Vision boards — what’s the big deal with them anyway? They sound more like a fun kid’s craft, not a big-girl business tool. But that thinking would be wrong.
A vision board is a visual representation of your desires, dreams, and aspirations for your life.
So, why do one?
Visualization is one of the most powerful mind exercises you can do. And it works.
Olympic athletes have been using it for decades to improve performance, and research indicates that the brain patterns activated when a weightlifter lifts heavy weights are also similarly activated when the lifter simply visualizes lifting weights.
Isn’t Visualization Enough?
So why have a vision board if all you have to do is imagine your life a certain way?
Our minds take in so much info each day that if we don’t have our goals front and center, they’ll get lost in the shuffle. When you create a vision board and place it where you see it often, you essentially end up doing short visualization exercises throughout the day.
There’s no right or wrong way to make a vision board. It could be a corkboard in your office, a collection of images on your bathroom mirror, or even a Pinterest board. Here are four tips for creating a vision board with some simple supplies.
4 Steps Toward Creating a Vision Board That Works
1. Define your goals.
Think ahead 12 months. What do you want to have accomplished by then? Do you want to lose weight? Go on a cruise? Learn a new language? A vision board makes you document what your goals look like so they’re no longer abstract ideas.
2. Gather your supplies, and find a space to create your vision board.
The supplies you need may vary, but a good start includes:
- Magazines or photos that can be cut up.
- Poster board (or anything to attach images to).
- Glue, clips, or pins to affix the images.
- Markers, pens, and paint.
- Scissors.
Next, find a comfy, private place where you have room to spread out your supplies. Turn on some music, light a candle, relax, and let yourself have some fun! Look through your images, and if anything resonates with you, cut it out. If you need more inspiration, you can print images, draw your own, or simply write things down with colored markers or paper. The only rule with vision boards is there are no rules!
3. Start pasting away.
Go back through the images you’ve compiled, and pay attention to the ones that make you feel good. If you’re trying to lose weight and a stick-thin model you’ve cut out makes you feel like anything other than the beauty you are, toss it. Only keep images or words that evoke a sense of positive well-being, and start adding those to your board. You want to be able to look at your vision board and feel motivated and excited for your future! Once you’re done, place your vision board where you’ll see it frequently.
4. Take action, and pay attention.
Now that you’ve made your vision board and displayed it proudly, be sure to take action by putting plans in place to achieve your goals, either by writing them down or utilizing the IsaLife™ Success Plan. Pay attention to what manifests in your life. A powerful technique is to keep a journal where you can write down your thoughts and make note of any signs that you’re moving toward your dreams.
