Growing up, every report card comment and parent conference involved my teachers expressing some version of the following:

• "Angela is smart, but not working to her potential."
• "Angela needs to focus and apply herself."
• "Angela is a capable student but does not put forth effort."
• "Angela could do the work if she wanted to but she appears lazy and unmotivated."
  

I shared a little of this story a few years back, and how I was labeled as gifted at first, and then diagnosed with a learning disability in math:
EP163: I was a disengaged student who nearly failed high school

For years, I believed something was fundamentally wrong with the wiring in my brain. Despite everything I'd accomplished, I felt inconsistent, unfocused, and unable to just ... do the thing like everyone else seemed to. Normal adulting tasks felt like they required herculean effort.

It took decades to understand: I'm not lazy. I'm neurodivergent. And that changes everything.

In this episode, I'm sharing my journey of understanding my brain, from my bipolar diagnosis in my early 20s to discovering CBT and mindset work, to finally creating the resource I wish I'd had all along.

I'll tell you about Motivation Lab, a new coaching app I've built that translates the neuroscience principles from my Finding Flow curriculum into a format for teens, young adults, and anyone who's ever felt like traditional productivity systems just don't work for their brain.

This is the story of why I created Motivation Lab, who it's really for (hint: maybe not you, but possibly someone you care about), and why I'm asking for your help in getting it to the people who need it most.

If you've ever wondered why consistency is so hard, why motivation feels unpredictable, or why no single productivity system works for everyone, I think you'll relate to what I'm sharing.

Check out Motivation Lab here: studio.com/motivationlab/

Read or share the blog post.

The first official podcast ep of 2026 will be out on January 11th. Thank you for listening to this interlude / announcement!

It's the final episode of the 2025 season, and I want to leave you with something meaningful. I'm sharing some personal thoughts as I prepare to step away for my December internet sabbatical. I'm thinking deeply about alignment, presence, and what it means to move forward with clarity and purpose.

If you've been feeling the tension between what you have to do and what you're called to do … this episode might resonate.

Key highlights:

• Why I'm shifting directions in 2026 to focus on deeper connections with educators (and serving more than just folks in K-12)
• How my personal life has come into greater alignment after moving and establishing new daily practices
• My launch of teacher retreats after years of dreaming and planning (you're invited!)
• An introduction to Due Season Press, my new website showcasing retreats, retreat/event planning services, editing and publishing support for authors, and more
• Opportunities for schools and districts to host custom retreat experiences
• Reflective questions to help you find your own alignment and mission heading into 2026

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

This episode is brought to you by MiaTiagoBooks.com.

P.S. If you'll miss having new episodes to listen to from now until January, here's a way to work back through the archives without having to scroll endlessly through episode titles. I have a set of recommended Truth for Teachers playlists you can access. They're a careful curation of the episodes I'm most proud of—and that I think will help you most—from my ten years of podcasting.

I've organized the playlists around four topics:

• The Encouragement Playlist, if you need a boost of inspiration and motivation
• The Productivity Playlist, if you want practical strategies for time management and getting things done
• The Student Engagement Playlist, if you want tools for building relationships with students and enhancing your lessons
• The Greatest Hits Playlist, which covers a wide variety of topics that have been really popular over the years but aren't necessarily connected to any larger theme. The Greatest Hits playlist offers a really nice variety of episodes.

If you're a longtime listener and accessed one of these playlists a while back, know that I updated them this month so they include newer episodes, too.

Go to TruthforTeachers.com/playlists and enter your email address to receive the playlist you want. I'll send you a PDF with a description of each episode, a link to its blog post/transcript, and a link to the MP3 file for listening. It also shares some special bonuses and other related resources I think you might like.

"The adults in the building need healing just as much as the kids do. Self-compassion isn't soft. It's the most radical act of self-preservation an educator can practice."
That's a quote from my guest in this episode, Marisol Quevedo Rerucha. She's the author of Beyond the Surface of Restorative Practices and the CEO of Heartset Consulting Group. A former teacher, principal, and district leader, she now supports individuals, communities, and systems in building high-trust, equity-centered spaces.

Together, Marisol and I explore what a restorative way of being looks like, how to build a classroom culture rooted in belonging and accountability, and why self-compassion is a foundational part of this work. Marisol also shares her personal story of healing, offers real classroom examples, and closes with an unforgettable metaphor about facing life's hardest moments with courage and community.

In this powerful conversation, Marisol Revucha shares why so many educators feel disillusioned with restorative practices and what needs to shift for true transformation to occur.
Whether your school is fully immersed in restorative practices or you're just starting to explore what it means, this conversation offers both heart and strategy. You'll walk away with a clearer vision for what's possible—not just for your students, but for yourself.

Topics include:

• Why restorative justice often fails in schools
• How to build a culture of repair and accountability
• The role of self-compassion in restorative work
• Real-time responses when students act out
• Restorative practices for staff—not just students
• "Being the buffalo": facing the storm together

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

This episode is brought to you by MiaTiagoBooks.com.