We were lucky to catch up with Brianna Greenspan recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Brianna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s one of the most important lessons you learned in school?
The most important lesson I learned during my education didn’t come from a textbook or a lecture—it came from a single, transformative question that forever shaped my approach to challenges: What if you change the way you show up to your life?
This lesson began taking shape during my twenties, long after I had struggled through years of chronic illness, academic hurdles, and navigating a confusing world as a child and adolescent. Let me take you back to where this truly crystallized—my experience with a 300-hour physical therapy program.
In my early twenties, I was told by my neurosurgeon that my best options for living with my condition were more medications, assistive devices, and surgeries. I was losing my ability to walk and was overwhelmed with a sense of hopelessness. At one of my lowest moments, I asked a hard question: Is this it? Is this all there is for me?
A bold step of advocacy for myself led me to a different path: a grueling, multi-hour-per-day therapy program designed to help me walk again without assistive devices. It was during this program, through tiny, consistent efforts—standing for a few seconds longer, taking a single unassisted step—that I began to understand the power of micro-steps.
Every small success felt monumental. It wasn’t just about physical recovery; it was about realizing that I could take ownership of the parts of my life I had control over. It was a radical shift from feeling like a victim of circumstances to realizing my power to affect change, even if just one tiny step at a time.
This newfound mindset carried me back to school at age 24. I enrolled to finish my degree after years of stopping and starting due to my health. The academic challenges were immense. On paper, I wasn’t supposed to succeed—I tested in the lowest percentile for reading speed and comprehension.
But this time, I approached my studies with the lesson I had learned in therapy: to focus on the smallest step forward. Instead of seeing my limitations as insurmountable, I embraced the belief that consistent action, no matter how small, could lead to change.
I created practices to ground myself before studying. I celebrated reading a single page or solving a single problem. I began using affirmations, visualizing success, and setting micro-goals for each day. These practices, though seemingly simple, compounded into profound change over time.
The pivotal moment came when I met Hal Elrod, author of The Miracle Morning. He challenged me with a single question: What if you change the way you show up to your life?
This question was a mirror of the lesson I had learned in therapy. It reminded me that change wasn’t about fixing everything at once; it was about starting small, stacking habits, and showing up with intentionality. Through the Miracle Morning, I developed daily rituals that strengthened my mind, body, and spirit. Over time, these practices turned into a foundation that carried me through life’s storms and beyond.
So….the most important lesson I learned in school—and life—is that transformation begins with a single step. It’s about the micro-moments: celebrating the small wins, shifting your mindset, and showing up differently. Whether facing academic challenges, health challenges, or personal challenges, I learned that focusing on what I can control in the present moment has the power to change my future.
To this day, I practice the miracle morning daily, resource myself first, sharing it with educators, leaders, students, parents, families, mentees, and anyone willing to listen. It’s a reminder that no matter where you start, the journey forward begins with how you choose to show up—one moment, one step, one decision at a time.
Brianna, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
About Brianna Greenspan
Hello! I’m Brianna Greenspan, a dedicated advocate for health, wellness, education, and community advancement. My journey has been deeply shaped by my personal experience with a complex chronic illness, which sparked a lifelong passion for understanding resilience, personal development, and transformation. What began as a quest to overcome my own challenges has evolved into not only a career but a calling focused on empowering individuals, families, and organizations to thrive.
I serve as the CEO of BGI Education Consulting Firm, where I lead initiatives to provide transformative training, tools, and support to educational organizations worldwide. I also play an integral role in advancing health and wellness through my work as a genetics consultant and contributor to groundbreaking research in medical genetics, particularly in hereditary alpha tryptasemia and other allergic diseases.
My professional journey began with my own medical challenges, which required me to navigate countless specialists, therapies, and interventions. These experiences taught me the importance of asking the right questions, staying curious, and seeking creative solutions.
I realized that the strategies I developed for my own health could benefit others, especially those navigating education, health, and wellness challenges. This led me to co-author The Miracle Morning Art of Affirmations and to join the global Miracle Morning movement, where I now serve as sole source educator for Miracle Morning Schools, a program impacting over 600 schools in New York City and beyond.
At BGI Education Consulting Firm, my team and I provide:
Transformative Training & Support
We work with schools, educators, and organizations to improve mental health, emotional well-being, and growth mindset practices. Our goal is to create environments where educators, students, and families can thrive.
Educational Content & Frameworks
I’ve co-authored and contributed to more than ten books that serve as guides for fostering resilience, building emotional intelligence, and empowering learners of all ages.
