Stay Connected with Grow Your WHY
Please enter a valid email address.
Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.
Recent Posts
Archives
- â–ş2026 (9)
- â–ş2025 (13)
- â–ş2024 (17)
- â–ş November (1)
- â–ş October (1)
- â–ş September (1)
- â–ş August (1)
- â–ş June (1)
- â–ş May (2)
- â–ş April (5)
- Nurturing Social-Emotional Learning for a Brighter Future with Cara Zelas (EP159)
- Empowering Students through Financial Literacy with Brian Curcio (EP158)
- Growing Learners in Challenging Times with Kevin Honeycutt (EP157)
- 4 Levels of the Progression to Intrinsic Motivation
- Rethinking the Why of Teaching and Learning with Erik Francis (EP156)
- â–ş March (1)
- â–ş February (1)
- â–ş January (3)
- â–ş2023 (16)
- â–ş2022 (13)
- â–ş2021 (29)
- â–ş2020 (35)
- â–ş December (2)
- â–ş November (3)
- â–ş October (2)
- â–ş September (2)
- â–ş August (3)
- â–ş July (3)
- â–ş June (3)
- â–ş May (3)
- â–ş April (4)
- Episode #97: Build Hope and Spread Kindness to Impact Globally with Roman Nowak
- Reflection #3: Belonging and Our WHY during this Pandemic with Ilene Winokur and Barbara Bray
- Episode #96: Creating an Award-Winning Culture Leading with Kindness and Empathy with Jennifer Appel
- Reflection #2: My Why While Staying at Home by Barbara Bray
- â–ş March (3)
- â–ş February (3)
- â–ş January (4)
- â–ş2019 (43)
- â–ş November (4)
- â–ş October (3)
- â–ş September (3)
- â–ş August (5)
- â–ş July (3)
- â–ş June (3)
- â–ş May (4)
- â–ş April (2)
- â–ş March (5)
- World Changers PBL by Paula Ford
- What I Learned at SXSW EDU and SXSW by Sheehan Lake
- Episode #70: Taking Risks and Learning from Students Taking the Lead with Rachelle Dene Poth
- Episode #69: Using Technology to Close the Opportunity Gap with Ira Socol
- Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Blackfoot (Siksika) Nation Beliefs
- â–ş February (6)
- Episode #68: An Educator’s Journey to Spark the Learning in Others with Meredith Johnson
- Episode #67: Sharing Vulnerability is a Sign of Strength with Jon Harper
- Episode #66: Educate, Be Real, and Live with your Heart with Tara Martin
- The Teaching and Learning Continuum Moving to Learner Agency
- Episode #65: Lead with Empathy, Design for Innovation with Dr. Winston Sakurai
- Episode #64: Timeless Learning by Listening and Observing How Kids Learn with Dr. Pam Moran
- â–ş January (5)
- Episode #63: Magical Learning by Creating Unforgettable Experiences with Tisha Richmond
- Episode #62: EduProtocols for Infinite Student-Centered Learning Possibilities with Jon Corippo
- Episode #61: Learning Personalized: Habits of Mind, Attributes, and Dispositions with Allison Zmuda
- Episode #60: Start with Why and Stay with Why with Dr. Jim Rickabaugh
- My One Word for 2019: Possibilities
- â–ş2018 (51)
- â–ş December (4)
- Episode #59: Moving Students from Digital Citizenship to Digital Leadership with Jennifer Casa-Todd
- Top 10 Rethinking Learning Posts in 2018
- Episode #58: Culturize: Do Whatever It Takes for Each and Every Student with Jimmy Casas
- Episode #57: Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement with Heather Wolpert-Gawron
- â–ş November (2)
- â–ş October (2)
- â–ş September (4)
- â–ş August (3)
- â–ş July (6)
- Episode #49: Create an Innovation Ecosystem that Empowers All Learners with Katie Martin
- Episode #48: Diving Deep into Inquiry Mindset with Trevor MacKenzie
- Levels of Engagement: Balancing Challenges and Skills
- Episode #47: Why Choose to Matter with Angela Maiers
- My Personal Bill of Rights
- Episode #46: Enriching Learning through Global Collaboration with Jan Zanetis
- â–ş June (3)
- â–ş May (5)
- Teaching and Learning Approaches Chart (v1)
- Episode #42: Embrace a Culture of Joy with Dean Shareski
- Episode #41: Supporting and Mentoring Teachers with Ilene Winokur Alzaid
- Opportunities for Choice: The Learning Path to Advocacy and Innovation
