What is a Vision Board?
Are you looking to manifest your goals and dreams for the new year?
If so, a vision board is a great way to do just that! A vision board is simply a board or poster on which you paste images and words that represent what you want to achieve.
By keeping your goals in sight, you can harness the power of visualization to help make them a reality. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to make a vision board for 2023 plus some tips for making it work for you. Happy manifesting!
Do Vision Boards Work?
Let me start by saying that I’m not writing this to convince you that vision boards work.
I know they do because I’ve experienced the powerful result of creating them to manifest my own dreams.
Visualization is a powerful tool. There’s a science behind how and why it works. It’s not make-believe, and I’m most certainly not trying to sell you a fantasy.
But again, my job is not to convince you that it works. I’m simply here to share with you how to make a vision board that works to manifest both the small and big dreams that you have.
What Should You Put On Your Vision Board?
The problem that many people run into when they make a vision board is that they focus on the actual goal rather than the result.
Imagine you have a goal of buying a new car. You could express that by simply writing “New Car” on a poster board. But so what? The phrase itself is unlikely to evoke feelings of joy or anticipation. In fact, the more you see that word, the less meaning it might have.
Imagine instead, a photo of sparkling SUV instead. Imagine yourself driving home from work in your brand new SUV. Your windows are down and your sunroof is open. You’re playing your favorite song on the radio and singing your heart out like you’re on an episode of Celebrity Carpool Karaoke with James Corden.
When you create your vision board, regardless of which of life’s aspects you’re focusing on, be sure to look for images and words that make you FEEL the way you imagine you’ll feel when you achieve your goal.
It’s not about what you want to have. It’s about how you want to feel. Here’s a picture of a vision board I created for 2020.
The above example was the first time I created a vision board without listing any quantitative desires like a specific monetary goal or specific weight loss goal.
I created this vision board before the complete upheaval that followed the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Ironically, because of the pandemic and spending most of my time at home with my husband and kids, my vision board truly became my reality.
I cooked more in 2020 than I have ever cooked in my life. I made huge changes in my business and career. We saved a ton of money that we would have normally splurged on family vacations, date nights, and random entertainment.
Although it was a crazy year full of many unknowns, I’m still grateful for all of the good feelings that were manifested in 2020.
For my 2022 vision board, I once again focused on how I wanted to feel, but I also decided to add a few quantitative goals that I desired to reach throughout the year.
If there is anything I learned from 2020, it’s that life is to precious to only focus on material things. Use your vision board to find more joy and more happiness in those intangible things that no amount of money can buy!
For my 2023 vision board, you guessed it…I focused on power words that remind me once again of how I want to feel this year. As I created my vision board, I was more focused on a visual aid that can boost my mindset and keep me inspired. Here’s a short video clip of my vision board supplies and final output.
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Below I’ve outlined some ideas to help you create a vision board focused on personal growth with your career, finances, health, and relationships.
How to Make a Vision Board
How to Make a Business Vision Board
Career and business goals are probably the most common topic of vision boards and with good reason. Chances are you started your career or your business with the goal of creating a better life for you and your family. It’s likely one of your driving motivations, so it’s natural to seek out tools that will help you achieve the outcomes you desire.
When you’re creating a vision board with a focus on your career or business, consider the following questions:
- How would you want your typical workday to look?
- What clients do you want to work with?
- What projects do you love?
- How would your office space look?
- Who would make the best type of coworkers?
- Who would make a great mentor?
Look for images and other items that represent your ideal career, your perfect client, and your ultimate dream job.
How to Make a Financial Vision Board
This is another favorite topic for vision boards, and if big financial goals are part of your life plans, then it’s an area you should pay close attention to.
The reason many people don’t reach their financial goals is that we allow negativity and limiting thoughts hold us back. You know that little voice that says things like:
“You’ll never have enough money for what you want.”
“No one will pay you to do that.”
“You’ve always been financially irresponsible and you always will be.”
“You’re terrible with money.”
We all have a money story that has been shaped by the environment we grew up in and by the people who raised us and taught us about money (either directly or indirectly).
