Creating a Vision Board
Did you know that there is a simple exercise that can catapult you toward your dream business and life? Would you believe me if I told you that it’s actually something fun to do?
Vision boards have been a hot topic in our private Facebook group lately—and for good reason! Creating a vision board can help you pull all your big goals and dreams together and provide a jump-off point to make it all happen. Many of my fellow Femworking ladies have found vision boards to be surprisingly effective in their pursuit to reach their dreams and aspirations! Truly!
Our subconscious is an amazing motivator and enforcer. It stores all of the things we tell ourselves, all of the things we see and hear and say over and over again, and creates paths in our lives that follow those thoughts and feelings. I know that sounds a little “woo-woo” for some of you but it’s an absolutely true bit of science!
This is why vision boards are so fantastic. When you create a vision board that is an honest reflection of your goals, your values, your aspirations, amazing things can happen. Your subconscious makes an imprint of these images, and the associated feelings, and then helps to pave the way for you to make them happen—whether you are aware of it or not!
So what is a vision board exactly? In its most simple form it’s a piece of poster board on which you have collected and pasted inspiring and motivating images and quotes. In its more complex explanation it’s a total life and business game-changer.
Creating a Vision Board
Step One: Gather Magazines & Inspiration
First, grab a stack of magazines, newspapers, and books that you can cut up and discard. If you’re not sure what to grab, answer these questions first (Don’t worry, there are no wrong answers):
• Do you know what you want for your future?
• Are you clear on your goals, your aspirations, your values?
If you answered Yes then choose magazines that cater to those desires.
For example:
- Health & Fitness Goals = Women’s Health, Self, Yoga Today
- Business & Entrepreneurial Goals = INC, Entrepreneur, Forbes
- Travel & Adventure Goals = Travel + Leisure, Outside, Travel Magazine
- Family Goals = Parents Magazine, Ladies Home Journal, New Parents
If you answered No, then choose magazines that are more general to get you started:
- People Magazine
- Vogue
- Lucky
Oprah Magazine
- Local magazines
Hint: Be sure that no one is still reading or expecting to read these!
Step 2: Get Crafty
Now that you’re fully stocked with magazines, it’s time to start cutting and pasting.
Flip through everything and cut out any and all images that inspire you, that reflect your values, that showcase the epitome of your aspirations!
Next, place your images however you feel. You probably will have more than will fit on an average piece of poster board so you may have to get into some creative cutting and positioning. Think about categorizing your images (biz in one corner, family in another) or mixing things up. This is YOUR life. Have fun with it.
Hint: Craft glue is recommended over Elmers Glue because it has a stronger hold and won’t crinkle the thin magazine paper.
Step 3: Use It!
After putting your vision board together, it’d be a shame to have all that hard work go to waste! Instead of stashing your vision board in a corner somewhere, hang it up in your office, prop it on your nightstand, or post it somewhere else that is prominent. The purpose is to be able to look at your vision board every day. Pay attention to the feelings you have when you look at certain images. Embrace those positive vibrations and carry them with you throughout your day.
Hint: Some days are hard. No doubt about it. A quick glance at your vision board may be all the sustenance you need to bolster your confidence and go the extra mile!
Some advice:
Don’t Hold Back – This feels weird to admit but I have gold bars on my vision board. Like, old school pirate booty gold bars. It’s not because I’m greedy or purely focused on money, money, money. It’s because I’m realistic and know that money can provide certain financial securities, family travel experiences, and heftier college savings accounts for my children. The gold bars are just a symbol for that. And I’m not 
ashamed to admit that money can provide fun stuff like a great designer handbag. My point is, don’t hold back from adding items to your vision board that you may initially feel are selfish or materialistic. It’s okay to want to drive that Audi or take that dream trip to Bali one day!
Embrace the Process – When was the last time you made a collage? I’m not talking about helping out your kid or niece with a school project! I mean, when was the last time you really worked on a simple arts & crafts project? As adults we don’t let ourselves have fun creative time as much as we should. Embrace the simple joys of envisioning your future, flipping through inspiring images, and letting your dreams and creativity fly. Enjoy the feeling of scissors in your hand, playing with glue, and manipulating paper.
Share it! – Vision boards are definitely a personal representation of yourself, your hopes, and your dreams. This can make sharing your vision board with anyone kind of scary! However, if you have an amazingly supportive group (like my Femworking tribe!), then I really encourage you to share your vision board with them. You might be amazed by the boost you feel just by saying some of these aspirations out loud and feeling the support.
Do you have a vision board? Share your vision board via social media and tag us using the hashtag: #FWvisionboard