Crafts
Crafting a Life: Creating Your Future With A Vision Board
by debra roby

Vision Boards. This year the New Year's discussions throughout the blogosphere and twitter has focused on the advantages of vision boards over traditional New Year's Resolution. While vision boards have been around for years, the concept has reached a tipping point in the general consciousness.

Assuming that I'm not the last person on the vision-board-bus, let's see what these things are, why they might be a more successful tool than New Year's resolutions, and how bloggers reacted to designing one.

Christine Kane in explaining how to make a vision board describes them this way:

A vision board (also called a Treasure Map or a Visual Explorer or Creativity Collage) is typically a poster board on which you paste or collage images that you’ve torn out from various magazines. It’s simple.

The idea behind this is that when you surround yourself with images of who you want to become, what you want to have, where you want to live, or where you want to vacation, your life changes to match those images and those desires.

With this positive take, it's plain to me right there why vision boards might be more popular than New Year's resolutions. Miriam Webster defines resolution as: something that is resolved (ie. to reach a firm decision about). There is something about that phrase "firm decision" that sounds just a bit restrictive to me. Like punishment or rules. It doesn't sound like it allows for change and growth and adaption.

I doubt that many make their New Year's resolutions with this firm intent. There often sounds like something tentative about most of these. Whether we state the wish to lose 20 pounds or exercise more, make more money or take a big vacation. I'll agree the hope is there; I don't believe the resolution necessarily exists.

Vision boards, on the other hand, seem like an adaptable method of planning the future.

Anne-Marie Faiola, blogging as the Soap Queen describes how her mastermind group has been using vision boards to plan their years:

1. Write your goals down
2. Look for visual representations of your goals in magazines or online
3. Make a collage with the visual representations
4. Put this in a frequently viewed area
5. Extra: put your written goals in the middle, so that the visuals are flowing outward from the actual original ideas.

Michelle at New Moon Journal asks: Who Says New Year's and Vision Boards Go Together? Because her blog focuses on astrology, she suggests that the best time to construct a vision board is in the spring. Yet she sees a value to beginning work on a board now. By beginning a vision board, now it can worked and tweaked over the next few months. My favorite of her suggestions:

Shadow Dancing: Listen for the inner voices-your mind chatter. Look for black and white thinking then seek to balance the negative self talk and doubt. Look for your issues with FEAR- fear of success, fear of failure are two biggies that dance with me.

When it comes to deciding what your vision board needs, Danielle Ricks, blogging here on BlogHer, suggests it's as important to know what to leave behind as what to aim for in our future:

To do this, I suggest you build a strong foundation on which to create your best life ever. That means looking at the things you gave your attention to last year and if need be, making a fresh start to get where you'd like to be this year. There is no point in building a vision of the future on a foundation muddied with unfinished business, unresolved issues, old hurts, deep resentments and feelings of regrets. If you drag this negativity into the New Year I assure you that your new vision will not be fully
realized. Bringing in a New Year is a great time to let go of any attitude, project, relationship, or people, places and things that weighs us down or impedes our progress towards a more purposeful and joyful life.

At My Santuary, the author deals with a question I've had: how to create my vision board if I don't have (and choose not to acquire) magazines for images:

Am going to use images from the internet which is free and put them in a collage or 'poster board' style using powerpoint. Then will get it printed and mounted as my own vision boards.

Roz at Autumn Cottage Diarist has been collecting a number of her vision boards into a

Book of Inspiration, to which I continually add.

A4 pages on various topics, at the moment topics that relate to my intentions for 2009 (I never call them resolutions – that way they don’t sit there asking to be broken!), but as wishes, wants, thoughts and ideas change throughout the year, the images will multiply.

Last week, fellow BlogHer contributing editor Karen Walrond wrote about twists on New Year's resolutions. She closed that post by discussing making vision boards with her four year old daughter. She found it a great activity for a winter afternoon. After showing the (gorgeous) boards they had contructed, she interpreted Alex's for us:

judging from the images Alex chose, 2009 is the year she's going to be a princess, Tinkerbell, and an incontinent cat.

