When you think of goal-setting, you probably think of sitting down with a pen and paper and writing down a list of resolutions.
You might even use an approach for the process many of us have been taught called the SMART method to put some “meat” behind your goals to make them actionable and more attainable. If so, good for you!
I don’t know about you, but over the last couple of years with the pandemic and lock-downs and all the uncertainty that came along with it, I found the thought of planning my year less than inviting.
It took an emotional bandwidth that I just didn’t seem to have.
You know what I mean?
Well, that was the old way.
Luckily, I have more fun and inspirational tools to play with — and so do you!
The Goal Plan That Isn’t
Maybe you want to spend more time with your kids as they’re growing up, or have enough money to finally take that vacation to Europe. What about that house in the country you’ve always dreamed of owning, or the sporty little red car that’s been calling your name? Or maybe you dream of starting your own business or planning your retirement.
When you’re writing down a list of goals or resolutions, you might have an image in your head of what that looks like.
But that’s just it – it’s in your head. It’s not in that written list.
More importantly, having an image, a really clear vision that you can almost touch and feel in your mind, is critical to your long-term sense of inner fulfillment. Without it, it’s nearly impossible to remain focused and on track when it comes to personal and career growth. But if you have some visual reminders, it’s easy-er!
What if you could combine the process of creating a written plan for your life and your career or business in 2023 with fun, colorful photos and inspirational quotes and phrases instead? What would that do for your daily motivation?
Well, that’s exactly what a vision board planning session can do for you.
With images that represent your dreams and aspirations, you’ll have a constant reminder of where it is you’re going – and why you wanted it all in the first place.
Why Vision Boards Work
Did you know that some of the most successful people in the world routinely use vision boards to help clarify their dreams and keep their goals front of mind?
Talk to any group of successful women, and inevitably you’ll find that at least one third or more attribute the start of their success to the early creation of vision boards. The list includes: Katy Perry, Ellen DeGeneres (who dreamed of being on the cover of Oprah magazine – and eventually was!), and Spanx Creator Sara Blakely.
Vision boards help you focus by giving concrete form to your ambitions and dreams. And that’s precisely why vision boards work so well. They allow you to easily see exactly what it is you’re working toward, whether it’s a new job, or a big, beautiful home, or an exotic vacation or even your retirement.
By keeping visual reminders in sight, you’re constantly aware of your “why,” and that’s a powerful motivator, no matter what you’re trying to manifest in your life.
When it comes to clarifying your dreams, pinpointing your real goals, and getting excited about your life, career or business again, you just can’t beat a personal, colorful vision board.
Use these basic guidelines to create this tool for yourself:
1. A vision board begins with a foundation.
This may be a poster board, foam board, tri-fold board, or cork board. The last one I created fit right in my paper planner. You can even create a digital version, although I would recommend starting with a physical format and then create a visual of that to keep handy on your desktop or smartphone. Use what works best for you. Choose a foundation that speaks to you, one that you feel you can easily and effectively build upon.
2. A vision board includes imagery.
You can clip pictures out of books, magazines, or the newspaper. If you prefer, you can draw the images yourself. What matters here is that images are present, because your vision board needs to be visual in nature. Seeing pictures of your priorities, dreams, and goals will help you focus on them.
Allow yourself to experiment with different mediums while creating the images for your vision board. Find photographs, sketches, clip art and other images; then draw any subjects for which you can’t find an appropriate piece of art.
3. A vision board includes writing.
Writing isn’t mandatory, but it can play a role in identifying the key pieces of information. You want to make sure that you can look at your vision board at any point in the future and know exactly what you intended by each picture, word or thought included on it.
Your vision board is limited only by the extent of your personal creativity. It may be simple and strategic or it may be a highly detailed work of art. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what best suits your needs.
Give it a try. You might just surprise yourself!
If all of this is intriguing to you (maybe you’ve even created a vision board in the past), but are finding it hard to get started or really like the idea of doing this as part of a group of other kindred spirits, I’m here to help. I’ve even crafted a program that assists you with all of these steps. I’ll be sharing that soon. So stay tuned!
In my next installment, I’m going to explore with you the 3 biggest causes for feeling “stuck” in life (and how to move through it).
With good energy,
Debra Wilson Guttas, HTP, Evolutionary Astrologer, Author and Soulful Life Sherpa™
“Inspiring you to live your best life by tuning into the wisdom of your inner and outer cosmos – through inner reflection journaling, mindfulness, meditation, yoga and the magic of the Moon and her cycles.”
