The Confessions of a Vision Board Gal
Vision board, dream board, goal setting, goal attaining… whatever you call it, it’s your weapon of choice. National Vision Board Day is the second Saturday in January (hint: that’s tomorrow!) – perfect timing for people who are ready to start their New Year off on the right foot, with tact and organization!
So… What is a Vision Board?
The best part about this concept is that a vision board is up to your own imagination and interpretation. It’s not only just a tool to clarify and visualize specific goals, vision boards are meant to be kept on display to serve as a reminder of what you are working towards - so, you’ll want to make it pretty! The whole point is to contextualize and bring your personal fulfillment goals to life. I have used a vision board not only in my personal life but also on teams and committees as a bonding experience and as a team leader, I was able to see strength prevail from the core of our team. People grew closer and our goals became more united, as we outlined timelines to achieve our end goals!
The Three Goals of a Vision Board
To me, a stereotypical vision board shares three goals: 1. Identifying and clarifying your vision 2. Reinforcing your statements 3. Keeping your best intentions in sight These three goals build up to the main reason why the vision board works, it creates the law of attraction - or the power to control and attract what you are focusing on - within your very own life. In school, we learn about a concept called the self-fulfilling prophecy. This concept states that if you believe that you can become something or complete a task, you will - simply because you thought you could. You are fulfilling your highest potential because you expect the most from yourself. The same goes for the law of attraction. With the whole notion of “good vibes” sweeping the millennial age, there is no surprise that this concept is wildly popular.
Everywhere we look, the importance of good vibes and being around positive influences surrounds us. These positive influences can range from pictures of a beach, catchphrases plastered onto our home screen, or even a good laugh with friends. Now more than ever, people are realizing the importance of celebrating accomplishments, this is why this visualization technique has become popular with trendsetters and goal-getters.
Making Your Dreams a Plan
By now, you may have gotten that these boards are a wild visualization tool. They put your goals and aspirations right in front of you, offering you the motivation and boost needed to get through a rough day. There is no greater sense of satisfaction than accomplishing something you’ve waited all year for – transforming that dream into a how-to plan. I often work in chunks, taking a large item from my vision board, making a list of how I can accomplish it and then slowly crossing off the tasks to complete that plan.
Mind exercises have become increasingly important to me and visualization is slowly becoming my favourite. I pride myself on being a visual learner as I enjoy having things right in front of me as a reference point so it serves as a reminder of where I want to be. The Secret, a book by Rhonda Byrne states: “The law of attraction is forming your entire life experience and it is doing that through your thoughts. When you are visualizing, you are emitting a powerful frequency out into the Universe.” This quote reminds me of why I work so hard everyday to turn my dreams into plans.
My last piece of advice is to focus your vision board on how you want to feel, not solely on what you want. If you want to feel happy and empowered, include things that make you feel inspired to be the best version of yourself!
What Should I Put on my Board?
Your vision board should focus on both short-term and long-term goals. Too many short-term goals will make you feel overwhelmed whereas too few won’t give you the confidence boost you need. It is not enough to put the board together and let it sit on your desk for the year – you should be constantly re-working and adding to your board. Personally, I like having sticky notes around the board with a plan on how I can achieve certain goals!
One of my favourite catchphrases states: “A little progress each day adds up to big results.” Creating your vision board is a small step you can take to waking up happier and feeling accomplished each day. So, break out your craft kit, old magazines and any creative materials you might have lying around and get inspired to show the world how you plan to WORK IT!
Photo Cred: kimberlyelise.com, alittlecraftinyourlife.com