In today’s post we’ll chat thru…

① What a vision board is + isn’t.
② How I make a VISION BOARD that helps me make PROGRESS.
③ 3 PRO TIPS to ensure it won’t collect DUST

LET’S DIVE IN. 🖤

I just got done hosting my first ever VIRTUAL VISION WORKSHOP (and side note…if you missed it you can still get access to it HERE)…but full disclosure…I’ve been a vision board girl for a long time. One of my fave things about this time of year is the freshness of a clean slate…of a full chapter ahead of us. And because I love that feeling so much, I never want it to wear off. I want to keep my goals and dreams at the forefront of my mind all year long. When I do that…I see the most fruit. And a vision board is exactly how I keep my goals + dreams in check.

The first board I made was back in 2017 and I remember sitting with magazines, glue, and a blank piece of card stock…ready to let the words + images I desired my life to look like manifest their way into my reality. I glued words + phrases like “pray,” “home owner,” and “live healthy” to remind myself of what I was working towards and who I desired to be. And I had images of a woman traveling, Joanna Gaines (bc #goals, right?!), and women holding hands in collaboration + community to inspire me into action. Ever since then, I’ve made new vision boards each year and continue to get better and better at making them in such a way that they don’t collect dust, but rather become a source of inspiration for my best + highest self.

SNAG YOUR VISION BOARD TEMPLATE HERE

SO What IS a Vision Board?

I want to note that vision boards get a bad rap for being a little woo woo, I mean…that’s what I thought for a long time. But I think that’s because we approach them all wrong. So first, let’s talk about what a vision board ISN’T.

A VISION BOARD ISN’T:

a magic wand or pill: a vision board is a powerful tool, but it's not a quick fix…your vision will always require commitment, effort, and action on your part.

just a pretty collage: while a vision board is typically visually appealing, it's more than just a pretty collage. it's a representation of the goals + dreams that are on your heart, designed to keep you focused and motivated.
a one and done thing: creating a vision board isn't a one-and-done task…it's an ongoing process that evolves with your goals and aspirations. regular check ins and updates are essential for its effectiveness.
only about monetary wealth or possessions: while material goals can certainly be part of your vision, a vision board isn't solely about acquiring more money or possessions. it should encompass various areas of your life, including personal growth + values, relationships, and wellness.
a substitute for doing the dang thing: a vision board is a tool to inspire action, but it can't replace the actual effort needed to achieve your goals. you can’t just wish for things, you have to put in the work.
set in stone: your vision board is a tool, not a trap so it should be flexible and adaptable to changes in your life.
only for long term, far away dreams: while vision boards are excellent for long-term goals, they can also be effective for short-term objectives. It's a versatile tool that can be tailored to various timelines.

What IS a vision board?! Simply put…

A vision board is a visual tool that can help you bridge the gap of where you are and where you desire to be.

Most people wake up and live life casually without ever really thinking about what it is they truly DESIRE to DO and who they desire to BE along the way. It's easy to lose sight of our goals + dreams when we live this way. Enter the vision board - a tool to keep your vision at the forefront of your mind + actions.

A vision board is a collage of images, affirmations, and words that represent your dreams and desires. You can create it for the short term or the long term or even a mixture of both and it can serve as a constant visual reminder of what you want to achieve. When used properly, it can help you stay focused on the actions you need to take to bridge the gap to your desired destination.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR BOARD:

① REFLECT ON YOUR GOALS:

Before diving into the creative process, I find it helpful to take a moment to reflect on my journey and the goals I have.

A few questions you can ask yourself:

What do you want to achieve or do in 2024? Think personal growth, finances/generosity, career + education/prof development, memories + travel + fun, spirituality + faith, relationships + family, and health + wellness.
What are the core values that drive you or what would you like to embody?
What does success look and feel like?

Putting pen to paper is really helpful to start with because then you can seek out images and phrases that align with your answers.

② CHOOSE HOW YOU WANT TO MAKE IT:

For many years I made my boards with magazine cutouts, scissors, glue and card stock. Last year I found a really helpful tool on Amazon - vision board workbooks that had preset images and words so I didn’t have to find random magazines and hope they had the kinds of things I was looking for. I highly recommend going this route if you’re making a physical board.

