How to Visualize Your Future with a Vision Board

It’s that time of the year again. A few days from the start of January--the month your friends and family all declare their resolutions for the New Year. If you feel pressure to declare your own self-improvement pledge, consider this.

Your odds of succeeding in carrying out your resolution are about eight percent according to a University of Scranton study. But don’t let statistics deter you from envisioning a better you.

There may be a secret to achieving your goals and dreams--literally. The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne, explains how the Law of Attraction works. In simple terms, “like attracts like.”

When you emit thoughts and feelings, similar thoughts and feelings are drawn to you; like two magnets being drawn together by an electric force. Visualization and showing gratitude are suggested steps in tapping into the power of the Law of Attraction.

This may seem a bit far-fetched or hard to get your head around, so let’s put visualization into another context. Athletes use visualization to prepare for competitions. They imagine their bodies going through the ideal movements necessary to achieve the win.

A creative, no-stress work-around for defining your New Year’s resolutions is a vision board. This is nothing more than a collage of pictures that represent your dreams, goals or ideal state. This triggers your subconscious and the Law of Attraction to work their magic.

Even Jack Canfield, the father of motivation and author of the famous Chicken Soup for the Soul series, encourages using vision boards. He wrote an article in which he states, “because your mind responds strongly to visual stimulation--by representing your goals with pictures and images--you will actually strengthen and stimulate your emotions ... and your emotions are the vibrational energy that activates the Law of Attraction.”

Plan Your Vision Board

Start the project by listing your dreams, goals and ideal life. Remember, there are different elements of your life, such as wealth, health, career, relationships and school. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t figured out exactly how you will achieve your goal. That’s the beauty of the vision board. It’s about acknowledging your dreams (realistic or not). For example, if your goal is to have enough money to be comfortable, how would you feel? What pressures would be gone? What would you be able to spend more time doing? Focus on how you will feel when you achieve your goals.

Brainstorming Ideas

Sometimes it helps to have prompts or questions to get you started. Consider the answers to these questions.

• Where have you always wanted to live?
• What would your dream house look like?
• What is your dream vacation?
• What do you want to achieve at work or in your career?
• What does your ideal work space look like?
• If you had all the time in the world, how would you spend it?
• What is an organization or cause you have always wanted to support?
• Who are people you would like to meet or see?

Think about adding items from your bucket list of places to see and things to do before you die. You really can’t mess this up, so don’t overthink it.

Search for Images

Now you’re ready to pull together pictures and images that will make your dream come alive! This is the fun part. Find images or pictures that represent your success or capture the emotions you would feel when you’ve reached your goal. You can use magazines or websites such as Pinterest, stock image sites or the image gallery within Visme. The images you select should inspire you or evoke positive emotions.

Compile Your Images

Whether you collect images online or off, compile them into a digital folder. Next, think about the layout and design and how you’ll organize the items on the page. This is where Visme comes in. Set your canvas dimensions so that your project fits on a printable sheet of paper. Then, upload the images from your digital folder into your Visme project. You’ll be able to change the size of the images and move them around until you find exactly the right layout. You may even choose to label the image or group similar pictures together and label the collection. Here are some tips to keep in mind.

Less is more. Don’t over crowd your vision board. Be selective and keep it simple. Your eyes and brain need to be able to easily absorb the images on your board. Leave enough white space and be selective about which images you choose. You may decide to have separate boards for your personal and work life if you envision major changes in your life this year.

Words pack a punch. If you have a favorite quote from a movie or book, you can include that on your vision board. You could use affirmations or motivational quotes as well. If you want to make your quote visually appealing, select your favorite fonts, colors or designs to add to the message. Creating the visual can be as empowering as the message itself!

Display Your Vision Board

Once you’ve completed your vision board, display it in a place where you will see it regularly. You can hang it in your home office, place it on your bedside table or even post it on the refrigerator. Each time you see your vision board, it will help your subconscious connect to your vision and goals.

Group Accountability

If you feel like you need a little positive reinforcement to get your vision board started, host a vision board party and ask people to bring magazines and their laptops. Working on your vision board with a group may drive you to complete the project faster. It also serves as a built in accountability group for your vision. If you want even more support, ask someone to host a three month follow-up party and talk about the progress you all have made in moving toward your dreams.