How to Create a Vision Board

I'm a visual gal. I've always gravitated toward photography to document special moments and edge-of-paper doodles to ease an anxious mind. It's no surprise that I turn to vision boards to help clarify my dreams and move me closer to my goals.

Learning how to create a vision board can help you manifest your dreams. What is this magical tool, you ask? It's a poster-size scrapbook page of pictures and words that proclaim your goals and desires. By getting these wishes out of your head and onto paper, you make them tangible.

All about Vision Boards

If this all sounds like hocus-pocus, it's not. Let's lean into a bit of psychology before we reach for the scissors and glue stick. Creating a DIY vision board aligns you with the Law of Attraction, a popular theory with ancient roots that is summarized as "like attracts like." In other words, when we think positive thoughts of abundance, we have positive outcomes in our physical world, according to a Psychology Today article.

We can change our life by "persistently thinking positively," which helps us manifest our reality. When we focus our mindset on optimism and abundance, we enjoy feelings of hope and direction, which is why I often turn to vision boards to move me forward in my goal-achieving. Hope is a powerful thing!

Seeing dreams in front of you—on paper—rather than letting them only mill around in your mind is action-oriented. Making a vision board allows me to see that these things are possible, tangible, and have substance, giving me the confidence and ambition to go out and work toward making the dreams happen.

Finding Focus and Setting Your Goals

Allow yourself to daydream. If you're not sure where to start, review the goal setting and achievement thinking paper from the Project Management Institute. I like to imagine both physical wishes and shifts in my processes or mindsets. For example, my most recent vision board shows images and words related to buying a new house. However, I've also included thoughts about improving focus, learning more, boosting my nutrition, and embracing joy.

Really, anything goes! If you want more of it in your life, consider adding it to your vision board. With that said, you can make more than one board. Maybe you focus on tangible things, such as a new car, job, or pet, on one board and lifestyle changes, such as a new exercise routine or reading goal, on another. Or, perhaps you make one board per goal.

After you've narrowed down the focus for your board(s), be intentional with a timeline. Say out loud, or write on the board, when you want to see these goals reached. Is it within three months, by your next birthday, or on a special date? Be specific.

How to Create a Vision Board

Now, let's dig into the crafting portion of this project. Here's what you'll need to create your vision board:

• Scissors
• Glue stick or clear tape
• Old magazines
• Old newspapers
• Markers
• A large poster board

Step 1: Create a Workspace

Lay the poster board on a large table or flat surface. You'll also want space around the board to accumulate your clippings where you can prearrange them before affixing them to the board.

Step 2: Start Browsing Publications

As you flip through the pages of magazines and newspapers, look for words and imagery that align with your goals. For me, the words "home," "move," and "backyard" as well as images of houses popped out because that's what I'm working on manifesting right now. Use scissors to clip out the photos and words that have meaning for you.

Step 3: Make the Collage

After you have a pile of paper clippings mirroring your goals, start to arrange them on the poster board. As they make sense, use a glue stick or tape to secure the images and words. I like to cluster similar topics together, but you can arrange the pieces any way that makes sense to you.

Step 4: Examine the Artwork

As you look at your DIY vision board coming together, allow yourself to reflect. What's coming up for you? Are you especially excited about one of the goals? Did you forget to clip images for one of the goals? Maybe its importance isn't as elevated as initially expected. Take a moment to reflect on your realizations, or even jot them in a journal.

Digital Alternative

If you're not feeling crafty, you can always create a digital vision board. When I mentioned to a friend that I was writing this article, she explained how she uses Pinterest to create vision boards. Simply pin photos, memes, and other imagery to a board of your creation on the site to visualize your dreams. These are fast to make and viewable on-the-go from your smartphone or tablet.

Using Your DIY Vision Board

Now that you have your board constructed, integrate it into your life to keep your goals top-of-mind. Jack Canfield, a motivational speaker, believes you should view the board daily and pair it with a guided visualization meditation to help attract what you want in life. Or, view the board at night just before bed so that your subconscious mind can come up with ideas to make the goals a reality as you sleep.

I usually hang my vision board on the door of my office, so I see it several times a day as I come and go. Place yours in an area of your home where you will see it often. Attaching it to the refrigerator with magnets, placing it on a door, or tucking it in a frame and putting it in a highly visible area will work.

As you glance at the board, be intentional with your thoughts. Look at the images and say out loud or in your head the goals you're working toward, using a positive achievement-focused statement. For example, I say, "I will buy a house in the next six months" instead of "I someday hope to buy a house." The second statement lacks a time frame or certainty.

You can make a new vision board anytime you discover new goals that you'd like to achieve. I find myself creating these artsy mind-clarifying tools at least twice a year to help me focus on my dreams.

What are you manifesting in the months ahead? Dream big! Check out more ways to maintain mind and body wellness on the Yoga and Mindfulness board by @tomsofmaine on Pinterest.

Image Source: Angela Tague

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