Picture this… you’re cozied up in a warm blanket, sipping your drink of choice by a wood-burning fireplace, in a quaint New England town you’re visiting for the weekend. Your spouse is sitting next to you, and there will be no little humans waking you up the next morning. You’ve just spent the day outlining your big goals for the following months. For the first time in a long time, you and your partner feel like you’re on the same page with your priorities and ambitions.  As a team, you feel unstoppable.

As CEOs, we know that our business success requires time to step away, revisit our “why”, set new intentions, and visualize. Yet how many of us forget that we are also Co-President of our family unit, in partnership with our other half?

For the past 5 years, my husband Nick and I have gone on our own couples goal-setting retreat toward the end of the year. The first one was after we got engaged, and we were starting to plan for our wedding. We went to Killington, VT for a long weekend, and although we’ve chosen other locations over the years, we still call this annual tradition “the Killington Summit”. It brings us back to that very first year when we were full of young-love energy, and we really felt that the world was our oyster.

Since that first “summit”, we’ve surpassed ALL of our 5-year goals and I can hardly believe it… because it has actually felt effortless, in a way. It’s as if the hardest part was coming together and writing down the intention… and then life just gave us what we asked for. At that time, our 5-year vision included owning a home, having 2 kids, and accumulating an amount of financial assets that still feels too good to be true. I’m so grateful that we’ve been blessed with all these things 5 years later, and I know the same can happen for you.

Here’s a real snippet of the goals we wrote down:

Aside from financial and family goals, you could also include goals surrounding health, career, spirituality, or whatever is important to you.

I invite you to think about what a couples goal-setting retreat could do for your life – your relationship with your partner, your kids’ lives, and your financial success. I know that you, too, can make your dreams a reality by doing this one simple thing. (Simple, not easy!)

Start with these steps:

1. Block off a weekend on your calendar

Early December is the perfect time- before you get swept up in the holidays, and so that come January 1st, you know exactly what your goals are.

2. Decide what town or area you want to go to

This will help get you excited and stay motivated! The Berkshires, Southern Maine, Concord MA, Woodstock VT, the Cape & Islands… where have you been wanting to go?

3. Line up childcare

It’s ok to ask for help! Ask a family member, hire a babysitter, or even do a combination. Your kids will be fine!

4. Book your hotel

Don’t get overwhelmed with all the options- just pick something!

5. Set an agenda

Talk about your core values, dare to dream big, and set 1- and 5-year goals. To make it easy, go download my free Goal Setting Guide.

Some Do’s & Don’ts:

• DON’T bring your kids. You may think you’ll have time to sit down together, maybe while the kids are sleeping, but you NEED to dedicate this full weekend to just the two of you.
• DO go away, at least an hour from your house. A new place is necessary for opening your mind to fresh perspectives.
• DO expect a rollercoaster of emotions. This is hard work- the only way out is through. It’s ok if there are tears or arguments. It’s a sign that you’re having the necessary conversations.

Now all you need to do is GO! I guarantee you’ll feel a renewed sense of energy and purpose alongside your partner in life. Is there any better feeling than that?

I’ll leave you with a quote I love:

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African proverb

Release your shared dreams to the universe. You’ll be amazed at the wonderful things that come your family’s way.