Three Reasons to Create a Vision Board for 2023
Have you ever created a vision board for the new year? If not, you might be missing out on a terrific way to reconnect to yourself and recenter for the year to come.
It's that time of year again where many of us begin to look ahead and set goals for the new year. A vision board can be a powerful tool to help connect concrete images to the abstract objectives we have for our lives. Many wellness gurus and influencers (think Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon) swear by the process.
Research shows that manifesting practices like visualization can be beneficial in helping you increase your confidence and efficacy on achieving certain goals. For example, a study led by exercise psychologist Guang Yue found that individuals who visualized completing a workout mentally experienced physical results much like those who actually completed the physical exercise. But don't cancel that gym membership just yet. The results weren't identical. The visualization group saw a 35% increase in strength while the group who physically did the workout saw an increase of 53%. So following through on the goal will be where you experience your greatest results. Visualization is a great start to put you in motion.
From our experience with vision boards, there are three strong reasons to make them each year as you explore how to implement your unique life purpose.
1. For self-discovery.
The process of creating a vision board can be self-revelatory. As you select items to include on your board, it's a helpful practice to notice and record what you are attracted to and what repels you. Seeing the repetition of certain themes you're drawn to can help you learn more about the type of person you are and what you find important or interesting. All of this information is great data for further refinement and implementation of your life purpose.
2. For inspiration.
The first step in knowing how to live a more meaningful life is to begin defining what a purposeful life looks like...for you and no one else. You can't figure out how to get where you're headed unless you have a clear direction set. A vision board is a great place to begin to illustrate the unique hopes and goals you have for your life so you can start living into them. We now know that the average American encounters somewhere between 6,000 and 10,000 advertisements per day. Can you imagine?
You are constantly being presented with images and visions of the life that marketers would like to convince you to need or want. How many of those images are things you feel connected to at a deep soul level? When you create a vision board, you begin to become the driver of your own affections. Your board can serve as a place to continually recenter on the life you're inspired by and hoping to further experience.
3. For focus.
Life might feel uncertain at times and like you are trapped in circumstances due to your particular life limits. However, our generation has more opportunity before us than most. The challenge we face is not always lack of opportunity, but the difficulty of deciding which path to pursue. A vision board is a useful tool that it can serve as a constant reminder of where you're headed so you can stay focused. Consider using your yearly vision board as a filter for experiences, job opportunities or activities that get on your schedule.
Ready to get started with your vision board?
Here's what you'll need to begin.
At the very least you need:
A poster board or canvas on which you'll create your vision board (choose any size you like but something around 24 x 24 is usually great)
Magazines of all types (Some of our favorites are Real Simple, Men's Health, Martha Stewart Living, O, The Oprah Magazine, and The Magnolia Journal)
Office supplies (e.g. scissors, markers, pens, glue, tape, etc.)
If you want to embellish your board, you can pre-select some of the following items:
Stickers
Postcards or memorabilia that is meaningful to you
Fabric or ribbons
Washi tape
Dried flowers or herbs
Quotes or sayings that inspire you
Pictures of people who you care about
Interested in creating a vision board in community? Our co-founder Chanel Dokun, author of Life Starts Now: How to Create the Life You've Been Waiting For, is hosting a virtual vision board workshop on January 7th for her Women of Consequence community. We would love for you to attend! Get all the details and register at 2023 Vision Board Workshop!
