When I was little, I dreamed of being a princess and marrying Troy Bolton, but now that I’m older I realize just how important it is to have achievable dreams. Real, attainable goals push a person to work hard for the things they want.
However, sometimes it gets hard to focus on our goals both long and short term simply because of the amount of distraction in our life from stress, school, social life, etc.
One of the best ways to keep the goals fresh in your mind through the chaos of college is a vision board. Vision boards are your own personal visualization of what you want your future to look like.
The are typically poster board size with pictures or words to represent your goals. It is up to you to decide exactly what future self the board pertains to. Does it represent your goals in 5 years? Your goals in 10 years? Or your ultimate goals in life? There is no format for a vision board. They are each unique to the person making them.
Although there isn’t a specific set of instructions for a vision board, I do have a few tips to help you start your journey into visualizing your goals:
- Layout a design for your vision board
Some people may enjoy going entirely haphazard with their board, and that is perfectly fine. However, for some may find it easier to have a set organization plan.
I chose to organize my board by the category into which the goal fell. For example, my goal to travel to Greece went under the travel section when I glued a picture of Mykonos there, and my goal to invest further into my photography hobby went under the hobby section represented by a photo of a camera. However, be sure your board is organized to your specific liking since after all it is only yours.
I also included a section for my career, my home, and my family. Each crafter can create their own categories. If you feel it is better to create a vision board without any of this preplanning, then you can skip this test and go straight into your hands-on work.
- Have all the materials you think you’ll need
So now that you have your design plan, what will you need to carry it out? In my experience, I found you will need poster board, magazines, scissors, glue and markers. If you want to add a bit of creative flare to your board, I would consider getting some decorative duct tape, construction paper, scrapbooking embellishments and stencils.
Having all these materials on hand when doing your vision board allows for you to represent your goals in new,creative ways. Most people use pictures to symbolize their future, but inspiring quotes or helpful words are also a valuable resource in visualization.
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Display your board where you will be able to see and remember your goals
Despite all the creativity, some goals may slip your mind. After all, life is stressful, and we can’t always be thinking about how we want three corgis by the time we’re 26. This is where vision boards come in handy. They attach a visual representation to that goal, so that when you see it you are likely to be reminded to continue pushing towards said goal.
After you’ve finished your board, be sure to display it somewhere you can easily see it and be reminded of everything you’re working towards. When you feel overwhelmed or stressed, it may be helpful to just glance over your board and remind yourself that all of your hard times are going to lead to the amazing goals you’ve set for yourself.
Overall, vision boards are a fun, helpful resource that may come in handy especially during the stress of college. The chilly fall season makes a excuse to get some of your best friends together for a warm, cozy vision board craft night.
Don’t just know your goals, visualize them!
Body photos provided by Haley Blackburn