03/11/2026
Play is how we become who we are.
Yet most of us arrive at adulthood forgetting how to play.
This reality not only leaves you overwhelmed and burnt out, it actually disconnects you from yourself and the impact you long for.
That’s probably why George Land, who led a groundbreaking study on the creativity levels of thousands of 3- to 5-year-olds in the 1980s, witnessed the profound drop in creativity as we age.
At the preschool ages, 98 percent of these children tested as creative geniuses.
By age 10, that number dropped to 30%. By age 15, just 12%.
By adulthood? Just 2%.
And I don’t think it’s just because we age.
I think it’s largely because we forget how to play.
You keep swirling and striving, yet purpose and joy remain elusive.
The striving barely brings you any closer to the deeper vision, creativity, and connection you crave in your work and family life.
You must play your way there.
And the good news is: it’s not too late.
Because play isn’t just how we become who we are.
It’s also how we can re-become who we were—before society and systems told us otherwise.
Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play, said that play is “one of the most advanced methods nature has invented to allow a complex brain to create itself.”
Reawakening your sense of play helps you step into your unique Zone of Genius at an accelerated pace because it activates up to 80% of your brain, whereas talking aloud activates only 15%.
Play helps unearth hidden ideas, beliefs, and habits you didn’t even know were inside of you.
That’s why this Friday, March 13, from 12-1:15pm ET, I’m leading a free LIVE workshop called Playful Purpose.
The goal is simple: You’re going to discover your play personality and how you can reawaken a spirit of play that unlocks deeper purpose and vision for yourself, your family, and your career or business.
Want to join us? Register now for FREE here ⇶ leadwithfamily.com/playful-purpose-workshop
Or head to my bio to grab the link!
03/11/2026
Play is how we become who we are.
Yet most of us arrive at adulthood forgetting how to play.
This reality not only leaves you overwhelmed and burnt out, it actually disconnects you from yourself and the impact you long for.
That’s probably why George Land, who led a groundbreaking study on the creativity levels of thousands of 3- to 5-year-olds in the 1980s, witnessed the profound drop in creativity as we age.
At the preschool ages, 98 percent of these children tested as creative geniuses.
By age 10, that number dropped to 30%. By age 15, just 12%.
By adulthood? Just 2%.
And I don’t think it’s just because we age.
I think it’s largely because we forget how to play.
You keep swirling and striving, yet purpose and joy remain elusive.
The striving barely brings you any closer to the deeper vision, creativity, and connection you crave in your work and family life.
You must play your way there.
And the good news is: it’s not too late.
Because play isn’t just how we become who we are.
It’s also how we can re-become who we were—before society and systems told us otherwise.
Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play, said that play is “one of the most advanced methods nature has invented to allow a complex brain to create itself.”
Reawakening your sense of play helps you step into your unique Zone of Genius at an accelerated pace because it activates up to 80% of your brain, whereas talking aloud activates only 15%.
Play helps unearth hidden ideas, beliefs, and habits you didn’t even know were inside of you.
That’s why this Friday, March 13, from 12-1:15pm ET, I’m leading a free LIVE workshop called Playful Purpose.
The goal is simple: You’re going to discover your play personality and how you can reawaken a spirit of play that unlocks deeper purpose and vision for yourself, your family, and your career or business.
Want to join us? Register now for FREE here ⇶ leadwithfamily.com/playful-purpose-workshop
Or head to the link in my bio!
01/07/2026
“The only way out is through.”
I’ve been mostly silent online in recent weeks, as the book launch as well as a deeper and more intentional effort to care for my body opened up some old wounds.
The truth is, the transition into military retirement has been extremely challenging for our family.
The vulnerability of sharing publicly our past story of struggle and near-divorce—in our new book, Living Room Leadership, as well as on stages, podcasts, and in media—has also been heavy for me, Geoff, and our children.
Leading a family impact company comes with this pressure to perform and prove that our family always has it all together.
It’s hard to admit that our marriage is once again struggling.
A couple weeks ago, when I came to my business partner to share these challenges and make a request to take a break from Renala for a while, he challenged me.
“The only way out is through,” he said.
He reminded me that these challenges are not a reason to pause on the vision we’re building.
If anything, it’s a reason to press in even more, to be honest and vulnerable about the story we’re living.
He also reminded me that vision often requires the most out of the person or people who hold the vision.
For us, this means that a vision to transform millions of marriages and families often manifests as deeper challenges in our own marriage and family.
I’m happy to say that I’m back, committed to being honest and vulnerable about the challenges we’re experiencing right now—and committed to working through them.
This season is stretching us.
It’s stretching me.
It’s giving me renewed passion, empathy, and connection to the families we serve.
I’m committed to walking this season, holding the vision for our family and the vision for Renala, knowing how I show up in my marriage and as a mom in difficult times only enables me to serve other families better.
This is Living Room Leadership.
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This Friday, January 9, at 12pm ET, I’m hosting a free live workshop called the Living Room Leadership Workshop, designed for couples and parents who want to live a more visionary and intentional family life in 2026.
Register now at the link in my bio ➡️ https://lnkd.in/d4ss856w
