In January this year I took part in a vision board workshop. I'd never created a vision board before and wasn't really sure what they were, but it sounded like fun and a business acquaintance in my network was running it. So I decided to go along to support her and to see what it was all about. I loved it!
Pretty soon I learned how to run vision board workshops myself because I realised that it really was helping me to focus on my important stuff and I thought I could pass that benefit onto others. I see lots online about vision boards being linked to 'The Law of Attraction' which I confess to know very little about, so it feels important to say that that this wasn't my motivation for trying vision boards out. Finding a suitable article online that didn't mention it was impossible. That prompted me to write my own blog post instead...so here we are.
Why I believe vision boards are helpful for me is because I learn from the process of creating them. There's something about seeing my path laid out in front of me that is a powerful motivator.
Here are four reasons that I believe make vision boarding a powerful tool:
It's creative
The opportunity to be creative opens my mind to possibilities and opportunities that I might not consider otherwise. It gives me a sort of 'creative courage'. Going through the process of choosing what's important and discarding what isn't; thinking of words/phrases to get to the essence of what I want; finding the right images to really show how I feel, then putting the whole thing together are really powerful steps for me.
It's fun
We adults don't have nearly enough fun! We often deny ourselves the opportunity to connect with our inner child and do things just because we want to and not because we have to. It might be a feeling that we're 'wasting time', or a fear of 'making a fool of ourselves' that squashes our playful side. But I know that when I can have fun everything feels better.
To be able to think about something as important as my future and explore its possibilities through play puts a different slant on things. As a kid I loved art and craft. And I still love it as an adult. So getting into the flow of vision boarding takes me back to the fun of childhood and into the optimistic mindframe that 'anything is possible'. Creating vision boards - and especially if you're doing it in a group - is one way of being in a playful mindset that puts a different slant on thinking about life decisions.
It helps motivation and focus
An important part of the vision boarding process is to put your finished board somewhere that you can see it regularly. This reminds you of the messages you gave yourself as you created it and reinforces the possibilities that came to you during your process. So you're reminded of why things were important in that moment.
Because it's such a personal thing, I enjoy looking at my board. I remember the process of making it and the excitement I felt in the planning part when my 'blue sky thinking' was happening: just how much could I achieve if there were no barriers to what I believed I could do? I feel very connected to my board (in the picture) because, of course, it's very meaningful for me. And I genuinely believe it has played a part in my achievements this year.
It really can help you realise your dreams
I mapped some big dreams and goals in my vision board from January. And the strange but exciting thing is that since I created that board I have achieved two of my biggest dreams: I'm now running my own workshops and I've achieved the balance I want between working in private counselling practice and being an employee in the charity I work for. Somehow creating my path to these things on paper and seeing them spread out before me in full colour made them seem real and manageable. And maybe made me more open to seeing opportunities too.
If you'd like to try out creating a vision board for yourself come and join me at my workshop. New Year, New Visions is taking place on 13th January 2019. Tickets are available from Eventbrite.