Family Mission Statement

Image courtesy Volume Twenty Five

Matt and I finished writing our Family Mission Statement together. We need to figure out where to put it, so we revisit it quite frequently. If we don't return to it often, it's likely to become a "dead document."

Hmm...maybe I could use this DIY Ketubah kit from the lovely Tsilli to make a really pretty document that we frame?

Or perhaps I could hire someone on Etsy to design a cool poster for us?

Or maybe I could buy a print that Matt and I already agree is cool and somehow incorporate the text into it (like the print featured above)?

I know! I could get this frame from IKEA and use one of the spots for the print above, one for our mission statement, and one for a picture of our family. I'm liking this idea! Maybe I'll give it to Matt as a Father's Day present?

Anyway, here's what we came up with for our Family Mission Statement. I still think we need to go back and flesh out what each of the general principles means in practice, but we'll see:

We are a family that...

• Prioritizes health and wellness.
• Resolves problems, issues, and conflict respectfully and in a constructive rather than destructive way.
• Does professional work that is meaningful, enjoyable, fulfilling, and good for the world.
• Maintains a daily pace of life that allows us time to laugh together, express our love and appreciation for each other, and enjoy each other’s company.
• Shares responsibilities equitably but covers for each other when needed.
• Cultivates community and connection among friends, family, and neighbors and continuously seeks to expand our circle.
• Aligns our lifestyle choices and actions with our concern for the environment.
• Keeps our living spaces organized, calming, welcoming, relaxing, de-cluttered, and beautiful.
• Continually explores the world through travel.
• Maintains traditions and rituals around daily and weekly routines (like eating home-cooked meals together and prioritizing conversation and connection while eating), celebrations, and sicknesses.
• Builds up trust through our daily interactions with each other.
• Patiently supports and celebrates each other as we pursue our individual interests and passions.

I guess I should read the chapter in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families about writing a family mission statement before I finalize ours into some kind of frame! (Then again, it should be a living, growing document anyway, so I should frame it in a way that is amenable to revision...)

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