The BrightSpot Podcast

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode is a must listen for anyone who is about to travel with others or go on a family vacation. Tourism journalist, Brian Jewell, shares practical tools on preparing for family vacations. When he is not working, spending time with his wife and children, or serving at church, he dedicates his time and energy to his side hustle, 30 Day Freedom.Enjoy!www.30dayfreedom.om 

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features someone with an incredible story of hope, Kristina Ellis. Kristina is a wife, mother, and a Ramsey Solutions Personality. During this episode, she shares her story and provides practical tools to follow in her footsteps. We also chat about how to overcome the burden of student loans. If you have student loans, this is a must listen!  Enjoy!kristinaellis.com 

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features Mata and one of her cousins, Jackee Davalos, sharing experiences where they've felt discriminated against because of the color of their skin. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features someone who Mata easily bonded with because of their similar backgrounds, Juan Saavedra. He's a husband, soon to be father (let's pray for him!), and personal finance expert. We chat about four things to ensure the financial well-being that every Hispanic needs to hear. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features a former secret service officer, Jose Vargas. He's a husband, father, leadership coach, author, and speaker. He encourages us to ask ourselves difficult questions and then develop a growth plan. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... These episodes feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features Lizette Trujillo, a Tucson small business owner and community advocate for transgender youth and families.  She spends much of her time volunteering for the Southern Arizona Gender Alliance, where she and her spouse facilitate a local support group for families of transgender, gender creative/non-conforming youth called Families Transformed. She also co-facilities a support group for Latinx/Spanish speaking families for the national organization TransFamilies.org, which is part of Gender Diversity. Her local efforts have brought her national attention and she has served as a member of the Human Rights Campaign Parents for Transgender Equality National Council for the last four years.  When she is not helping families, she is participating in trainings at schools or at conferences to help bring awareness around the transgender youth and family experience. She helped create a website landing page of resources for families for the Society of Research on Adolescence, as well as a parent's guide on how to Socially Transition for the Human Rights Campaign. Lizette has also been a constant voice at the Arizona State Capital advocating for transgender youth and their families. Lizette is a proud mother to a 14-year-old transgender son and enjoys being a mother above all else. You can hear about her experience, the experiences of others, and the importance of allyship on the podcast she co-hosts with Dr. Drew Cronyn called "I Stand by You with Lizette and Drew". Lizette has learned so much through her child's experience and is committed to continuing to bring awareness regarding the rights and needs of families of transgender youth locally and nationally.  Enjoy!

Parents are struggling with which schooling option is best for their child. Finn and Mata chat about the three different options, share stories, and provide our thoughts on this process. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... These episodes feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features a fellow twin mom, Lauren Rilling. Lauren is a wife, a mom of three daughters, and a financial coach. During this episode she shares her journey from being a teacher to being a financial coach. She believes parents struggle to talk to their kids about money and provides ways to make that talk easier. Enjoy!

Sleep drastically changes around puberty and has the potential to disrupt not only the teen's life, but all those around the teen. Parents struggle to understand why their teen has all of sudden turned into a night owl. And why are they so darn moody?? In this episode, Mata explains what's going on and provides practical tools and suggests a systemic change to mitigate the impact of teen sleep issues. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... These episodes feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features a man with a super unique career history, Clint Herndon. Clint talks about the effects isolation has had on us and ways to eradicate the effects.Enjoy!

Parents are all too familiar with sleep deprivation. But did you know it doesn't have to be that way?! Seriously! Sleep training infants and children is a life changer! Reclaim your 7 hours of sleep by listening to this episode. Here is the book I mentioned. Please share with friends and loved ones who need to hear this. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... These episodes feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features one of my previous students, Dr. Erica Bettac. Learn about what an Industrial/organizational psychologist does, the pros and cons of working from home, and practical tools for making it work for you.  Enjoy!

Sleep is a physiological need, but not everyone prioritizes it. Finnegan and Mata share about their own sleep struggles and provide practical tips on improving your sleep. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features someone who came across their life's mission during the 2008 recession, Taylor Rodriguez aka Coach Taz. Hear his story, his blunt beliefs about what families are struggling with and practical tools for addressing those struggles. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features someone we all know, Dr. Andrea Mata! Hear her story and how it fuels her life mission of fortifying families. Enjoy!

