# 381. Leading With Hope When the Pressure Is Heavy: Featuring Dr. Brandi Kelly

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/aspire-to-lead-881344/381-leading-with-hope-when-the-pressure-is-heavy-featuring-dr-brandi-kelly
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/aspire-to-lead-881344/381-leading-with-hope-when-the-pressure-is-heavy-featuring-dr-brandi-kelly.md
Podcast: [Aspire to Lead](https://stenobird.com/podcast/aspire-to-lead-881344)
Published: 2026-05-17T19:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://joshstamper.com/leading-with-hope-when-the-pressure-is-heavy-featuring-dr-brandi-kelly
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/72bfbb52-aa2e-4a78-9287-3dfebde4efb7.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/aspire-to-lead-881344/episodes/381-leading-with-hope-when-the-pressure-is-heavy-featuring-dr-brandi-kelly
Duration seconds: 1716

## Resource

What does it look like to lead with hope when life, leadership, and responsibility feel overwhelming? In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper sits down with Dr. Brandi Kelly for a powerful conversation about resilience, self-awareness, purpose, and the daily choices that help leaders thrive. Brandi opens up about her personal journey through loss, stress, and major life transitions, and shares how those experiences shaped the way she now leads, coaches, writes, and supports others. A central theme in this conversation is the idea that everything starts in the mind. Brandi explains why self-awareness is so critical for educators and leaders, how reflection can help us identify our fears, blind spots, and limiting beliefs, and why pausing long enough to be intentional can make all the difference. She also unpacks the pillars of hope from her book Lead with Hope , including habits, optimistic outlook, purpose, passion, and perseverance. Brandi and Joshua also discuss how to move from pain to purpose, the importance of treating people well in schools, and why connection, presence, and kindness matter just as much as strategy. She shares practical habits that helped her reclaim margin in her life, including calendar wedges, daily reflection, and protecting time for what matters most. Later in the episode, Brandi also talks about her new children’s book, Spreading Sunshine with Kindness , and her new community for female leaders, Spark Hope Community. About Dr. Brandi Kelly Dr. Brandi Kelly is a two time principal of the year and the CEO of Spark HOPE Edu, dedicated to empowering leaders to rise with clarity, courage, and purpose. With over 20 years of experience leading schools and organizations, she is renowned for her ability to blend storytelling, strategy, and…

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## Transcript

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