Conversations with the Browns

A very special guest joins for this episode of Conversations with the Browns. Sophia Grace Brown joins Mister Brown to discuss what it means to ‘Consider Others', with a few distractions and laughs along the way. Check it out!Support the show

When a tragedy hits like the one that has devastated the community of Uvalde, Texas, it is hard to know how to respond. As parents, educators, and fellow citizens, we can feel paralyzed in our fear, anger, and grief. Mister Brown and Andrea Brown offer some insights on how to respond to this unspeakable tragedy. Support the show

We’ve heard all kinds of colorful language being used to describe the 2020 experience. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you look back on the year 2020? Do certain words or themes come to mind? Today, we decided to ask ourselves that same question and see if there was anything positive to look back on. It turns out there are some positives when you choose to look for the good. We encourage you to listen to today’s episode and see if you can find the positives from 2020 for yourself. [3:35] Opportunity for greatness | Mister Brown’s theme for 2020[11:55] Think small | Andrea Brown’s theme for 2020Read more from this episode on our website LifeWithTheBrowns.com. What did you think about today’s conversation? What would your theme be for 2020? Have you found opportunities for greatness and time to think small in 2020? Tell us about it.Send us your questions and your thoughts. Let’s continue this conversation. Leave a comment or call/text our 24-hour feedback phone at 530-535-8121. Submit a topic for a conversation - https://forms.gle/actLkkKrEHP7pNMZ9 Make more connections with us at https://linktr.ee/lifewiththebrownsSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)

It is the holiday season of 2020 and gift giving is on everyone’s mind. Today, we take some time to talk about the joy and stress of gift giving. If you are having trouble finding the right gift for the people in your life, listen to Mister Brown and Andrea Brown discuss the ins and outs of gift giving and choosing the right gift for the people on your list.Go to our website LifeWithTheBrowns.com to read more about this episode and get tips on making gift giving less stressful and three ways to look at gift-giving to help you find the perfect gift for anyone on your list. What did you think about today’s conversation? Do you like giving gifts or is it stressful for you? Do you have some tips for giving great gifts that you’d like to share? Send us your questions and your thoughts. Let’s continue this conversation. Leave a comment or call/text our 24-hour feedback phone at 530-535-8121. Submit a topic for a conversation - https://forms.gle/actLkkKrEHP7pNMZ9 Make more connections with us at https://linktr.ee/lifewiththebrownsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thelifewiththebrowns/Twitter - https://twitter.com/LWTBROWNSFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/lifewiththebrowns/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)

Mister Brown and Andrea Brown walk through a step-by-step process for developing a family mission statement that includes everyone.What comes to mind when you hear the words, “family mission statement”? Do you think of a nice quote up on the wall or a plaque you can buy at the store? You might and that’s okay. Today’s conversation about family mission statements goes a little deeper into the purpose of a mission statement and gives you a 5-step process for developing your own family mission statement. Step #1: Our ValuesStep #2: Our SeasonStep #3: Our PracticesStep #4: Circle Keywords and Repeated Phrases Step #5: SummarizeThe Brown family mission statement process[14:35] The Brown family values[20:18] The Brown family season[26:00] The Brown family practices[28:45] Supporting the interests of each other is a Brown family practice, Philippians 2:3-4. Can We Hold Hands and Disagree?[35:00] The Brown Family Mission Statement[44:45] Mister Brown’s Mission Statement and the value of doing a personal mission statement for yourself.Read more from this episode on our website LifeWithTheBrowns.com.What did you think about today’s conversation? Are you feeling motivated to write a mission statement with your family? For yourself? Send us your questions and your thoughts. Let’s continue this conversation. Leave a comment or call/text our 24-hour feedback phone at 530-535-8121. Submit a topic for a conversation - https://forms.gle/actLkkKrEHP7pNMZ9 Make more connections with us at https://linktr.ee/lifewiththebrownsSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)

