Do you catch yourself daydreaming about the things you want to see and do in your life but struggle to actually make them happen? If so, you're not alone — and while there's no quick and easy fix, a vision board is an excellent place to start. There's something incredibly meaningful about taking ideas and dreams that are floating around in your head and translating them into some concrete form, and you might be amazed at how much it helps you make your wildest dreams come true.
Plus, you can get started making a vision board with a short, inexpensive list of supplies, or even put it together for free online. So, call up your partner and make a date out of it, gather some friends for a craft night, or take some alone time to venture inwards and express yourself.
Do Vision Boards Actually Work?
The concept of a vision board stems from the law of attraction, a belief that you can essentially manifest into your life the things that you envision. You can imagine that there's not a lot of scientific evidence to support the idea, and some argue that practicing the law of attraction can actually be harmful. After all, if you fall short of a goal, chances are it's not because you simply weren't being positive enough. However, the limited research that does exist on visualization can offer some insight into how to make your vision board more effective.
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A UCLA study that's often cited in discussions of the law of attraction found that students who simply visualized getting a good grade on a test scored lower than those who visualized the steps they would take to achieve the same outcome. If you use your vision board not only as a visual reminder of the dreams you have for yourself, but also the work you'll need to do to achieve them, you may be more motivated to make your dreams a reality.
Steps For Creating a Vision Board
Ready to get started mapping out your goals? Here's how to make a vision board using some simple supplies you may already have laying around the house.
1. Brainstorm some ideas.
The first and most important step is to decide what purpose your vision board is going to serve, and what aspects of your life you'd like to focus on. Are you envisioning a future home, a trip, or a plan for the next five years? Grab a pen and paper and jot down a list of the things that are most important to include so you can stay on track. Identify several keywords that will help narrow your search for images (i.e. tropical beaches, dream job, friendship, romance).
2. Gather the necessary materials.
If you're going the crafty route for creating a vision board, the supplies you'll need are pretty minimal. However, you can certainly find ways to jazz things up with washi tape, scrapbooking scissors, stickers, or personal photos. Here's a list of the essentials you'll need before getting started:
3. Put it all together.
Once you have a general idea of your vision board's focus and have collected your materials, you can start to flip through your collection of magazines. Cut out anything that speaks to you: images, phrases, ad taglines — whatever best represents your dreams. From here, things are pretty straightforward. Arrange everything you've cut out on your poster board, and get to gluing!
How to Make a Vision Board Online
If you don't like to craft, you might consider creating a digital vision board. Making a vision board online has some clear benefits. The process is less messy and easier to come back to if you aren't able to finish it in one sitting. You can change your board as your goals evolve and more easily share it with others, which may help keep you motivated. And the ways customize your online vision board are practically endless. Did we mention it's also free?
If you decide to make your vision board online, just be sure to conceptualize it beforehand, using the tips in the first step above. Here are a few websites that can help you create your digital vision board:
