Your first question might be, "What is a vision board, and why should I make one?" Have you ever cut out a photo of something you wanted from a magazine and taped it to your wall? You may not have realized it at the time, but you were creating the start of a vision board. A vision or dream board is a visual compilation of your goals and everything that you want to have, experience, or create in your life. These boards can also be more specific to a certain area of your life such as your career or travel.
Now we know what they are, but why should we make one? What we focus on, we create. Creating a vision board and looking at it every day supports our unconscious attraction of what we desire. If you don't buy into the law of attraction or visualizations, think about it this way: hanging your goals front and center keeps them in the forefront of your mind and actions.
A note to all of you Pinterest lovers, myself included: Pinterest is an absolutely incredible tool and search engine. However, it does not replace a vision/dream board, but rather partners with it as a mobile board(s).
Step 1: Gather your materials
You will need a colored poster board, glue stick, scissors, and a variety of magazines. Pick a color that makes you happy to look at. I have created vision boards on lots of different colored boards, and currently, my vision board is on a neon yellow background. The bright color peeking around the pictures adds a pop of fun. You probably have magazines around your house that you enjoy going through. If not, your local grocery store will have a nice selection. Choose magazines with content that aligns with what you want to create. For example, I love traveling, fitness, and business, so I chose travel magazines like Condé Nast Traveler, Afar, Cosmopolitan, Women's Health, Forbes, and Entrepreneur.
Step 2: Lay everything out
You've chosen your poster board and magazines. Now it's time to clear off a space on a dining or coffee table or the floor. Lay your poster board out and think about any sections or specific pictures or phrases that you want to include so that they jump out at you when you see them. Flip through your chosen magazines and start cutting out images. I like to place the images on the board as I cut them out. This makes it easy to see how much space is left and I enjoy moving the images around until they look right. Once the board is covered and everything is arranged the way you like it, take a photo of the board so you can refer to it as you glue everything down.
Tip: Include both words and photos, but lean more heavily on photos. A picture is worth a thousand words after all. When you look at your board, you want to feel everything that these collective images convey, these are some of your greatest desires. When a vision board has too many words, you have to take the time to read them versus seeing a photo and knowing what it means to you. Choose the words and phrases you include carefully and spread them out.
Step 3: Glue!
There are two different methods for gluing everything down. The first is to take the images off in sections and glue them down in layers. The only issue with this is that, as a collage, this section may be intertwined with others and it can be difficult to get the layering correct. The other method is to take all of the top layers off and glue down only the images that are on the bottom and not overlapping any others. As long as you take photos of the board before you start moving images and layers, this is the best way to ensure your before photo looks like your after photo. Keep referring back to your before photo and go slow. This isn't a race, it's a marathon.
Step 4: Hang up your masterpiece
Find a space, ideally where you will see it every single day, like your office or the wall across from your bed, and affix it at an easy-to-see height. Great job! You created your very own vision board! Now, when you look at your board every day, take time to view each part and theme and smile knowing that as you do your work you are manifesting these dreams.
Post a photo of your vision board and tag me so I can see your creations! @sageadvice_creativegroup
I remember when you were 5 years old and you took a picture of a cat and pasted it on my vision board. It was such a sweet surprise to see it and the next thing we all knew - you had your first kitty! I would love to hear your version of the story!