How to Make a Vision Board that Really Works

So you want to make a vision board, but not sure where to start? Here is a simple 7-step guide to making the vision board of your dreams:

Step 1: Understanding How a Vision Board Works

When getting started on your vision board, it’s important to understand how they work.

Vision boards work through the power of visualization.

Seeing your vision board is a constant visual reminder of what you really want from life, the goals you have set for yourself, and the things you can do to achieve them. The more often you see these images, the more they become ingrained in your subconscious mind.

Visualization helps you maintain focus. It keeps you motivated. It builds self-confidence. It reduces anxiety surrounding the bigger dreams that might seem a little intimidating at first.

Step 2: Setting Your Goals and Intentions

Grab a pen and paper. Start writing down what it is you really want to achieve. These are your goals, focuses, and intentions. They can be big or small, long-term or short-term. They can center around one central theme or can cover several areas of your life. Your vision board is a personal tool, and there's no one-size-fits-all approach. It's a reflection of your dreams, desires, and the direction you want your life to take.

If you are stuck, here are some areas to consider:

• Financial goals
• Relationships
• Physical and mental health
• Family
• Happiness
• Spirituality
• Career and education
• Travel
• Personal development
• Lifestyle
• Habits and routines

Step 3: Action Items

What is a vision board action item? While a vision board is a visual representation of your goals and desires, including action items adds a practical and actionable dimension to the process. Action items help you outline the steps you need to take to manifest your vision. These steps should be specific, measurable, and achievable. 

Here are a few examples:

• You want to buy your first home. Your action items might be: research different locations you may want to move to, save money for a down payment, get pre-qualified for a home loan.
• You have a goal to lose weight. Action items could include: join a gym, cut junk food from your diet, and/or go for daily walks.
• Your goal is to travel to Paris. Possible action items: start Paris fund and deposit money every paycheck, get your passport, and/or plan your itinerary.
• You want to focus on spending more quality time with family. Action items might include: weekly Sunday dinners, more family vacations, and/or monthly game nights.

Decide on some action items to support your goals and focuses. Putting them on your vision board reminds you of the actions you committed to. Completing the action items brings you closer to your goals, keeps you motivated, and gets you excited to achieve more!

Step 4: Inspirational quotes and affirmations

To increase the power of your vision board, be sure to include some powerful words that inspire and motivate you.

Find an inspirational quote that excites you and put it on your vision board.

Or add some affirmations to remind yourself every day how amazing you really are! What is an affirmation? It is a short phrase you can repeat to reinforce or change the way you feel. Affirmations are usually directed toward how you feel about yourself. Positive affirmations are used to build self-confidence, reduce stress, deflect negative thinking, and can be very motivating. Ex: I am powerful. I can do anything I set my mind to. I am capable of amazing things.

Check out some of our favorite inspirational quotes and affirmations here.

 

Step 5: Images that excite you

Find images that are inspiring and trigger an emotional response. The more powerful your images are, the more powerful your vision board will be! 

Use images that represent your goals and the action items that support them. For example: if one of your goals is a trip to Paris and an action item is to get your passport, you might use a picture of the Eiffel Tower as well as a picture of a passport.

There are several great free image resources available. Our favorites are Unsplash.com and Pixabay.com.

Step 6: Put it all together

Now you're going to put it all together! There are a few different ways to do this:

Step 7: Place your vision board where you will see it often

Your vision board will be most effective if you look at it often! You should hang it somewhere you will see it all the time. It could be in your home or work office, wherever you drink your morning coffee, in your bedroom where you will see it first thing in the morning and last thing at night. You may take a picture of your board and use it as the wallpaper on your phone or desktop.

The key is that you want to look at it often so the power of visualization can do it's thing!

 

Next steps

Ok, you have built an amazing vision board and designed the life of your dreams. It is beautiful. It is powerful. It is inspiring. Now what?

Stay focused on the action items you have committed to. 

Celebrate every small success that brings you closer to your goals, and don't sweat it if you backslide a bit (this can happen to anyone).

Enjoy the clarity, positivity, and confidence that your vision board inspires.

Be your most amazing you, and live the life of your dreams!