Family Brand: Take Back Your Family – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Hey Family Brand! It’s Chris and Melissa here, and today we’re diving into a topic that has been a theme in our home and our conversations lately—what it means to become undeniable. Whether it’s in parenting, business, sports, or life in general, how do we show up in a way that makes our contributions impossible to ignore? We’re sharing personal stories, including how our son took on this mindset in his journey as an athlete, and how you can apply this principle in your own life.

Melissa kicks off the conversation by reflecting on her recent speaking experience. Even though she’s spoken on Zoom and hosted this podcast for years, standing on stage in front of a live audience pushed her in new ways. She found herself replaying every detail, second-guessing her delivery, and realizing how easy it is to be unnecessarily hard on ourselves when we step outside our comfort zones. The lesson? Growth happens when we embrace discomfort and keep showing up, even when we don’t have it all figured out yet.

Chris shares a powerful conversation he had with an entrepreneur who was hesitating to take action in his business, waiting until he was "sure it would work." But here’s the reality—you don’t get certainty before taking the leap. You take the leap, and then you figure it out. This same idea applies in our families, our careers, and every area of life. If we wait until we feel completely ready, we’ll stay stuck.

The inspiration for today’s episode comes from our son, Tanner, and the journey he’s been on with sports. Last year, he chose the word “undeniable” as his theme. At first, it seemed like just a word on a vision board, scribbled in a barely legible font. But over time, he fully embodied that word. He showed up differently in his training, his mindset, and his approach to challenges. Instead of hoping to earn playing time, he worked in a way that made it impossible for coaches to overlook him. He became undeniable.

We wrap up with three powerful questions inspired by world-renowned sports psychologist Bill Beswick, questions that can help you in any area of life:

1. What do you want?
2. How bad do you want it?
3. What are you willing to suffer for to get it?

These questions push us to get clear on our goals, commit to them fully, and recognize that struggle is part of the process. Whether in sports, business, marriage, or personal growth, the key is to put in the work and trust that your undeniable efforts will lead to undeniable results.

LINKS:

All Links Family Brand! 

• stan.store/familybrand

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:00 – Why we’re talking about becoming undeniable
• 2:00 – Melissa’s experience stepping outside her comfort zone
• 6:00 – Why waiting to "be ready" will keep you stuck
• 10:00 – How our son embodied the undeniable mindset
• 14:00 – The three questions that help you level up
• 18:00 – Applying the concept of undeniable to family, work, and personal growth
• 22:00 – Final thoughts: What’s calling you to become undeniable?

What’s one area of your life where you can commit to showing up so fully that your contribution can’t be ignored? We’d love to hear your thoughts—send us a message or share your story with us!

Hey Family Brand! It’s Chris and Melissa here, and today we’re diving into a topic that we haven’t spent much time on in the podcast: family finances. If the thought of finances makes you want to tune out, stick with us—we’re sharing lessons learned from our own money journey, the missteps we’ve taken, and the shifts that have helped us build a healthier relationship with money. This is about more than numbers; it’s about stewardship, mindset, and teaching our kids how to handle money in a way that sets them up for life.

In this episode, we get personal about how we’ve navigated our finances as a family. Like many couples, we started with different upbringings around money, and for years, we didn’t even realize our mindset about money was rooted in scarcity. Early on, we spent countless hours trying to save a few dollars, without understanding the bigger picture of value creation and stewardship. A turning point came when we started reframing our language and habits around money—focusing less on “we can’t afford that” and more on “how can we create the money for what matters to us?”

We also share the importance of teaching financial principles to our kids. A recent conversation with our 17-year-old revealed a gap in how we’ve communicated what it takes to manage money and run a household. This year, we’re being more intentional about showing our kids the behind-the-scenes of family finances—everything from setting budgets to understanding the value of creating income. A simple rule we’ve implemented, “We pay for everything you want and half of what you need,” has helped our kids think twice before spending.

Another shift this year has been the introduction of clear roles in our household finances. Inspired by a couples retreat, we decided to designate Chris as the CFO (Chief Financial Officer) and Melissa as the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of our family. This has brought much-needed clarity and accountability to how we handle our responsibilities. It doesn’t mean we don’t support each other, but it has helped eliminate the overlap and inefficiencies we used to face.

