How to Create Your First Vision Board

On By DanicaPicheIn How to Create a Beautiful Life

Have you made a vision board yet?

Yes?  How did it go?

No?

Are you mildly intrigued but don’t know where to start/don’t believe in new age-y magical thinking/gave up on harnessing the power of the universe a while ago?

Perfect!  This is for you!

What is a vision board?

A vision board represents what you want in your life, either in the near future or long term.

Why would I want one?

It helps focus your daily thinking.  As we know, the grass isn’t necessarily greener on the other side of the fence; it’s greener where we water.

The more we clarify what we want, the more we’ll focus.  Daily attention motivates progress and, eventually, results.

What’s the best approach?

Some vision boards are specific and external, such as the floor plan of the house you’d like to buy.  The make and model of the car you’d like to drive.  A certain amount of money you’d like to earn.  The destination of a vacation you’d like to take.

Other vision boards are more internal, representing goals for areas of your life similar to a Wellness Wheel.  For example:  spiritual; social; physical; intellectual; emotional; and, career.  Your vision board might include a health issue you’d like to improve, an intellectual pursuit, new friendships and relationships you’d like to create, or career directions you’d like to take.

What tools do I need?

The best vision board is one you create yourself rather than print off, scan or photocopy.  You’ll want construction paper, a diverse assortment of magazines, scissors, and tape or glue.  You’ll also want tacks or something to affix it.

What should I put on it?

You don’t know what you want?  You want everything and can’t fit it all on one board?

Start by flipping through your magazines. What’s that, you don’t have magazines?  Get some.  You can buy new or used or even get some free.  Check second hand stores, libraries, online postings, recycling depots.  Don’t think about your selections too much, just get whatever catches your attention. How many should you get?  Three or more.  Variety is good, but similar genres or topics will be fine too.

Ready now?

Flip through your magazines.  Don’t read the content, you’re there for the pictures and some isolated words or phrases. 

Pull out images and words or phrases that appeal, attract or captivate.  Don’t analyze.  Go with your instincts and reactions.  Do this with all the magazines.

Now sort though the images and words.  You’re looking for a story to tell.  Arrange the words with the images. Remove some images and words if the board is too crowded.  Re-arrange until you find a pattern you like.

You can also create multiple vision boards for different areas of your life.

Where should I display it?

Your vision board is more effective the more you see it.  You’ll want to display it somewhere you’ll see it every day, preferably for a few minutes at a time or more.  A location in your office, kitchen or bathroom, or by your dresser or closet, usually work well.

My first vision board exercise

My images

The magazines I had weren’t varied or selected for this purpose so the images and words aren’t the best fit for what I wanted to represent.  I went ahead anyway in an anti-perfectionist approach.

My display

When I finished the vision board, I was surprised that I didn’t want to display it.  I thought it was silly.  A maintenance guy was accessing the premises and I didn’t want him to see it.  This struck me as funny because I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t notice or care.  And if he does, well, so what?

It was then I realized the vision board is effective.  Even if it’s not an exact representation of what you want, it’s you.  It’s your inner life, your psyche; your thoughts, feelings, desires.  Maybe some you’ve neglected or a new direction you’d like to take, or something you’ve only barely whispered to yourself.

You’ll know you’ve created your vision board well if you have an emotional reaction of some kind.

My vision board

My vision board represents the state of mind I want to begin the day — before a loop of noise takes over.  Example: What do you mean that email didn’t go through?  Seven minutes.  Do these earrings go better?  Six minutes.  Good morning, Hank the Hedgehog, what’s up?  Are you ok?  (He almost never willingly shows his face before nightfall.)  Five minutes.  Why didn’t the phone charge?  Four minutes.  What’s wrong with the kettle?  It’s brand new.  Three minutes.  He called in sick?  Two minutes.  Oh, my hair looks nice.  One minute.

Here’s my vision to calibrate my mind for a new day:

vision board

A Passion for Living:  How I want to embark on the day regardless of what I’m doing.  The images of a plush armchair, a stack of books, an elegant and comfortable luncheon al fresco remind me that everyday things can be made special and beautiful.

