Why You Should Plan a Family Vision Weekend

If we did one thing right over the years it was to take one night or weekend out of the year to intentionally reflect and plan for the next 12 months. We've recently brought our kids into this process that we call a Family Vision Weekend. In this episode we're going to outline our entire process in the hopes that it will inspire you to do a Family Vision Weekend of your own! - Plan your own family vision weekend with our free guide at https://www.familygoalspodcast.com/familyvision

Summary

In this episode, Graham and Shay discuss their experience with a Family Vision Weekend, where they spent three days intentionally recapping the past year and setting goals for the next year as a family. They share the structure and sessions they followed during the weekend, including counting the fruit (highlighting the positive moments of the past year), abiding (teaching their kids to hear God's voice), and defining their family mission, vision, and values. The Cochrane family emphasizes the importance of gratitude, reflection, and modeling faith and values for their children. During the conversation, Graham and his wife discussed the importance of establishing a family identity and mission. They emphasized the need for each family member to feel connected and part of a team, even as they pursue their individual lives. They also discussed the process of defining values, mission, and vision as a family, and how these guide their decisions and actions. Additionally, they shared their approach to assessing and improving different areas of life, and the importance of being intentional and aware of how each area is functioning. They concluded by highlighting the benefits of doing this exercise as a couple and the value of revisiting and adjusting the plan throughout the year.

Takeaways

• Taking intentional time as a family to reflect on the past year and set goals for the future can strengthen family bonds and create a sense of purpose.
• Counting the fruit and focusing on the positive moments of the past year helps cultivate gratitude and appreciation.
• Teaching children to hear God's voice and involving them in discussions about faith and values can deepen their spiritual growth.
• Defining a family mission, vision, and values provides a framework for decision-making and helps create a unique family identity.
• Modeling gratitude, reflection, and faith for children is essential in shaping their own beliefs and values. Establishing a family identity and mission helps create a sense of belonging and connection.
• Defining values, mission, and vision as a family provides guidance for decision-making and goal-setting.
• Regularly assessing different areas of life and being intentional about improvement leads to a more fulfilling and balanced family life.
• Doing this exercise as a couple strengthens the foundation of the family and allows for open communication and shared goals.
• Revisiting and adjusting the plan throughout the year ensures that the family stays on track and adapts to changing circumstances.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Excitement for Family Vision Weekend
02:26 Session 1: Counting the Fruit
07:54 Session 2: Abiding and Hearing God's Voice
16:13 Session 3: Defining the Family Mission, Vision, and Values
28:03 Creating a Strong Family Identity and Mission
30:11 Defining Values, Mission, and Vision as a Family
34:54 Assessing and Improving Different Areas of Life
41:43 The Benefits of Doing this Exercise as a Couple
52:03 Revisiting and Adjusting the Plan Throughout the Year