1: Getting better at getting better is what RiseWithDrew is all about.
Monday through Thursday, we explore ideas from authors, thought leaders, and exemplary organizations. On Friday, I share something about myself or what we are working on at PCI.
Last week, we reviewed some of the lessons from Barbara Fredrickson‘s book Love 2.0.
Barbara is the Kenan Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience.
Love, Barbara writes, is the “supreme emotion [because] its presence or absence in our lives influences everything we feel, think, do, and become.”
2: The scientific definition of love is “the micro-moment of warmth and connection that we share with another living being,” she notes.
Barbara encourages us to “upgrade our vision of love” to create more of these moments.
This philosophy applies to all aspects of life, including our relationships with our spouses or partners, close friends, kids, and parents.
3: My wife Carey and I got married three years ago. We have a big, blended family. We call ourselves “The Clancy Bunch” because we each contributed three kids. In fact, that’s our Christmas card.
Our kids are all between the ages of 15 and 27. It’s been a real joy to think about how to be the best dad/bonus dad to each of our six children.
One of my ten goals for each of the last several years has been to find an activity, an event, or an interest to connect with each individual child.
Because some of our kids are spread out across the country, we’ve started holding a weekly Zoom call with all eight of us. Each of us shares a rose, a thorn, and a prayer request for the coming week. It’s always one of the highlights of my week. [Thank you, Michlewicz family—such a great idea!]
With the kids who are in town in a given month, I try to get some one-on-one time with at least one of them by taking them to dinner, coffee, or a game. I learned of this idea from Bob Freeburg, a friend of mine.
Last week, I shared one of my favorite quotes: “Love is an action verb.” I bring this approach to being a parent. Another of my ten goals for 2024 is to go on a family hike once a month.
When the weather is nice, we plan to ride bikes to dinner at a restaurant once a month.
Lastly, a really fun activity we started doing several years ago is scheduling several days throughout the year when someone in the family plans the activities for the entire day. We call these “Clancy Days,” and they are always filled with laughter and funny stories.
The idea came from a great book called The Power of Moments by Chip and Dan Heath.
We’ve done everything from zip-lining to ice skating, volunteering, taking a train from Dallas to Fort Worth, visiting various museums, attending different sporting events, going for hikes, and visiting many fun restaurants. I encourage you to try it out!
More next week!
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Reflection: What are some fun family activities we do regularly?
Action: Experiment with a few new ideas.