Vision boards

Vision boards have become tremendously popular the last several years. Some love them, some think they’re hogwash. Some love the idea because it seems fun, but feel like because they enjoy it that maybe it’s a waste of time. Whether you’re all in on the concept of vision boards, or think they’re a tad ridiculous, today we’re going to chat about the benefits of preparing a vision or dream board…benefits that even the skeptics can get behind. Mid year is fast-approaching, and as the days are becoming balancing acts filled with shopping, family dinners, kids activities, running our business, and reaching targets, it’s also time to look ahead. I think it’s in our entrepreneur souls to put our heads down and keep digging. So much so that sometimes we forget the importance of taking the time to stop and regroup. Are the daily actions we’re taking still in alignment with our goals? Do we have new goals that we don’t currently have any steps in place that will get us to that new goal?

What is a vision board?

Okay, for those who aren’t 100% clear on what a vision board is, it’s defined as: a collage of images, pictures, and affirmations of dreams and desires designed to serve as a source of inspiration and motivation, and to use the law of attraction to attain goals. Even if you don’t buy into the law of attraction bit (although I feel like a strong majority do), there’s something to be said for seeing your goals and dreams in front of you on a vision board daily. It’s a constant reminder of what you’re striving for.

How do vision boards work?

The next logical questions are: How does a vision board work? How is a vision board effective? 1-Daily reminder-As listed above, the biggest way it helps is as being a daily reminder of your dreams and goals. It may not seem like a huge deal if you’ve never used one before, but this small, daily reminder makes a huge impact over the course of the year. It has somewhat of a compounding effect; the more you see it, the more passionate you become about it. And do you know what passion fuels? Action. 2-Time to reflect-Sitting down to find images and pictures, quotes and affirmations, means that you have to actually sit and think about what you want. It gets things out of your head and onto paper; giving the illusion of already being tangible. I feel like our responses become a bit automated over time as people ask what our goals are, what we’re striving for. If you’ve been repeating the same things over and over without making much progress, maybe it’s because you just need to take a little bit of time to think it all through. 3-Getting unstuck-What else comes from repetitive zombie like states of day-to-day actions? Well, many times people start to feel stuck. You do the same thing day in and day out, and you start to forget the why. Friends, the WHY is what makes life, business, everything awesome. So why aren’t we taking the time to give ourselves reminders of that, or to give ourselves a chance to reevaluate and realize what we wanted before isn’t what we want now, and that’s why we don’t feel as motivated. Supplies needed It really doesn’t require a whole lot to put together an effective vision or dream board. However, you can make it as simple or extravagant as you would like it to be. Basic supplies 1-Poster or foam board You can use either, and any size you want. It all depends on where you’re going to hang it up. If you’re going to have a smaller one you want to hang up in your cubicle at work, a smaller, regular poster board material would probably be ideal for you. If you have a table or somewhere you want to sit it on without hanging it up, then the foam board is fantastic because it won’t slouch and fall over all of the time. 2-Pictures Traditionally people use magazines and cut out images and phrases that symbolize their goals or dreams to them to put on their vision board. This is a great option, but sometimes the pictures we find in magazines don’t seem to quite match up. That’s when the handy dandy internet can help out. It is so much easier to get the exact right picture because you can search just about anything. Pinterest anyone? If you want to get super specific, you can use Canva or a similar platform. It allows you to upload images and add text and different elements to the photo, and then download them for free. 3-Adhesive This is simple. You need something to make your images and pictures stick to your board. You could use tape, but I think glue and glue sticks work better for vision boards. Frills For those who like to add frills you, go ahead. Of course it isn’t a necessary part to having an effective vision board. If you want to add stickers, or ribbons, go ahead. You can also make your vision board “more frilly” by adding texture to the board. Want to redo carpet in your bedroom? Add a small piece of the type of carpet you want to put down. Want to take home a certain amount of income? Write yourself a check in that amount and out it on there (if you do this you should black out routing and checking information on the check). The frills don’t have to be things actually related to your goals or the vision board itself either. Using scents that will attract your attention to your board is an amazing idea. If you love the smell of lavender put some of that on there. It will attract your attention and it also is a super calming scent.

Where should I hang my vision board?

Your vision board should go anywhere that you will see it everyday. Having it visible from your bed is a superb idea because it will be the first thing you see when you wake up, and the last thing you see when you go to bed. You can also hang near your desk, or pin to your cubicle it fit’s smaller as I mentioned earlier. Anywhere you want is fine as long as you see it often Basically, there are no set rules for creating your vision board. The important thing is getting your dreams, goals, desires out of your head and onto your board. Take the time to reflect and really actually put things on there that you want to do or achieve. Blocking out this time to get your mindset right before the new year is an investment worth considering.