Our main takeaway for you: Financial success isn’t just about saving more or spending less; it’s about creating value, building good habits, and fostering a healthy relationship with money—both for you and your kids. As you step into this year, take some time to reflect on how you can intentionally improve your family’s relationship with money.

LINKS:

All Links Family Brand! 

• stan.store/familybrand

Links For This Episode:

• How To Have Complete Control Over Your Finances - https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=V6k-sWfBBi8
• Podcast: 19. Why We Never Say “We Can’t Afford That” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/19-why-we-never-say-we-cant-afford-that/id1536495798?i=1000514325256

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:00 – Why we’re talking about family finances
• 2:00 – Early lessons and scarcity mindsets around money
• 5:00 – How reframing our language changed everything
• 9:00 – Teaching kids financial responsibility and creation
• 14:00 – Our experiment with CFO and CEO family roles
• 18:00 – What we want our kids to learn about money
• 24:00 – Actionable takeaways for improving family finances

Hey Family Brand! It’s Melissa here, and today, I want to dive into a topic that feels especially timely as we head into the holidays: family traditions. Traditions can be beautiful and meaningful, but have you ever stopped to ask yourself if all of your traditions are still serving you and your family? That’s what we’re exploring in this episode—how to evaluate your traditions, let go of the ones that no longer work, and intentionally create new rituals that bring your family closer together.

When we think of traditions, our minds often jump to the big ones—holiday celebrations, birthdays, or annual events. But family traditions are so much more than that. They’re also the small, consistent rituals we build into our daily and weekly lives, like family dinners, bedtime routines, or even Sunday night check-ins. Research shows that the strongest families have the highest frequency of these rituals, not just around special occasions, but woven into everyday life.

I share some examples from our family, like how we’ve reevaluated traditions over the years. For instance, we decided to stop making gingerbread houses with extended family after moving further away, even though it was hard for the kids at first. The key is to make space for what works best for your unique family, while still honoring the core purpose of traditions: building identity, belonging, and strength.

If you’re ready to shake things up, I suggest starting with a family discussion. Bring everyone together, explain your thoughts about why you’d like to adapt or change certain traditions, and invite their feedback. One resource I recommend for this process is the book The Intentional Family by William Dougherty, which offers practical advice on how to make these shifts thoughtfully and collaboratively.

Lastly, I encourage you to double down on traditions that truly bring connection to your family. For us, family meetings and shared mealtimes have been game-changers. If you’re curious about starting family meetings, I have a free resource to guide you through the process, complete with a mini-course to make it super simple. Check it out at familybrand.com/meetings.

As you step into this holiday season and prepare for the new year, take some time to reflect: What traditions are worth keeping, and what new ones can you create to align with the family culture you want to build?

LINKS:

All Links Family Brand! 

• stan.store/familybrand

Links For This Episode:

• Book- 'The Intentional Family' by William Doherty: https://amzn.to/3AJ14Up
• Get the Family Meeting Playbook: https://familybrand.com/meeting

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:00 – Why it’s time to rethink family traditions
• 2:00 – The importance of small, consistent rituals
• 5:00 – Evaluating traditions: What serves your family?
• 7:30 – Tips for adapting or letting go of old traditions
• 10:00 – The power of family meetings and shared meals
• 12:00 – How intentional traditions create strong families

I hope this episode inspires you to embrace traditions that truly bring joy and connection to your family. Let me know what changes you decide to make—I’d love to hear your story!

Parenting is a challenging journey, full of uncertainty and self-doubt. 

It can be hard to know if you are doing the right thing when it comes to parenting your kids and loving them on an individual level to ensure all their needs are met both emotionally and physically.

Welcome back to the Family Brand Podcast! Melissa here for another show and If you agree with the statement above, this episode will blow your mind. Fair warning before you dive into today’s content, you may want to grab a pin and paper or your digital equivalent so you can take notes. This episode is packed with valuable tips all parents need to hear! 

Hit play to meet the one and only Crystal Haitsma. Crystal is known as the “parenting coach” and talks with us about how to trust yourself as a parent. Crystal has a unique approach to parenting and I was excited to hear more about it face-to-face. 

I stumbled upon Crystal's Instagram and after scrolling through a few posts I had to know more. I  was immediately drawn to her connection-based parenting method. Crystal explains that the connection-based parenting method is all about building a strong relationship with your children and It's about being present, listening actively, and understanding your child's perspective.

