Family Brand: Take Back Your Family

The Power of Boredom: Learning to Live in the Present In this solo episode, Chris shares a personal experiment that quietly changed the way he experiences life. It started with a conversation around a Harvard study shared by Arthur Brooks — research suggesting that one of the biggest challenges we face today is that we never experience boredom. Every spare second is filled. Every pause is interrupted. And in the process, we're losing something deeply important: the space to think, reflect, and be present. While celebrating his 20-year anniversary with Melissa in Spain, Chris decided to test that idea. He completely removed social media from his phone — not with a timeline or rules, but simply as an experiment in presence. What followed surprised him. He read more. He prayed more. He thought more deeply. And slowly, the urge to constantly reach for distraction faded. Chris reflects on how rare it has become to simply be — even for ten seconds at a stoplight — and how reclaiming boredom opened the door to clarity, peace, and freedom. He also revisits one of the most meaningful practices from a book that has shaped his life, The Way of Mastery: ending each day by blessing and releasing it. "I bless and release this day. It has been perfect, and it is finished." That simple practice helped him recognize how often his mind lived in guilt about the past or worry about the future — and how little time he actually spent in the one place where life truly happens: the present moment. This episode isn't about quitting social media or adopting someone else's routine. It's an invitation to run your own experiment. To notice where distraction is stealing your attention. And to create a small, intentional practice that helps you come home to yourself, your family, and your life. As Chris shares, the goal isn't perfection — it's presence. And maybe, just maybe, boredom isn't something to avoid… but something we desperately need more of. LINKS: All Links Family Brand!  stan.store/familybrand familybrand.com/quiz familybrand.com/retreats.    Episode Minute By Minute: 00:00 – Why Chris wanted to record a short solo episode 01:00 – The study on boredom and constant distraction 02:00 – Why we never let our minds be still 03:00 – The Spain trip and removing social media 04:15 – What changed when the noise stopped 05:30 – Why this isn't really about phones 06:30 – Living in the past and future instead of the present 07:30 – The daily practice of blessing and releasing the day 08:45 – Why presence is where peace actually lives 09:45 – A simple experiment you can try 10:30 – Final encouragement: let boredom work for you    

You Are Firemen: Built to Lead, Built to Last This week's episode is part reflection, part celebration, and part reminder. Chris and Melissa sit down to talk about two big milestones: the recent Family Brand Blitz and the five-year anniversary of The Family Brand Podcast. And instead of just sharing highlights, they unpack the deeper lessons that emerged — about consistency, leadership, and why families are far more capable than they often realize. They reflect on the power of bringing couples together in person at the Blitz, how every family — no matter the stage — is carrying something hard, and why the work of building a strong family culture is always worth doing. They also share a big realization that came out of the event: families don't need more content or bigger programs — they need simpler, more focused tools that actually fit real life. Chris and Melissa talk honestly about the tension between doing more and doing better, and why growth often looks like subtraction instead of addition. As the new year approaches, they invite listeners to consider what needs to be simplified, not added. They also reflect on the hardest part of any meaningful work: consistency. Excitement comes easily. Staying the course when motivation fades does not. Melissa shares what it's taken to show up week after week for five years — even on the weeks she didn't feel inspired — and how consistency is what ultimately allows you to "earn the right" to lead, teach, and have a voice. The episode closes with one of the most powerful metaphors they've ever shared: you are firemen. Challenges don't mean you're failing — they mean you're exactly where you're supposed to be. You were built for the heat. You were sent your kids for a reason. And together, as a family, you are capable of far more than you think. This episode is both grounding and empowering — a reminder that leadership starts at home, consistency builds confidence, and strong families aren't perfect… they're intentional. LINKS: All Links Family Brand!  stan.store/familybrand familybrand.com/quiz familybrand.com/retreats.   Links For This Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq2figwIX9s&feature=youtu.be  Episode Minute By Minute: 00:00 – Holiday check-in and why this episode matters 01:00 – Introducing the Family Brand Blitz 02:00 – Why the right couples showed up 03:00 – Celebrating five years of The Family Brand Podcast 04:00 – Chris acknowledges Melissa's consistency 05:00 – "Earning the right" to have a voice 06:00 – Lessons learned from the Blitz 07:00 – Every family struggles — and that's okay 08:00 – Why families don't need bigger programs 09:30 – Simplifying instead of doing more 11:00 – Addition by subtraction in family life 12:00 – Start, stop, continue: a powerful planning exercise 13:00 – Why this season of life feels overwhelming 14:00 – Consistency vs. motivation 15:00 – What happens when the excitement wears off 16:00 – Discipline, confidence, and earning the right 17:00 – The fireman analogy: facing adversity with identity 18:00 – Why challenges mean you're exactly where you belong

