031. High Impact Vision Boards that Count

Well we’ve reached that time, you know “New Year, New Me!” This is the time everyone makes up awful things one wants to change about one’s self or environment in the year to come. Ahh, how awesome is that! If you can’t pick up on my sarcasm there, New Year resolutions are not the way to go. New Year resolutions are good in theory, it’s great to perform an accurate self-assessment of your life reflecting on your past, identifying areas of improvement and developing a plan for the future. However, creating these resolutions is just the beginning. The average person creates a couple New Year’s resolutions and that’s it. By January 3rd most people are like “Hey New Year, old me!” So what happened? Most people fail to plan exactly how they will accomplish those resolutions. Ditch the resolutions and grab a vision board if you really want to bring about your New Year’s goals. There are many misconceptions about vision boards and its validity. Some see vision boards as just big “dream” boards. However, when used correctly vision boards are a great resource to help clarify your specific life goals and identifies areas of focus for staying on track to achieving your goals.

Since I was a little girl my dad has always stressed the importance of having goals and developing a plan to accomplish them. At a young age I had to create short term goals and long term goals designed to get me where I want to be in life. While I started out writing my goals out on paper, for the past few years I have become quite fond of vision boards. Literally, a vision board is any sort of board on which you display imagery that represents whatever you want to attain in life. Vision boards serve as a valuable visual reminder of what you are working towards and a tangible representation of your ideal life.

Today I encourage you to create a vision board with your own tangible representation of your ideal life. The key to attaining your goals is developing a high impact vision board that will assist you in staying committed to achieving your short and long term goals. Don’t focus too much on having the perfect layout or imagery on your vision board, the importance of your board is not for appearance but to serve as a constant depiction of your ideal life and how you will attain it. So grab a poster board, some old magazines, craft supplies and follow the easy steps below:

What you will need:

Poster/cork board/canvas

Old magazines/printouts/pictures

Markers/pens/color pencils/paint

Thumbtacks/pins/tape/glue/adhesive

Colored paper (optional)

Scissors

Step 1

Grab a pen and paper and find a quite relaxing space where you can concentrate on yourself. Take a moment to close your eyes and reflect on your ideal life, uncovering your goals and all your aspirations. Jot down your ambitions and aspirations. Determine what you want and how you want to feel. Be specific identifying why you want to accomplish each goal on your board and how you will bring it to fruition. (Tip: I find hand writing your goals makes your envisions more personalized. You do not have to handwrite on your board, but at least try to do so in your planning stage.)

Step 2

Search through the magazines and cut out images, words or quotes that appeal to you and represent your aspirations and ideal life. If you are having difficulty finding the images you want, try searching the internet and using printouts to give your board the look you desire.

Step 3

Sort through your selected images pictures pinpointing images that resonate with you and invoke feeling of your aspirations. Set aside any images that invoke feelings but do not quite align with your aspirations or focus.

Step 4

Place your images and words, along with combinations of colored paper (optional) on your board in your desired arrangement. There is no right or wrong way to place your content, it’s all about choosing a layout that heightens your aspirations. Once you have your desired arrangement of your content, paste or pin your pictures, sayings, quotes, or whatever you have selected in place onto your board to secure its place. Use your markers, pens, paint etc. to add extra flare to your vision board adding personal affirmations, or personal notes to self.

Step 5

Once you have finished with the creative aspect of your vision board, take a moment to gaze over the finished product. Connect with your aspirations and your ideal life with the feelings inside you. Find a place to display your vision board. You should select a location that allows you to see and reflect on your vision board daily that will leave you feeling inspired.

Step 6

TAKE ACTION! As you begin creating your ideal life you want, use your vision board to keep your focus on your aspirations, why you want to accomplish your goals and how you will accomplish it. Periodically perform an assessment to determine if you are on track achieving your goals and make any necessary adjustments.

Step 7

Acknowledge the presence of God in your life and achieving any milestones of your goals.

There is no limit to the number of vision boards you can create. I typically use vision boards specifically for goal setting and depicting my ideal work life on an annual basis. This year I only created one board because at this stage in my life my goals and desires for the year are entwined. However, the possibilities are endless, vision boards can be used as theme boards, aspirations or inspiration boards for planning specific events such as birthdays, weddings, Christmas parties and so on. Just as there are many different types of boards the content of your board depends on you. Be creative, your board can consist of anything that represents your ideal life your little heart desires!