It's not about being tyrannical or controlling but rather about being a guide for your child and learning how to help and love them in the best way possible. For most of us, this approach to parenting is 100% the opposite of what we experienced growing up. 

Learning how to parent in a new way can seem daunting at first or your temptation may be to run out and grab every book you can find on parenting and self-development you can find. Either way, you’ll learn during our conversation that building a better relationship with your child may be easier than you think.

Why? Because you have everything you need to succeed inside you. Crystal reminds us of the fundamental truths of self-care and how if we take care of ourselves we can better serve our kids and families. You’ll also hear her advice on how to trust your intuition, how to overcome the battles in your mind, how to not repeat the pain of your past and so much more. 

It's okay to make mistakes and remember that being a perfect parent is impossible. However, we know there is always room for growth! We look forward to relistening to this episode over and over again to learn more from Crystal. To reach out to us or learn more about our guests, follow the links below! 

More Of What’s Inside:

• Crystal’s approach as a parenting coach
• Why it’s so easy to want a certain behavior from your kids
• It’s never too late to change your relationship with your kids
• Self-healing is both daunting and empowering
• The difference between thought work and emotional work
• What to do if you feel like melting down
• Melisa gets coached live on the podcast
• How Crystal got started parenting coaching 
• The power of connection based parenting
• And much more!

Links For This Episode: 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.parenting.coach
• Crystal's Podcast: http://www.coachcrystal.ca/blog
• Crystal's Parenting Personality Quiz: https://coachcrystal.involve.me/parents-organic
• Link to Crystal's Mindset Journal for Parents: https://www.coachcrystal.ca/shop
• Book- By Gordon Neufeld- "Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers": https://amzn.to/3GqOF6p
• Book-by Deborah MacNamara PhD- "Rest, Play, Grow: Making Sense of Preschoolers (Or Anyone Who Acts Like One)": https://amzn.to/3Zp6NGf

Website:

• familybrand.com

Social:

•  Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand

 Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:52 How Crystal and Melissa met 
• 1:33 What Crystal does as a parenting couch
• 7:01 What is connection-based parenting 
• 9:35 How to show up with different energy with your kids
• 14:50 Shifting your perspective as a parent
• 17:01 Why it’s important to connect with your teenager 
• 22:28 You have the power inside of yourself for you or your kids
• 27:18 Your past will affect your parenting 
• 31:47 How to start being a better parent today
• 35:20 What to do when you’re overly stimulated
• 40:02 Teaching your kids how to process emotions 
• 45:57  How to learn more from Crystal 
• 47:57 Books about parenting you may love
• 51:33 How to take control of your thoughts and mindset

New Year, New Vision. If you want to have a great 2023, creating a clear vision is the #1 way to get the most out of your new year. Plus, it’s more fun and easier than you think! 

Welcome to the Family Brand Podcast! If you are new here, you may not know that we are big believers in vision boards. At one point in our lives, we would have been skeptical about the idea and have chalked it up to a “woo-woo” exercise and completely written it off. 

However, after years of seeing firsthand how Vision Boards can pay off and help you manifest your dreams and intentions…we are 100% convinced that every family should adopt this tradition! Creating them as a family can be a fun and meaningful activity for all ages.  

First, start by talking about a few goals. This can include personal goals, such as learning a new skill or starting a new hobby, as well as family goals, like saving for a vacation or improving your health. By having this conversation, you can get a better understanding of what each family member is hoping to accomplish and how you can support each other in reaching your goals.

This year we had the opportunity to look back on our vision boards from 2022 and everyone in the family was amazed at how many things from our boards came to life throughout the year. From words we embodied to awards we worked towards, to visiting the same locations we saw in a magazine. Watching our kids see their goals come to pass has been one of the most powerful things we have experienced as parents. 

By setting goals and visualizing your future together, you can create a roadmap for success and strengthen your connections with your loved ones. In this episode, we share how we created our Vision Boards for 2023, what words we picked for the year and why, how we helped our kids complete their boards, and how we plan to use them throughout the calendar year.

We will also cover what practical materials you’ll need to create them so that by the end of the show, you’ll be ready to start your own! So why wait? Gather your family and get started on your vision boards for 2023 today!

