Brené Brown's Family Gap Plan

Since most of us are in Survival Mode I'd like to share a wonderful strategy from Brené Brown - her"Family Gap Plan" for when parents' energy levels don't add up to 100% (likely the case for most of us now... and to the incredible single moms out there - we see you doing EVERYTHING!).

She explains the plan in this podcast. But during survival mode 25 minutes to ones's self is likely not happening so here are the cliff notes:

She and her husband check-in with each other often, using a percentage number system. As she explains: 

I talked to him on the phone last night, and I said, “Look, I’m on the edge. I got a solid 15 right now.” And he said, “I was at 15, I’m up to 40.” We got a gap, 15 plus 40, 55, we got a 45 gap to 100% relationship, 100% parenting, 100%… We’ve got a gap. So, what’s the family gap plan?

When her kids were young, this was the gap plan:

1. No harsh words.
2. No nice words with harsh faces.
3. Say you're sorry.
4. Accept apologies with thank you, not with “that’s okay.”
5. Puns and knock-knock jokes

It's a great - and maybe manageable? - start. 

Feel motivated to continue? Here's the additional plan:

1. Sleep, eight hour minimum for everyone (I know this can feel impossible - looking at you newborn moms and those in a sleep "regression" - but seriously, sleep as much as you can.)

2. Move your body. It’s where we store anxiety, it’s where we store our grief, it’s where we store hard things.

3. Eat well. (takeout counts!!) 
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Have time to listen to a full podcast? Here's the link!

​Note: it's crazy to listen to this podcast since it came out March 23, 2020. Especially this part: "Unfortunately, the crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic is not going to be a crisis that follows the natural rhythm of things. I do not believe. I think it is not a sprint, it’s going to be a marathon."