Are you and your family feeling like caged animals yet?
So many changes. So many restrictions. So easy to feel trapped. Powerless.
What if there was a way to get clear about what we DO want?
Here is a great exercise to help problem solve and take your power back for what you and your family want to do on weekends. It can be anything from a bike ride, a staycation to explore your local area, or planning a bigger vacation for when you are able to safely travel again.
The key to this exercise is to do it when everyone is relaxed and has an open mind.
Order in a pizza or whip up a meal that you all love and let this be a great opportunity for “Possibility Thinking”.
Whether you live alone or there are two of you or you have a whole team of kids, this exercise allows for great planning and builds in togetherness.
A few guidelines to support the experience:
- Have fun sharing what brings each person joy and allows them to have fun. Expect that your cool idea may not be someone else’s.
- Write down every suggestion so each voice is heard and supported. It can be on a notepad, flip chart paper, a chalkboard, or a whiteboard.
- Don’t interrupt so each person gets to share what they want without interruptions. It is a great idea to ask that no technology be present for this.
- Discuss your budget once the brainstorm of ideas has flowed out, so everyone knows what you have to work with. This helps everyone to focus on what the parameters are. One big trip may use most of your vacation budget and if the consensus is to follow through with it, then everyone agrees the remainder of the activities need to either be free or low cost. (Side note: this is a great learning opportunity for the kids about budgeting.)
- Go back and prioritize the list of ideas to reflect which ones are most important to you and your family.
- Take turns on who decides which activities happen when. If Jane suggested bike riding for this weekend then let the following weekend be Jack’s choice. This allows everyone to have their activity chosen.
- Most important: HAVE FUN!
I would love to hear what your family comes up with for activity ideas for this Spring or Summer. I’m always on the hunt for new activities to do with mine.
Click on the links below to follow me on social media and let’s keep this Possibility Thinking going.
Cheering for your success,
Cate
Resilient Leadership Speaker, Author, Coach & Retreat Facilitator
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PS – Here’s a quick video that explains how this activity works and why it is so awesome!