We’re Halfway Through 2024: Reviewing my Intention for the Year, Vision Board, and Family Goals

Believe it or not, July 2nd is the official halfway point for 2024. Time is really flying by! At the beginning of the year, I always get excited to make new goals and set my intention for the year. I'm full of motivation and enthusiasm, but as the months go by, that initial excitement tends to fade a bit, and I find myself falling back into my usual routine. That's why the halfway mark is the perfect opportunity to take a moment to reflect on what's been working, what hasn't, where I'm currently at, and what I want to change up for the second half of the year. 

Reviewing My Yearly Intention 

For the last few years, I’ve been setting an intention for the year. This is a word or phrase that I really want to try to make the focus of that given year. When things get hard or challenging, I try to remember my intention for the year and stay grounded on what is truly most important. I usually jot down my word or phrase in a journaling app on my phone along with some thoughts on what it means to me. The idea behind this practice is that whenever I say the word or phrase to myself during the year, it triggers all the intentions and meaning I've associated with it. 

For 2024, my word and intention was “rest”. Here’s how I described my focus:  

“It seems odd that only days away from welcoming a new baby that my mantra this year would be rest, but I think I need to focus on not doing the most. My life is so full of love and adventure that I just want to enjoy the ride and not try to always be chasing the next moment. I have so much this year to be thankful for and that will be checked off the list… 2nd baby and finishing grad school. I want to celebrate these victories and just enjoy having worked so hard. I want to spend more time doing nothing… binge watching shows, reading books (with no real goal), doing puzzles or just hanging around the kids. There will be more goals and more pushing for the next thing to level up my life, but in 2024 I want to focus on having the mindset of already having everything I need and already being good enough. Take a minute to celebrate all you have- you deserve it.” 

Just reading my intention again brings me back to a place of health and focus, just like how the word "rest" triggers all these memories and meanings for me. As a type-A, highly motivated person, I'm constantly pushing myself, and sometimes I envy those who can simply relax without a never-ending to-do list running through their minds. With my intention for 2024, I wanted to remind myself that I don't always have to be "on" and that I deserve to take breaks. Life has its seasons, and not every season has to be about hustling. 

Reflecting on my intention of rest for the first half of the year, I would give myself a B. I have slowed down, especially after graduating, but it doesn't come naturally to me. I constantly have to remind myself that I deserve to slow down and embrace a more peaceful season. Although it may never come naturally to me, having this intention has helped me improve over time. That's why I'm going to continue with the mantra of rest for the second half of the year. It's also interesting to note that I regularly remind myself of my intentions from the past few years. By keeping them in mind throughout the year, they stick with me, and I can continue to grow and work on them. I hope that incorporating more rest into my life becomes a lifelong practice. 

 If you haven’t set an intention or chosen a word for the year, the halfway point is the perfect place to start.  

Vision Board 

In addition to my yearly intention, I also spend time at the beginning of each year creating a vision board. I use Canva and gather pictures from Pinterest that reflect what I want to achieve in the year. These images can represent goals, reminders, or special moments. My vision board is aesthetically pleasing, but it may not mean much to the average person who doesn't understand the significance behind each image. Having this vision board as my computer screensaver not only brings me joy, but also reminds me of the life I aspire to have. My 2024 board includes images related to my intention of rest, welcoming a newborn, enjoying more date nights with my hubby, going on family adventures, graduating with my MBA, and taking special trips.

 Now that we're halfway through the year, I took some time to create an updated vision board for the second half. It only took about 30 minutes, but it allowed me to reflect on what I truly want and have a clearer vision for the next six months. Having a vision board also helps me appreciate what I've already accomplished. For example, when I see a picture of a trip to Nashville on my board and then actually take that trip, it fills me with extra happiness, knowing that I'm truly filling my life with the things I set out to do. 

Family Goals 

The last thing I’m revisiting now that we are halfway through 2024 is our family goals that my husband and I put together at the start of every year. This is something we have been doing for the last few years and I really think it makes our marriage and family stronger- keeping us on the same page.  

 At the beginning of the year, we set aside a few hours (ideally over lunch of coffee) to write down our goals in various categories for the coming year. We have seven categories: family, finances, friends, home, faith, marriage, and travel. For each category, we spend a few minutes thinking individually about what we would like to accomplish for that year and then discuss it together. Eventually, we decide on about three goals for each category that we want to work towards. These goals can range from planning a trip with friends and setting a yearly savings target to being mindful of how much time we spend on our phones around the kids and making it a priority to say a blessing before dinner every night. 

 For us, we have found it extremely helpful to have these goals as a way to stay on the same page and make strides as a family. I firmly believe that better at effectively communicating expectations you are, the happier everyone will be (in all aspects of life). During our yearly family goal-setting session, we also share our personal goals with each other, which allows us to discuss how we can best support one another. 

To stay accountable and grounded in what we've determined is most important, we commit to reviewing these goals once a quarter. This helps us track our progress and make any necessary adjustments along the way. Sometimes, we even change goals completely throughout the year due to changing circumstances. 

 Now, that we are halfway through 2024 we use our quarterly review to have a closer look at our goals and the progress we’ve made. 

While I’m obsessed with my own personal goal setting, I highly recommend this process of making family goals if you are in a relationship. It has made us stronger as a team and, in my opinion, happier because we're on the same page. 

They say time flies when you're having fun, and if that's true, then 2024 has been an absolute blast because the first six months have gone by in the blink of an eye! It's also been said that people tend to overestimate what they can achieve in the short term and underestimate what they can accomplish in the long run. That's why I believe it's essential to start a practice now, whether it's setting intentions, creating vision boards, or planning family goals, to bring focus and clarity to the long-term. Don't let life pass you by without ensuring that you're living the life you intentionally created. 

 I would love to hear about your goal-setting and achievement processes and how you're realigning now that we're halfway through 2024! That's all for now. XXX, McKenzie