Ever have a parent freak-out moment?
Does the thought of balancing school from home and work from home make you anxious and seem like a disaster?
Did you kids do something that you never expected, and you aren’t sure how to handle it, or who to turn to?
If any of the above are true, you aren’t alone, and this simple process can help you out, right now.
We Can Be Heroes
For a moment, think about who your “parenting heroes” are. These can be real people – grandparents, your parents, and others you think would be great parents. They can also be made-up people – some movie characters, even what you imagine an animal (like an owl) to be as a parent – whatever works for you.
Stay with us here. It may seem silly but it’s rooted in brain science. Also remember, you probably already watch 2-3 hours of fantasy TV daily, that isn’t helping you out that much. So, use that part of your imagination to support yourself a bit here.
What Would Napoleon Do?
Before we dive into the process, here’s bit of background. Almost 100 years ago, Napoleon Hill, after interviewing the most successful 500 people of his time, came up with this approach for business. We’ll apply it to parenting here shortly, and it’s important to understand his proven approach this is rooted in.
For business success, Hill recommended that you identify 9 heroes. Today that could be Elon Musk, Oprah, Warren Buffett, whomever you consider to be a business titan. The process then is to imagine these people serving you. You are the chairman of the board and they are your advisors. Daily, just before bed and/or when waking up, you consider how they would act, speak and what they would tell you when you ask them for help.
Brain Science and Parenting
The brain science here is that you are literally programming your goal-achieving brain to help you come up with solutions, instead of being stuck in overwhelm and fear. Your energy is spent on solutioning, not suffering. There’s 50+ years of neuroscience to back what may seem like a “woo” fantasy world here. It plays into how your brain is wired, and can help you succeed.
Okay, so how does this work for parenting?
Here are five simple steps to make this work for your family, no matter the stressors.
- Identify 3-5 Ideal Parents. These can be real people or imaginary. Both types work and you can mix them up too. If you change them later, that’s fine. Just pick 3-5 now to start with.
- Give these ideal parents personality. How do they walk, speak, and interact with your other ideal parents? The more details here the better – have fun with it.
- Imagine these ideal parents have only one job – to serve you. They gather at your request, and you present whatever issues you have.
- Listen to what they have to say. This may feel awkward at first. That’s okay. Imagine what coaching and advice they would give you. How would they handle the situation?
- Do this for just 5-10 minutes a day, just before bed and/or waking up. You can close your eyes, journal, or do whatever works for you. Do it every day for one week. Pro tip – put it on your phone’s calendar to remind you.
During the day, when big things happen, know that you have your “council meeting” later, and keep going.
After a week, notice the difference, and then share this approach with your friends.
We all get overwhelmed, and need expert advice from time to time. This allows us to create it on demand, from the experts we choose, for free.
Want More?
If you are hungry for more tools like this and looking for a way to help your family thrive, check out our free seminar. You’ll learn how to help your family be drama-free, help your kids more easily learn, and know how to consistently boost resilience.