, so absolutely I'd be in on that part too. But it's funny you said the sun because I love to get up. I'm the person who, I used to not get up this early, but now I wake as soon as the light starts to come up with the sun. So the sun's even quite up yet. But my favorite is to get my coffee. Sit again on the balcony part, but I watched the colors come up and change, and then again, this is gonna be my quirkiness, but when the sun actually comes up, I tell it good morning. And I say, good morning, sun.

Tisha Richmond: 29:37

I love that too. That is amazing. I'm going to have to start doing that. Yeah. First of all, I need to come up when the sun does, I mean, I usually I do get up usually beforehand. It depends on the time of year.

Elisabeth Bostwick: 29:49

I was going to say, I feel like you're up pretty early because it'll be 9:00 AM my time and you're in Pacific time. So, and you're usually up.

Tisha Richmond: 29:59

I'm finding that as I get older, I'm becoming more and more of a burning person. It used to be that I was a night owl and I could stay up late, and now I'm just, Nope. Done. I notice in myself that when I'm tired, my outlook on life is just not as good, right? Like everything seems bigger and I'm more stressed. And so I know that being that self-aware right about myself, that when I'm tired and I start going into that real negative place that I need sleep, I just need to go to sleep. I'll feel better in the morning.

LaVonna Roth: 30:36

So true.

Tisha Richmond: 30:39

It's been such a joy to have you on the show today, LaVonna. I've loved getting to chat with you. It's the first time I've ever had a chance to chat with you face to face, but I knew, I knew that when I met you. I would just feel this instant connection. So we really appreciate you being our first guest on the show and I know our listeners have enjoyed this episode so much and we would love for you to share how our listeners can connect with you and learn.

LaVonna Roth: 31:09

Yeah, so let me just say I'm so proud of you and Lis and it's great to meet you too. I just know your voices need to be out there, need to be heard and the good that you're going to bring to so many. So thank you for all that you two have already been doing but are about to really blow up and do and so I appreciate that. And then I'm on all social media, so at LaVonna Roth, so I'll spell it because it's a unique name. So l a capital L-a-V-o-n-n-a. And my last name is Roth, r o t h. And that or at Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E.. So that's everywhere too at Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E. However, on Instagram it just had to get a little bit different. So it's at Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E. Now. And of course the website, I know Lis mentioned it, but igniteyourshine.com

Elisabeth Bostwick: 31:54

Yeah and we will be including all of that in the show notes too, but we'd just like people to be able to listen into it as well. So again, it's been such an honor and as Tisha said it's been a pure joy to be able to connect. I'm so glad the two of you could finally meet as well. So it's just been a really great conversation. Thank you.

LaVonna Roth: 32:10

Thank you both.

Tisha Richmond: 32:11

Thanks, LaVonna.

Elisabeth Bostwick: 32:15

Thank you for listening to the Spark, joy and edu podcast. We hope that you enjoyed this episode.

Tisha Richmond: 32:21

Check the show notes to connect with Liz and Tisha using their social handles and visiting their individual websites. We would love for you to share out your reflections using#SparkJoyEDU and be sure to click subscribe.