We are nearing the end of the first quarter of the year. I’m not much of a betting woman, but if I were, I would bet that you have some resolutions that need dusting off or some goals that need polishing up. I get it, life has a way of presenting so many distractions to us. These distractions might cause us to lose focus on what really matters – our goals and dreams. So, what’s a dreamer to do about it? Well, Dreamer, learning to make a vision board will put your goals and dreams back where they belong. Smack dab in the middle of your sight line. Creating stunning vision boards will improve your focus and help you reach your goals.
What is a vision board?
A vision board is a visual representation of your goals. I think it is a visual representation of what you want from life. Maybe you aren’t necessarily into “slaying your goals”. But I bet (here I go again with the betting) you have some thoughts and ideas about what you want your life to look like, feel like, and be about. If you are breathing, you have desires about your ideal life.
A vision board is a creative’s way of setting goals. It looks a lot like a craft party!! I’m SO down for a craft party with purpose. Maybe the phrase “setting goals” puts you off or is not appealing to you AT ALL. I understand. Perhaps you don’t have goals like “write a novel”, “finish that degree”, or “get that next promotion”. But, what about “cultivate gratitude”, “be present in the moment”, “increase peace and calm in my home”, “outward focus on helping others” “be kinder to myself”. We are all living, breathing, growing, changing and if we are honest, we have areas in our lives that could stand to be improved. Creating stunning vision boards will improve your focus on what you want from your life.
Why create a vision board?
1. Increase focus
Creating a vision board will help you focus on what is important to you. I know you have heard the saying “out of sight, out of mind”. A vision board puts your goals and dreams front and center so they will never be out of sight. This one thing makes it more likely that you will actually do something about your goals. I know life gets hectic and days turn into months. Then all of a sudden a whole collection of months have passed and you have barely had time to do laundry much less sit down and study your goals and take “next steps”. Having a vision board just gives you more opportunity to think about where you want to go in life.
2. Brain-kinesthetic connection
If you are into research about brain power or the connection between physical movement and memory you probably know that connecting physical movement to a mental process improves retention or memory. Perhaps this is why I used to write my study notes over a couple of times before I took a college exam. This process of writing out ideas and concepts significantly increased my retention of these ideas. I could even visualize what side of the notebook that topic was on, where on the page I wrote it. And if I underlined words or phrases or highlighted them or made any other kind of notation that elevated the ideas in my mind even more. Sometimes, I added the element of speaking it out loud to help me remember.
Do you see the connection to how the action of creating a vision board would have the same effect? Not only would your goals and ideas be out before you so that you don’t forget about them, but the physical action you took to create the board will also make pathways in your brain.
3. Visualization
Visualization is a process where a person forms mental images of a situation or goal they wish to realize. In the basic sense of visualization, you are just picturing or imagining something you want to become a reality. Athletes use this process successfully. I have read of golfers that play the course in their minds knowing each stroke they will take and what it will look like. Olympic athletes often use this process before they compete. They play out the entire competition before they physically do the competing. It can be a way of calming the nerves and gaining confidence to perform on a high level. Public speakers often use this technique as well. You have heard the saying to “picture the audience in their underwear” to help speakers overcome nerves while speaking.
How does visualization help you in daily life?
Now, you don’t have to be a professional athlete or public speaker to reap the benefits of visualization. You can use it in your daily life to inspire you to take the next steps toward any goal you have. Visualize that vacation you will take once you save enough money. This will help you stick to your budget because you can “see” what the end goal is about. There are limitless ways to use this technique in your daily life – picturing your organized closet or home; visualizing your creative talents being used; seeing your relationships developing authentically; buying your first home are just a few. What could you add to this list?
I am betting (yikes, again?) that you can SEE (pun intended) this strong connection to vision boards! Making a vision board just allows you to put your end goals out in front of you so that you have a tool to inspire you to take the small steps each day that are needed to improve your focus and reach your ultimate goal. Using your creativity to increase motivation! I call that a big win. Let’s get started creating stunning vision boards to improve your focus.
How to create a vision board
Now that you know all about the benefits of creating a vision board, let’s get started making one! Here is a step-by-step process you can use to regain your focus by creating a vision board. These include: reflection, inspiration, construction, visualization, and revision. The steps don’t have to be rigid but will provide you with a starting point if you have never tried this before. You can’t “mess this up”.