Today, I caught up with a friend of mine from my youth, Artis Landon. Fitness and nutrition were not always high priorities in our lives. Artis shares his experience of the consequences of poor health and the benefits of fitness, especially as we age. Artis had a huge wake-up call in his 30’s that impacted how he looks at fitness and health. We started our conversation with some reminiscing about growing up together and the fitness and nutrition choices we made back then. Nowadays, our fitness and nutrition choices are geared toward better overall health and being able to be around for our families. [3:20]Artis Landon and Mister Brown reminisce about growing up together.[5:25]Artis’s military service and career.[15:10]A hard look at fitness and wellness over 40. “Either workout or die.”[17:00]The chronic heart disease diagnosis and Artis’s journey to better health.[25:00]The good news about chronic heart disease and the lifestyle changes that Artis made.[31:00]Motivation to stay fit and healthy over 40.[32:30]How family can be a motivation to make good fitness choices.[38:15]The twenty-five pushup challenge and fitness accountability.You can visit our website at LifeWithTheBrowns.com to find this episode and more.What did you think about today’s conversation about fitness and health? Send us your questions and your thoughts. Let’s continue this conversation. Leave a comment or call/text our 24-hour feedback phone at 530-535-8121. Submit a topic for a conversation - https://forms.gle/actLkkKrEHP7pNMZ9 Make more connections with us at https://linktr.ee/lifewiththebrownsSponsor for the show: Sutherland DDS https://sutherlanddds.com/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)

You probably have some ideas about the differences between introverts and extroverts when it comes to socializing. We tend to believe that being an introvert or an extrovert falls on a continuum rather than fully on one end or the other. Today we talk about one instance where we have found similarities and differences between us. Join today’s conversation between one introvert and one extrovert. Read more on our website LifeWithTheBrowns.com.We are curious to know, is having people around that you can ignore a thing or are we weird? For people who work at coffee shops, what do you think about us people who come into to do work and be alone? Send us your questions and your thoughts. Let’s continue this conversation. Leave a comment or call/text our 24-hour feedback phone at 530-535-8121. Submit a topic for a conversation - https://forms.gle/actLkkKrEHP7pNMZ9 Make more connections with us at https://linktr.ee/lifewiththebrownsSponsor for the show: Sutherland DDS https://sutherlanddds.com/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)

The question, “What is mine to do?” is simple yet can bring clarity and focus to many very nuanced situations. Join us for Part 2 in this conversation about what could be the most important question you can ask yourself. Often people get engaged in something that is none of their business. Asking the question, “What is mine to do?” can help clarify what is truly your business and yours to be doing.If you ask the question and do the best at that moment, it may not work out the way you want it to, but there is so much you can learn from it. There is value in doing the best you can with the best you know. To read more fromt his episode, go to our website LifeWithTheBrowns.com. We want to hear from you. What comes to mind when you ask yourself, “What is mine to do?” Send us your questions and your thoughts. Let’s continue this conversation. Leave a comment or call/text our 24-hour feedback phone at 530-535-8121. Submit a topic for a conversation - https://forms.gle/actLkkKrEHP7pNMZ9 Make more connections with us at https://linktr.ee/lifewiththebrownsSponsor for the show: Sutherland DDS https://sutherlanddds.com/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)

This podcast episode is a segue from a conversation we had on our last podcast, What is the “Amp Wheel”? Head over there if you want to learn more about what the Amp Wheel is. In this episode, we wanted to talk more about how the question, “What is mine to do?” can bring clarity to many situations, especially if you feel like you are getting amped up about something.Read more about where this question came from, how this question can help you, and how this question helps you to gain clarity and restore relationships on our website LifeWithTheBrowns.com.Continue the discussion about “What is mine to do?” in Part 2 of our conversation.We want to hear from you. What comes to mind when you ask yourself, “What is mine to do?” Send us your questions and your thoughts. Let’s continue this conversation. Leave a comment or call/text our 24-hour feedback phone at 530-535-8121. Submit a topic for a conversation - https://forms.gle/actLkkKrEHP7pNMZ9 Make more connections with us at https://linktr.ee/lifewiththebrownsSponsor for the show: Sutherland DDS https://sutherlanddds.com/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)