This year I decided to go a digital route and use the website Canva to help. I have to say that I’m in LOVE and I’ll talk more about why later…but I anticipate this is going to be my GO TO process in coming years.

③ SET ASIDE TIME + GATHER YOUR MATERIALS + GET GOING:

Just like anything else that matters…making a vision board won’t happen if you don’t PLAN for it. I love to plan a vision board party every December for myself, but this would be fun to do with a bunch of girlfriends, too. So figure out a chunk of time to be able to sit and focus.

As far as materials, if you're creating a physical board, collect magazines or workbooks like this on on Amazon, scissors, glue, and sturdy board or card stock. I like to grab the square ones from Michael’s like you’d use for a scrapbook. If you are going the magazine route, be sure to choose magazines that align with your interests and goals. And then for a digital board, ensure you have access to relevant images online or your own photos if applicable. And also make sure you have a login for www.canva.com (I pay for the pro account bc I use it all the time for my business). This is by FAR the easiest website to make a vision boar bc they provide so many free images for you to pick from.

SIDE NOTE…YOU CAN SNAG MY VISION BOARD TEMPLATE FOR CANVA HERE 👇🏼

2024 VISION BOARD TEMPLATE

The rest of these steps are going to mimic how I made my board via Canva this year (and I’m OBSESSED), so feel free to adapt to whatever works for you or follow exactly as I did.

④ PICK A WORD OR PHRASE FOR THE YEAR:

Every year I pick a WORD or PHRASE for the year that helps guide me. It’s something that reflects where I’m headed, what I’ve been struggling with, or how I want to feel anchored and focused in the coming year.

Some words/phrases I’ve picked include:

2017 - SHOW UP

2018 - ACHIEVE

2019 - YOU CHOOSE

2020 - SURRENDER

2021 - MAKE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

2022 - ***real talk…i didn’t pick a word or phrase this year bc tbh…I was in a super discouraged and low place

2023 - CREATE

2024 - FOCUS

When I made my board for 2023 I started with my word and I really love how that helped me stay grounded when setting goals and picking images for the board. For every phrase or word 2017 - 2021 I basically picked my word to start the year and then forgot about it. Once I decided to place the word on my board a few years ago, it really transformed everything bc the word became a PART of my day to day living.

Picking a word can sometimes be challenging so I encourage you to consider any words that embody how you want to show up or what you feel your spirit needs in the coming year. I typically spend some time praying + meditating on this as the year winds down.

A newer addition to simply picking a word is adding on a quote, affirmation, or piece of scripture that pairs with the word helping me to really align my word with some truth + positivity. So again, the word I picked was FOCUS and I found a piece of scripture from Matthew 6:22-23 that says, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.” In the time that this was written a healthy eye meant you were focused on things that truly mattered and an unhealthy eye was seen as distracted. “FOCUS” for me is about living with less distraction and more intention. I want to be a light for others and in order to do that I have to remain focused on my purpose and calling vs getting distracted with everyone elses'.

⑤ PICK THE AREAS I WANT TO SET GOALS IN FOR THE YEAR:

When I first started making vision boards I would tend to focus on material possessions, business achievements, health, and money. But the longer I’ve been making boards the more I realize that there is SO MUCH MORE to goal setting than that. I like to have a well rounded vision for my life vs leaning too far into one category (which I’ve been known to do…). Feel free to steal these areas as is or tweak to make it work for you. Just try to be as well rounded as you can!

The areas that went on my board this year were:

PERSONAL VALUES
RELATIONSHIPS + FAMILY
HOME + SPIRITUALITY
WORK + BIZ/CAREER DEVELOPMENT
FINANCES/GENEROSITY
HEALTH + WELLNESS
MEMORIES + TRAVEL + FUN

+ THEN WRITE OUT A FEW GOALS/INTENTIONS FOR EACH AREA:

I used to only make a collage of pictures and I think this is where many of us miss the mark with vision boards. Pictures tend to only encompass the outcomes we desire and when I can type in (or write in if you prefer) the ACTIONS I want to achieve or the actual end goal I desire, it makes it that much more meaningful to ME. And that’s key in making a vision board come to LIFE. It has to be meaningful to YOU.