Like I said, it's good to have goals.

Need more inspiration? I did a search of Vision Boards uploaded to Flickr.

In case you're wondering, I have NOT made my vision board yet. In part, it's because I, too, lack magazines from which to tear images. I am writing down words and concepts that I want to embrace in 2009. While it's easy to imagine the image for white water rafter, I don't know how to image "take more risks" or "live more fearlessly" when I can't imagine what some of the risks and/or fears could be. How would you picture fearless?

I am committed to getting together with Leslie Madsen-Brooks next weekend to start constructing one. I am tempted to follow Michelle's advice above and let the process stew and develop until the astral year begins in Aries, but I fear (there's that word again!) that I'm just using it as another excuse to delay and avoid making a commitment to my future.

Hmm. .. Can you say live more fearlessly?

When Deb Roby isn't running from her future, she's blogs her creative life at A Stitch in Time and her fitness journey at Weight for Deb.

Submitted by debra roby (view blog) on Sat, 01/03/2009 - 4:20pm

Comments

 

I did one...

... because I was inspired by the discussion on the CE mail thread. Took me three days, and I felt corny as hell, but I LOVED it. It's the most meditative that I've felt in forever. Still trying to decide whether to post it.

Submitted by Her Bad Mother on Sat, 01/03/2009 - 17:50
 

Post it!

You've come out and admitted you've made one, you have to post it! I love that you said it felt corny but meditative.

Deb
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

Submitted by debra roby on Sat, 01/03/2009 - 21:48
 

Hmmm - how to represent fearlessness

Bungee jumping perhaps? I just have the words commanding "be fearless."

A challenge that I am sure for which you will find a creative answer.

Thanks for the thoughtful post and links.

BlogHer Contributing Editor
PopConsumer
Beyond Help

Submitted by Maria Niles on Sat, 01/03/2009 - 17:53
 

I've figure out fearlessness!

Maria (and all),

I think I've figured out how to represent fearlessness. It's the old Zen saying:

Leap and the net will appear.

Now, with a place to start on that, I'm ready to get going!

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

Submitted by debra roby on Mon, 01/05/2009 - 08:46
 

Make words out of yarn?

If you don't use photos I think it'd be cool to use materials that you use and love throughout the year, whatever they are. I believe you knit so maybe making words out of yarn would be fun?

I don't know, that's just what popped into my head when I read the post. Leslie's so creative too I'm sure between the two of you you'll come up with something cool. :) I'm waiting til next week to make mine. I'm working with my new Moleskine calendar so far, aiming to make it an altered journal of sorts. (It's a page a day, nice and fat. ;))

Laurie

Submitted by lauriewrites on Sat, 01/03/2009 - 21:29
 

Using my crafty stash? Brilliant!

Laurie,

Thanks for the idea of using my crafty stash to do some of the work on this. I'm not against using images - or photos. I just don't want to have to get magazines solely so I find words or images.

But the idea of using beads, paints, yarn, and markers to add my own flavor to this is brilliant.

I'm making a note to check out your Moleskine at BlogHer this summer.

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

Submitted by debra roby on Sat, 01/03/2009 - 22:12
 

I am so excited

Deb, I am so excited that I get to draw on your creativity in creating a vision board. Woohoo!

Thanks for a terrific post. I especially liked browsing the vision boards in Flickr.

Best,

Leslie

BlogHer Contributing Editor, Research and Academia
My blogs: The Clutter Museum, Museum Blogging, and The Multicultural Toybox

Submitted by Leslie Madsen Brooks on Sat, 01/03/2009 - 22:38
 

Great Post!

I made four vision boards back in May and I have to say that they have begun to work for me, particularly the "Wealth/Career" board I made. I've been inclined to make my own office space at home, like I visioned. Got a raise at my job. And started writing a fictional novel just for fun.

The boards are posted in my kitchen, so I see them everyday. Here's a post about my process for it and a picture of the result.
 

Rochelle | Nine*Poems | http://ninepoems.com 

Submitted by ninepoems on Sun, 01/04/2009 - 00:49
 

Thanks, Rochelle, for your

Thanks, Rochelle, for your kind words and for posting your boards.

