How to Make a Vision Board

You probably don’t really need to know HOW to make a vision board. Its pretty self explanatory, you remember collage making in elementary school right? I think its more important to look at WHY you should make a vision board and what it can bring into your life!

So what is a Vision or Dream Board?

Its a place where you visualize all things that you want to see come to fruition in your life. Place all the ideas on a board that you can see frequently (this is key). The idea is that your brain is hard wired to make you do the things you need to happen in order to achieve those goals. Have you read The Answer? In his book John Assaraf talks about the actual physiological construction of the brain and how it is programmed to carry out your thoughts and wishes (negative or positive!) guiding your decisions and actions every step of the way, manifesting what you believe. I created my first board after reading his book many years ago, the book now a permanent place on my night table.

I have an area above my desk where I add things to my vision board constantly. I have since changed it over the last year (I use the different sections for different projects) but you get the idea. I found the Umbra Thick Cork Boards from Container Store. These are the 24″ size. This year I decided to do a larger one because, well I have a lot planned in 2011. Big GOALS = BIGGER vision board.

I suggest getting a sturdy piece of foam core. You can find them at any office supply store, I found a 2/pack for $10 at Office Depot. Foam core looks like a poster board mounted onto a backing, it’s light and it doesn’t bend when you stand it upright. Grab a stack of magazines.

Get some glue (I used Elmers Anti-Wrinkle its awesome), a ruler and small scissors, I prefer the tiny Fiskers hand scissors for small cutting, its so much easier then full size scissors. I covet these.

You can also tear out photos with a nice clean edge by using a straight edged ruler. Hold the ruler firmly against the page, with your other hand gently pull the page across, towards you against the ruler. This is a great trick to cut coupons and half paper too.

Start going through your magazines keeping in mind some of the things you want to come into your life. You can also start out with a list and try to find images that represent those ideas or things. You’ll find out that some of things on your list aren’t going to be in any of your magazines, I mean how many pairs of Christian Louboutin shoes could one girl want? I guess there are those women out there who might fill there entire Vision Board with runway clothes but at this point in my life I have completely different wants and my board reflects that.

If that is the case try grabbing images off the web – Google your goal and then click on Images (on the left side of the Google page) you will get an entire page of images that you can right click and save to your desktop. Once saved you can either upload online to something like Picnik.com or insert them onto a blank page within a program like Publisher (see below) and then print.

I didn’t get fancy at all. I did how ever print a few of myself and physically placed them into scenarios I wanted in my life like an organized room and to be part of the Women in Contemporary Photography. I really like the idea of seeing yourself on your board!

Mount all your images on to your Vision Board using as much or as little space as you want and viola you’re done!

Much like writing my wishes for for 2011 during my Burn & Float this is another way, a very VISUAL way of creating a life that I want to live. A life that brings me creative fulfillment, peace of mind and joy in my heart all while helping me reach my highest potential.  As these things are manifested in my life I will often remove that fulfillment and replace with something new so the Vision Board is in a constant-state of flux which perpetuates forward movement, something I always welcome in my life.

I hung an IKEA RIBBA picture ledge just for the purpose of being able to rotate my photos including my vision board and because the simple fact that I have a hard time with permanent things, I get bored easily. I recommend these shelves, super easy to hang up, they come in different sizes and the cost is minimal. The small one (21″) is 9.99 and comes in different colors. I’ll make sure to show you how I hung them in my office, they are so much fun I have 5 of them now!

Here are few glimpses of my board.

Debt free is a biggie so are seeing the Orca J and L pods up in the San Juan Islands (I have gone to see them on 2 separate trips to no avail). I also found this image (love) and quote in Real Simple magazine that reminded me to keep it all in perspective.

“Wealth consists not in having great possessions but in having few wants” -Esther De Waal