5 Basic Steps to Creating your Vision Board
Reflection
Take some time to think about what goals you want to achieve. This may take the form of a brainstorm session where you just “dump” your ideas out onto paper. Then take some time to organize those thoughts into goals or categories. You can also use specific questions to give more structure to your ideas. I have created a worksheet for you to use.
Inspiration
Now that you have done the preliminary work it is time to gather your materials. You can find inspirational images in magazines, online quotes and printables, memorabilia you have collected, your own drawings and doodles, photographs, etc. It also adds a creative flair to your board if you include embellishments like textiles, stickers, postcards, stamps. I suggest finding a folder or tray and start stashing your items there. Don’t rush. Take a little time to ponder and collect interesting pieces.
Construction
Build your board! This is the fun part!! Decide what you want to use as your board. If you want a full-size poster board, go for it! If you don’t have the space to display a big poster think about using a file folder instead. Each side of the folder could be a category to fill (front, inside left, inside right and back) or you can open the folder up to have two larger areas to fill (front and back). You can go even smaller by using your journal. A clever way to put your board in front of you each day is to decorate the front and back covers of your journal as your vision board and you could include the inside cover and end pages as well. If you have a bulletin board up in your office you could transform it into your vision board.
The important thing is to make it work for you and put it where you will see it daily. It won’t do you any good to prepare this gorgeous poster and not have any wall space that you want to display it on so it gets stuck behind your desk until you can find a place for it. How about putting it on the inside of your closet door so that you see it every day when you get dressed? It doesn’t have to be on display for all to see – just you!
If you are more of the “digital type” rather than the “paper and pencil type” like me, you can find plenty of resources for creating a vision board digitally. There are unlimited graphics, quotes and pictures online that you can print out to use on your board or you can create an online vision board. Using power point slides is an easy way to create your vision board online if you do not have magazines or paper goods available. There are several resources and apps for creating a digital vision board. Creating stunning vision boards that improve your focus is possible with digital resources as well as paper goods.
Plan your categories
Once you decide what your board will be then it is time to determine your categories. Creating categories helps you get more specific about what your goals are. It is hard to reach goals if they are vague. Narrow down some areas of your life that you would like to see some growth in. Some examples would be: health, professional, spiritual, family, home, organization, travel, finances, gratitude, creativity, mindset, style, business, nutrition, productivity, philanthropy, community. When you did your brainstorming session these categories probably came to light. You also may have noticed some patterns when you started collecting your materials to put on the board. Go with that flow.
Now start placing your images and graphics on your board. Don’t stick them on just yet. Take some time to lay them out in various ways until you have a layout that appeals to you. Then go back and attach them to the board.
Visualization
Now it is time to strategically place your board where you will see it every day. When you see it daily you have an opportunity to think about the steps you will take that day. Take a few minutes to focus on a certain goal. Think about your dreams and take one step to make it a reality. Placing it where you view it each day puts these goals top of mind for you. This helps you avoid the trap that I sometimes get in of just coasting along and not doing anything to actively pursue my dreams because everyday life just keeps pushing them aside. Then I wake up 3 months from now thinking “where did the time go” or “why haven’t I reached that goal yet”. That is discouraging. I’m tired of coasting. I’m going to “take each thought captive” and move toward higher goals. You can too!
Revision
A vision board isn’t a static, unchanging tool. After a set time (a month, a quarter) review your board. Have your ideas changed? Have new opportunities opened up? Perhaps your passion has ignited in a certain area or your creativity in one area has increased. Change your board to reflect that. Your board should grow and change with you.
Final Thoughts
It bears repeating that you can’t mess this up. There is no right answer here. Don’t get caught up in perfectionism. Perfectionism is BFF’s with Procrastination. Neither of them was invited to this party!
See yourself living the life that you were created to live. Then WORK for it. Yep, I said work. This process won’t work unless you do. You.have.to.do.something. (I’m preaching to myself, here) Show up for yourself. It’s time.
Look at this board with gratitude for what it represents: your life, your dreams. Stop striving and infuse your life with gratitude. Acknowledge what God has done in your life and that your journey is active and alive. No matter how old you are your story is still being written and you have a purpose to fulfill.
Putting your goals on paper in a creative, visual way will help you get unstuck. It feels amazing to take even one step toward your goals. Let’s get moving! I would love to hear how creating stunning vision boards helped improve your focus so give it a go and then come back and tell me how it went in the comments.
Dream on, Dreamer!