It's great to know find people for whom the process has been working! Makes me even more excited to get started on my own.

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

Submitted by debra roby on Tue, 01/06/2009 - 09:11
 

Interesting

Clearly I don't do enough reading because this is the first I've read of vision boards per se.  It makes sense--I have long believed that you need to (a) establish your ideas about where you want to go (with flexibility, to avoid creating additional stress), (b) set mini-goals to move toward that end, (c) write it down (somehow that makes it official), and (d) really SEE yourself doing it, meditating on that. As a Christian woman, that process also must include my faith, prayer, etc.

Many years ago a therapist told me that when she was in a transitional period on her life, she tried to imagine herself happy & fulfilled.  Where that took her was this mind-image of her running, with a long ponytail behind her.  I remember her saying that she thought it strange at the time, because she had short hair and was not even a jogger.  But she held onto that image and, before long, she tried jogging for fitness.  She got into it.  She really got into it.  A couple of years later she found herself in a marathon and yes, she had a long ponytail by then.  I suppose that was sort of a mental vision board.

Amanda
Mrs.W's Kitchen

Submitted by MrsWsKitchen on Sun, 01/04/2009 - 02:57
 

Envisioning the future not a new thing

Amanda,

I believe that envisioning the future is not a new thing; it's been part of coaching and other practices for years. Often-like the case of your therapist- we develop an image that seems completely foreign. Yet, when the reality manifests itself, we find that foreign image was truly a prediction of the future.

Likewise, collaging with magazine photos and text is not new.

The vision boards, which combine the two, might only be "new" as a concept because of the combination. Rather than holding a mental image, one can see a semblance of their future dream complete.
Debra
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

Submitted by debra roby on Tue, 01/06/2009 - 09:17
 

Don't have one now

but I've made them in the past and it does seem to bring results. Watching Oprah and the talented Filipino singer Charice the other day, I noticed that Charice had a "dream board" of herself singing with several great singers. She's only 16, but those dreams are translating into reality already. Sure, it's partly that Charice has a great voice, but it's also that she focused her dreams and took steps to make them real.

Virginia DeBolt
BlogHer Technology Contributing Editor
Web Teacher
First 50 Words

Submitted by Virginia DeBolt on Sun, 01/04/2009 - 08:02
 

You may have hit on something, Virginia.

she focused her dreams and took steps to make them real.

While it's all well and good to envision one's dreams, taking the next step is the only way to make them real. I wonder if visions boards help people decide what the next step should be? And what if someone never learns to take the vision beyond the "dream" stage?

Debra
A Stitch In TimeWeight for Deb

Submitted by debra roby on Tue, 01/06/2009 - 09:21
 

I did one too...

It is an ever-evolving board... and it changes images as I reprioritize things over time. 

It starts with a picture of my boyfriend and me in the middle of the board (as most important thing in my life) and images work themselves around that as the focal point.  Getting to know his children more and more, saving money, working towards buying a house, working towards wellness, fitness, stress reduction all appear on my board. I love the visual reminder of what's important.

Currently I keep it in my office space at home, but I don't look at it all the time there.  I need to find a more appropriate place to look at it every day.

Good luck to all with your boards.

Submitted by Sherri308 on Sun, 01/04/2009 - 08:11
 

Ah, where to place it?

I work a lot on the kitchen table, but really don't want my vision board hanging on the wall there. Where to put it that I will see it every day and it will act as an inspiration?

I'm thinking in my bedroom, on the piece of wall that is the first thing I see in the morning and the last thing I see as I turn off the light.