The benefits of cooking at home are astounding. Finnegan and Mata gab about the benefits and how to practically do it more. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features someone who channeled being bullied and turned it into her brand, Zoe Asher! Hear her heart wrenching story about when she was bullied, her beliefs about what families are currently struggling with and practical tools for addressing those struggles. Enjoy!

Not everyone enjoys exercise, but we hear all the time that we are too sedentary. So what's someone who doesn't enjoy exercise to do? Finnegan and Mata share ways to combat being bumps on logs and provide practical tools to move more. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features someone we all know and love, Lindsay Finnegan! Hear what life has been like as a new mom during COVID, her beliefs about what families are currently struggling with and practical tools for addressing those struggles. Enjoy!

Finnegan and Mata are BACK! We don't know if there's anything that can bring on mom guilt faster than the thought of taking time to take care of yourself. But we believe that our families can't afford for parents not to spend at least 30 minutes a day practicing self-care. Those 30 minutes have the potential for exponential benefits—you feel more balanced, which allows for more engagement with your family, and that turns into stronger relationships with your partner and your children, and that balance also allows for more productivity at work…See what we mean by exponential benefits? And we didn't even mention how that may impact your community!  Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features an up and coming sport performance consultant, Alex Long. He's a son, brother, and doctoral student. Hear his story about overcoming naysayers, his beliefs about what families are currently struggling with and practical tools for addressing those struggles. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features Isaiah Marshall. He's a husband, father, a director of youth ministry, spoken word artist, author, and speaker. Hear his story about what sports did for him, his beliefs about what families are currently struggling with and practical tools for addressing those struggles. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features a trailblazer, Genein Letford. She's a wife, mother, daughter, CEO, educator, author, and speaker. Hear her story, her beliefs on the importance of intercultural creativity, and how to cultivate it in ourselves and our children. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features Dr. Candyce Briggs. She's a daughter, sister, single, a mental health consultant, and holistic wellness practitioner. Hear her struggles with mental health and her views on how to destigmatize seeking mental health treatment for minorities. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features a science activist, Dr. Chris Ferguson. He's a husband, son, professor, and author. He shares why he resigned from APA and encourages us to pause prior to becoming outraged. Enjoy!Here is Dr. Ferguson's article that we discuss: My APA Resignation (quillette.com) 

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features a resourceful guy, David Wilson. He's a son, insurance guy, and a financial coach. He earned a degree debt free and is now on a mission to show others that they don't have to take out loans to advance their careers. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features my friend with the most energy, Dr. Scott Grant. He's a husband, father, professor and chief impact officer at Triple Treat Leadership. He strives to educate high schoolers and their parents about name, image, likeness, and personal branding. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features America's Career Coach, Ken Coleman. He's a husband, father, coach, counselor, and cheerleader. He strives to help individuals figure out what they were created to do. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features someone who is not shy about taking an opportunity when he sees it, Chris Eischen. He's a husband, father, former podcaster, digital marketer, and small business owner. He warns against becoming disconnected from your loved ones and provides ways to use technology to obtain this goal. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features someone who strives to help single parents, Michelle Donnelly. She's a mother, President and CEO of plusOne Parents, podcaster, and author. She brings into light issues single parents face and practical ways to minimize their effects . Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features someone who understands if she is struggling with it, someone else is too, Sara Hegarty. She's a wife, mother, and Executive Director of the Heart Association of Northwest Ohio. She believes that COVID caused numerous problems for families and provides practical tips to address them. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features someone who strives to save families money, Andrea Woroch. She's a wife, mother, and money savings expert. She believes that inflation is the biggest issue impact families and provide practical tips on saving money. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episode features the person I love to banter with the most, Jim Hubbell. He's a husband, father, and project manager. He encourages us to get a little better every day and for parents to prepare for a variety of situations. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episodes features a powerhouse. She's a wife, mother, and clinical psychologist. She encourages us to limit the number of activities that each member of the family commits to for the well-being of the family. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episodes features someone who served our country honorably for 13 years, Jay Ly. He's  a veteran, husband, father, professional coach and encourages us to be intentional with our time . Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episodes features someone who pushes me to be a better business owner, Jay Gilmore. He's  a husband, father, podcaster, instructor of sports journalism and encourages parents to have honest conversations, to bite their tongues, and make their kids ask . Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episodes features someone who pushes me to be a better business owner, Justin Brady. He is a husband, podcaster, PR guru and encourages people to learn from their failure. Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episodes features a force to be reckoned with, Fiona Hanks. She is a wife, a dog parent, an Aussie through and through, and the head athletic trainer at a small division 2 university who believes we have lost the ability to simply say we're having a "crap day." Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episodes features radio dj/podcaster and mental health advocate, Eric Chase. His reaction to being diagnosed with Bipolar II Disorder is unique and endearing. Eric strives to destigmatize mental illness and advocates for people to find a therapist that they like as much as he likes and appreciates his doctor! Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episodes features podcaster and entrepreneur, Frannie Foltz. She is a ball of positivity despite a heartbreaking conception story. Frannie combines faith and fitness to empower women to live fully, freely, and fearlessly! Enjoy!