For more help and to get to most out of the experience, download our full activity pack: https://familybrand.com/new

Inside you’ll find out with main activities:

• Reflection of the past year
• Family Awards Ceremony
• Vision Boards creation 

These three activities can help children understand the concept of time, the power of setting goals, encourage positive habits, reinforce their identity and uniqueness, plus so much more!

More Of What’s Inside:

• What’s on our 2023 vision board
• Why you should start with a word or a phrase for the year
• How our family is disconnecting from devices more this year
• The “simplify, expand and simplify” framework 
• Why we had a great Christmas break as a family 
• A few lessons we learned in 2022
• The importance of having a vision board
• A few goals that came to pass last year
• Our “words” for 2023 and how we plan to live them out
• The brain science behind a vision board
• And much more!

Links For This Episode: 

• Book- "The GO-Giver" by Bob Burg: https://amzn.to/3QjR8UH
• Link to the New Years Bundle: http://familybrand.com/new

Website:

• familybrand.com

Social:

•  Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand

 Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:43 Welcome back to the Family Brand Podcast!
• 1:18 Let’s talk about vision boards!
• 3:16 How we come up with our “word” for the year
• 4:22 Crazy adventures that came true because our vision boards
• 6:43 Advice for people who have never made a vision board
• 8:47 Mellisa’s word for 2023
• 12:40 Unpacking your “word” even further
• 16:02 It’s the year to get off the sidelines 
• 18:06 Why we love camping as a family 
• 20:54 Chris’ word for 2023
• 23:54 How to promote peace in our home

Nothing leads to better conversations like traveling on the open road. 

Recently, we were traveling for a quick work trip and our four oldest kids were hanging out with friends for Christmas Break. We took our youngest to friends about an hour and a half away so we found ourselves with some alone time in the car. 

We started talking about our kids individually and how we can love them more intentionally in 2023. It led to one of the most thought-provoking and powerful conversations we have ever had as parents. We left the trip with 3 questions that every parent should be asking if they want to up-level their parenting. 

Welcome back to the Family Brand Podcast! Today on the show, we will let you in on our conversation and break down our answers to these 3 parenting questions. However, full disclosure is we haven’t fully finished this exercise ourselves, so we will all be doing it together. 

After serious consideration, we decided to take some time with our answers and really lean in to find the most intentional ways to love our kids this year. It truly is a profound experience and we plan on making this process a part of our yearly routine. 

Setting relationship goals and being strategic about how you lead your family doesn’t just apply to your kids. You can apply these same questions to your marriage and show your spouse more intentional love in the New Year. 

And speaking of the New Year, don’t miss out on our FREE New Year’s Eve Bundle. We have a few ideas to help you create the most meaningful, fun, connected, positive, and awesome New Year's Party your family ever imagined! 

Our plans consist of 3 main activities:

• Reflection of the past year
• Family Awards Ceremony
• Vision Boards creation 

These 3 activities can help children understand the concept of time, the power of setting goals, encourage positive habits, reinforce their identity and uniqueness, plus so much more! 

It will be your family's new favorite tradition! Get access now: http://familybrand.com/new

More Of What’s Inside:

• How can we show up for each of our children
• Some tools and strategies to help your kids
• How are we finding the answers to these questions 
• The power of making investments in your family 
• A few examples of how we are applying our answers
• How to have the best year yet 
• And much more!

Links For This Episode: 

• Link to the New Years' Eve Bundle: http://familybrand.com/new

Website:

• familybrand.com

Social:

•  Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand

 Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:07 What’s inside this episode 
• 2:00 A new tradition we are implementing as parents 
• 4:24 Helping and loving your kids as individuals 
• 5:05 How we are showing up for our kids this year
• 8:00 Making proactive investments in your family
• 11:03 Intentional goal setting for every relationship
• 12:01 How to capitalize off the new year

New Year's Eve is a special time for many people and families. It's a chance to reflect on the past year and set intentions for the year ahead. 

Welcome back to the Family Brand Podcast! We are excited to share an update on our MOST requested topic of the year. 

If you have heard our previous years episodes, we can cut to the chase! Get Your FREE New Years' Eve Party Bundle Here: http://familybrand.com/new (PDFs and Print outs included!)

If you’re new around here, let us give you the rundown! After years of perfecting the perfect family New Year's Eve party, It’s now become one of our most beloved holidays and traditions in the Smith House. 

However, we haven’t always looked forward to the end of the year like we do today. A few years ago, we were going through the motions and stayed up too late on New Year's Eve and then the whole family woke up groggy and grumpy on New Year’s Day. 