The term “Amp Wheel” came from one of our first podcast episodes. We were talking about being on the Amp Wheel and someone asked what is the Amp Wheel and how do you get off of it? We decided to explain what we mean by the Amp Wheel and have a conversation about how it affects us when we’re on it. The best way to describe the Amp Wheel and how it feels is to tell you to imagine a hamster spinning on a wheel. It’s clear to those watching the hamster that it is expending a lot of energy, but it’s not going anywhere. Is the hamster wheel a cruel torture device or a mechanism for giving the animal some exercise? It doesn’t really matter in this case. The point is the hamster is putting in a lot of effort and not getting anywhere. Read more at our website LifeWithTheBrowns.com.We want to hear from you. What do you think about the term “Amp Wheel”? Do you see yourself on it with some topics? Let us know what gets you amped up and if you have tips for getting off of the Amp Wheel.Send us your questions and your thoughts. Let’s continue this conversation. Leave a comment or call/text our 24-hour feedback phone at 530-535-8121. Submit a topic for a conversation - https://forms.gle/actLkkKrEHP7pNMZ9 Make more connections with us at https://linktr.ee/lifewiththebrownsSponsor for the show: Sutherland DDS https://sutherlanddds.com/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)

This is a follow-up episode to our podcast “4 Tips To Help Parents Navigate the 2020/2021 School Year.” In normal circumstances, kids pick up on every juicy tidbit we talk about in front of them. Especially now with the stress and angst of the school year unknowns, it can be easy to express our fears, doubts, and bad feelings out loud and not realize that our kids are hearing every word we say. They are hearing our words and taking on those stresses and attitudes as well. This episode is about how we can best communicate our feelings about the 2020/2021 school year without affecting our kids negatively. Kids are a driver of who your family is and your family values. They can contribute. Listen to your kids. They may be scared and confused about the 2020/2021 school year too. But do your hard processing away from little ears. Do the work of processing where you’re at, so you can be present for your kids. Be intentional about taking care of yourself, so that you can show up as the responsible grown person your kids need. This is a powerful way to help your kids learn how to cope when life is out of their control. Read more on our website LifeWithTheBrowns.com We want to hear from you. Do you find this episode helpful for you? Do you have ideas and tips that can help other parents process the challenges of the 2020/2021 school year? Send us your questions and your thoughts. Let’s continue this conversation. Leave a comment or call/text our 24-hour feedback phone at 530-535-8121. Submit a topic for a conversation - https://forms.gle/actLkkKrEHP7pNMZ9 Make more connections with us at https://linktr.ee/lifewiththebrownsSponsor for the show: Sutherland DDS https://sutherlanddds.com/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)

If you have kids, you may be feeling the pressure of heading into the 2020/2021 school year. Since COVID-19 upended life, day-to-day activities have changed. There are a lot of uncertainties and that seems to be especially true for the school year. How are you feeling about it and what do you plan to do? We wanted to share our perspective and tips on how we are handling the looming 2020/2021 school year. These 4 tips open up a path to having conversations. We are all going to make different decisions. In some ways, we are all in the same boat, but in other ways, we are all experiencing something very different. Continue this conversation in your community. Talk to your spouse. Talk to your neighbors. Talk to other parents at your school. Keep these 4 tips in mind while you have these conversations. This process can help us all to show up in a better way and ask better questions. We want to hear from you. Do you think these 4 tips can help you with the 2020/2021 school year? Send us your questions and your thoughts. Let’s continue this conversation. Leave a comment or call/text our 24-hour feedback phone at 530-535-8121. Submit a topic for a conversation - https://forms.gle/actLkkKrEHP7pNMZ9 Make more connections with us at https://linktr.ee/lifewiththebrownsSponsor for the show: Sutherland DDS https://sutherlanddds.com/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)

