There's one thing I left out of my new year post when I spoke about setting goals and planning for the year. I wanted to test the waters first before writing about it. So I’ll let you in on it today because it works (not just for me): vision boarding.
Vision boarding is a technique that involves creating a visual representation of your goals and aspirations in order to help you clarify what you want to achieve and motivate you to work towards achieving it. -Udreamr.
A vision board can include a combination of images and words or either of them.
I've heard about vision boarding a couple of times but I didn't really consider it until November and December 2022. The first instance was at an event I helped organise and the second was at work. So I finally decided to create a vision board for 2023.
However, I didn't know what to include in my vision board because I didn't think having pictures plastered on a board was going to work for me. So I was thinking about doing just words on a virtual board but would that even be considered a vision board? - I didn't know. I should have just Googled it or even asked ChatGPT and Bard.
Anyway, somewhere in December I saw a friend's vision board on Instagram and it had words and a picture or two. So it validated what I thought.
Side note: I wanted to give you proof that vision boarding works but not just from me, so I spoke to my friend (whose vision board I saw) - Priscilla - and she shared her experience. Keep reading to see what she shared - It's a must-read, I promise; so insightful!
Back to my story...I hesitated to create the vision board but finally decided on it. I wanted to give it a try and see how it goes. So I visited Canva - my go-to design app - and created my only words vision board using the goals I set in Notion. Afterward, I used it as the background image on my PC. I use my PC every blessed day so I always see my vision board. I don’t always spend time looking at it but once in a while I intentionally pause to see what I have on there. And it nudges me that I have to work towards this and that.
It's been 6 months - almost 7 - and I can say without a doubt that vision boarding works. I've heard others like Priscilla say it and I'm experiencing it too.
I’ve made a vision board 2x. Last year and this year. It’s been helpful seeing it every morning. It creates the consciousness that there’s something to work towards. -Priscilla
During my partial reflection (I still haven't sat down to do a complete one) for the first half of the year, I realized I had done some of the things on my vision board.
For some, I actually planned, but there were some things that came up along the way that I had to urgently do - and when I checked my vision board, these things were actually there. It just really makes me happy, so I think vision boarding will always be part of my goal setting and planning "weapons".
According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, "Individuals who created vision boards reported greater progress towards achieving their goals compared to those who did not use this technique (Emmons & King, 1988)" -Udreamr
I can't tell how you're going about the second half (H2) of the year but I hope you consider vision boarding or simply writing down how you want this half of the year to go. It's not too late; we're just almost ending the first month in H2 so you can create your vision board for the next 5 months. You can follow my simple 5-step guide to create yours.
How to create a vision board in 5 simple steps
Open the Notes app (or any documenting app) on your phone/PC and write down what you want to achieve (you don't necessarily need to figure out the tiny details yet).
Visit Pinterest and look for vision boards for inspiration.
Sign in or create a free account on Canva or Miro (suggesting these two because they're easy to use).
Create your vision board from scratch based on the inspiration you got from Pinterest. Or customise any of the free templates provided by the design tool you choose.
Download your vision board as an image and place it where you can easily see it daily. You can also print it and have it on your wall.
Note: If you don't want to do an e-vision board, you're free to buy a card or any durable paper and design your vision board (like the one I saw on Twitter). There are no strict rules to creating a vision board you love.
With Priscilla on vision boarding...
This section wasn't originally part but then I thought: Why not speak to someone who has tried vision boarding? After all, you said you're giving proof.
So I texted Priscilla knowing she uses vision boards and she agreed to do it. Thank you so much Pris! I asked 3 main questions and gave room for others...and what you see below is what she said. I've already picked my takeaways and I hope you do too.
I’ve made a vision board 2x. Last year and this year. It’s been helpful seeing it every morning. It creates the consciousness that there’s something to work towards. Over time, I’ve sought to include affirmations that have nothing to do with my goals. This has been helpful on not so good days. A reminder that goals achieved or not, I am enough just as I am.
I try not to make it too clumsy. I have inspiration from the internet but I’ve also learned that your vision is unique to you. Add what you want, not what “needs” to be there.
It was really helpful last year because I created a plan to achieve it. Vision board without goals and systems is just dreams. Every quarter I made sure to review my progress. I didn’t have a plan for everything. But for most, I had a plan. And by God’s grace, in 2022, I ticked everything off and had some extras.
Fin.
Feel free to share your experience here with me if you try vision boarding. I'd be thrilled to read about it!
Before you go...I found a short and insightful article on The Science Behind Vision Boards and the Law of Attraction. Read it here.
I wish you a super amazing second half of 2023! Go set goals and smash them!
Love,
D.
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