Set 2025 goals that deepen your family relationships and bring more joy to family life, even if you’re the only one working on it.
What are your 2025 goals?
The new year is a perfect time to get intentional about the things that are most important to you.
There are the usual 2025 goals… exercise, diet, new Bible reading habits. Those can be great. But are they really a TOP priority in your life?
Your life is most impacted by your family. So why not set some 2025 goals for your family relationships?
And the best part is – you can make a BIG impact on your family life even if you’re the only one working it!
[This post may contain affiliate links. If a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.]
Enjoying family goals in 2025
From marriage to motherhood, family life is all about relationships.
Today, we’ll take a look at the big picture together. Why bother setting goals? What sort of 2025 goals should you pursue?
And the one you might worrying about the most… can you impact your family relationships if you’re the only one working on the goal?
Where to start as you're setting a 2025 family goal
To set some great family goals, it helps to start with some great questions.
You might start by thinking through things like:
- What’s working for your family? How can you keep that going?
- Where are you struggling the most in your marriage… and what might help?
- How often do you feel “mom guilt” in your parenting… and is there any truth to it?
- What are you dreaming about for your family?
- Is there enough quality time with your husband? Kids?
- When do you feel most at peace with your family life? When do you feel most stressed by it?
These questions are just a starting point! You can grab my free journaling prompts to dive even deeper.
Do family goals really matter?
As you head into a new year, this is the perfect time to reflect back and think ahead.
Maybe you’ve thought about the questions above… you’ve reflected on the past year, and have a vision for the new year.
But do you really need to label it a “goal”? Does it need to be specific at all?
As a therapist, I see 3 big values in taking the time and effort to craft a goal that you will work toward.
- Goals give you clarity. Putting words to your hopes and desires makes them more actionable.
- Planning helps you prioritize. You can’t say yes to everything. So, what’s most important right now?
- Goals guide you. In your prayer life, your schedule, or building new habits, goals will point you in the best direction and keep you on track.
How to set 2025 family goals
Here are some key steps to setting great family goals (or really, any type of goal!) so that you can make progress in the new year. Even if you’re the only one that will work on the goal, try these steps.
1. REFLECT on where your family is today.
Think through the past year. What went well? Where did your family struggle? Take time to get a realistic picture in your mind of where your family is at today. This will point you toward your priorities for moving forward.
2. READ the Bible to learn about godly family relationships.
The first and best place to get clarity on what is important in your family life is… the Bible! Spend time reading through key Bible passages about relationships, marriage, parenting, and overall Christian living.
Some of my favorite passages to read for this are:
- Ephesians 5
- Colossians 3
- 1 Corinthians 13
- The book of Proverbs
- The gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
Grab the perfect devotional: Building A Home Of Godliness And Joy.
3. REALITY check: Understand your current season of life.
Family goals will look very different as life moves forward. Family life looks different with a newborn, toddler, teenager. Compare what Scripture describes for healthy relationships and what that would look like today for your family… realistically.
Dive deeper with 5 Great Scriptures To Pray For Your Family.
4. RE-ORDER your priorities.
When you are setting a goal, you want to think long-term. But then, you want to break it down further. Clarify how you will get there. Are there medium-level or short-term goals that you should work on first? Figure out the best priorities.
Find out 6 Small Things You Can Do TODAY As A Christian Mom To Build Healthy Family Relationships.
5. RECORD your goals.
There is a lot of power in writing things down! Get the chaos and overwhelm out of your head and think it through on paper. This can help you stay focused on the goal, notice progress or changes, and talk about it with others to get them on board.
I really love The Hope Planner for this, because it puts spiritual goals and daily habits first (Bible reading, prayer) and then moves you into planning out your monthly calendar, daily to-do list, and other important life notes.
What if I'm the only one working on this family goal?
As a Christian family counselor, one of the most common questions I get is this: How could I change anything in my family if I’m the only one working on it?
I have good news for you, my friend.
You can absolutely make positive changes in your family all by yourself!
I could get really nerdy right now and walk through tons of examples, details, and reasons for how I know this is true. But I’ll stick to 2 basic facts:
- I’ve seen it happen. Countless times in the counseling room, one person making a chance has an impact on the other family members.
- God is the change-maker, not you. God is ultimately the one who can change hearts and change lives, and He is bigger than any problems you might be facing.
As you reality-check your goals and re-order your priorities, part of that must include thinking about how a goal will be met. If you’re the only one working on it, make the plan realistic for that.
Make sure to pray about your goals, whether it feels like they’re going great or you’re struggling. Prayer is powerful!
Your goals are not your hope
No matter how well your goals go this year, family life is hard work. Marriage can be difficult. Motherhood is often exhausting.
But your hope is not in your family, your goals, or your effort.
Of course you want a happy marriage and to enjoy your kids. You want family life to be amazing and fun! But this is not your fullest, deepest identity.
Your identity is in Jesus Christ. Your hope is in Him alone.
When you are weary, come to him. When you are tired, lean on him. Seek his wisdom, guidance, direction, and hope.
Grab a great devotional to keep Jesus first as you work on your family relationships this year.
Listen to Episode #162
Let's connect!
- JOIN MY EMAIL LIST for weekly tips, gospel encouragement, and a new coupon code each month.
- JOIN THE FAITH FIVER CLUB in our Patreon community, to support the ministry and get exclusive access to our private podcast, Q&As, and more.
- JOIN ME ON PINTEREST and on Facebook and Instagram too, for regular encouragement and fun.
And as they say... sharing is caring!
Disclaimers: I am a licensed therapist but my podcast, blog, and resources are not professional or personal advice. I am an affiliate for many of the resources that I link to, and may earn a small commission if you purchase through my link. Read my full disclaimer here.
