Let’s talk about vision boards.

With most of us still at home with a little extra time on our hands, now is the perfect time to get creative and explore the many facets of ourselves. Visualization is one of the most powerful tools you can do for your mind. By visualizing your hopes, dreams, and goals, you are inadvertently bringing your thoughts to life, forcing yourself to reflect on the priorities and desires you may not have consciously been aware of.

Making a tangible vision board provides us with opportunities to express our thoughts, feelings, desires, and interests creatively with intention. While online platforms like Pinterest are great for gathering inspiration and visual content, getting crafty and creating a tangible version forces you to consciously reflect and focus on what you’re adding to it.

When creating your vision board, remember that there are no rules for what you can or cannot add, how it looks, or where you put it.  Think of your vision board as a collection of images, trinkets, quotes, mementos, etcetera that bring you joy and motivate you to build the life you truly want. Put it in a space where you can see it often, that way you can go about your day with intention.

STEP 1: Gather your supplies.

Your vision board is your vision board - meaning you can make it as simple or elaborate as you want. But in terms of basic supplies, this is what we recommend:

• A poster board. The base for your visions! We recommend a 22 x 28 inch board like this one.

• Glue sticks. There’s nothing worse than peeling photos and blank spaces left from fallen content. Because different poster boards can have different finishes, you want to be sure so have good quality glue. That being said, stick with Elmers (pun intended).

• Scissors. This one’s pretty self explanatory… scissors are a basic must have when doing anything crafty.

• Magazines. Magazines are essential when it comes to creating vision boards.  Why? Because instead of searching for content that you want to include, you’re choosing things that speak to you - sometimes things you may not have initially gravitated towards.  Consider supporting your local newsstand and invest in at least ten magazines from a wide range of subjects and genres.

• Other content you may want to consider including. Gather photos, trinkets, mementos, newspaper clippings, and anything else you may want to add to your board.

STEP 2: Begin collecting!

Set yourself up in a quiet area with lots of floor space.  Set out your supplies, light a candle, turn on some music and get to collecting!

We recommend going through each magazine and ripping out any pages that speak to you. Some things to think about when creating your vision board are:

• what brings you joy
• your career goals
• what inspires you
• what motivates you
• your values
• your hobbies & curiosities
• how you hope to grow
• what you want to learn

STEP 3: Reflect and refine.

Once you’ve gone through and collected any and all content that speaks to you, it’s then time to reflect and refine.  Go through everything you’ve gathered and begin organizing the pages into piles based on, well, whatever you like!

You can create piles based on like colors, similar subjects/categories (travel, quotes, fashion inspo, etc.), or even areas of your life (career, love, values, hobbies, etc.).

STEP 4: Map out your board.

Now it’s time to map out your board! Begin laying out and layering your visuals on your board. Don’t glue yet! Remember, creating a vision board is meant to be reflective and intentional.  You want every piece of content on it to have a reason for being there.  Lay everything out first, then, once you’re happy with it, begin glueing!

PRO TIP | To avoid any content from peeling, lifting, or looking wrinkled, try stacking some books and/or what’s left of your magazines on top to keep your board flat as it dries.

STEP 5: Display your vision board.

Your work is done (for now) and it’s time to display the finished product. Pick a place where you can view it daily - above your desk, next to your bed, or near your closet.  No matter where it is, make a conscious effort to revisit and reflect on your board every day, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

Manifesting your thoughts, feelings, desires, and interests creatively with intention helps you live as if  they are a reality.  Vision boards are fantastic for getting in tune with who you are, what you want, and where you are going.  On top of that, they can also help you visualize your personal “brand” and how you want to present yourself.  All in all, we could all afford a little personal reflection and vision boards are a great way to do just that.