The family is the building block of society.
It forms our communities, citizens, and future.
Family life is filled with highs, lows, and unpredictable wild curves. It’s no wonder that families can drift or sometimes get off track.
Every important organization in the world has some sort of vision or purpose statement. The Family is the most important organization in the world. Doesn’t it make sense for a family to have their own vision or mission statement?
Proverbs 29:18: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
Stephen R. Covey, the author of the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, describes this point in his Habit #2- Begin with the End in Mind.
This habit encourages us to live by design, not default, by intentionally visioning our future desires.
This isn’t really new information and you do this all the time. Think about it. Before you graduated from college, you decided what field you wanted to study. Mentally ‘saw’ yourself doing that job. That motivated you to take the right steps to get your degree. And before you bought your last car, you thought about what you wanted, did some research online, imagined what it’d be like and started talking to the bank before that new ride rolled up in your driveway.
You see, we mentally create outcomes in our life before we physically create them in our lives.
Without a purposeful vision, however, we can wind up in places and situations that we never really wanted to be in. Allowing your family life to be ‘lived’ by circumstances, societies values, and happenstance rather than by your choices can be pretty dangerous to the family unit.
A well-written family vision statement will answer life’s great questions.
Why am I here (purpose)? Where am I going (vision)? How will I get there (mission)? What’s important and right (values)? It is like a compass that guides your course. When referred to regularly, it helps to shape the goals you set and the decisions you make that will lead to your desired destination.
Some families have strong religious beliefs that take center stage in their family vision. Others have a deep desire to touch their community or world and will craft their statement to reflect those values. Some families find their focus in maintaining tightly knit and supportive bonds between the individual members of the family. Their statement will help them build a strong sense of love and commitment within their own home.
Whatever your family’s personal priorities, seeing them written down is an excellent way to gain focus and keep on track as a group.
The actual process of coming up with an official family vision statement can sometimes seem overwhelming. It can also be the most beneficial part of the whole experience.
A family mission statement won’t guarantee a smooth path on the way to your desired destination, but you’ll have a sense of ‘True North’ when times get turbulent.
Need some help with this? We’ve got you covered.
At Georgetown Child & Family Counseling, we offer a cost-effective online course for families who might not want to come into the office but need a little support to get back on track. Our Family Reboot includes steps toward creating your family mission and addressing lots of rocky areas, like communication trouble, that can set a family off course.
We can also work directly with families going through those bumpy times. We have several clinicians who specialize in family year issues and can work with you toward getting to a smoother, happier path. You can learn more about our services and clinicians on our website.
Wishing you bright visions and happy families.
Jenna
Jenna Fleming, LPC, NCC, is owner and clinician at Georgetown Child & Family Counseling. She specializes in working with children, teens, young adults and those who care for them. She writes and speaks on topics that support parents, educators, and counselors in doing the sacred work they do.