This money story can create money blocks. Money blocks cause you to struggle with making money. Unless we can take steps to eliminate these money blocks, we will never earn what we’re truly worth.
A vision board can help. Start by asking yourself…
- What does financial freedom mean to me?
- How can I change the world if I earn more money?
- What charities will I support when I receive my influx of money?
Then find the images that represent the feeling of fulfillment and joy you’ll have as you’re able to achieve these goals and more. Maybe that’s a photo of the charity you want to support. Or maybe it’s just a big pile of money so you can retire young and live on a yacht. It’s your dream, and it can be anything you want it to be.
The point is, your vision board is the perfect vehicle for silencing those limiting thoughts in your head that are keeping you from achieving your financial goals.
Related Post: 18 Money Affirmations to Inspire a Positive Money Mindset
How to Make a Wellness Vision Board
How’s your health? If you’re like me, you probably spend far too much time inside, sitting down, staring at a computer screen. We get so busy and overwhelmed with life that we end up not…
Exercising enough.
Getting enough sleep.
Eating right or drinking enough water.
A vision board can help in this aspect of life by making it clear how much better you will FEEL (there’s that word again) when you do eat healthy, work out, get more rest, and are hydrated.
Fill your vision board with images of healthy activities you want to try like yoga or a barre class. Add images of the spa day you want to take and food images of the healthy meals you want to start preparing.
How to Make a Relationship Vision Board
You probably don’t think of vision boards as being helpful with building relationships, but that might be because we don’t put enough emphasis on setting goals to improve them.
Carving out a little section for family and friends on your vision board just might change all that.
Think about…
- What kind of relationships do you want to have?
- What’s most important to you as a wife? Mother? Daughter? Friend?
- How do you want your spouse to feel when he/she sees you?
- How do you want your kids to feel when they’re teenagers?
Fill your 2023 vision board with items that represent the best relationships you can imagine, and soon enough, you’ll begin creating those bonds in your own life.
What Vision Board Supplies Do You Need?
For my vision boards, I typically use:
- Poster Board (but you can also use cork board or dry erase board)
- Old Magazines
- Old Personal Development Books
- Old Journals
- Scissors
- Glue
I spend a few hours browsing old magazines and journals looking for images and words that really resonate with me, then cutting them out for later.
Then I take some time to organize my cutouts on my board in a layout that is meaningful to me. Once I have my layout together, I glue each piece to the board.
Here are some additional resources that you can use to design your vision board:
Vision Board Kit
Manifesting Tool Kit
Motivational Note Cards
How to Keep Your Vision Board Relevant
Yes, a vision board is a great tool for helping you stay focused on your goals, but it’s only effective if it’s up-to-date. Here are a few tips for keeping your vision board fresh and relevant:
1. Review your vision board regularly. At least once a month, take a look at your vision board and ask yourself whether it still reflects your goals and aspirations. If not, make some changes.
2. Be specific. The more specific your vision board is, the more effective it will be. So, instead of just putting up a picture of a beach, for example, include a picture of you in your bathing suit, standing on the beach with your toes in the sand.
3. Keep it positive. Remember that your vision board is meant to be inspirational, so fill it with images and words that make you feel good. Avoid anything negative or stressful.
4. Have fun with it! Your vision board should be something you enjoy looking at, so have fun with it! Use bright colors, add glitter or sequins, or whatever else makes you happy.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your 2023 vision board is always serving its purpose: keeping you motivated and focused on your goals!
I absolutely love the content of this blog! Today, after years of wanting to, I began the process of creating my vision board. I found your blog when I realized my inspiration was not wanting for material items, and knowing I can manifest those things if I get to the root of what has held me back the past 41 years of my life in this planet. I have one question for ya if you don’t mind. Where do you keep your vision board? I haven’t decided on what media to use, cork board, poster board, scrap booking, event thought a calendar. Word love your thoughts. Thanks so much!
Hi Jamie! I actually keep my vision board near me in my office space at home so I am able to look at it often. I find that being able to have it in my line of view encourages me to check in with myself and my goal progress more frequently. I would love to know what kind of vision board you ended up creating!