The new year is supposed to be a time for fresh starts and new beginnings, and just barely making it through the day on January 1st didn’t feel like how we wanted to start my new year. 

Sound familiar? If so, we have a few ideas to help you create the most meaningful, fun, connected, positive, and awesome New Year's Party your family ever imagined! 

Our plans consist of 3 main activities:

• Reflection of the past year
• Family Awards Ceremony
• Vision Boards creation 

These 3 activities can help children understand the concept of time, the power of setting goals, encourage positive habits, reinforce their identity and uniqueness, plus so much more! 

Having a meaningful New Year's Eve party with your kids can help set the tone for the rest of the year and set your family up for success. Don’t just take our word for it. Try it for yourself! 

Every family that has tried these ideas said it was a game-changer for their relationships and helped transform the culture in their house throughout the new year. Hit play to see why our party plans even went viral last year on Instagram! 

Get Your FREE New Years' Eve Party Bundle Here: http://familybrand.com/new (PDFs and Print outs included!)

Feel free to take these ideas and resources and make them your own! Tag us in your pictures or contact us and tell us how your night goes @ourfamilybrand on Instagram. (Links below)

More Of What’s Inside:

• How to have the most meaningful New Year’s Eve party with your family
• How to get ahead of the game with your family awards night
• The impact of being acknowledged for something you’re doing
• This isn’t just something “cool” to do with your family 
• Why Chris personally looks forward to this transition 
• What other people are saying about our New Year's Eve party
• What gave us the idea to redesign our New Year’s Eve 
• And much more!

Links For This Episode: 

• Link to the New Years' Eve Bundle: http://familybrand.com/new

Website:

• familybrand.com

Social:

•  Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand

 Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:40 Why people have been requesting this episode 
• 1:17 Why we love this tradition 
• 2:25 What inspired our New Years Party Ideas
• 5:20 A look inside our Family Reward ceremony
• 6:01 The power of reflecting on your year
• 7:05 Kids love vision boards 
• 8:23 How has this process impacted us
• 9:14 How to get your New Years' bundle FREE! 

Light, love, and positivity. 

In our opinion, these are not just “new age” buzzwords.

These are some of the most important things we can spread worldwide. And we all have the power to do it!

Do you agree? 

If so, we probably can agree that it can be easier said than done. 

During the Holidays, it’s easier to keep things like that at the top of your mind, especially as you buy gifts and start creating memories with your family.

Things like generosity and intentionality are built into your schedule. But what about the rest of the year? 

How can we give away our light to anyone we meet, and what does that even mean? 

Those are just some of the questions we want to tackle in today’s episode! Welcome to another episode of the family Brand podcast. 

This conversation is short and sweet, but if you apply these ideas you’ll be rewarded for years to come. (Plus, everyone around you too.) 

Hit play to hear why we think everyone has a light that the world needs, how to unleash your light, how to appreciate people more, what it looks like to acknowledge others, and so much more. 

More Of What’s Inside:

• What does it mean to “give light”?
• The story of how our church asked us to deliver a nativity set 
• The best gifts aren’t necessarily physical gifts
• The gift of appreciation and affection
• Getting outside of yourself when you are giving
• Give more than just the perfect gift
• And much more!

Links For This Episode: 

• PDF-50 Ideas to Share Your Light: https://content.churchofjesuschrist.org/acp/bc/Asia%20Area/2022LTWPAC/50%20Ideas/LTW-22-50-ideas-ENG.pdf
• The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: https://amzn.to/3j2x0de

Website:

• familybrand.com

Social:

•  Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand

 Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 1:10 Let’s talk about giving light 
• 2:46 Every gift can have some light
• 4:06 The Law Of Giving
• 5:45 You never know how far kindness can go 
• 6:50 How Chris’ friend shows honor to others
• 8:41 How can you bring a little more light?
• 9:29 How to get a list of ideas on how to spread your light

Today we are coming to you live from our family road trip!

Welcome back to the Family Brand Podcast! Every year around this time, the Smiths get a whole new look. You may think we are referring to ugly Christmas sweaters or our favorite Holiday outfits, but we are talking about our Cowboy hats and boots. 

We take a trip to Las Vegas to see Chris compete in the National Rodeo Championships. If you haven’t known us long, this family hobby may surprise you. However, if you have been around awhile you know that we love the country scene as much as the surf scene! 

