New Year's Resolution or Family Mission? January 14, 2013 14:48

We've written a few posts about getting your New Year started off right, and I'm loving all of the new nutrition and fitness tips we've come across in recent weeks. That being said, my favorite idea for the New Year came from Green Child Magazine. The magazine invited me to contribute an article for the 2013 Winter issue, and I was so excited to learn the assignment was to write about family mission statements. 

Every year, I feel uninspired when it comes to determining my New Year's resolution. It usually just feels forced and any resolution I come up with seems like it will ultimately set me up for failure. I do much better with gradual self improvement and focusing on changing things that will benefit my overall lifestyle for the long term. But when I was introduced to the idea of family mission statements, I was inspired. 

You can read my article in the latest issue of Green Child Magazine, which was released today. It provides some ideas for getting your family started with a new collective mission - something you can begin anytime, not just in the New Year. I love the concept of getting the family all working together on a united goal. It embodies one of my parenting philosophies that a family is a team, and we all must work together for the greater good of everyone. 

I definitely encourage you to try a family mission statement, even if your kids are very young. The possibilities are endless, and it helps bring everyone closer together. Our family has decided on a mission of looking for 'yes' as much as possible. Instead of immediately saying no to a request, a suggestion or proposed activity, we are all trying to take a more team oriented approach and as a result are encouraging positive thinking in our every day life. 

Green Child Magazine can be found at this link, and the family missions article is on p 52. 

http://www.greenchildmagazine.com/winter-2013/

 -Ashley