EP325 How to find your voice and self-advocate, even if you’re conflict-avoidant (with Neelu Kaur)

Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers

Angela Watson

Teachers, Courses, Education, Teaching

4.9 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 18 May 2025

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Self-advocacy can feel like a challenge, especially if you’re conflict-avoidant, culturally conditioned to prioritize group harmony, or simply unsure how to speak up without fear of being labeled “difficult.” In this episode, we’ll explore how to advocate for yourself effectively while balancing cultural expectations, professional norms, and personal boundaries.

Neelu Kaur brings her unique expertise to the discussion. With a business degree and a masters in Social & Organizational Psychology along with her experience as a coach and master practitioner certified in NeuroLinguistic Programming, Yoga, and Ayurveda, Neelu has a really unique and comprehensive framework for tackling this topic.

You’ll learn:

How cultural upbringing in collectivist vs. individualist societies influences our ability to speak up.
Why advocating for yourself isn’t selfish—it’s a collective act that paves the way for others.
The concept of being “a part of and apart from” group efforts to gain recognition for your contributions.
How to shift from problem-framed to outcome-framed questions to open up possibilities.
Practical tips for navigating conflict-avoidance and building confidence in difficult conversations.
Why modeling self-advocacy as educators is essential for empowering students.
How mindfulness, movement, and non-attachment can ground you before challenging situations.

Whether you’re negotiating for resources, managing peer dynamics, or striving to be heard or advance in a professional space, this episode provides the tools you need to find your voice and advocate for what matters most.

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Episode 325 of Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers.
0:07.0	I'm your host, Angela Watson, and I'm here to speak encouragement into the hearts of educators
0:12.0	and get you informed and energized for the week ahead.
0:15.0	Today I'm talking with Nealoo Core about how to advocate for yourself when your conflict avoid it.
0:21.9	Visit truthforteachers.com for an easy-to-read, easy-to-share version of this podcast episode.
0:32.3	My guest today is someone whose expertise lies outside the education space. And also unlike the vast
0:39.2	majority of my guests, is not someone that I met online or through my work with other
0:44.4	educators. Neulu Core is one of my yoga teachers at the local studio where I practice in New York.
0:51.9	She only teaches one class a week there because Nilu also works as an
0:56.0	organizational psychologist, self-advocacy champion, author, and keynote speaker. I noticed her book
1:03.1	displayed in the lobby of the yoga studio one day, and the title caught my attention. It's called
1:09.0	Be Your Own Cheerleader, an Asian and South Asian woman's
1:13.4	cultural, psychological, and spiritual guide to self-promote at work. Thumbing through it,
1:20.0	I could see that Neelu's message was going to be relevant for me, even though I'm not part of her
1:24.1	target demographic. And I immediately thought about you all, my dear truth for
1:29.0	teachers listeners, and how many of you might need this message. I bought a copy and absolutely
1:34.7	devoured it the next day at a local cafe, taking copious notes on the things that I wanted her to
1:40.0	address with you. Neelow's approach is really holistic. It's extremely unique and different from what I
1:46.5	usually read in career advice type of books. She's blending academic expertise because she has a
1:52.9	business degree and a master's in social and organizational psychology, with her experience as a
1:58.8	coach and master practitioner certified in neurolinguistic programming,
2:03.6	yoga, and Ayurveda. It really creates a unique framework. And interestingly, as I formed the
	...

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