I am a massive fan of vision boards and use them often in my own life and with clients. Here are some tips for creating your own.

How to create a vision board

A vision board is a great tool to assist with:    

New Year’s resolutions

Intentions

That which brings us value, meaning and purpose in life

Desired spiritual qualities such as compassion, love, empathy and will

New creative ideas, opportunities, hopes, dreams, passions and visions

Healthier relationships, habits and behaviours

About vision boards

Martha Beck calls vision boards ‘a graphic illustration of our hopes and dreams’. Dreaming alone however is not enough. They need to be created and used within a balanced context.

Some of us are naturally ‘dreamers’ and some of us ‘doers’. If we want to reach our goals and bring our visions into being, it means that we need to create a balance between ‘being’ (with our loving, creative, intuitive, spiritual and authentic self) and ‘doing’ (by putting our plans into action by engaging our will).

Before you create your vision board

• I love this quote by psychotherapist  Lara Owen – it is a good context to hold:

“The soul, or psyche, is not interested in success as much as it is interested in truth.”

• Read these articles on New Year’s resolutions, positive thinking and the Law of Attraction
  • How to stick with our New Year’s resolutions – it takes more than strong will!
  • The Secret behind the Secret
  • The perils of extreme positive thinking 

Creating a vision board

1.Find a sacred space and spend some time in reflection via

• Meditation
• Visualisation
• Night or day dreaming
• Journaling
• Movement

2.Some suggested topics for reflection

• What is it that brings value, meaning and purpose to my life?
• Where am I right now?
• How can I be more present to my life?
• Where would I like to be?
• What changes would I like to make?
• Who are my role models and what draws me to them? How can I own these qualities in myself?
• How can I create more balance in my life? (Balance wheel: Career, relationships, family, personal and spiritual development, health and well-being, finances, passions and hobbies)
• Perhaps I have some unfinished business that I would like to carry over from last year?
• What are my short, medium and long term goals?
• How might I sabotage my goals?
• What do I need to nurture in myself to reach my goals?
• Are these goals what I really need?
• Are my goals made from the authentic self or the false self?
• What spiritual quality do I need to foster? (Love, empathy, compassion, will etc)
• How will I put my visions into action?
• What are my next steps?
• What medium for my vision board feels right?
• How can I stay present to this process?

3.Allow images to come, try not to judge them. Pay attention to your dreams

4.Choose the medium that speaks to you. If you spend a lot of time online, perhaps try a handmade version. Some examples are:

• Cardboard
• Corkboard
• Journal
• Portable cards
• Decorative box
• Online using Pinterest
• Phone or i-Pad app

5.Gather your supplies. Try using different textures and colours

• Cardboard, journal, blackboard, corkboard, box etc
• A variety of magazines (home, women’s, travel, food etc)
• Print inspirational images from online
• Photos
• Art work cards or personal artwork
• A variety of pens or pastels
• Inspirational quotes
• Role models
• Glue, tacks or decorative sticky tape

6.Create your vision board

• Schedule in a whole day to create your vision board
• Allow plenty of time to create your board. There is no need to rush if you don’t finish it in one go… it can be created over time
• As you create your vision board, notice and pay attention to your feelings. Welcome them like an old friend who needs care and attention. Be kind and take care of them.
• Stay present to the process as you create your board

7.Place your vision board somewhere you can see it

8.Be with your vision board

• Engage and check in with your board regularly

9.Planning and action

• Think about making an action plan regarding how you will bring your vision into being
• What changes do you need to make in order to reach your goals?
• Take small steps in creating your vision
• Sometimes it helps to focus on just one thing or one area of your life for a period of time e.g for 90 days I am going to work on my business or this term, I am going to focus on my health
• When we choose one thing or one path we have to deal with loss of another – how will you manage losses? Eg. In order to grow your self-worth, you may need to say goodbye to an unhealthy relationship, in order to focus on health, you may need to let go of doing too much elsewhere
• Affirm your choices often

10.Be kind, loving, compassionate and accepting of yourself

•  If things aren’t moving as quickly as you would like, don’t be hard on yourself. This only serves to sabotage your goals
• It is ok for your vision to change. Let anything go that no longer serves you or that doesn’t feel right
• Creating a vision board isn’t all about love and light. Spending time with our hopes, dreams and visions can stir up the pain and suffering of an un-lived life. We may come across the realisation that we have continued to betray ourselves long after any kind of crisis, trauma or abuse has taken place. We do this by neglecting ourselves or by using ‘stuff’ to take us away from our pain and suffering. It is important to stay with this suffering, get to know it and learn new ways to self sooth and care for ourselves
• If you are struggling to stay motivated, find a qualified counsellor or psychotherapist to support you on your journey – it really can make all the difference!