How to Make a Vision Board to Discover What You Want

What do you want?

How many times are you asked this question? For example, it could be referring to what you want to eat, wear, vacation, watch on TV, what you want to do, or who you want to be. Undeniably, this list could go on and on, however, my curiosity wants to know if you really know what you want? Many times, our wants and desires get buried under expectations, obligations, stress, negative beliefs and everyday tasks for work or at home. A vision board is a fun tool that can be used to discover what you want!

It can be hard to know what you want; a vision board can help!

If you are a caregiver by nature, profession, or as a parent, it may be hard to know what you want for yourself. Specifically, you don’t know about yourself because you are so well versed in knowing what everyone else wants. Further, it can be hard to admit to yourself or speak up to others about what you want because it may not feel or seem possible.  Maybe it feels safer to keep your true desires a secret. Perhaps you are a dreamer and someone once told you, “You’re too idealistic; that’s not reality.” Regardless of the reason why you may not know what you want, there are ways to get to know your wants and desires. Creating a vision board is one way to help discover what you want. Over time you begin to see the magic of visualization come to life.

The truth is, it’s hard to get what you want when you really don’t know what that looks like.

Vision board as an effective tool

A vision board is a creative way to set intentions combining your visual sense and your deeper intuitive knowing. A vision board, also referred to as an action board, is quite literally a board of images and words. Once completed the board is placed in your line of vision to gaze upon often. Vision boards have been used in counseling and business with success.

A vision board can be a way to identify and pursue goals related to many facets of life. This could include financial, home, life, relationships, experiences, situations, values, career aspirations, educational pursuits, health and wellness. Just as the imagination is limitless, so is what you can include on your personal vision board. In addition, the process can be fun and engages imagination, creativity and intuition.

Making a vision board – Step one.

Step one is to set your intention for making the vision board. The most basic intention could sound like this, I am open to discovering what I want and desire in my life, work, relationships, ect. Using the ideas above, your vision board could be very specific. For example, your board can be all about work goals, aspirations, what you want to accomplish. It can solely focus on your career. Equally, your board could focus on health and well-being. The images for this board may incorporate sleep, nutrition, spirituality, movement, and stress management. My vision boards tend to be less specific. I included several different areas of life with a few items for each section. There are often categories for work, travel, general values, and healing.

Creativity is important to balance out the hard things in life. You don’t have to resonate with being a creative person in order to create a vision board. All you need is an open mind.

Vision board prep questions

Here are some vision board prep questions to help you explore your wants, desires, values and goals:

• What really matters to you?
• What gives you meaning and purpose?
• Who do you want to be, what qualities identify that version of yourself?
• Who do you want to help?
• How do you want to spend your time?
• What do you want and why do you want it?
• Does what you want have to do with your childhood or past experiences?
• Does it have to do with your personality?
• How does knowing what you want or not knowing make you feel?
• Do you any unexpressed dreams in life?

Making a vision board- step two.

Step two, gather magazines, brochures, travel pamphlets, anything in print that you can cut images and words out of. If you know a specific aspect of your life that you what you want to focus on, that’s great! Start flipping through the magazines looking for the pictures and phrases that fit into the category or theme you are set on bringing forth in your life.

If you do not know where to start, a vision board is a great way to let your inner knowing lead the way. In this case, simply flip through magazines and cut out the images or words that stand out to you or jump off the page. You do not need to know why you clipped them or what it means. In addition, trust that you noticed because of something deeper, below your conscious awareness, and go with it. As an illustration, it’s like you are planting an unknown seed that will grow into something beautiful. Over time, what you put on your vision board may come to life in an unexpected, yet beautiful way.

My 7-year old daughter recently was looking very closely at one of my vision boards. She asked, “Mom, why did you put this picture on here?” I replied, “I don’t know, some part of me really liked it, so I cut it out and put it on there.” She smiled. Try to have fun with this and allow whatever unfolds to be there without your thinking mind questioning the why behind it!

Making a vision board- Step three.

Step three, glue your images, words, phrases to the board. I like to use the trifold boards, cutting off the side wings, using each piece separately, creating different size boards. Likewise, a foam board that stands up on its own also works well. Feel free to arrange your clippings however you want. I tend to use the four corners as different themes and the middle for places I’d like to go. That way I see the images of my favorite destinations often! At this point, you can use stickers or other embellishments to personalize to your liking. Lastly, I recommend putting a date on your board somewhere on the front or back.

Making a vision board- Step four.

Step four, place your completed vision board somewhere that you will see it often. Mine are resting against the wall in my bedroom. It is important that you look at the completed board daily if possible. Psychologists have found that images connect us more immediately and emotionally to our personal goals, which correlates to setting and achieving those goals. At the same time, looking at the images and words also keeps your goals in the forefront of your mind. This prevents the things that really matter from being placed on a backburner behind all the everyday life tasks.

Be rest assured that the pictures and words on your vision board are what you want. Therefore, they will be by default things that evoke GOOD feelings like excitement, wonder, joy, and happiness. See if you can imagine the sounds, smells, and sights associated with your particular vision. There is power in aligning the vision of what you want within the mind and body. When you make something clear and concrete in your mind and body, it feels more real and attainable. Then, you really start to believe in the power of making it happen.

Does it really work?

Only you can answer this question! A vision board is a creative tool that provides a visual display of your wants and desires, goals and aspirations. Unfortunately, these are often hiding under expectations and responsibilities. It’s a way to visually set intentions for your life, trusting the answers to what you really want are within you. In fact, if it is hard to “see” what is possible or speak about what you want, a vision board allows you to look within and discover unexpressed wants. Then, on the board you see a visual representation of what you find without talking about it with anyone! Of course, you can share what you find if you want to. However, a vision board can also be a private endeavor of self-exploration.

My vision board experience

For me, I find vision boards to be a great tool. At first, I was resistant, but with some encouragement from a dear friend, I took the challenge. Consequently, there are now have 4 boards that line by bedroom wall. My vision board process is flipping through magazines and pulling images, words, affirmations that strike me. Like I mentioned above, I have categories. I let my intuition lead to fill the categories with images and words.

Looking back on the first board from 5 years ago, I can see how the words and many of the pictures have absolutely come to life. Many times, in ways I didn’t exactly plan for. The intention was planted, the vision was placed on the board and that alone gave the space for life to unfold the way it was intended for my own personal growth. In truth, there are things, like the image of Alaska, that I am still waiting to see in real life! In reality, I know that some things may not show up at all and others show up a little sideways or adjacent to what I had imagined but positive, nonetheless.

Conclusion

The truth is, when you are out of alignment with your personal values, wants, and desires life feels unfulfilling. Conversely, when you align your personal values with your goals you have the sense of satisfaction and well-being. As I have shown, making a vision board and gazing on it often is one tool that can help envision more of what you want, paving the way for it to show up, leading to more satisfaction and well-being.