One thing I love about the practice of manifestation is that you can define a goal to be anything you want. Whether it’s money, love, material things, self-love, etc, there are no limits to what you can focus your mind to set intentions towards.
I am a person who needs visuals in my life to focus my creativity, but for years I rejected the idea of having a vision board; having my goals as a visual that anyone else could see made me feel vulnerable and silly. It can be really hard to put yourself out there publicly and let anyone know “this is who I am and this is what I want for myself.”
Nevertheless, it felt like I was hurting only myself by not making a vision board with my wants on it, so I went to Goodwill and picked up a board like this then began filling it with clippings of things I wanted for my life. Currently, it lives on the back of my office door which is kinda out of the way but is still easily accessible and viewable by me.
Know what I’ve learned? No one even notices that I have this vision board. My husband is rarely in my office and anyone who visits doesn’t pay attention. If they see it, they see magazine clippings of cool stuff and not the feelings it gives me or the focused energy I put towards it. So I’ve let that anxiety go and now use my vision board with glee.
Tips for Creating Your First Vision Board
If you’re thinking of diving into creating a vision board, but aren’t sure where to start, here are some tips I’ve found to be helpful.
Creating Your First Vision Board
1. Brainstorm out your goals
As an over-thinker, letting the world direct my goals is NOT a way I like to operate, so I’ll usually try to jot down goals I have and find (or create) visuals that help me create focus towards it.
2. Let yourself be open to inspiration
On the flip side, though, notice when something speaks to you that you weren’t planning for. As an example: Three years ago, I had never heard of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, so having a house there was never a goal I would have thought of. I stumbled on an article about it when researching our trip to Cancun and instantly realized that yes, having a home there was a new focus I wanted to create and something I wanted to put my energy towards achieving. If I had just said, “cool, but I can’t focus on that,” I feel like it would have haunted me or that my goal-setting wouldn’t be complete (if that makes sense).
3. You dictate what the board says
Don’t let other people’s goals sway yours. All too often, we get into the trap of “should” even though we can feel resistance. Don’t put a check for $1million on the board if it feels disingenuous, or don’t cut out a picture of a runway model if you are not interested in changing your body but feel that you “should” because that’s a goal others have. Your life is unique and so too are your goals!
4. Try to focus on a little bit at a time
I could stuff my vision board to the brink with goals if I really wanted, but I try to keep 3-5 visuals on the board at one time so that I don’t get distracted from what it is I really want to go for. Keeping the number of goals I currently visualize also helps me re-evaluate them as I go along and change the goals or correct my course as I see fit.
5. Actually look at the damn thing
The board only works at helping you achieve your goals if you utilize it. Don’t let it become another course or book you buy but never look at (attacking myself on this one!). Make it part of your morning ritual to sip your coffee, look over your board, then get to work.
Ideas for What to Put on Your Vision Board
- Material Possessions – the finer things in life, should that suit you. Cars, homes, private jets, giant closets, clothes, watches, shoes. Whatever you want to have to celebrate your wins.
- Wealth/Monetary – You could be like Jim Carrey and write yourself a check with a future date that has payment owed for goals you’ve accomplished or alter a bank statement to show how much money you want to have in your accounts.
- Relationships – If you want to create loving relationships with a partner, friends, or family, then create visuals of what that would look like.
- Quotes that Inspire You – Pinterest is full of these and are great motivators
- Business Goals – Recently, I mocked up my dream org chart for my business and stuck it to my board. It includes multiple levels of managers, designers, editors, and developers. I like to look at it whenever I’m brainstorming new products or services for MeganBrame and for here.
- Physical and Mental Self – If you want to change your body, put pictures of what your ideal self looks like. Don’t forget your inner self, too! What do happiness and a stress-free life look like for you?
- Lifestyle – Travel, hobbies, experiences, adventures. What would you like to see and experience?
If you want to take this and run with it and begin manifesting, here is my video that goes into how to begin manifestations the right way. Check it out: