Every summer, we pack up for one last adventure before school routines take over. Sometimes it’s the beach, sometimes the lake—this year, it was the mountains. But for the first time, Mike and I decided to do something different. Instead of just unplugging and soaking up nature, we turned our annual trip into a blend of relaxation and a personal development reset retreat for the whole family.
Why We Tried Something New – “Hatcher Family Reset”
We’ve always wanted our kids to come away from these trips with more than just great memories. They’re at the age where they’re really figuring out who they are and what they enjoy doing. They’re choosing new extracurricular activities and doubling down on others. This year, we were intentional about giving them real tools for dreaming big—and making those dreams happen.
We want to equip them to make decisions using intention and planning—and to see all these cool places we want to explore or things they want as rewards for meeting their goals. Not just academic rewards, either. So, for the first time, we introduced our twin son and daughter (8) and our older daughter (12) to goal setting and vision-boarding—including creating one GRIT goal to reinforce habits for doing really hard things. Click here to download our itinerary.
What Is a GRIT Goal?
If you’ve never heard of grit, Angela Duckworth defines it as developing passion and perseverance toward long-term goals. The GRIT method is a simple, practical way to get clear on your hardest goals and actually reach them. It’s not just about working hard—it’s about having a plan, knowing your “why,” and sticking with it even when things get tough.
- Goal: What do you want to accomplish?
- Resilience: How will you handle challenges?
- Intention: Why does this matter to you?
- Tenacity: What small steps can you take, even when it’s tough?
Kid Friendly Real-Life Vision Boarding (And a Few Bumps)
We began with family goal setting and vision board creation to help everyone become familiar with the process. I found a couple of cool, short instructional videos for kids on goal setting, GRIT, and vision boarding to lay the groundwork. Then we dove into some questions I outlined to help set our family goals for the next year.
Once we set our goals, we moved on to creating our family vision board. We spread out glue sticks, magazines, and markers, and explained how vision-boarding could help turn ideas into reality.
The following day, we resumed the process, but this time with each of them working on their own individual goals and boards. Not everyone was on board right away. One of our kids didn’t see this as fun at first—their paper was filled with goals they thought we wanted to hear, and they honestly saw it almost as a punishment or a call-out for where they were lacking. They were guarded, arms crossed, convinced they’d rather be anywhere else.
Mike and I saw it as the perfect moment to clarify the purpose—and for them to find the courage to use their own voices, visions, and dreams. We led by example, making our vision boards and sharing our real goals—even the ones that felt big or a little scary. We let our kids know this wasn’t about impressing us; it was about being honest and dreaming out loud. We even told them we wanted their help holding us accountable.
To make it meaningful, we tied our goals—theirs, ours, and our family goals—to rewards like dream vacations, special birthdays, or simple movie nights. If one of us hit a milestone, everyone would celebrate. Our kids opened up. They realized this wasn’t a punishment, but an invitation to have their voices heard and their dreams supported. They also saw how their individual goals played into our overall family goals. They loved it—and knowing that if they hit their goals, rewards they chose were on the table.
What We Learned (and What Surprised Us)
Trying this for the first time, we didn’t know what to expect. The kids wanted to ride their bikes more, excel in sports, cook more in the kitchen, deepen their friendships with more parties and events, and even try acting and grow their business. Mike and I set our own goals, too, showing the kids that growth never really stops.
What surprised us most was how seriously our kids took it. The simple act of putting dreams on paper—and tying them to a reward—turned big ideas into something real. We left the mountains feeling more connected, more focused, and excited to make this intentional retreat a yearly tradition.
Final Thoughts
If you’re craving a vacation that goes beyond relaxation, try blending adventure with a little intention—even if it’s your first time. The GRIT Method and a stack of magazines turned our annual trip into something we’ll all remember—not just for the fun, but for the growth.
Here’s to new traditions, big dreams, and building the future together—wherever your next trip takes you.
If you decide to use our itinerary or are inspired to create your own family vision retreat, I’d love to hear about it!
Please tag me (@property_ninja and use the hashtag #LiveSovereign) if you share your experience online.
I love to see how our ideas spark new traditions and help others connect with these resources, too.
Want more ideas for blending adventure and personal growth? Find more resources and inspiration for family growth at KarenHatcher.com.
Always LiveSovereign,
Karen Hatcher, CPM®