Smarties meet Linda Reeb, founder of “Moms Mentoring.” Linda and I met a few months ago when she and her husband Lloyd were speakers at an event my husband Jon and I attended. As a couple they have dedicated their lives to helping people and Linda’s specialty is moms. We were absolutely enthralled with their message and afterwards I approached Linda to see if she would be willing to share some of her wisdom with us. She graciously agreed and a few weeks later we were able to sit down and discuss one of her popular topics: Chief Life Officer. – Jenna
Q. What is a Chief Life Officer?
A. Right now you are in the corporate office of your life and you can decide what is most important. Looking at your family as a business and you as the “CLO” allows you to determine what you value as a family, set goals for your family, determine what’s working in your life, and what needs to change. Once you establish your values and your goals, it makes everything a little easier- especially decisions.
Making decisions for yourself and your family based on your values reduces the comparison game, allows you to celebrate the diversity between families more easily, and take criticism a little better when you say no.
Q. How do you decide family values?
A. You don’t have to figure out every family on the block, just your own. Involve the kids and allow for flexibility. As your family evolves, your values may as well. Keep a list on the fridge or somewhere it can be accessible to the whole family while also serving as a visual reminder. Determining what you value (after things like kindness and compassion) takes some digging and purposely saying no or yes to certain parts of your life.
Learn more about yourselves as a family through a Myers-Briggs (personality) test or reading a book together like “Please Understand Me.” Let go of what doesn’t align with what is most important to focus on what is most important to you. Experiment with capsule wardrobes (a more pared down collection of clothes), having fewer physical items, meal planning, two-for-ones (combining a social and a practical event at the same time, like exercising with a friend) or embracing simplicity in your calendar. Make decisions based on your values, allow more room for community and less for comparison in your life.
Q. Once we have our values established, then what?
A. Where do your values show up on your calendar? Is what I’m seeing there going to reflect what your values are? You may highly value family time but are saying yes to every weekend birthday party, and it’s taking away from your family’s quality time. It’s hard to have a “smiling no” if you don’t have a firm yes. Your values give you tracks to run on and help you decide “yes’s and no’s” that are unique to your particular family. If your child is up for a travel team sport, will it work within your value system or against? Anything that competes with your values is an automatic no particularly on your calendar, which can be very difficult in today’s life.
Being a Chief Life Officer is not about living perfectly but finding ways to nurture your family. Having values makes a difference in our society and it creates long lasting marriages and healthy families. This is your one and only life, how are you going to live it?
About Linda Reeb
As the founder of Moms Mentoring, Linda enjoys teaching and mentoring young mothers at a fascinating season of their lives. Her passion is to see women, applying the Bible’s wisdom to their lives, become all they are meant to be, while building Christian families and thriving marriages.
Linda also enjoys helping her husband Lloyd facilitate couples’ events with the Halftime Institute, and has co-written a book called Halftime for Couples. She loves learning about and encouraging others around building a second half of life that is fun, intimate and meaningful.
Linda enjoys spending time with her husband Lloyd, keeping up with her six young adult children and three grandchildren, and you can often find her engaging with friends, working in the garden, or with her nose in a book.
For more information or to learn about in-person mentoring, visit the Moms Mentoring website or Instagram.
