Kevin Last weekend was Vision Board Day, and since that fell on a day I will seldom (if ever) post, let’s make today Belated Vision Board Day instead. Over the years, you may have heard of this as a thing people do, and today, we’re gonna talk about it.
One of the things that helped me in my own weight loss was to create a vision board. This started out on a bulletin board, and started out as a reflection of where and what I’d like to be when I get where I want in terms of my weight. I pinned a bunch of stuff to that board in 2016, before I even started losing the weight. That was the year I made an attempt, but the progress I made was small potatoes. I wanted to lose the weight, found stuff to serve as my inspiration, but the problem was, how? I had the what and the why, I was just missing the how in hindsight.
In the years that passed, I’d add more stuff on top of it, enough to where the whole thing’s taken on a life of its’ own. It’s morphed into a 3-D catch-all of papers, notes, missives, magazine cutouts, advertisements for companies that probably don’t even exist anymore, and lightweight souvenirs from Disney on Ice hanging on one of the tacks.
Yes, it’s a dumpster fire. That reminds me, I should really take some of that stuff down and move it elsewhere to clear up space for other things. No sense keeping it up if it’s no longer a reflection of who I am, after all.
But back to the vision board. I’ve heard it referred to as something to do with the law of attraction, however that’s where I disagree. I personally find the whole law of attraction concept inherently flawed, and to be honest, victim-blamey. The whole idea of a vision board the way I figure it is to provide a physical reminder of our goals, and the kind of people we hope to be when we meet those goals, within whatever time frame we decide on. I’ve made it part of my own self-care, and did even before I had the name to put to it, haha.
Wait. Hold up. How do I make one of these?
I thought you’d never ask. Let’s get started! First, let’s write down some goals and maybe some words, quotes, and phrases that come to mind when you think of those goals. Maybe this could also include a specific color palette that occurs to you too? What speaks to you? What do you associate with those goals? Let’s tease some stuff out so we get something to work with here.
Now let’s find some stuff that symbolizes said goals. It could be in that stack of old magazines, or if you’re doing it online, a quick Google search. Found it? Great, let’s move on to the next step.
The format and the medium. Is it gonna be in hard-copy, or are you going new-school and doing it online? I’ve mentioned that Pinterest used to be a place I frequented, and I’ve had entire boards dedicated to goals I wanted to meet. While Pinterest as a vision board worked great for things I didn’t have access to in hard-copy, I’ve felt more at home with the hard-copy approach instead. If you’re gonna kick it old-school like yours truly, make sure you decide on the layout first before you do anything permanent, if that’s something you’re planning on doing.
Onto the fun part: putting it all together. This could take awhile, depending on the size, and what you’re using for the medium. If it’s a bulletin board, then probably not that long. If it’s the cover of a notebook like what I’ve done for my blogging notebook, then yeah, it’ll be a bit more time-consuming. Maybe this could be something for a rainy day or a snow day? Just thought I’d throw that out there.
When you’re done, or reached a good enough stopping point, take a step back and admire that work. It’s always fun to see the reminder and the inspiration to stay on track, isn’t it? Whatever approach to vision boards you decide on, make sure it’s in a place where it’s visible to you on a regular basis.
But what if I have several goals I’d like to work towards?
Glad you asked. Why not make one for each of those? Who says you have to limit yourself to just one vision board anyway? It’ll be a great way to center yourself, use up those old art supplies and old magazines you haven’t really cared about since the Obama administration.
As an example, I’ve made my plain notebook covers into collages for years, and decided that was what I was gonna do for my blogging notebook, at least the first volume of it, anyway. This way, my blogging inspiration is there in front of me as a daily reminder. The best part is, I can take it with me if I bring it along. Pro tip: if you use a notebook cover as a vision board medium, always make sure you use some clear tape to secure it and safeguard it from the normal wear and tear.
Over to you, readers. Have you tried a vision board before? Have you made one recently? Do you have plans for making one sometime soon related to your current goals? Sound off below, and if you’d like, show yours off. But only if you want to. No pressure.
