The new year is the perfect time for creating a vision board!
Vision boards are a way of allowing you to see your goals and dreams. They motivate you and help you manage your stress before your stress manages you. Vision boards typically consist of words and images. These words and images help you to clarify and become really clear about what it is that you want. Think of a vision board as a guide to help you get to where you want to be, because we become what we envision.
In this post, I’m going to review all the basics of vision boards:
Why you should have a vision board
How to get in the right mindset for creating a vision board
By the time you finish this post, you’ll be in a great place to create your vision board and use it to help reach your goals and dreams.
Why Create A Vision Board?
First, the vision that you have will guide the direction that your life takes. What you envision now can be your future tomorrow.
Second, you have goals, hopes and dreams. A vision board helps motivate you to achieve those things. Being motivated to reach your goals can help you learn new skills and stick to it when the going gets rough.
Third, a vision board helps you to see it, do it and be it.
Setting Your Vision Board Intention
The first thing that you should do is set aside some time when you won’t be disturbed. Then think about what your intention is for the vision board that you’re about to create. Are you focusing on one area of your life with this vision board or multiple areas? What would be the best possible outcome for the area(s) that you’re focusing on? What did you accomplish in the last year? How can you continue to build on those accomplishments? See your finished vision board in your mind’s eye. Take a few deep breaths and get started.
Creating Your Vision Board
When creating your vision board, the first thing that you have to decide is whether or not your board will be digital or physical.
If you decide on a digital vision board, then you’ll need to figure out which platform you want to use such as Canva, Google (slides or docs), or Pinterest among others. Then find images and words that you like, place them on your board and download it to a place where you’ll see it often. You can check out my post, Online Vision Boards for more information on creating a virtual vision board.
If you decide that you want to create a physical board, the process is similar. But you’ll need more materials. Gather the following:
Board – can be corkboard, poster board, cardboard or even a canvas
Magazines or inspiring photographs
Colored Pencils, markers, paint, crayons
Scissors, glue, tape
Any other creative materials that you like such as yarn, glitter or clay
Once you have your materials, then you’re ready to design! If your vision board is going to focus on one aspect of your life, then go through the magazines and take out images and graphics that speak to you which are related to that specific topic. If there’s something that you can’t find – create it using your other crafting materials.
If your vision board is going to cover multiple areas of your life, decide what those areas will be and find the appropriate images and words. Think about areas such as:
Social (Personal life, friends, family)
Travel
Mental Health
Career
Spiritual
Home
Personal development
In creating your vision board, you should only place those things that inspire or motivates you on your board. It’s all about how the images and words make you feel. Don’t worry about messing anything up, this vision board is just for you so there’s nothing that you can mess up.
Using Your Vision Board
Once you have your vision board the way you like it, it’s time to put it to use. The following tips will help:
Look at your vision board daily. So hang it someplace where you’ll see it often.
Take time when looking at your vision board to visualize the situations that your vision board represents.
What will it feel like when you reach your goal?
What do you see, hear or smell?
Who’s around you when you reach your goal?
Think Positive Thoughts When Looking At Your Vision Board
If you’re having a day – look at your vision board to remind you why you do what you do.
Remember that having a vision board is not an automatic guarantee of success, you still have to take action to reach your goals. Strive to create a new vision board each year to reflect any changes in your aspirations and to make sure that serves your current desires.
So that’s it, everything that you need to start creating a vision board. Vision boards help you manage your stress before your stress manages you and lets you shape your future at the same time. Starting your vision board today will help you more easily get to where you want to be tomorrow. Because it's all about Making Time.
Let’s talk. What are you going to make the focus of your 2022 vision board? Let me know in the comments section.
Cassandra Martin-Himmons is a facilitator, stress management coach and author of “Yes I’m Grateful,” a gratitude journal. She believes in empowering her clients to help them manage their stress and increase self-care. In her spare time, she enjoys papercrafting, volunteering and travel. Connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn