Vision Boards help people clarify their desires, quiet their negative voices, and keep focused when willpower wanes.
And they’re fun to make.
The start of a new year, when we’re looking ahead to creating a better lifestyle, is a great time to make Vision Boards, and the ways to do it are endless.
I wanted my first vision board to represent my priorities of faith, family, and health. What I wanted to achieve, do, and own also were important, and why I wanted those.
Why Create Vision Boards
In the day to day flurry of life, it can be easy to zip from one obligation to the next and forget why we are doing what we do. Why do we go to work, log long hours, come home and take care of family and friends, and get up the next day and do it again? We can easily forget our why, or perhaps we never connected with it in the first place.
So Vision Boards are tangible reminders that help us remember.
If we’ve never quite clarified a vision for ourselves, this project can help us do that. And then when the gremlins come and sit on our shoulder, telling us we’re not good enough, or that we cannot do something, we can look at our Vision Boards and remember.
Take that, Gremlins!
How to Create Vision Boards
Creating the board can be as simple or as complex as you’d like for it to be.
The simplest would be using a piece of paper or poster board, markers, and magazines. Really, anything that you already have at home will do. Some people even host parties to create these with their friends.
Or, you could go high-tech and use a software program to put all of your pieces together online. Then you could save it on your smartphone and/or print it off and post it in a prominent place at your home or work.
For my Vision Board shown above, I used a software program to create a single 12×12 page print. When it arrived in the mail, I pinned it to the bulletin board in my office, where I will see it frequently. It’s an updated version of one I made in 2015.
But more recently, I created a simpler Vision Board with magazines, glue, and a piece of cardstock.
So, are you ready to start thinking through what you’d like to include on your Vision Board? It doesn’t require too many tools.
First, Get Quiet
Before we decide what medium to use, we need to think through what it is that we really want from our lives. What’s our purpose? For what are we striving?
The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet. — Frederick Buechner
What does that look like for you, and for your life? Take a few moments of “me time” in a quiet space to put that on paper. Make a list of what you want in the areas of mindset, health, and relationships. What do you want spiritually, professionally, personally? Would any material things add value to your life, and if so, how? What experiences do you want to have? List them all.
If your goal includes better health, more money, or more time, what would you do with those resources? List that, too.
Think about your life 7 years from now. What might your life look like with intentional action?
Answer these questions, and you’ll be on your way to creating your Vision Board.
Search for Affirmations and Quotes
What mantras, quotes, and sayings are important to you? What encourages and inspires you? Write those down. Even if you only included words on your Vision Board, that would be enough. The goal is to have a visual, an ever-present reminder for yourself. Have fun with it – it’s impossible to do this incorrectly.
One great resource for quotes is Brainy Quote. Another is Pinterest, if you use that platform. I have pinned a few inspirational words that I’ve found helpful. If you have some others, share them with me!
All of this can be included on your paper or your digital board, with or without pictures, with words glued or taped to a page, or not. So, let’s get started!
I would love to see what you create. Snap a pic, post it on Instagram, and tag me. Include the hashtags #graceandspaceforahealthieryou and #visionboards, plus any others you want to use!
Hi! I’m Amy, an integrative health coach, offering grace and space for a healthier you. I partner with people who want to create new habits to improve their overall health and well-being. Click here if you’d like to work with me through coaching, and subscribe to my Well Check emails here. Thanks for visiting!
