Making a vision board is more than putting down a bunch of items that interest you. The pieces you put on your board reflect the goal or dream you are attempting to achieve. You need your board to create an emotional response when you view it. Let’s look at how to make a vision board.
Steps
1. Before.
Before you start, you need to be mindful of your creation process and how you feel during it. You are not here to judge yourself. Do not compare yourself to others. ANYONE can create a vision board.
- If you give up, it might be an indication that you don’t know what you want.
- If you want your board to be perfect, is this an indication that you’re using this excuse to stop yourself from achieving your dreams?
- If your desire is too big and you begin to panic, break it down into smaller, more achievable goals.
Observe what you do and why you do it. You may be surprised at what you find.
2. Brainstorm.
Start by making a list of your goals. This may be short- or long-term. What do you want to accomplish? What have you always wanted to do? Remember, this is your dream life. Here’s are a few areas where you might want to set goals:
- Attract people to you
- Become famous
- Bucket list
- Business
- Career
- Express gratitude
- Financial freedom
- Gain prestige
- Give service
- Health
- Inspiration
- Motivation
- Personal growth (learning or spiritual)
- Recreational pursuits
- Relationships
- Travel
Check out the Enrichment Project printable, Vision Board Goals for a place to start.
3. Goals.
You want your vision board to reflect your passion and purpose. It should be personal to you and positive. You want to narrow your brainstorm list to those goals that are most important to you. Arrange them from the most important to the least.
Now, take a serious look. Do you want to make one board for everything or do you want to make smaller boards for each goal you have? You’re using the board to focus your energy. Some people believe that too much on a board is chaotic and brings chaos into your life as you try to focus on too many things. Are your top goals important enough for a single board?
Materials
4. Basics.
You’re going to need the basics. Scissors, glue, push pins, tape, backing papers, markers, pens, and other tools that you’re going to use. If you want to include items you’ve punched, include the punch and paper. Adding paint? What about your favorite fabric? Look at the resources available to you and adjust accordingly.
NOTE: Be sure you have enough. When I put together my first vision board, I thought there was no way I’d go through an entire box of push pins. I ended up going back to the store. By the time I was done, I used over two boxes.
5. Bases.
We’ve been discussing boards. Most vision boards are made on poster boards. You can also use sturdy file folders, a canvas, cork board, bulletin board, blank book, ceiling tiles, etc. Select the one that you feel will fit the list you developed and how you want to present it.
6. Images.
Gather magazines and newspapers for images. These should symbolize the feelings, experience, items or ideas you want in your life. Including pictures of yourself, even if you cut out a picture and glue it over another, puts you into your vision of the future.
You do not have to be exact. You might have a goal to get a larger home. You don’t need the photo of the exact home you want. Instead, find one that’s similar.
You might choose people who are dressed in a business suit for success. You might have pictures from Paris because you always wanted to travel there. Photos of a friend you’ve lost touch with can remind you to rekindle the friendship. Choose the images that speak to you. Cut out the images that fit with your goals and collect them for your board.
7. Words.
You can use words you find or create your own. This might include quotes from someone you admire, a list, or a single power word that evokes emotion. In the Enrichment Project badge program “Vision Board Printables,” you’ll find some words and phrases you can print and use.
I like using the word “choose” by itself. I often take too long to decide to do something and lose opportunities. This is my reminder that either I make a choice or others make it for me.
8. Embellishments.
I don’t like a flat board. You may want to add color or texture to your board. My current board has a metal snowflake ornament with the saying “Believe all is possible”, sparkly butterflies, a zendoodled business card and more. They have meaning to me.
You can add embellishments such as stickers and push pins that are flat, but still change the look of your board. Paper clips can be decorated and items attached with those. Choose elements that fit with your goals, give you reminders, fit your color scheme, or just that you enjoy.
9. Edit.
At this point, you should have a huge pile of “stuff.” All of it isn’t going to fit your board. Choose those items that have the most impact in regards to your goal and put the rest aside for other projects.
10. Assemble twice.
For your first assembly, you’re layering items in your collage without actually attaching anything. You want to make sure you are happy with how it looks before attaching anything to your base. This is your time to change your mind, perhaps exchange out a photo or word, add a different colored embellishment, etc.
When you’re happy with how it looks, glue or pin the elements where you want them.
11. Grow.
Leaving some extra room to grow is a good idea in case you find something you really want to add later. You can leave an area empty or just have a loose collage with white space round your elements. In addition, you may find that an item that spoke to you before no longer does so. In this case, remove it from your board (or cover it if you’re gluing everything down). Just as you grown and change over time, your board may need to change as well . . . especially if you’re working on large or intricate goals.
Supplements
SUPP_VB Basics_2in_12up_larajla
- Avery 2.5” round label printable, 12 up
SUPP_VB Basics_Checklist_larajla
- Badge checklist
SUPP_Printable_VB Brainstorm_larajla
- Printable: Vision Board Goals worksheet
Check out the Enrichment Project badge program “Vision Board Printables” for additional items you can use for this badge program.
Sites to Explore
- www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-rider/the-scientific-reason-why_b_6392274.html
- christieinge.com/9-steps-for-creating-a-vision-board-that-actually-works
- www.makeavisionboard.com
- www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Vision-Board
- www.wellandgood.com/good-advice/how-create-a-vision-board-meet-career-goals
- secretsofthelawofattraction.org/vision-board/how-to-make-a-vision-board
- www.614mom.com/blog/visionboards
- www.healthyway.com/content/how-to-create-a-vision-board-to-achieve-your-goals
Get the infographic here > larajla blog post
Get the PDFs of the badge program / supplements here > Full badge PDFs