The Family Brand New Year's Kickoff: A Tradition That Builds Culture Every year, right after Christmas — during those quiet, in-between days when no one quite knows what day it is — our family slows down and does something that has become one of our most meaningful traditions. We reflect. We celebrate. And we intentionally step into the new year together. In this solo episode, Melissa walks you through the Family Brand New Year's Kickoff, a simple, free activity that hundreds of families download every year — and come back to again and again. This year's version has been fully updated, and families continue to share how impactful it's been, from sparking meaningful conversations to even becoming the moment they announced a new baby to their kids. Melissa explains why reflection matters just as much as goal-setting, and how looking back before looking forward helps families build clarity, gratitude, and momentum. She shares how to use the reflection questions with kids of all ages (even toddlers), how to keep the process light and pressure-free, and why there's no "right" way to do this — just a way that works for your family. She also breaks down two of the most loved parts of the kickoff: Choosing a family word (or phrase) for the year — a shared language that shapes how your family shows up The annual Family Award Ceremony — a powerful moment where each child (and spouse!) is recognized not for achievements, but for who they are and how they showed up Melissa shares a deeply touching story about a family friend whose son, now leaving on a two-year mission, named this New Year's award ceremony as one of his favorite family memories — a reminder that these small traditions often leave the biggest impact. Finally, she walks through how they create vision boards as a family, why perfection isn't the goal, and shares a beautiful personal story about a vision board image that unexpectedly showed up for her on a bridge in Spain — a moment that felt like a quiet wink from God. This episode is an invitation to slow down, reflect, and start the year with intention — not pressure. You don't need a perfect plan. You just need a moment to pause and ask: Who do we want to be this year, together? LINKS: All Links Family Brand!  stan.store/familybrand familybrand.com/quiz familybrand.com/retreats.  Links For This Episode: https://familybrand.com/kickoff Episode Minute By Minute: 01:20 – Introducing the Family Brand New Year's Kickoff 02:30 – Why reflection is often skipped (and why it matters) 03:30 – How the reflection questions work 04:30 – Keeping it light and pressure-free for kids 05:30 – Adapting the activity for younger children 06:30 – Using everyday moments (car rides, walks) for reflection 07:30 – Choosing a family word or phrase for the year 08:45 – Shared language and building family culture 10:00 – The Family Award Ceremony explained 11:15 – Why awards are about who they are, not what they did 12:15 – A powerful story about a son leaving on a mission 13:30 – Vision boards: why they matter 14:45 – How to make vision boards simple and fun 16:00 – Encouraging kids without forcing perfection 17:00 – Melissa's vision board story from Spain 19:30 – Feeling seen, aligned, and intentional 20:45 – Don't forget to honor your spouse 21:45 – Where to download the kickoff + how to share 22:45 – Final encouragement for the new year

