You know, I kept hearing this phrase, this idea around Roman Reigns – “family above all”. It sticks with you. You see the guy on TV, the “Tribal Chief”, all power and presence. But then you hear bits and pieces, about his own family, his background, the battles he’s faced off-screen, like that health scare. It got me thinking, really thinking about my own life.
For a long time, I was caught up in the grind. You know how it is. Work, deadlines, trying to get ahead. It felt like that was the most important thing. Success. That’s what everyone tells you to chase. I spent years just pushing, always pushing.
Putting it into Practice
Then things started to shift. Maybe it was getting older, maybe it was seeing my own kids grow up too fast. I realized I wasn’t really present. I was there, physically, but my mind was always somewhere else. On the next project, the next problem at work. I decided I had to actually do something about it. It wasn’t just going to happen.
So, I started small. Really small.
- Making sure I put the phone away during dinner. Like, actually away, not just face down on the table.
- Blocking out time specifically for family stuff. Not just waiting for gaps to appear.
- Learning to say no to extra work things that weren’t absolutely critical, especially if they cut into family time.
It sounds easy, right? It wasn’t. There’s always pressure. From work, sometimes even from yourself. That feeling you should be doing more, achieving more. People sometimes look at you funny when you prioritize family. Like you’re not serious enough. I remember feeling that tension, that pull between responsibility at home and ambition outside.
The Real Payoff
But slowly, I started seeing the difference. Not in my bank account, not right away anyway. But in the house. In the smiles. In just feeling more connected. When things got tough, like really tough – maybe a personal setback or just a bad day – having that solid foundation at home, knowing they were there, that became the real anchor. It wasn’t about acknowledging me, like Reigns says, but about acknowledging them, my family.
It reminded me of something I read about him, advice he got: stay humble, remember your family. That really hit home. It’s not about abandoning your goals, but about understanding what truly fuels you, what gives you strength. For me, I found that strength wasn’t in the late nights at the office, but in the messy, chaotic, beautiful reality of family life.
It’s still a work in progress, always will be. Some days I manage it better than others. But I keep trying to put that idea into practice: family above all. It’s not just a catchphrase, it’s something you actually have to live, day by day. And honestly? It’s made all the difference.