- Episode #40: Asking Good Questions and Separating Fact from Fiction with Sara Armstrong
- â–ş April (3)
- â–ş March (4)
- â–ş February (7)
- Episode #33: Making, Creating, and Innovating with Personalized Learning with Travis Lape
- I believe…
- Episode #32: Connect, Collaborate, Create with Sylvia Duckworth
- Development of Ownership: From Compliance to Autonomy
- Episode #31: Awakening Wisdom with Linda Inlay
- Inquiry Mindset Review
- Episode #30: Innovation, Technology, and Human-Centered Design with Naomi Harm
- â–ş January (8)
- Episode #29: Learn about the World with the World with Julie Lindsay
- 6 Tips to Find Your Magic
- Episode #28: The Why and The Way of Inquiry and PBL with Ross Cooper
- Continuum of Motivation: Embracing a Love of Learning
- Episode #27: Authenticity, Transparency, and Culture with Abbie Forbus
- Random Acts of Kindness PBL
- Episode #26: Focus on the What Ifs for a Culture of YES with Eric Sheninger
- Episode #25: Building the Why for Learning with Mike Mohammad
- â–ş December (4)
- â–ş2017 (59)
- â–ş December (6)
- Top 10 Rethinking Learning Posts in 2017
- Episode #24: Video Production for Education and Social Impact with Krista Moroder
- Build a Toolkit so Learners Become Future Ready
- Episode #23: Inspiring Kids to Greatness with Darren Ellwein
- Time to Ban Average in Education
- Episode #22: Collaboration and Creativity in Education with Leigh Hynes
- â–ş November (8)
- Join the Random Acts of Kindness Movement
- Episode #21: Modeling Behaviors We Want to See with Starr Sackstein
- Design Thinking Process with the UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Episode #20: A Sense of Wonderment with Linda Ullah
- Ikigai: Your Purpose and Reason for Being
- Episode #19: A Passion for Storytelling and Equity with Ken Shelton
- Defining Learner Agency
- Episode #18: Cultivating Creativity with Michelle Baldwin
- â–ş October (8)
- Accountability vs Responsibility
- Episode #17: Imagining Together at City Neighbors with Bobbi Macdonald
- UDL and the Why of Learning
- Episode #16: Professional Learning going ROGUE with Rich Czyz
- 6 Ways Teachers can Spread Intentional Positivity
- Episode #15: Digital Citizenship with Sue Thotz
- My Story with CBAM (Concerns-Based Adoption Model)
- Episode #14: Global Collaboration Projects with JoAnn Jacobs
- â–ş September (7)
- Episode #13: Connecting Connected Educators with Dr. Will Deyamport
- Schools without Classrooms
- Episode #12: Intentionally Designing for Tomorrow’s Schools with Thomas C. Murray
- How Voice Helps Discover Purpose for Learning
- Episode #11: Shift Your Paradigm with Randy Ziegenfuss
- 10 Tips for Active Listening
- Episode #10: Be the One for Kids with Ryan Sheehy
- â–ş August (12)
- 7 Strategies for Personal Professional Learning
- Episode #9: Framing the Path with Alex Corbitt
- 5 Reasons to Personalize Learning
- Episode #8: Framework for Maker Education with Dr. Jackie Gerstein
- Continuum of Purpose: Fostering a Meaningful Life
- 6 Activities to Build a Positive Classroom Culture
- Episode #7: Building Wings on the Way with Noa Daniel
- 7 Ideas to Discover Magic in Your Classroom
- Episode #6: Passionate about Digital Learning: Shelly Sanchez Terrell
- 18 Ways to Recognize Learning as the Culture
- Episode #5: Running Because Kids Deserve It with Adam Welcome
- 8 Tips to Foster a Sense of Belonging
- â–ş July (1)
- â–ş June (3)
- â–ş May (2)
- â–ş April (5)
- â–ş March (4)
- â–ş February (2)
- â–ş January (1)
- â–ş December (6)
- â–ş2016 (11)
- â–ş2015 (8)
- â–ş2014 (2)
- â–ş2013 (11)
- â–ş2012 (40)
- â–ş November (1)
- â–ş October (2)
- â–ş August (2)
- â–ş July (1)
- â–ş June (5)
- â–ş May (3)
- â–ş April (6)
- â–ş March (5)
- â–ş February (10)
- Personalized Learning Initiative in Wisconsin
- Personalized Learning Initiative in Wisconsin
- The Information Diet
- Personal Journeys in Kindergarten
- Notability App – An App You Will Love
- It’s all about Apps: One That’s Free Today!!