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

Submitted by debra roby on Tue, 01/06/2009 - 09:23
 

Mine is everchanging

I have a large bulletin board next to my desk and I put pictures and notes an doodles that represent what I love, what I'm working for and what I someday hope to have, do or be.  Sometimes the images don't make sense to anyone but me, but honestly I think I prefer it that way.  It's always changing and I have cute little thumbtacks too.  I use it as a vision board for things that I want to attract into my life as well as a reminder of books I want to read, or jewelry designs that inspire me. Sometimes, when we have guests who've never been here before, or don't know me very well - they sort of look at it funny, but it's led to some great conversation as well.
Christine
It's My World.  Welcome To It.
Blog: http://www.colormepink.com
Jewelry Blog: http://www.starbrightjewels.com/blog

Submitted by Colormepink on Sun, 01/04/2009 - 09:23
 

Love the private nature.

Christine,

While I like the imaging the future concept a whole lot, I love your point about the private nature of these things. Clues that mean something only to you. It lets you own your own dreams and, yes, offers a way for others to see into your soul.

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

Submitted by debra roby on Tue, 01/06/2009 - 09:32
 

Thank You!

I have been meaning to do onen of these for a while now. I don't believe in resolutions so much, but do have an idea of what i want to accomplish personally and with my business so this may be the answer! I try to surround myself in my work space with things that inspire me-things that are tokens of what I have done already, to push me forward to do more, such as a picture of myself in Real Simple magazine a few years ago (I was featured as a thrify mom lol!) and my marathon race bib, which shows me I can keep going.  But finding things that show where I want to be and not only what I have done would really be inspirational. I'm going to read through the other blogs you posted as well. Thanks again!

Kathy

Allbusiness:Working Mothers

Aniza Marketing

Mama Marathoner

&am

Submitted by Kathy333 on Mon, 01/05/2009 - 05:24
 

You're Welcom

Kathy,

You're Welcome.

I have a small brag-tag board in my crafting room. It has IDs from conferences, the chip from I walked Bay to Breakers, and other small tokens of successes. When I need to remind myself that I've accomplished something, I wander there and feel better.

But I think that reminding myself of what I want to still achieve is what will keep me getting up in the morning and eager to get on with day. (hmm. another reason for
posting my board in the bedroom!)

Please let us know when you've done yours.

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

Submitted by debra roby on Tue, 01/06/2009 - 09:27
 

It's interesting to look

It's interesting to look through all those matches for "vision board" on Flickr that you linked to. I like seeing what other people come up with. :)

Personal blog: Zandria.us
BlogHer blog: Singles/Fitness

Submitted by Zandria on Tue, 01/06/2009 - 09:26
 

Like a guilty pleasure..

Zandria,

I think it's a guilty little pleasure peeking into what people will share online. The vision boards - and the pictures of women with TONS of magazines - all make the experience much more real.

And yes, it's fun to see what other people come up with. Bet it would help with a vision board or someone's 100 things list.

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Weight for Deb

Submitted by debra roby on Tue, 01/06/2009 - 09:36
 

It was very grounding for me!

 Debra,

loved your post and had actually blogged about my experience of doing my vision board and how it's impacting the first weeks this year. It's given me a great starting point for what i want to create in my life this year, and where I want to be a year from now. It was really cathartic and grounding to listen to that little voice saying...hey...nudge nudge...."peace, quiet, exercise, deeper relationships, more sex would be great" instead of trying to manage my life out of my expectations or other peoples expectations of myself...ugh!

Anyways- anyone can view it at http://earthsavers.typepad.com/the_earth_savers_blog/2009/01/creating-a-vision-for-2009-.html 

 and i would welcome comments and suggestions. 

Thanks again for a great post. 

Monica Rodgers

http://www.earthsavers.typapd.com

 

 

 

Monica Rodgers Founder Little Bits

www.littlebits.com or www.earthsavers.typepad.com

Submitted by earthsaver on Wed, 01/07/2009 - 05:29
 

Thanks for the mention

Thanks for the mention, your article has great information about all the different aspects of visioning. I started creating visionboards back in 1996, and well within two years 99% of the images manifested, but at the same time I also listed every singlle fear I had. The list was soo long, but it created a wonderful dialog I could dance with. I love this stuff.

Warmly

Michele Lessirard

Exploring the mystery found in bits of paper and glue through the New Moon SoulCollage process online at http://www.newmoonjournal.com

Submitted by mlessirard on Thu, 01/08/2009 - 17:22