As we head into a new year, Chris and Melissa wanted to revisit a conversation that has quietly shaped their family more than almost anything else: the power of language. This idea — that language creates — was one of the very first topics ever discussed on The Family Brand Podcast, and it's still one of the most talked-about episodes to this day. Because once you see it, you can't unsee it. In this episode, Chris explains why language is never neutral. The words we use are either rooted in possibility or anchored in limitation — and over time, they shape our beliefs, our behaviors, our marriages, our kids, and even what we believe is possible for our lives. Melissa shares real-life moments where she's seen language create identity — including a powerful story about how a single sentence labeled one of their children as "shy," and how quickly that label became part of his self-story. Together, they unpack how easily we talk ourselves out of what we want by using phrases like "I should," "I need to," or "that could never work." They also explore how we often spend far more energy talking about what we don't want, don't like, don't have, or what isn't working — and how simply shifting our language can begin to change how life occurs for us. From an Uber conversation about health, to a heartbreaking post about a mother who hadn't seen her daughter in 14 years, this episode brings the concept of language into everyday life. This isn't about toxic positivity or pretending things are perfect. It's about awareness. It's about noticing the words you use — with yourself, with your spouse, and with your kids — and asking whether they're creating freedom or reinforcing fear. As Chris says, "If you upgrade your language, you upgrade your life." And as a family, that's a powerful place to start.   LINKS: All Links Family Brand!  stan.store/familybrand familybrand.com/quiz familybrand.com/retreats.  Episode Minute By Minute: 00:00 – Holiday season, basketball season, and family life right now 01:45 – Why this conversation matters heading into a new year 02:30 – Revisiting one of the most impactful Family Brand episodes ever 03:10 – "Language creates" — what that actually means 04:10 – Words create either possibility or limitation 05:10 – How language shapes the culture of your home 06:00 – The Uber story: "I should go to the gym" 07:40 – Anchored in limitation vs. rooted in possibility 08:40 – Why guilt and shame don't create change 10:10 – The four language traps: don't want, don't have, don't like, isn't working 11:30 – Shifting energy toward what does work 13:10 – A heartbreaking story about language and impossibility 15:00 – Declaring what you want — then ripping the seed out 16:30 – Why staying limited feels safer than change 18:20 – Language creates identity (the "shy" story) 20:00 – How parents unintentionally label their kids 21:45 – Upgrading language without guilt or pressure 23:10 – Social media, negativity, and reinforcing limitation 24:30 – A simple experiment: change your language for one week 25:45 – Helping your kids shift language without correcting them 26:45 – Final takeaway: talk about what works 27:20 – Family Brand Quiz + free PDF invitation  

Chief Reminding Officer: The Power of Repetition in Your Family If you've ever felt like a broken record as a parent — constantly reminding your kids (or yourself) of the same things over and over — this episode will make you feel a whole lot better. This week, Chris and Melissa talk about something they've been feeling in both their home and business lately: that quiet drift that happens when you stop doing the simple things that actually work. The routines that keep your house running. The systems that make your marriage stronger. The habits that help your family thrive. And the truth they came back to? Most families don't need a brand-new plan… they just need to remember the one they already have. Chris shares a conversation that pushed him to revisit Excellence Wins by Horst Schulze, the cofounder of the Ritz-Carlton. One line jumped off the page: "Great leaders are really just Chief Reminding Officers." At the Ritz, they review the same guiding principles every 21 days — not because people don't know them, but because repetition is what keeps a culture alive. As Chris and Melissa talk through examples from their own home, you'll hear how easy it is to slip into "sloppy" seasons — dishes piling up, routines disappearing, date nights pushed aside. Not because something is wrong… but because we forget what works. Melissa shares why repetition used to feel boring to her — and how she learned to see it as one of the most loving, grounding things you can do for your family. When you remind your kids who they are, remind your spouse what your marriage is about, or remind yourself what your family values… you're strengthening your culture every single time. This episode will make you feel encouraged, not overwhelmed. You'll walk away remembering that you don't need to reinvent your life — you probably already have the tools, rhythms, and values that work. You just need to return to them, repeat them, and keep reminding the people you love most. LINKS: All Links Family Brand!  stan.store/familybrand familybrand.com/quiz familybrand.com/retreats.  Episode Minute By Minute: 00:00 – Recap: Family Brand Blitz and 20th anniversary reflections 01:30 – Introducing today's topic: becoming the Chief Reminding Officer 02:00 – Why repetition and reinforcement are underrated leadership traits 03:00 – The "authentic conversation" that sparked this episode 04:00 – Lessons from Excellence Wins and the Ritz Carlton's 21 rules 05:30 – "Ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen" — defining culture 06:30 – Why repetition sustains identity better than constant reinvention 08:00 – Applying business lessons to family life 09:00 – How Family Brand uses corporate exercises to shape home culture 10:00 – Responding to the "we need something new" mindset 11:30 – The real fix for "sloppiness" in teams and families 12:30 – Why date nights and routines matter more than new ideas 13:30 – How small sacrifices lead to peace and structure 14:30 – The "Family Works When…" and "Marriage Works When…" exercise 15:30 – Writing down what makes your family thrive 16:30 – Reinforcing vs. reinventing: the real job of leadership 17:00 – Melissa's insight: learning to love the act of reminding 18:00 – Final takeaway: stop fighting repetition — embrace it as the path to peace