RAR #249: How a “Best Moments” List can Help You Love Your Homeschool featuring Jon Acuff
Sep 5, 2024
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Jon Acuff, a motivational speaker and author, joins the discussion to explore how reflecting on past achievements can reshape your future vision as a homeschooler. He shares insights from his upcoming book, co-authored with his daughters, about achieving goals amid life's chaos. They emphasize the importance of a ‘Best Moments’ list, celebrating both big and small joys, and embracing unique parenting styles without succumbing to social media comparisons. This engaging chat encourages listeners to find joy and purpose in their homeschooling journey.
Reflecting on past achievements can alleviate future goal-setting anxiety, helping homeschool parents recognize what they truly value.
Adopting a flexible approach to goal-setting allows families to pursue interests in a manageable way, reducing burnout and fostering enthusiasm.
Deep dives
The Challenge of Long-Term Goals
Setting long-term goals can be daunting for many people, as it often involves projecting far into the future, which can trigger feelings of insecurity and overwhelm. The conversation highlights how this pressure to envision a perfect future can create a 'vision wall' that hinders progress. Instead of focusing solely on future aspirations, it's encouraged to reflect on past achievements and meaningful moments. This practice not only alleviates the anxiety associated with forecasting the future but also can reveal insights about what one truly values and desires moving forward.
Finding Joy in Small Moments
An essential aspect of achieving satisfaction is acknowledging and appreciating both major milestones and the small joys in life. The idea is to compile a list of significant moments from the past, enabling individuals to recognize patterns and sources of happiness. Examples shared include both major life events, like weddings and graduations, and simple joys, such as enjoying a pet or a memorable meal. This exercise fosters gratitude and a deeper connection to life’s everyday experiences, helping individuals to celebrate the breadth of their life's journey.
Navigating Comparison in Homeschooling
Homeschooling parents often grapple with the pressure to meet high expectations that can arise from social media comparisons. These comparisons can lead to feelings of inadequacy when they see others thriving in their homeschooling journeys. It's suggested that recognizing one's unique situation and prioritizing personal family values can help in overcoming these feelings. Instead of striving for perfection or replicating someone else's journey, parents are encouraged to reflect on their own successes and adapt them to their family’s needs.
Auditioning Goals for Realistic Progress
The concept of 'auditioning' goals is introduced as a practical approach to setting achievable objectives. Instead of committing to lofty goals from the onset, individuals are encouraged to start with small, manageable steps that align with their current lifestyle and resources. This method allows them to test what works and what doesn’t without the fear of failure or overwhelming pressure. By approaching goals flexibly and iteratively, families can nurture interests and passions in a way that feels organic, reducing the likelihood of burnout and fostering enthusiasm.
Which of these two activities would be easier for you?
Describe the best life you could achieve over the next twenty years.
Describe the best things that have happened to you over the past twenty years.
I know that as a busy wife and mama, dreaming for the future can feel daunting. As I was reading Jon Acuff’s book, All It Takes Is a Goal this summer, I was struck by how this exercise can shift our perspectives as homeschool mamas and mentors of our children.
In today’s episode, New York Times bestselling author and speaker Jon Acuff is joining me to discuss how to actually achieve those goals amidst the busyness of daily life (hint: you’re probably already doing more than you think!).
We’ll also chat about the book he wrote with his teenage daughters, How Teens Win: The Student’s Guide to Accomplishing Big Goals, which comes out September 10, 2024.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
How looking back at our best moments, big and small, can help us create a vision for the future
Why it’s okay that your imagination for your kids is bigger than your calendar
How auditioning small goals helps you successfully transition from optimism and realism for yourself and your kids