We’ve all been there—starting a new year or a new chapter in life with grand resolutions or goals only to find ourselves stuck in the same old patterns of life a few weeks later. Vision acts as a guiding force, giving purpose to everyday living. It reminds us of who we want our family to become and why it is worth it. Resolutions often fail because they are rooted in fleeting motivation rather than deep conviction. Motivation can fluctuate, but vision sustains. When we set intentions without understanding why they matter, they can become mindless routines instead of heart-filled pursuits. But what happens when vision starts to fade? How do we reawaken it?

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Practical steps

1. Revisit your vision:

When vision becomes cloudy, we need to reconnect with our “why”. It’s easy to lose sight of purpose in the mundane day-to-day tasks. Revisiting the intentions we have set can bring vision back to the forefront of our minds and help reawaken passion and purpose.If you’re reading this field guide, we hope that your family has had the chance to go through a Legacy Mapping session. What excitement and vision comes from intentionally mapping out what you want your family legacy to be! Get your Legacy Map back out and look over your mission statement and values. If you haven’t done a Legacy Mapping before, sit down with your spouse and talk through what you want your family to look like in the future. Articulate clearly what you feel like God has uniquely equipped and called your family to look like and to be. Take some time to pray through your vision together as a couple or even as a family.

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2. Refine your vision:

If you’ve ever watched a video of a seed germinating under the soil, you know that before it can burst forth into life, it must first surrender to a transformation. It must break open, shed its protective shell, and in a sense, it must die. As you revisit your vision, it can be helpful to refine your intentions. Some habits and rhythms are seasonal and serve a purpose for only a time. Some goals, while noble or good-intentioned may not fit your specific family situation. As you think through your motivations, are any of them coming from comparison or competition rather than calling? Are there any parts of your vision that you feel like need to be transformed in order to emerge better defined and more attainable for your family? Is there any part that needs to be stripped away in order to be able to refocus on what is most important? As you refine your vision, it will make it easier to create intentional habits and rhythms that will help set a clear course for your family in the direction of the legacy you want to have.

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3. Reset your priorities (set intentional habits and rhythms)

Once you have clearly defined your vision, you can begin to create actionable steps by forming intentional habits and rhythms that keep your family focused on the legacy you are building. This will also help direct your priorities as your family faces the myriad of choices life has to offer, allowing you to make the best yeses. For example, if a value of yours is to practice presence, you might prioritize setting a family game night every week and intentionally take steps to keep that night sacred even when other opportunities outside the home arise. This will look differently for each family based on their own individual and unique vision and values, but without these practices to keep you grounded, you will end up drifting around, chasing one thing or another but missing the cohesive unity of moving forward together in the same direction. Habits and rhythms can change in different seasons, but with the guiding force of vision behind them, they will be an anchor for your family that withstands the years.

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4. Refocus your attention (keep your vision visible)

Vision thrives in the right environment. When we make our vision visible for our entire family to see, we create a collective unity around one purpose. What language do you use with your family to describe who you are and where you are going? When they ask why you do something, can you clearly articulate with excitement the conviction you feel for your vision? Do your children know your values? Do you speak of them often? Do you have tangible signs that point your family back to your vision, perhaps a family crest or a framed list with your values? As you reawaken your vision over the coming months, how can you create an environment of inspiration and excitement for the legacy you are building together?

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