Sultry:  This is a balance to the intellectual.  The images of the window with lace curtains, the glowing amber lamp at dusk, and gold-lettered mailbox are all romantic.  They’re from another era and full of possibilities.

Realm of the Senses:  This is a balance to the cerebral, similar to above.  The images denote warmth, scents, burning wicks and reflected sparkling light.  A pile of pillows by an open window.  A tray with tea, a paper and small flowers.  All representing a savoring of moments.

Inspired:  This represents new experiences and openness.  The image is of a woman emerging from a shell.  (She might be retreating into the shell, but for my vision board she’s emerging.)

Instinctive Pleasure Life Enhancing Romantic Magical:  This speaks for itself.

Happiness.:  It’s the point of all the minutes in all the days that make up these trips around the sun.  And, the only punctuation I used on the board.

Your vision board

Over to you, beautiful people!  What’s on your vision board?

Don’t have one yet?  Go ahead, it might enhance your life.  And if not, it’s a fun exercise.  When’s the last time you played with construction paper?

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32 thoughts on “How to Create Your First Vision Board”

    1. It really does! I had fun making it and was surprised when I didn’t want to display it anywhere. Then I realized how much it reveals. That was really interesting.
      Has your vision board made any difference in your life?

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      1. Absolutely. And yeah I don’t display mine either, but I have it put away safe. By putting together the vision board, I “visualised” a few things that dominate my life, and that helps me identify it when I’m overthinking or overworrying about something.

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        1. I’m glad to hear it! It’s powerful when you let yourself get to the core of what you really want.
          I displayed mine even though I didn’t want to. Actually, because I didn’t want to made me do it. The maintenance guy had to come in again and he ended up looking at it while I was standing there. I was so self-conscious… that was really interesting. As you said, it reveals a lot about you.

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  2. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of a vision board before – it sounds like a neat idea, particularly like you suggested, if it’s created from scratch (and not just a copy from the world wide web).
    I noticed that punctuation on happiness, I think its bottom-right placement on the board is where it should be, the closing thought with the period.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. It is a neat idea and I’m glad I did it. I recommend it! Making one yourself is a lot more effective than taking a copy from the internet. I also recommend making it yourself without input from others. Choosing all the images and words, and then arranging them in a particular order makes it yours. That’s what makes it effective.
      I’m glad you noticed the punctuation on happiness and the placement. During the eliminating and arranging process I smiled when it became my conclusion.

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  4. J.

    I remember being encouraged to do one of these years ago. I started it, but never finished it… always kinda said I would go back to it, which in some ways sums up how I go about everything.

    Liked by 1 person

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      1. J.

        For sure. I can understand how they might motivate folks and give them a focus. I’ve never been the most focussed or organised fella… but there’s been a shift over the last few years.

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    2. Were you putting a lot of thought into it? It would be easy to carefully plan. I recommend doing it in one go instead, or each stage in one go. Get the magazines at once. Then tear out the pictures and words you like in one go. Then select your favorites in one go. Then place them on your board (construction paper) in one go. Just go with what you like and how you feel, following your instincts rather than analyzing. You can analyze after it’s done.
      That was my approach. When I was done I realized it represented the mindset I want to start my days. If I had planned that outcome beforehand, creating the board would have been a painstaking process. I probably would have searched for sunrises, teacups, maybe a meditation mantra, etc.

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. J.

        I was, yeah… I tend to overthink, which is why I end up dropping stuff with the intention of coming back to it (bigger job than expected, etc). But I’m good at improvising and going with the flow… and I can’t say I’m unhappy with that, either.

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  6. I have my youngest daughter who is really good at doing this annually!! Thanks for sharing yours which seems more emotional than goal oriented. I like yours more than setting goals. . . I prefer going forth in love and family while staying away from energy drains or having to work harder than I already do!

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    1. Annually is a popular way to do it! A new take on New Year’s resolutions.
      Thank you for your keen observation. Emotional is a good way to put it. Maybe ’emotional goals’? Going forth in love is a wonderful approach and staying away from energy drains is smart!

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. Thanks and sorry I missed your comment here back to me! Thanks for understanding my thoughts on your vision board, Danica. I like emotional goals, too. This New Year’s day, I should make one for 2018. It’ll come faster than we wish it would. Smiles, Robin 💐

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