Your vision Board for 2022: Here’s What to Know

Introduction

It’s that special time of year again! We’re winding down 2021, and what a whirlwind it has been. The end of the year makes everyone get super reflective. We start to think deeply about all of our highs and lows. We reflect on what we’ve done well and begin to think about what we can do better for the 365 days ahead. One tool that has become extremely popular over the past decade is the vision board and it’s not difficult to understand why! In my opinion, one of the best ways to manifest your visions and goals is by keeping them visible and top of mind. Vision boards help you do exactly this.

Visualization is such a powerful tool. Combined with a bit of preparation, proper goal setting, and a few creative steps, you can have the physical tool you need to help you turn your visions into a reality! Curious about what I mean? Keep on reading.

What is a Vision board?

So what is a vision board? A vision board can be digital or physical depending on the preference of the creator. Still, it is essentially a compilation of visuals – be it images, affirmations, or quotes that align with your desired vision, goals, and outcomes for your life. When you view the elements of your board, they should inspire and motivate you to take the actions required to make your board more than just a piece of decor!

Essentially, a vision board is a visual mashup of your goals and dreams. However, it is more than just artwork. Your vision board will serve as a connection point between the mental visions that you have of your goals and your ability to recreate these outcomes as part of your reality.

How do vision boards work?

We all have to admit that we love aesthetics in this digital age. Just think about how popular moodboard accounts are on Twitter. Pretty photos that are well compilated are an instant serotonin boost!

But as I mentioned before, this work is more than your ability to spot a pretty photo. You may have heard the phrases:

“Thoughts become things”

“What you focus on expands.”

And while they can sound a bit “woo-woo”, they do have some truth to them! Think about it. Have you ever woke up in a lousy mood, then continued your day hyperfocused on the thing that made you upset, only to find that your day continued to get worse? I know I have.

When you seek out the negative, you will find it. Much rather, it will find you! On the flip side, when you focus on the positive aspects of life, they will also find you. Simply put, once you alter your mindset in this way, you’ll be surprised at just how many wonderful “coincidences” you’ll begin to experience.

You’ll notice just how perfectly timed the things you envisioned come to fruition in your day-to-day life. All this requires is that you get intentional about what you want to feel and experience. 

Why vision boards are effective 

You might be wondering: are vision boards effective? Well, our minds are more powerful than we think! 

Let’s discuss the power of visualization. Research shows that “visualization acts directly on the brain, altering brainwave activity and biochemistry, and its effects branch out into every aspect of life. There is a lot of research that shows how mental practice boosts confidence, enhances mood, helps the healing process, and has a positive effect on performance of cognitive and physical tasks.” (source)

Where to put your vision board

Now that we know what vision boards are and why they are effective, let’s discuss where in our lives they should go. If you go down the physical route, Your vision board should remain in a place easily accessible to you, such as above your desk or in your bedroom. If you go the digital route, a great place to put it is on your phone background or laptop wallpaper. This way, you are consistently reminded of your goals. 

What to put on your vision board

Next, we’ll answer the most important question of all: “what should I put on my vision board?”

It would be best to choose pictures that directly relate to your goals, as I mentioned previously. The photos must have personal relevance to you vs. just being nice to look at. 

To make selecting photos easier, have a goal-setting session where you figure out precisely what you want for yourself! 

Related: how to set goals that you can actually achieve

How to know an image is right for you

You’ll know that you’ve chosen the correct photo for yourself as it makes your desired outcome feel real. 

For example, maybe you desire to become a more stylish person. In this case, you may decide to use a photo of a woman whose style you admire. If you’ve chosen the right image, it may get the wheels turning in your head. You may even visualize yourself going through your wardrobe and selecting the pieces to put together the very outfit that inspired you!

Need some more concrete help to get started? Here are some examples of vision board categories:

If you are overwhelmed by this process and unsure of where to start, try creating a mind map or brain dump of what comes to mind when you think of the following areas:

• Health & Wellness
• Career
• Relationships (family, friendship, romantic relationships are all separate goals)
• Style 
• Beauty
• Finances
• Spirituality
• Social Life 
• Education
• Travel
• Values
• Volunteering
• Home
• Pampering & Physical Self-Care

Once you figure out what you want to focus on in your upcoming year, use the common keywords from your list to tailor your search 

You don’t have to take a deep dive into each area. Since this is just a springboard, go with whichever areas feel the most natural to you when thinking about the future. From there, take action on whichever feels the most salient. It’s also crucial that you handwrite the ideas that pop up during your goal-setting session vs. just keeping them in your mind. Having a physical view of your words will make it easier to mentally keep yourself on track and have direction for your board creation.

If you already have a goal in mind, even better! In addition to the desired outcome, you should be looking for photos that reflect the habits, tools, or skills that you will need to get there.

Let your intuition be your guide

Another popular method for making a vision board is simply using your intuition! I know what you’re thinking, “my mind goes in so many directions, Daneshé! I’m always daydreaming.”

Don’t worry – we are quite literally in the same boat. I wouldn’t leave you hanging!

To start, pick out some of your favorite magazines to begin compiling images for your board. Please don’t do this randomly; otherwise, it will not work. The magazines that you choose should have imagery and content that inspires you and speaks to your sense of self-perception.

How Intuition applies to choosing visuals

For example, speaking from my perspective as a Black woman, when choosing magazines, I would focus on those with images that inspire me and realistically represent my desired reality. Meaning for a good portion of my board, I would want to include photos of racially diverse models that I can easily envision myself in. Of course, this is not a hard and fast rule and there is room for nuance here!

For example, maybe fitness is something you want to prioritize for the upcoming year and you find photos that depict the healthy habits that you want to adopt. Though the model in the photo may not look like you, you still may identify with the traits of dedication and resilience that may be highlighted. The fact that you identify with the imagery and feel an emotional connection is what matters the most. The content you are viewing should feel authentic to you; Choosing the images and quotes that speak to you spiritually and emotionally will serve you best.

The beauty of this method is that you allow your inner voice to speak vs. your rational brain. Our subconscious mind holds a ton of information that can get blocked in our day-to-day overthinking. By letting your mind take the back seat and choosing the things that bring you a sense of calm, you may leave your vision board setting with a direction for your life that you hadn’t even considered prior!

Conclusion

I hope this post was helpful to your understanding of what a vision board is and how to create one effectively to serve your visualization and goal-setting process! Setting goals can be tricky and often works best when we have a cut-and-dry system to follow. If you want to take your goal-setting a step further, check out our quarterly goal-setting planner! You’ll figure out precisely what you want to accomplish in your personal and professional life, especially in the areas of image, career, and mindset. This will make it extremely simple to transfer things over to your vision board in a way that is clear and simple to visualize!