A few years ago, I found a new tradition that I do every year and have enjoyed a lot more that trying to come up with and sticking to New Year’s resolutions: I create a vision board. The way I see it, a vision board is part scrapbooking and part manifesting because you are cutting, gluing, and pasting things from books, magazines, or printouts from Pinterest and also creating something that will visually remind you of your goals.
I’m not saying it’s magic, but if you put an airplane or suitcase on your vision board, be prepared to be buying a plane ticket in 2024. Something about a vision board makes me more excited, motivated, and inspired than any resolution I’ve ever set. If you’re ready to give your goal setting process a little refresh, here’s how to create a vision board for this new year.
Set your New Year’s intention
Simply put, setting an intention is making sure that your heart and mind are aligned on the same goal. Have you ever done something because you had to but you didn’t really want to? That’s coming from your mind. Or have you have done something because you really wanted to do it even though no one was forcing you? That’s all from your heart.
The intention-setting sweet spot is when your heart and your mind can agree on something. These are the types of goals you’re most likely to stick with and want to keep pursuing no matter how hard things get. Because, if we’re being honest, all goals at some point have a challenging spot. It doesn’t matter if your goal is to save money, travel to Bora Bora, buy a home, make new friends, learn to crochet, or start a business—you will experience a hard moment at some point.
Having an intention behind the goal is what will have you dusting off your pants and getting right back in the game going toward your goal. Here are a few questions to ask yourself to help set your intention (answer these when you have some quiet alone time):
- This time next year, what would I like to have accomplished?
- How will achieving this goal make me feel?
- If I don’t reach this goal exactly as I imagine it, what will I think or feel?
- What will achieving this goal allow me to do, think, feel, or see?
Get crafty and creative
Now that you’ve set your intention and have a goal (or a few), it’s time to grab your craft scissors, some glue, and have some fun! Before you go out and buy a bunch of magazines just to cut them all up, check around your home to see what you already have on hand. Even if the magazines are a few years old, they may have some hidden treasures that you can put on your vision board. Also, Pinterest is a great resource (and a rabbit hole—you’ve been warned!) to find a lot of inspirational things to make your goals visually appealing.
Put it where you’ll see it
Raise your hand if in previous years you’ve written down a goal and then completely forgot about it. Just so you know, my hand is raised too. That’s because if we’re not frequently reminded of what we’re working towards, we will forget about it and fall back into old habits and routines. If your goal is to run a 5k, seeing the race’s logo every time you head out the door to train might be motivating. Or if you’re wanting to level up in your career, seeing the quote “the key to success is to start before you’re ready” may give you a little pep in your step on Monday mornings.
The goals that you have on your vision board could determine where you’d like to place it. If you want to learn to cook more, put it in the kitchen or right next to the refrigerator. Want more romance? Placing it next to your bed might be a good spot. And for an extra reminder, put a photo of it as your phone’s lock screen or background—you’re bound to see it that way too!
