Hooked on vision boards
Do we ever really change? When I was in high school I was dedicated to my art folder, many of us were.
Creating a collage on the cardboard insert of the oversized clear plastic folder that reflected who you were as a person was well and truly a thing. I went to the kind of high school where you had to follow strict uniform rules and suffer random skirt length checks. Not private school, no, much worse – Catholic high school. These strict rules had many of us grasping for whatever individuality we could, our art folders allowed us a slither of expression and we seized it with both hands and our glue sticks. We carried them around the precinct like a billboard of everything we stood for.
Thankfully I don’t have to worry about having my skirt length checked anymore, but I do still love to collage, just like I did back then. Pass me a giant stack of magazines, an A1 sheet of paper and watch me go.
Vision boards aren’t new. Their purpose is to act partly as an anchor and partly as fuel. They reflect everything it is you want your life to look, or in my case, feel like. There’s power in visualisation you see. It’s the reason sports psychologists encourage athletes to visualise the scenarios they want to come true. Vision boards can be an in real life thing or you can do a digital version on say Pinterest. This year is the first time I’ve intentionally collaged a vision board as opposed to a general mood board and I have to say I’m hooked.
Comparison coach, Lucy Sheridan has a great Instagram stories series where she guides you through her vision board process. Give them a watch if you’re interested in making one, they’re fab. I followed Lucy’s tips and put my own spin on things to create my version.
Here’s how it went for me and how you can create your own.
Gather your ingredients and wait for the moment to strike – I knew I wanted to make a vision board weeks before I actually did it. I wanted to wait until the time was right for me. That turned out to be a random Wednesday afternoon and I’m so glad I waited until I felt motivated instead of forcing it.
I’d already made a special trip to Wilkos for a big white sheet of card and I knew I’d got plenty of glue, pens and magazines at the ready. You don’t need anymore than that. If you don’t have any magazines consider doing an online version using Pinterest or ask around in advance or check in with local doctors / dentists / hairdressers as they might have some old ones they’re looking to off load.
Allow yourself to want what you want – This was Lucy’s first tip and one that really resonated with me. So often I feel influenced into wanting things I think I should want. It’s easy to get lost and fall out of tune with my intuition. At the other end of the scale I can also feel guilty for some of the unconventional things I really do want, just because they feel out of the norm. Turning the volume down on the outside noise is a great first step before you even pick up a magazine or open the Pinterest app.
If you want a deep dive into figuring out the kinds of things you do really want in life, this episode of the little chapters has been getting rave reviews and the unravel your year ebook by Susannah Conway really helped me immensely.
Go with your gut – Time to start tearing away at those magazines (or pinning those pins to you specific ‘vision’ board – if you are using Pinterest, I recommend you make your board secret so you don’t feel self conscious about others seeing it). Don’t overthink this, enjoy the satisfaction of flipping through the pages and just wait for something to grab your attention. It could be a word, an image or a colour, it’s up to you. Once you feel like your done, and I’d allow at least 20 minutes of free tearing or pinning, you can edit what you’ve got to fit the page.
Focus on feeling – This part was very important to me. I didn’t want to create a board full of ‘stuff’ I wanted. It felt too materialistic and that’s not what drives me these days. Back in high school things were very different, my art folder was full of Chanel handbags and malnourished models but now my cravings have shifted to inner happiness and calm. Remember to want what you want, if it’s a mansion and a wardrobe full of Chanel handbags you go for it, there’s no judgement here. Feelings that came up for me were home, close relationships, confidence, well nourished, creative, close to nature and individuality. Big dreams were exactly what I expected, a book to call my own and a column.
Stick it all down – Don’t over think this bit either or go too perfectionist, just get everything stuck down to the page. I used glue but you could use washi tape or sellotape if you preferred. Enjoy cementing your carefully considered choices into place and remind yourself of why you’ve chosen that particular word or image whilst you’re sticking it down. I found this so satisfying and grounding. Validating even.
Keep it in sight – I wasn’t sure what to do with my vision board once I’d done it. I like to keep my walls minimal and artwork free, but I felt the urge to washi tape it to the wall right next to my desk. A week later and it’s still there. I love it. I think of it as my modern day art folder. The year nine version of myself would be so proud.
Are you hooked on vision boards too? What do you do with them? I’m thinking I’ll leave mine where it is unless I get sick of it. If that happens I think I’ll take a photo and keep it in a single swipe’s reach. So far I’m enjoying looking it every day. I’m well and truly hooked on chasing all the feelings it conjures up for me.