- Reboot to Encourage Wonder
- It’s not Personal. It’s Business.
- Wrapping Personalized Learning
- 10 Steps to Encourage Student Voice and Choice
- â–ş January (5)
- â–ş2011 (60)
- â–ş December (4)
- â–ş November (7)
- â–ş October (11)
- Creative Thinkering
- Curate your own Learning
- Who are the Experts Now?
- Stop Hitting Rewind!
- Constructivism vs Connectivism
- What is Personalized Learning?
- There You Go — Being Ridiculous
- Student-Centered Learning: Meaningful Work
- Student-Centered Learning: Changing Teaching
- What’s your Normal?
- Innovation Centers for Real-World Learning
- â–ş September (9)
- Prepare Students for the Real-World
- BYOL + PLC = CoP
- Personalizing Learning so You are Youer than You
- Failure is No Longer an Option
- Navigate “The Digital Waters”
- Schools and the Search for Wonder
- Rethinking 21st Century Skills
- Building Community Schools to Save our Children
- Middle School Social Skills Curriculum
- â–ş August (6)
- â–ş July (5)
- â–ş June (1)
- â–ş May (5)
- â–ş April (2)
- â–ş March (4)
- â–ş February (3)
- â–ş January (3)
- â–ş2010 (39)
- â–ş December (5)
- â–ş November (7)
- â–ş October (2)
- â–ş September (4)
- â–ş August (5)
- â–ş July (6)
- â–ş June (10)
- You can be a Constructivist
- Using iPads in the Classroom (Edubloggercon session)
- Being or Bring in a Consultant (Edubloggercon Session)
- Speed Demo: Edubloggercon (ISTE 2010)
- Balancing Act
- Determining Value of Community
- Just Do It
- Technology’s Impact on Learning
- Trusting your Social Network
- Tips for Building Trust in an Online Community
Tags
21st Century Skills
advocacy
Agency
AI
artificial intelligence
Belonging
Change
Coaching
Collaboration
Community
Connections
Creativity
Critical Thinking Skills
Culture
Curiosity
Define Your Why
Empathy
Engagement
Future
Grow Your Why
Innovation
Inquiry
Joy
Kindness
Leadership
Learner Centered
Learning
Listening
Making a Difference
mindfulness
Passion
Personalized Learning
Podcast
Project Based Learning
Purpose
Reflection
Relationships
Skills
Stories
Storytelling
Student Centered Learning
Teaching
Technology
Transformation
Why
Just Do It
I read Seth Godin’s blog post But what have you shipped? and thought about how that relates to teachers. If you just sit there and think about what you should do or not sure you can do something, then nothing will happen.
I write because I love writing. I write even if no one reads my blog posts, articles or columns. I hope you do and they give you some value, but that’s not why I write. My mother was an artist who had to draw or paint. It was in her blood. When times were tough, she still painted somehow. Then her talent opened doors for her and she became a courtroom artist. I think of her when I sit down to write. It just spills out of me. Sometimes in my dreams, I’m thinking of the next thing I want to write.
Now it’s time for me to write a book.
I find that everyone has something that they can ship, share, talk about, get the buzz out. No matter how tough times are, follow your dreams.
About the author
Barbara Bray is a Story Weaver, empowerment coach, award-winning author, international keynote speaker and podcast host helping people turn life’s hardest chapters into their most meaningful work. As the creator of the Grow Your Why movement, she guides women, educators, and leaders to transform adversity into purpose, clarity, and momentum.
Her message isn’t theoretical; it’s lived. Barbara learned later in life that she survived childhood polio, a truth her parents kept secret so she would never see herself as a victim. That foundation of resilience carried her through multiple reinventions, including a career-ending injury and a lung cancer diagnosis that reshaped how she thinks about time, truth, and legacy.
For more than three decades, Barbara has worked at the intersection of storytelling and transformation, helping people reclaim their voice and direction. Through her books, podcast, and coaching, she challenges a common belief: resilience isn’t about bouncing back—it’s about growing forward, on purpose.