Special guests, friends, and sponsors, John Scott Sutherland and Shandel Sutherland, of Sutherland DDS, joined us for a discussion about the book Leadership & Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box by The Arbinger Institute. In this last part of our conversation, we focus on the 4 different boxes we can be in. The box is a scary place to be. When we are in the box towards someone we are the one who misbehaves. We make the other person out to be worse than they really are. We look for evidence that backs up the story we are telling ourselves. We must create evidence in order to remain in our self-deception. It’s scary because as hate rises, we know we are not treating people like humans and we do it anyway.THE 4 BOXES OF SELF-DECEPTIONThe 4 boxes of self-deception are: The Better Than Box: Thinking you are better than others.The I Deserve Box: Thinking you deserve certain things.The Must Be Seen As Box: Thinking that you must be seen a certain way or as a certain kind of person.The Worse Than Box: Thinking that your own problems are worse than anyone else’s, so this is why you can treat people a certain way. You can operate in or out of the box. If you operate inside the box, then you see everything as a problem that someone else created. If you operate outside the box, then you will treat people as humans. FINAL THOUGHTSFirst of all, read the book. It’s Leadership & Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box by The Arbinger Institute. We highly recommend it. Next, think about the relationships you have with people. Are you in the box in some of those relationships? Get out of the box with people by building relationships with them. If you can’t build a relationship with someone you’re in the box with, then build relationships with the people who are friends with them. Try to understand the person you are in the box with. What is their story? Where are they coming from? Lastly, remember that we shouldn’t be correcting anyone unless we have taken the time to communicate and teach. Communication and teaching happen when we have listened and learned about people and their world. We can listen and learn by building relationships. We build relationships when we are out of the box. You have no business correcting someone you are in the box with.It has to start with seeing the other person as truly human. Send us your questions and your thoughts. Let’s continue this conversation. Leave a comment or call/text our 24-hour feedback phone at 530-535-8121. Listen to Part 1 and Part 2 of our conversation with the Sutherlands about leadership and self-deception.Submit a topic for a conversation - https://forms.gle/actLkkKrEHP7pNMZ9 Make more connections with us at https://linktr.ee/lifewiththebrownsSponsor for the show: Sutherland DDS https://sutherlanddds.com/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)

Special guests, friends, and sponsors, John Scott Sutherland and Shandel Sutherland, of Sutherland DDS, joined us for a discussion about the book Leadership & Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box by The Arbinger Institute. In Part 2 of our conversation, we talked more about what being in the box means and how to get out of it. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE IN THE BOX?First, being in the box of self-deception means you have betrayed yourself. You don’t act in ways that you believe are appropriate or are in line with your values. When you are in the box, you don’t see another person’s humanity. Instead, you only see the wall of the box you’re in. Being inside the box keeps you emotionally disconnected from other people. YOU’RE IN THE BOX. NOW WHAT?You have to start with admitting that you are in the box. Once you identify that you’re in the box, you will start to understand how you got there and what to do to get out. It’s easy to get comfortable inside our boxes. The more words we speak, the more decorations we put into our box. If you say, “I’m never doing that,” or “That person is so bad,” it’s hard to get yourself out of that box. When the person you have criticized then does something good for you, you can’t let them out of the box, right? That would be betraying yourself twice. You will have betrayed your values and then betrayed your righteousness in being inside the box. SELF-JUSTIFICATION AND COLLUSIONSelf-justification and collusion go hand-in-hand. When we justify ourselves, we point fingers and blame others for our problems. We deceive ourselves with collusion in order to continue our self-justification. We invite people to behave badly so that we can justify our own bad behaviors. It’s pretty scary because the behavior we say that we dislike in the other person is the behavior we provoke in order to justify our negative view of that person. It is a form of self-deception that keeps us in the box. HOW TO GET OUT OF THE BOXIt takes hard work and conscious thinking to get out of the boxes we are in. It also takes humility. We must be willing to admit that we are wrong and no one wants to do that. It’s hard. It is much easier to point fingers and blame others for our problems.The first thing you should do is ask yourself what you should do for this person. What can you do to treat this person as a fellow human being? As soon as your brain thinks of that humane response, then do it. Yes, you could yell at that person or hit that person. You could do that if they were only an object to you. Do what makes that person human to you. Send us your questions and your thoughts. Let’s continue this conversation. Leave a comment or call/text our 24-hour feedback phone at 530-535-8121. Listen to Part 1 and Part 3 of our conversation with the Sutherlands about leadership and self-deception.Submit a topic for a conversation - https://forms.gle/actLkkKrEHP7pNMZ9 Make more connections with us at https://linktr.ee/lifewiththebrownsSponsor for the show: Sutherland DDS https://sutherlanddds.com/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)

