Have you ever been somewhere where you wanted to ask, but you just couldn't work up the courage to do it? If you're like me, you have and learning how to advocate for yourself a little earlier is a game changer. This episode provides strategies on how and when; it even provides the why in some instances! Join me as we learn how to ask and why it could possibly become your SuperPower:)

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• College Essay Thought List HERE
• Balance Reflection Worksheet HERE

WORKSHOPS

• Sign up for my Crush Your College Essay Workshop HERE

ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING

• Work with me one-on-one to fine tune that college or school essay.

I am so excited about this episode! For episode 7, I had the privilege to interview a former colleague and friend who is inspiring audiences all over with his encouraging words. Dr. Pascal Losambe has founded the Synergy Consulting Company with his wife, Crystal, while also partnering with her on their book, Breaking the Barriers to Belonging. Join us as he talks about his challenges moving from South Africa to America as a teen and how he worked through those. He will discuss how building respect and connection is present even if cultures and faith are different. With the correct mindset and knowing your own identity the strategies provided on this episode will help you navigate school, and life, when conflict or differences arise. Join me in listening to an important episode as we begin this new school year!

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RESOURCES mentioned:

Fisher, Jefferson. The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More. Tarcher Publishers, NY, 2025.

Fredrickson, Barbara. Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the 3-1 Ratio that Will Change Your Life. Three Rivers Press. CA, 2009.

Losambe, Dr. Pascal and Crystal. Breaking the Barriers to Belonging. Kharis Publishing. IL, 2023.

McAdams, Dan is a professor at Northwestern University. He is an author and speaker; you may also find him on YouTube speaking about "human personality" and different levels of connection.

Check out mrshamiltonsroom.com for FREEBIES...

• College Essay Thought List HERE
• Balance Reflection Worksheet HERE

WORKSHOPS

• Sign up for my Crush Your College Essay Workshop HERE

ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING

• Work with me one-on-one to fine tune that college or school essay.

With summer waning and the lazy days of summer coming to an end, are you beginning to feel anxious about the, soon-to-be, packed schedule? In this episode, I talk about strategies that might help to balance that angst. In addition, some tools are offered that will help to think about how your own time is spent and how you might manage those hours. We all have the same amount of hours in our day, but reflecting about how they are used and working to make some changes might just be the difference maker in your school year.

Check out mrshamiltonsroom.com for FREEBIES...

• College Essay Thought List HERE
• Balance Reflection Worksheet HERE

WORKSHOPS

• Sign up for my Crush Your College Essay Workshop HERE

ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING

• Work with me one-on-one to fine tune that college or school essay.

If you are a sibling (or a parent) of a teen leaving for college this fall, you might be feeling many mixed emotions. Know this is normal...for good reason, life is changing for the entire family! You might be wondering, "What happens to us now?"

In this episode, I break down a few of the common emotions, provide some coping strategies and finally, list a few resources that may wish to seek out beyond this episode.

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Episode Resources:

Books

- My Sibling is Moving to College: A Social Story by TPT

- Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

- Your Big Sister's Guide to Surviving College by Christie Glascoe Crowder

Online

teenlife.ngo/supportgroups

Mindfulness Apps - Headspace or Calm

Family Apps - Cozi or Google Calendar

Check out mrshamiltonsroom.com for FREEBIES...

• College Essay Thought List HERE
• Balance Reflection Worksheet HERE

WORKSHOPS

• Sign up for my Crush Your College Essay Workshop HERE

ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING

• Work with me one-on-one to fine tune that college or school essay.

The freedom that summer provides and the chance to do things differently than during the school year is one of the many blessings this time of year brings . With this freedom, opportunities to explore new places and new people are also presented and a few options are suggested. One of the freedoms that many people have comes with bike ownership. If you own a bike and do not have your driver's license yet, you know what I am talking about. This podcast's chosen narrative all begins with his choice to go exploring on his bike. With this decision, he finds more than just new paths, but a renewed mindset about nature and his previous definition of friendship. Check out this latest episode!

Check out mrshamiltonsroom.com for FREEBIES...

• College Essay Thought List HERE
• Balance Reflection Worksheet HERE

WORKSHOPS

• Sign up for my Crush Your College Essay Workshop HERE

ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING

• Work with me one-on-one to fine tune that college or school essay.

Summer is here and if you're a student or a parent, there is freedom to enjoy things you may not always have had the opportunity to during the school year. One of the most obvious, but sometimes overlooked, is enjoying the great outdoors! In this episode, I talk about how I felt the classroom shift move after spring break and the importance of changing the scenery in my own classroom. When pivoting with this change in season, a renewed creativity came alive in the classroom, especially with my students' writing. In that, lessons were learned from students as they opened my eyes to new perspectives on how they viewed the same topic I had seen so many seasons prior. This exercise also shed light on how I viewed each student's writing ability and how changing the environment while allowing more freedom, without specific parameters, gave each student a more confident and coherent voice. I share some of the students' work and discuss how each one help me to see something in either them or me that I would not have before. Finally, after revealing how beneficial it was for taking my own classroom outdoors, I explain a few benefits that "getting out there" into the outdoors does for you and your family, too!

Check out mrshamiltonsroom.com for FREEBIES...

• College Essay Thought List HERE
• Balance Reflection Worksheet HERE

WORKSHOPS

• Sign up for my Crush Your College Essay Workshop HERE

ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING

• Work with me one-on-one to fine tune that college or school essay.

You've heard it before: "Be unique," "Tell your story," "Stand out." But how do you actually find a topic that does all that? In this episode, I will talk about how important reflection is in revealing that most important piece of writing the college essay...the college essay topic! Move from meh to memorable as I help break down your WHY, your HOW and your VOICE which, in turn, identifies some key components for the content of that essay. Sharing an example, analyzing that choice and providing guidance on how you might start your own college essay is all revealed today. Finding out that your story is truly your edge in the college admittance game and the power of your perspective is the secret to crushing the college essay!

Check out mrshamiltonsroom.com for FREEBIES...

• College Essay Thought List HERE
• Balance Reflection Worksheet HERE

WORKSHOPS

• Sign up for my Crush Your College Essay Workshop HERE

ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING

• Work with me one-on-one to fine tune that college or school essay.

Have you ever felt as though nothing goes right? Do you think other people have it better than you? In this episode, we will hear from a young lady who thought she did have "The Worst Life" until an interaction changed her perspective. If you have felt the same way, this episode will answer some reasons why you might be feeling this way and then, offer some strategies helping you to move forward...hopefully, in a more positive direction.

https://mrshamiltonsroom.com

Check out mrshamiltonsroom.com for FREEBIES...

• College Essay Thought List HERE
• Balance Reflection Worksheet HERE

WORKSHOPS

• Sign up for my Crush Your College Essay Workshop HERE

ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING

• Work with me one-on-one to fine tune that college or school essay.