Spinoff show! But hopefully, this spinoff fares better than most spinoffs... Finn's focusing on being a mom, but don't worry, she'll be back! Mata flies solo in these spinoff episodes. These episodes will feature people who're succeeding in life! We attempt to better understand what they're doing that makes them succeed and share that in hopes of fortifying families.  This episodes features one of Mata's all-time favorite coaches (and she has known a lot), Coach Stefan Adams. He is a husband, father, son, and high school football coach striving to improve his community through service-oriented leadership! Enjoy!

In this episode, we give an introduction to holistic health and an overview of what's to come for this season. Listen and learn what areas we will be discussing over the next episode and why living a balances, value based life is so important to our overall wellbeing. 

In this episode of the BrightSpot podcast, Mata and I discuss the cognitive distortion of emotional reasoning. Briefly touched on in the previous episodes, we dive a little deeper on the meaning and prevalence, tell our personal experiences with this distortion, how we coped with the thoughts and how you can too. Enjoy!

Thought patterns can cause your to view reality in an inaccurate, negative way. In Episode 11 of the BrightSpot Podcast, we discuss those types of patterns, also known at Cognitive Distortions, share some stories regarding distorted thinking we've experienced, and give ways for how to change those thoughts so you can see reality in a balanced way!

What is one way to achieve your long term goals? Develop grit. In Episode 10 of the BrightSpot podcast, we discuss Grit. Mata and I chat about what exactly grit is, how it can benefit you, and how to increase your own grit so you can be a bright spot and achieve success! 

This episode discusses goal setting. Just in time for the new year! You may have tried to set goals before, but did they stick? Were they SMART goals? Listen and find out which goal type is best to focus on for optimal change and how to stick to it!  

What happens if you fail? What happens if you succeed? Do you fear the outcomes? Do you self sabotage? These are all things we discuss in this episode of the BrightSpot Podcast. We talk about our own struggles with fear of winning and how fear of failure is showing up more and more these days. Listen for techniques on how to break through that glass ceiling and obtain success and be a bright spot!

In this episode, we talk about self efficacy. Self-efficacy is a person's belief in his or her ability to succeed in a particular situation. Listen to this episode and learn about the history of self efficacy, how to evaluate yourself, and ways to increase it! Having high self efficacy will help you be a bright spot! 

This episode introduced the concept of agency, or living with intention. We tell the story of how a client went from a victim mentality to living a high quality of life, all by changing her own thoughts and behaviors. Change is not a quick fix but you have the power to live the life you want and we discuss some tips on how to do that. Listen to this episode and learn how you have agency over your own life. 

This episode talks about living in the past and the future. The past is often associated with depression or regret while living in the future deals with worry and anxiety. We chat about our own experiences with not being present and give some tips on how to find your way into the present moment. Listen to this episode and learn how to find happiness and joy in any situation, plus practice mindfulness with an exercise led by Dr. Mata.

This episode discusses self talk. How we talk to ourselves can play a big part in our mood- whether it be positive or negative.  We chat about why negative self talk is so detrimental and how it can spiral into anxiety and depression and how positive self talk can help. Listen to this episode for techniques on how to become more aware of your self talk, ways change it, and ultimately experience a better, brighter life!