Here’s an example of how I did this in a couple categories:

PERSONAL VALUES:

✺ I am the confident CEO of The SELF CARE Sisterhood - an impact driven business that provides tools, resources, + community to help women be their best most unstoppable selves + makes an abundant income for our family

✺I am a loving + present wife, friend, + dog mama.

✺ I am wildly capable + creative and I use the gifts God’s given me to inspire beauty in the lives of others.

HOME + SPIRITUALITY:

✺ Garage/gym/laundry project.

✺ Backyard project.

✺ Host an in home bible study group

✺ Save for 2nd property (make decision on where).

✺ Attend church once per month outside the house.

⑥ ADD IN PHOTOS/IMAGES TO REPRESENT MY GOALS + INSPIRE ME TO TAKE ACTION:

The last step is like the cherry on top…grabbing images + photos that represent everything you’ve written out. Like I said before, Canva makes it really easy to grab stock images, but I also use Pinterest and google images if I’m looking for something specific as well as a mixture of my own photos to inspire me. If you’re doing a physical board, Amazon vision board workbooks and magazines work really well, as well as print outs!

And then the last thing I do is adjust the sizing to make sure everything fits the way I want it to and then I print, laminate, and add it to my morning stack where I see it daily. I also save the board as an image and make it the background on my laptop. Basically I try to have the board be in as many places as possible!

Pro Tips to Make the MOST out of Your Vision Board

① MAKE SURE YOU’LL SEE IT.

Choose a location where you'll see your vision board daily. Whether it's in your office, bedroom, or as your digital wallpaper, make sure it's a place where you spend a significant amount of time. Like I shared before, I laminate mine and have it with my morning stack (my journal + books) so it’s a part of my morning routine every day. I don’t necessarily read it all everyday, but it’s there reminding me of how I want to show up and what I’m working towards.

② CHECK IN + ADJUST AS NEEDED.

You know I love a good QUARTERLY CHECK IN to evaluate my progress. Our lives are FLUID ya’ll and sometimes a goal we set at the top of the year becomes irrelevant if a circumstance or situation has shifted. Remember that this is a TOOL, not a TRAP. So schedule regular check ins (could be monthly, quarterly, or at least once mid year) and adjust your goals + dreams as needed!

③ FOCUS ON ACTIONS OVER OUTCOMES.

I think this is the MOST IMPORTANT PRO TIP I could give you and what I want to drive home as we wrap up. Your dreams don’t become reality without aligned action. Maybe consider including images that depict you actively doing the things you need to do to reach your goals. So instead of printing out “MARATHON FINISHER” have a picture of someone running. Or write out the actions, behaviors, and routines you need to embody in order to achieve the goal.

One of the things that discourages us in our journey is the disconnect of where we are and where we desire to be. But think about it…

YOU AREN’T WHERE YOU WANT TO BE BECAUSE YOU AREN’T THE TYPE OF PERSON WHO CAN HANDLE THAT YET.

In order to bridge the gap you have to BECOME the type of person who DOES THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. If you want to run the marathoner, you have to embody being a runner. If you want to be a kind + loving mom, you have to PRACTICE being her. If you want to earn 6 figures in your biz, you have to BE the kind of BUSINESS OWNER that can attract and handle that kind of money.

This is why I love vision boards and why I’ve been picking words and making visual representations for so long. It’s my way to SEE the woman I desire to be BEFORE I am HER. And I want that for you, friend. I want you to SEE that you can be her…bc I believe if it’s on your heart, it’s FOR YOU. If you loved today’s episode and are ready to make a VISION BOARD in 2024…be sure to tap here for access to my UNSTOPPABLE SELF VISION WORKSHOP and a VISION BOARD template you can use to make your own. Tag me on social once you make your boards bc I LOVE seeing what’s on your heart. I’m rooting for all that you’re envisioning and working for in 2024 and beyond. 🖤🤟🏼

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