Building Capacity from the Inside Out: A Conversation with Raquel Hopkins

Dear Educator,

Discomfort isn’t a sign to detour—it’s often the doorway to growth.

Whether it’s an unfamiliar math concept, a challenging conversation, or a new instructional shift, we are constantly navigating spaces that stretch us. And in those moments, our first instinct may be to push it away, label it as “hard,” or find someone or something to blame. But what if we didn’t?

What if we sat with it instead?

This episode is an invitation to explore what it means to feel, without reacting. To pause before we project. To stop outsourcing our discomfort and start reflecting on what it might be trying to teach us.

In classrooms and coaching spaces alike, emotions run high, and they should. But emotional literacy isn’t just for our students. As educators, our ability to name, process, and manage our emotions is central to the way we show up, for others and ourselves.

Join me for a soulful pause and a necessary reflection on how learning to sit with discomfort is actually the beginning of transformative growth.

You are doing sacred work—and reflection is part of the rhythm.

With care and clarity,
Laneshia

Learn more about the Capacity Expert, Raquel Hopkins!

P.S. - Grab the summer podcast companion journal here :)

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Thanks for tuning in to this episode of PD for the Soul! If you enjoyed today’s conversation, don’t forget to follow, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow educators.

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Remember, new episodes drop every Sunday at 9:00 am, so mark your calendars! Until next time, keep making math happen, and I’ll catch you in the next episode.

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