Special guests, friends, and sponsors, John Scott Sutherland and Shandel Sutherland, of Sutherland DDS, joined us for a discussion about the book Leadership & Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box by The Arbinger Institute. In Part 1 of our conversation, we explain what self-deception is and talk about the many ways we deceive ourselves on a daily basis.WHAT IS SELF-DECEPTION?Self-deception is the action or practice of allowing oneself to believe that a false or unvalidated feeling, idea, or situation is true (dictionary.com). One of the ways this manifests itself is by not doing something we know we should do and then justifying our inaction to ourselves. When this occurs, we start to blame the people around us for the problems we perceive. It’s resisting the possibility that we are part of the problem.ARE YOU INSIDE THE BOX OF SELF-DECEPTION?These arguments you have with others inside your own head are like putting yourself inside a box. No one but you can know what is going on inside your head. Just because the other person doesn’t jump up to get the baby doesn’t mean they’re lazy or a bad person. Maybe they are a heavy sleeper and can’t even hear the baby. Isn’t it true that you can get up to take care of the baby too? A civil conversation at another time can help the situation improve. Self-deception causes us to work and live as if trapped inside a box. We don’t see the reality that is around us. (arbingerinstitute.com). It’s easy to identify the problems outside of ourselves. But can we get to real solutions if we always are outside the problem and we are pointing fingers at all the ways it should change? This book is empowering because you realize that you can’t change other people. You only have the power to change yourself. HOW SELF-DECEPTION OBJECTIFIES OTHERSYou cannot believe something and behave differently. Once you’re in the box of self-deception, you make the other person an object. They lose their humanity to you. When they become an object, you can justify yourself and your actions. You can mistreat them. It is easy to belittle people, treat them poorly, and feel justified in doing it when they have lost their humanity. In the end, you don’t honor yourself and your values.Giving the silent treatment is an example of self-deception. Think of times in your life when you weren’t outright aggressive, but turned silent instead. Did you feel justified in your silence and maybe that you were being kind in not saying something hurtful? Did it feel better to be silent? Did you feel a little self-righteous? We want to hear from you. Do you recognize the times you are deceiving yourself? Does it happen at home or at work? What are some ways you can get yourself out of the box of self-deception? Send us your questions and your thoughts. Let’s continue this conversation. Leave a comment or call/text our 24-hour feedback phone at 530-535-8121. Listen to Part 2 and Part 3 of our conversation with the Sutherlands about leadership and self-deception.Submit a topic for a conversation - https://forms.gle/actLkkKrEHP7pNMZ9 Make more connections with us at https://linktr.ee/lifewiththebrownsSponsor for the show: Sutherland DDS https://sutherlanddds.com/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)