Leadership in Genetics & Personal Development
As a genetics consultant, I’ve contributed to over 200 peer-reviewed articles and collaborate with organizations like the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to advance understanding of complex health conditions.
Mentorship & Advocacy
Through speaking engagements, workshops, and personalized mentoring, I empower individuals to unlock their potential and embrace personal growth.
My work addresses challenges in three core areas:
Education
We help schools, educators, parents, caregivers, and families foster cultures of inclusion, resilience, and well-being, ensuring students are supported academically, emotionally, and socially.
Health & Wellness
From empowering individuals with chronic illnesses to equipping caregivers with actionable strategies, my work provides tools for navigating life’s complexities.
Personal Growth
Through frameworks like The Miracle Morning, I guide individuals to cultivate daily habits that enhance mental clarity, emotional stability, and personal fulfillment.
What sets me apart is my lived experience combined with professional expertise. I’ve walked the path of navigating overwhelming challenges and emerged with a deep understanding of how to turn obstacles into opportunities. My approach integrates science-backed practices, personal growth strategies, and community-focused initiatives.
At the heart of everything I do is the belief that micro-steps lead to macro-change. Whether it’s a daily affirmation, a grounding practice, or a single question like, What was the best part of your day before right now?, I aim to empower people to take ownership of their journey—one step at a time.
I’m incredibly proud of the global impact of my work, from the schools transformed by our programs to the individuals inspired by my books and workshops.
One of my proudest moments was co-creating the Miracle Morning Art of Affirmations and seeing how these principles have helped families, educators, and individuals worldwide. I’m also deeply honored to have mentored young people with chronic and terminal illnesses, learning as much from their resilience as I’ve been able to offer in guidance.
Key Messages About My Work
Empowerment is for Everyone.
My work is about equipping people with tools and strategies to take control of their lives and unlock their potential.
Small Steps Make Big Impacts.
Success doesn’t come overnight—it’s built through consistent, intentional actions, no matter how small.
Your Environment Matters.
From affirmations to physical spaces, the environments we create play a significant role in shaping our outcomes.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about my journey, my work, and my mission. I’m always excited to connect with individuals and organizations ready to embrace transformation and unlock their full potential!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
One of the most defining moments of my journey involved reclaiming my ability to walk. Born with a complex chronic illness, I experienced years of symptoms, surgeries, and setbacks, including losing my ability to walk in my late teens. Every specialist had a solution: more medications, surgeries, and assistive devices. At one point, I was told I’d never walk unassisted again.
In the depths of despair, I questioned everything. I asked, Is this it? Is this all there is for me? That moment sparked a turning point. I advocated for myself and enrolled in a 300-hour therapy program with the seemingly modest goal of walking up a single flight of stairs unassisted.
The journey was grueling—every step a battle—but also transformative. Each tiny success, no matter how small, reinforced the idea that consistency and intentional action could create change. I eventually walked up that flight of stairs, but more importantly, I discovered a powerful truth: resilience is built one step at a time.
This experience taught me that even in the face of overwhelming odds, small, consistent actions can lead to life-changing outcomes. It reshaped my mindset and became the foundation for my work today, helping others harness resilience to overcome their own challenges.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
A pivotal lesson I had to unlearn was the belief that asking for help is a sign of weakness. Growing up with a chronic illness, I often felt pressure to appear “strong” and self-reliant. I internalized the idea that relying on others meant I was failing in some way.
This mindset started to unravel during a particularly challenging season in my twenties. At the time, I was navigating debilitating symptoms, trying to complete my degree, and balancing my health with work. I reached a breaking point where I realized I couldn’t do it all alone.
The turning point came during a conversation with a mentor who asked me, What if asking for help is actually an act of strength? That simple reframe opened my eyes to the power of collaboration and community. I learned that vulnerability and seeking support can amplify resilience rather than diminish it.
Today, I lean into that lesson in everything I do—whether mentoring executive leaders, collaborating with schools, or leading organizational change. Asking for help isn’t a weakness; it’s a tool for growth, connection, and achieving extraordinary outcomes.
This shift in mindset not only transformed my personal journey but also became a cornerstone of my mission to empower others. I now encourage people to embrace vulnerability as a strength, reminding them that no one succeeds alone.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.briannagreenspan.com
- Instagram: @briannagreenspan
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannagreenspan?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3Ba7HqJ%2FhwQvS%2FOYiyap8Bbw%3D%3D
