January is an exciting and daunting time. You have a new year in front of you, a fresh start. But on the other hand, all that time can feel really overwhelming, and you may not know where to start with your goals. That’s why creating a vision board is the perfect January activity, and it’s not too late to make one. There are a lot of ways to create vision boards, whether you are going old school with some magazines and glue or doing it electronically. No matter what your method is, here are 7 tips to help you get started.
- Be as specific as possible with your images
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Yes, vision boards are about vibes, but you don’t want them to be too vague to the point that they don’t work their magic or serve their purpose. Therefore, be as specific as possible with your images. For example, if you want to travel, put images of the specific locations you want to go to. If there is a professional goal you want to accomplish, find images that correlate to that. Personally, I hope to work with a major fashion or entertainment publication by the end of the year. Therefore, I have pictures of their magazine covers, logos, etc. I even screenshotted a caption of an employee from ELLE Magazine because it represents a life I want to live. It’s okay if the images don’t make sense to others, as long as they make sense to you.
- Cover all aspects of your life
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A lot of vision boards only focus on one’s career or a specific goal, and those goals are great, but your vision board should cover all aspects of your life from personal to professional to social to even romantic. There are multiple components to life, and you want to be thriving in all of them. For example, my vision board has pictures that not only reflect my goals in fashion and entertainment, but also small pictures to represent my goals to have a better night life, to be in a healthy relationship and even pictures that represent my hopes for progress in my hair growth journey as well as my dream purse.
- Be Creative With Your Picture Sources
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Yes, Pinterest tends to have the most accessible aesthetic or trendy photos, but do not limit yourself to them. Surprisingly, Google images has some great finds especially when you go deep into images. Look at some free photos that Getty Images has to offer. Look on social media at accounts you love. Even some professional and company websites have just the photo you are looking for.
- Make Sure Your Vision Board Represents You
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This tip can apply to everyone, but this one is especially for my minority girls. Let’s be honest, a lot of trends and ideas aren’t created for us. Heck, it’s hard to find photos of the “it girl” or “vanilla girl” lifestyle where the model isn’t White. The same challenges come up when you are making your vision board because the first photos that platforms will show you are usually girls who don’t look like us. But don’t cut your search short; dig deep to find the photos and images that you can identify with. I’m happy that the majority of girls and models in my board share my ethnicity or skin tone. A vision board is supposed to help you imagine the life you want, and it is harder to imagine it if the people in it don’t look like you.
- Keep Your Vision Board In A Place Where You’ll See It
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Out of sight, out of mind. Your vision board serves as a reminder of your goals and that you are worthy. It’s not something you want to forget. I made mine electronically, and it’s now my screensaver. Everytime I open my laptop I see it. Save it to your phone, hang it up, put it anywhere so you’ll see it at least weekly if not more.
- Don’t be afraid to play with photo settings
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My girlies who really care about aesthetics, this one’s for you. If you are making your board electronically, don’t feel limited to the original photo. Put the photo in an editing app whether it’s something beginner friendly like VSCO or more complex like Adobe Lightroom. You can even edit within your camera roll. Change the color, the lighting, the contrast, the editing world is yours to explore. There’s an easy way to make sure all your photos go well together if you want that to be a part of your board.
- Remember The Vision Board Isn’t Magic By Itself
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Because of TikTok, we’ve seen a rise in people sharing and promoting manifesting, and vision boards have been a part of that discussion. While vision boards are a great way for you to stake your claim and generate positive energy, they alone are not going to get you to your goals. A vision board helps remind you of what you want and should motivate you to put in the work to get there. Of course, keep a positive mindset, keep claiming what is yours, and show gratitude, but don’t just make your vision board and think you are set for the year. It is only a mere stepping stone.
May your 2023 be filled with joy, hope, accomplished dreams and great vision boards (you don’t just have to do them in January!). And may this activity be a fun, uplifting time for you. Happy vision-boarding!