We have a mixed bag of interests, hobbies, and things we like to do as a family. We love to go on adventures together so we find ourselves in the most interesting places and conversations. 

Sometimes, those conversations can go south quickly. As you find the vision for your family and you create your “Family Brand.” you’ll discover fast that some people have a lot to say…

It may feel like everyone has an opinion on your life and how you live it. Some people may even ask you why? Or proceed to tell you that you are wrong. Maybe you have experienced similar situations in your life.

In this episode, we have an honest conversation about when you owe an explanation and when you don’t. In modern culture, we all spend too much time apologizing or explaining why we do things that matter to us. 

Don’t get us wrong, of course, there are valid times to give someone an explanation, but for the most part, we want to encourage you to take back your power and give less energy to people who ask questions they don’t really care to know the answer to. Or people who ask questions just to knock you down. 

We hope this episode encourages you and your family embraces more of what you want to do in the new year! If you liked this “coaching” style content, let us know! Reach out to us via the links below. 

More Of What’s Inside:

• You don’t owe anyone an explanation
• When you told people you were moving to Hawaii
• Why you don’t have to apologize when you fail
• People are asking for an explanation are coming into your world and calendar
• How to take back your family's time
• How Mellissa now handles emails
• How often do you find yourself explaining yourself?
• Chris’ healthy journey in 2022 
• And much more!

Website:

• familybrand.com

Social:

•  Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand

 Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:49 Our trip to Vegas
• 1:27 Why we love the Rodeo
• 2:12 You never have to explain yourself
• 3:47 A lot of people will question you 
• 7:02 How to respond to people's questions
• 10:33 Don’t give away your power 
• 14:28 What Chris has been working on lately
• 17:04 Pay attention to how you respond this week

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, they say…

But is it really? LOL

Welcome back to the Family Brand Podcast, Chris and Melissa here for another honest conversation about what’s going on in the Smith world. If you’re like us, you love this time of year and all the beautiful memories we get to make with our kids of all ages. 

However, as the years have gone by it feels like our schedule is packed and our family is spread thin across the board. It can be hard to navigate the Holiday season with family arrangements, expectations with traditions, checking off the gift list, and everything in between. 

In other words, the to-do list is long but the hours are short. It feels more overwhelming than “the true Christmas Spirit.” Instead of just putting our heads down and finishing out the calendar year in the same routine, we decided to sit down and do a “family audit” so we can have a more peaceful Christmas and Holiday atmosphere in our home. 

If that sounds good to you, hit play to hear more! During this conversation, we share how we plan to take back our schedule this season, how we plan to declutter our home before we bring more “stuff” via Christmas gifts, how we found out our kid's favorite traditions, and how we are prioritizing activities' accordingly and so much more! 

Every family and Holiday culture is unique so feel free to take the ideas discussed in the show and make them your own! However you celebrate, we hope you take action on this episode. Even if you can eliminate one stressful thing in your life over the next few weeks it will be worth it! And, your kids will thank you. 

-

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Give your kids the gift of a last name they are proud of! Start building your own Family Brand today: familybrand.com

More Of What’s Inside:

• What’s the biggest challenge facing your family?
• How we are outsourcing over 300 pieces of laundry every week
• Why we think it’s important to have your kids do chores
• How to take back your family’s time
• Why have we been asking “What’s going on with our house?”
• Updates on our new home
• Why we have grown to love a minimalist lifestyle
• Sometimes you just have to get rid of “stuff” in all areas  
• And much more!

Links For This Episode: 

• Book- "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo: https://amzn.to/3VmVoEL
• Podcast- "Agreements vs. Expectations" -The Family Brand Podcast: https://familybrand.com/agreements-vs-expectations-why-every-parent-needs-to-understand-this/

Website:

• familybrand.com

Social:

•  Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamilyBrandOfficial
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ourfamilybrand
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCGu-7odB6gkPbyXpUIQLkrg
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OurFamilyBrand

 Free course:

• familybrand.com/10steps

Episode Minute By Minute:

• 0:40 Is it the most wonderful day of the year?
• 4:28 How minimalism can be freeing
• 8:40 Why our laundry life is insane 
• 11:18 Finding joy in your home 
• 15:28 How to make the Holiday less stressful
• 18:26 How to do a “family audit”