by: Stephanie Gonzalez, CEO & Managing Partner photo by: Jillian Lenser My family and I spent a lot of time in quarantine-mode at the beginning of this new year. The good news: lots of family time, down time and quiet time (OH!...and, a lot of extra loads of laundry and you better believe Lysol wipes were in heavy rotation). Our family of four are not accustom to 24-days at home (yes, 24 straight days of beautiful at-home togetherness). Josh, my hubby, did a great job of channeling his creative side to avoid going stir-crazy. Josh does an awesome job of keeping our family connected and humming at a high vibration. He keeps the kids engaged in their own growth and development. He talks about news, current events, and asks interesting questions at the dinner table to not get the typical “good” response after asking our kids “how was your day?” During school drop-off or pick-up he takes the opportunity – to not be on his phone – and shares any challenges and wins he is facing in his real estate practice. On the daily, he reminds the kids to always remain their true authentic self and, that no matter what happens, always reassures them how much we both love them and how proud we are of them. He regularly looks inside our four-person family dynamic to create ways to connect and challenge the kids to be their best self. He owns his role as our sons shepherd into their future life and career. During our quarantine, Josh created a family book club. The book of choice: “The Greatest Salesman in the World” by Og Mandino. What a mind-blowing experience with our two boys, who are 10- and 12-years old. We cuddled up after dinner in one room and read aloud together the amazing story of how one man became the greatest salesman. Albeit, the title is incredibly misleading as the journey to “greatest” has nothing to do with sales tactics or tricks. It was my second time reading the book. The first time I read it, it brought tears to my eyes. My personal take-aways from our family book clubbing experience: • It encouraged a healthy shake-up to our normal night-time routine • Our attention was diverted as we temporarily shut down devices and gaming for 30-45 minutes • We created a way for our family to connect to meaningful topics such as purpose, passion, and faith • It enabled our family an opportunity to talk about subjects and concepts that we do not normally talk about • It helped us all dive into discussions about different parts of our world and history • Our kids got to work a new muscle, using the dictionary to discover the meaning behind unfamiliar words • We fostered a new way to get the boys motivated and ready for our bed-time routine • It helped our family find new ways and words to express our own gratitude and prayer I don’t think this is a book that would traditionally be suggested to a young boy. It is a poignant tale of one man’s journey to achieve what his heart desires by following faith and pursuing a principles-based lifestyle; written and handed down to him in ten ancient scrolls. Why wouldn’t I (or any parent) want to introduce such a big, rich, and beautiful story to my two young growing boys? As a parent, I often see how one small decision I make can create a huge long-lasting impact (on occasion, a decision I sometimes wish I could take it back). This time, this decision, to book-club-it with my kids, was a decision that I believe will last a lifetime. Over the course of a few weeks, I watched our two boys grow before our very eyes as we introduced them to new language, concepts, and conversations. I am excited to announce that we will be launching an agent-focused book club starting in April. I am excited to lead the discussion and my book of choice: “The Greatest Salesman in the World.” I hope you join me!