Hi, friends 👋🏽. I’m Stacy Casson, Chief Play Officer at Things to Think About, LLC. With over twenty years of continuous improvement experience, I’ve learned to stay calm in a crisis—unless you’re that jerk in the white Tesla who doesn’t understand how indicators work. Get ready with me!
Is your calendar packed to the gills? Are you constantly double or triple-booked? Do you feel like you have to choose who you are going to fail today? You don’t have to face the doubts alone. I’m focusing on supporting parents and caregivers of high school students as they navigate overwhelm. I write this blog to help them move from overwhelm to action. As Dan Martell says, “A problem well defined is a problem half-solved.”
Celebrate Your Wins
Pause for a moment:
What’s one thing you accomplished this week—big or small?
Did you beat your record?
Have dinner without an argument?
Took a shower?
This week, I updated my profile, helped my son clear out and organize his closet, and nailed my mock interview.
Drop your win in the comments or share it with a friend! Now, let’s proactively plan for the week ahead to set ourselves up for success and reduce overwhelm. This week we draw inspiration from Lyn Thurman’s Quiet Rebel Oracle cards.
“Anxiety” – Doechii
I updated my LinkedIn Profile to center working parents and caregivers. Even though I have a Change Management background, sometimes, I am not ready to change. We would consider a Threat/Opportunity Matrix to help people understand the need for change. If I don’t clearly name the people I can serve, they would wonder if I am for them and go elsewhere. Long term, the confusion would mean that many struggling parents would not be aware of the resources available to them and I would not be able to use my gifts and talents. Being more specific could result in more meaningful work. Long term, there will be many confidant students and relieved parents. It’s important for you to hold on to your vision in the week ahead especially if you are trying or starting something new.
Challenge: What are you trying to change? What is something that would happen if you don’t change? What possibilities open up if you do?
S.W.O.T.
As I refine my focus, I will walk myself through a S.W.O.T. analysis and I invite you to do the same. I’ve been a continuous improvement specialist focused on customer experience for several years. I’ve based my coaching on using these techniques, along with creativity and play, to help people move from overwhelm to action. I’m narrowing my focus specifically to parents of high school students, and it’s stressing me out because I know I can help so many different kinds of people.
“All the women, who independent” – Destiny’s Child
The biggest strength comes from alignment. I’ll be working with people who light me up. As a parent of five kids, I understand overwhelm at a deeply personal level. You are tired of nagging and carrying the mental load. When they lost their dad, I thankfully already had a team because we raised them to be independent. I don’t have to spend a ton of time acting as a “manager” at home. My kids are empowered to be proactive and are wonderful problem solvers. It’s not genetics, it’s skills training. When my son returned home from college, he reorganized the room he shared with his brothers to fit another desk AND make more room. I’ve remained a trusted advisor to my kids and it’s something I want to help other parents achieve.
Mini-exercise: What are you doing right? Write down or say at least twenty things to yourself. No one gave you an instruction book. Give yourself more credit.
“Perfect” – Alanis Morissette
Do you feel that you have to be perfect? Are you feeling like a failure because you aren’t doing what you think people expect? We often stay in misery because it’s the devil we know. We are stuck because we can’t imagine a life without worrying about what’s next. I do not remember which YouTube video I saw, but the premise was that people use worrying to feel they are taking action by thinking about the challenge, rather than making the necessary changes. The story I am telling myself is that I am going to confuse people or that I am shrinking myself. I’m not perfect, and it’s not the end of the world. My kids respect me because I own up to my mistakes. It helps them feel comfortable because they have someone successfully model how to navigate failure. If you’re not failing, you’re not learning. This is why we have the edit button. In most cases, you can try something and if that doesn’t work, try something else. The challenge is to stick with it for a bit to truly assess what works and what doesn’t. Holding out for perfection is the weakness that will prevent you from taking bold action.
Good enough. Pay attention to when you procrastinate because it’s not good enough. Procrasti-learning, Procrasti-reading, and even Procrasti-journaling. Instead take one tiny imperfect action 😊 Everything outcome is data.
“Unwritten” – Natasha Bedingfield
Yinka Ewuola discussed the stories we tell ourselves in The FAB & FEARless Business Show. In Change Management, we often tell our Change Story. Change is never linear. We often backtrack and spend some time in the valley of despair. She reminds us that we are the main character. Oftentimes, we hand over the pen and paper and let someone else define us. People don’t listen to what you say; they pay attention to what you do. What would your life look like if you successfully implemented the change? Would you have a better relationship with your family? Would you spend less time looking for lost items? Would better time management and fewer surprises help? I am confident that I can help parents co-create personalized systems that work for them and their teens. I imagine all the parents I am going to be able to empower.
“No One is to Blame” – Howard Jones
The biggest threat to change is complacency. You get what you accept. “We’ve always done it this way” is a recipe for stagnation. My child is considering entering a field that is being actively automated by AI. Change is messy and requires sacrifice. Thankfully, we are not in an age of blood offerings. How we think about the change can make a mountain out of a molehill. My reality is that I am writing new sentences and editing my story for clarity. It can literally be undone with editing, and I saved a copy of the original. The story is no less true. I help people with overwhelm. I’m writing a happier ending because I help people I relate to: busy, overwhelmed parents like myself. I’ve made it to the other side of grief, college, and so much more, and I have the skillset to empower other parents and their teens. I’ve learned how to be authoritative without being an authoritarian. Not letting my light shine out of fear is the biggest threat to being able to serve other parents.
To Recap:
• Strengths – are you aligned with your passion and lived experience?
• Weaknesses – is perfectionism holding you back?
• Opportunities – will the change result in more meaningful work and impact?
• Threats – What will being complacent cost you?
Ready for Change?
If you are the parent or caregiver or a high school student and you are tired of nagging and waiting for them to see the mess, I’m hosting a virtual Playshop to help parents prepare their kids for college and life by teaching them to organize their desks and rooms. If you are worried about what they will do when you’re not around, you can have the peace of mind of knowing your kid has the training to make successful choices once they leave home. Early bird sales end soon: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1981858974543?aff=oddtdtcreator
What did you learn this week? What is one thing you need to release? Drop your thoughts in the comments or send me a message—I’d love to cheer you on!