Conversations are rarely ever black and white. There are many shades of meaning and expression that come through when you have conversations. This is called nuance. Understanding the nuance of a conversation will help you to have better and more meaningful conversations.Nuance is the subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound (dictionary.com). We use it often in our conversations. You probably don’t realize it. Paying attention to nuance helps you understand that even when two people are looking at the same thing, they each will have a different perspective. Those differing perspectives will shine through in their tone of voice, body language, and the words they use. Not paying attention to the nuance of a conversation can lead to misunderstandings and conflict. Nuance helps us to be open to seeing another side to the conversation. This doesn’t mean that we try to eliminate who we are. Instead, we need to become more aware of who we are, how we process, and how we have been shaped. When we know ourselves better, we are more present in a conversation and better able to articulate. We also realize that other people of goodwill may have experienced a situation differently than we have. When we forget to notice nuance, it’s easy to jump to conclusions about other people and what they are saying.The current system of conversing is set up so that it makes people choose a side. You are either on one side or the other. We think we need to approach conversations with a set agenda and not be swayed. This is especially obvious in politics.Sarah Holland and Beth Silvers of the Pantsuit Politics podcast and authors of I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening): A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversations have been making politics more understandable and enjoyable to discuss *gasp*.Sarah & Beth are friends who are registered as opposing political parties. They approach their conversations with respect and openness to hear another side. They talk about taking off your team jersey before coming to a conversation. Like with sports, we often come to a conversation with our team jersey on, ready to win and fight for our side. Everyone loses if the conversation is a win or lose situation. We also can’t come to a conversation pretending we want to hear what someone else has to say. It’s condescending and disrespectful. Whether it’s politics, racism, or any other topic, in a real conversation nuance will show our true intentions. The problems we face today have been a lifetime in the making. We are looking for the magic pill for the problems we face, but there is no magic pill. We need solutions that are as nuanced as our actual lives are. Those solutions take time and real conversations. Read more at our website LifeWithTheBrowns.com. How does nuance play into your conversations? Do you make opportunities to have nuanced conversations or do you wait for conversations to be safe before speaking up?Send us your questions and your thoughts. Leave a comment or call/text our 24-hour feedback phone at 530-535-8121. Submit a topic for a conversation - https://forms.gle/actLkkKrEHP7pNMZ9 Make more connections with us at https://linktr.ee/lifewiththebrownsSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)

Social media has made it so easy to stay up-to-date with family, friends, and the latest news. But have you noticed that you keep seeing the same information in your feed over and over again? This episode pulls back the curtain on social media’s closed systems, their purpose, and how to reach outside your echo chambers.Echo chambers are a metaphorical description of a situation in which beliefs are amplified or reinforced by communication and repetition inside a closed system and insulates them from rebuttal (en.wikipedia.org). Social media is one type of echo chamber. Social media gives us large networks of people (a.k.a. more friends). Hearing from a large network makes us think we are getting a bigger slice of reality than we really are. Social media is free to us because other people are paying to use the platform and sell products to us. From ads to articles, social media algorithms are designed to give us more of what we clicked on before. It is a kind of closed system or echo chamber.This became very obvious with a simple search our daughter did online. Sophia went onto Instagram to see cake decorating images and pretty soon the entire feed to Instagram was taken over by cake decorating and nothing but cake decorating. Social media is designed to give you results it thinks you’re going to like and want to see more of. Social media algorithms shape a closed system in a way we don’t realize. When we see something that contradicts the mainstream point of view it’s easy to dismiss. We think we have a diverse group of friends and information, but it is really shaped by an algorithm. The internet and social media are tools. We need to realize they are tools and see what they are really doing. We need to see how they can help and how they can harm.What can you do? Start by having more actual conversations, face-to-face. Evaluate if you are inside an echo chamber. Are you seeing only one point of view? Be aware. Echo chambers are not new and they can occur in other areas of your life. You can find yourself inside echo chambers with friend groups, at schools, and churches. It’s important to engage in these areas of life, but be aware of the echo chambers that can develop. Recognize the comfort you feel in your closed systems and be willing to incorporate other voices.In a community, it is important to incorporate more voices. Your community should not just be within one race, gender, or age. Go outside your norms. Bring other voices into your community. None of this means that your situation isn’t real or doesn’t matter, but it helps to put it in the right place. Being around varied groups outside your peer group brings perspective and wisdom. Acknowledge that you have echo chambers in your life. Have awareness so you can come to the table and know what you bring. Read more on our website LifeWithTheBrowns.com.We want to hear from you. Identify the echo chambers that you see in your own life. Do you leave space to hear a different viewpoint?Send us your questions and your thoughts. Let’s continue this conversation. Leave a comment or call/text our 24-hour feedback phone at 530-535-8121. Submit a topic for a conversation - https://forms.gle/actLkkKrEHP7pNMZ9 Make more connections with us at https://linktr.ee/lifewiththebrownsSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)

