10 Steps to a Happier Family with Christopher Robbins

In today’s episode of the “Helping Families be Happy” podcast, host Dr. Carla Marie Manly, a practicing Clinical Psychologist, Wellness Advocate, and Author based in Sonoma County, California talks with Christopher Robbins, Founder of ‘Familius Publishing’. He is talking about the 10 Habits of Happy Family. He also shares tips to those struggling families who are missing all these elements of being a happy family.

Episode Highlights

• 01:53 – Dr. Carla enquires, where the 10 Habits come from?
• 03:47 – Christopher shares, they started to frame this around these 10 habits and it was nine at first.
• 04:47 – The 10th habit is about giving because giving as a family will strengthen that family when they look outside of themselves, says Christopher.
• 07:37 – Dr. Carla asks Christopher about his views on people who are struggling to find that time to sit down at the family dinner table and connect.
• 09:22 - All you listeners out there who might have not had a family dinner in a while such sage advice. Start small pick one day one meal and make that filled with love and joy, says Dr. Carla Marie Manly
• 11:06 – Christopher states, it's all about the time that you can give to another person to show your interest in that person.
• 13:05 – We don't need any healthier habits here but consistency is such an important part of showing love, says the host.
• 19:29 – Dr. Carla says when we're connecting with someone if we don't understand them, that alone can be so connective.
• 22:06 – Christopher mentions that healing is more than just a band-aid. 
• 23:33 – There are so many people who are discouraged, who have anxiety in some form or another, and we can't say to a depressed person, don't be depressed, mentions Christopher
• 25:49 – When we show our love, not just say we love you but show we love you it's just the best thing in the world for the part of the body, mind, and soul.
• 27:38 – When we forgive, we heal that is truth. So, if we want to heal together, learn to forgive each other and move on.
• 30:14 – Christopher says, no matter what it was working, there were lessons taught and opportunities to talk and to learn and to trust and to love.
• 32:33 – The host states that when we join with a child in sweeping the floor or folding the clothes or picking up their room and making it a game and making it fun, we accomplish the same task, but we accomplish it with joy and connection. 

Three Key Points

1. Christopher highlights, no one habit is better than another and they don't even prioritize these. The 10 habits are - eat together, heal together, laugh together, learn together, love together, play together, read together, talk together, work together, and give together.
2. It is really about creating intentional habits that make us healthier human beings and thus supporting a healthy family.
3. We need to do our best slowly but surely to make some of these habits come to life in our homes.

Tweetable Quotes

• “Depression and anxiety tend to be reduced when we volunteer when we give.” - Dr. Carla Marie Manly
• “My recommendation is to start slow, pick one day a week that you say as a fan” - Christopher Robbins
• “Eat, laugh, and talk that provides you with recipes, games and conversation starters.” - Christopher Robbins
• “You can show love to your family by also making sure that there are consistent fouls that are helpful.” - Christopher Robbins
• “Consistency does bring that peace of safety and safety builds trust.” - Dr. Carla Marie Manly
• “We have a great book called ‘The Big Book of Family Games; this book has no technology allowed.” – Christopher Robbins
• “Sometimes just by showing the interest builds that trust that then allows them to start sharing with you.” – Dr. Carla Marie Manly
• ‘When people start sharing with you, their problems, their challenges, they're not necessarily asking you to solve them for them.” - Christopher Robbins
• “Forgiveness asks us to let go keep a good boundary maybe set a new boundary, but to let go of the resentment, let go of the pain.” - Dr. Carla Marie Manly
• “Take advantage of the opportunities that exist in the world and marine life is not just to be endured, supposed to be enjoyed was to our best to enjoy it.” - Christopher Robbins

 

Resources Mentioned

• Helping Families be Happy Podcast Apple
• Dr. Carla Marie Manly Website LinkedIn Twitter   Instagram
• Podcast Editing
• Christopher Robbins: Website