Mike Dooley, author of Leveraging the Universe: 7 Steps to Engaging Life’s Magic
A vision board is a creative collection of photos, pictures, and words that reflect your passions, interests, and goals. When you surround yourself with inspiring words and images, you subconsciously welcome new ideas and exciting possibilities into your life. This process invites positive change and new experiences into the subconscious mind.
Time for reflection allows you to focus on what’s important to you and:
- Define your dreams.
- Clarify your goals.
- Create new habits.
- Take action.
- Explore new opportunities.
I began the visioning process before I knew anything about vision boards (more about that in Holding Fire). I reached a point in my life where I felt depressed, hopeless, and had no idea which direction to turn. I lost touch with everything that filled me with joy. I collected inspiring words and pictures – these phrases and images became the foundation of my vision board.
There is no right or wrong way to create a vision board. The most important thing is to enjoy the process.
Before you begin your vision board:
Find a quiet place to be still and set an intent. Consider questions such as “What do I enjoy?” “What would I like more of in my life?” “What’s important to me?” Allow yourself permission to spend time with thoughts that appeal to you. Pay attention to the feelings aroused as images fill your mind.
Compose a list of things you’d like to be, do, have, or experience. Put the list in a place where you will see it. It’s important to look at the list every day because your decisions will stimulate your awareness and you will find yourself paying attention to the words and phrases that match your intentions.
The five steps of creating a vision board:
Step 1: Leaf through magazines and newspapers. Pay attention to words and images that most appeal to you and align with your intentions. Do not immediately fasten your selections to the board; allow yourself time to look through the pages and identify phrases and pictures that capture your interest.
Step 2: Identify your most important goals or intentions. Place the images for this goal in a prominent position at the center of your vision board.
Step 3: Group similar images and words into clusters. Position your favorite phrases and pictures on the poster board’s surface. Listen to your heart; dispose of images that do not make you feel wonderful and inspired. As you arrange the words and images on your board, a colorful collage will emerge. Move your selections around the surface of the board until you are comfortable with each item’s placement.
Step 4: Adhere all of the items onto the surface of the board. I am fond of non-stick adhesive glue sticks because they easily allow me to move or remove things on my vision board. You may choose to add words or images with magic marker, paint, photographs, or stickers.
Step 5: Position your vision board in a place where you will see it often.
Remember your vision board is a work in progress; therefore, you will probably not complete it in one sitting. Your vision board will change and grow as you change and grow. Remove items that no longer capture your interest and replace them with new selections.
Siddhartha Gautama affirmed, “The thought manifests as the word; the word manifests as the deed; the deed develops into habit; and habit hardens into character. So watch the thought and its ways with care and let it spring from love born out of concern for all beings.” Mike Dooley adds, “Thoughts become things, so choose the good ones.”
As you celebrate all of the blessings that presently fill your life and open your heart to divine goodness, you will experience greater enthusiasm for living, greater communion with Spirit, greater love for those around us, and greater abundance to share with all people.
What words and images fill you with joy?
Use these tips from What’s Your Dream? to get in touch with your passions and take steps to do something about it.
Discover How to Write SMART Personal Goals.
There is a direct relationship between the blessings you attract and a spirit of gratitude. Discover How to Feel Gratitude (Even If You Don’t Want To).
Create personal positive affirmations with these tips from Put the Positive in Your Affirmation.
Discover tips to transform your goals into reality from my award-winning personal goal-setting book, Dreams to Action Trailblazer’s Guide.