More Conversations and Less Declarations | Conversations With the BrownsA conversation about the current protests about racismMy wife, Andrea, and I stopped our breakfast to have a conversation about the current protests about racism. We are hearing a lot of declarations being made, but not a lot of conversations. In this video, we explain what we mean by that. Declarations vs. conversationsDictionary.com defines the word declare in a few ways. To declare something means “to make known or state clearly, especially in explicit or formal terms; to announce officially; proclaim; to state emphatically.”Dictionary.com defines the word conversation as an “informal interchange of thoughts, information, etc., by spoken words; oral communication between persons; talk; colloquy.”We are finding that the news and information on the internet makes a lot of declarations. Those declarations may or may not all be true. We are also finding that it’s easier to make declarations than to have conversations.How the internet can affect your perspectiveThis morning I woke up and I didn’t want to look at the news, but my news app popped up about events that took place overnight. Right away, I started to feel the angst of reading and getting caught up in what new developments had taken place. I just had to stop. I decided to start my day with PB&J: Prayer, Bible & Journal.God reminded me of Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” God is working things out for His glory and our good and those two things are not in competition with each other.That became my declaration from God and that’s how I want to start my conversations for the day. I didn’t need to grasp for my declaration. My declaration has substance because the substance comes from God. My whole perspective for the day has changed because it came from God. Now all my conversations will be guided by that instead of what everyone else has to say.Andrea made a good point: the internet and social media are built in such a way that it is more conducive to declaring things rather than having an actual conversation. There are people trying to have conversations and inviting people to have conversations, but when emotions are running really high or when it’s complex or there’s so much we don’t know, it’s a place where there is a lot of declaring instead of conversing. The internet is not always a good space for having a conversation. Internet algorithms are designed to show you what it thinks you want. They are designed to narrow down the voices that you’re hearing and specifically to filter the content you see toward a product you can purchase. When we keep that in mind, we start to see that our news may be shaped a certain way for us. That filtering starts to affect our perspective of the world. When we only receive information from a certain source or in a certain way our perspective becomes very narrow. We cannot see all sides of the story. This is not the best way to get our perspective and information from the world. Submit a topic for a conversation - https://forms.gle/actLkkKrEHP7pNMZ9 Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)

Our favorite conversations often happen at our kitchen table. We started this podcast as a way of inviting more friends to the table. We do not claim to be experts or even to agree on most things, but we would love for you to join the conversation. From parenting to cultural issues, we want to create a safe space for more conversations to happen. In a world where a lot of declarations are being made, there doesn't seem to be a lot of room left for people to have honest, face-to-face conversations. That's why we want to invite you into our conversations as we talk about topics together and have guests on the show. When real conversations happen, we get to know people and their stories better. We encourage you to become a part of a conversation today. Conversations can start in your own home or with your neighbors. You can also join us by asking questions, commenting, or suggesting topics. Join the conversation today. Visit our website LifeWithTheBrowns.comMake more connections with us at https://linktr.ee/lifewiththebrownsCall or text our 24-hour feedback phone at 530-535-8121.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/lifewiththebrowns)