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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Washington chapter.

I know what you might be thinking: January is already halfway over; it’s too late to set new year’s resolutions or manifest my goals for this coming year. But, I beg to differ! It’s never too late to set goals for the year ahead. Whether you want to improve your grades, make new friends, join a club, or take better care of your mental and physical health, there is no time like the present to turn those goals into reality. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t set them on January first to kick off the year; you have the power to create the life you want right now! 

Now, hopefully I’ve convinced you that goal-setting is something that you can do at any time of the year, but now you might be wondering, where do I even start? How do I narrow down my goals? Should I write them down? How in the world do I go about this? And, all of those thoughts are totally valid and completely understandable. Setting goals can sometimes feel like a daunting endeavor, but never fear, I have got your back and all the tips you need to manifest your goals like a pro this year. 

Think It All Through 

First things first, set aside some time to really think about what you want to accomplish or see come to fruition in your life this year. Is this year going to be the year where you finally take up knitting like you’ve always wanted, or is it going to be the year where you really take care of your mental and physical health? It’s up to you to decide what you want your year to look like! My biggest tip in identifying all of your goals is to write them down in a journal or on your phone; make a list somewhere that you can easily access and return to when you think of a new goal. And, make it fun for yourself, turn on your favorite playlist, get cozy, and write, write, write! Writing your goals down is so helpful in being able to see and really visualize what you want to achieve as the year unfolds. In fact, a study conducted by a psychology professor at Dominican University in California suggests that you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down. So, take it from the expert, and get to writing! 

Manifest, Manifest, Manifest

Once you’ve dreamed up your ideal year and have identified all of your goals, it’s time to manifest them! If you are totally new to goal-setting (which if you are, yay!), you might be wondering what it means to manifest your goals. Well, according to Angelina Lombardo, author of the Spiritual Entrepreneur, “manifesting is making everything you want to feel and experience a reality…via your thoughts, actions, beliefs, and emotions.” And, if you want the spark notes version of that, manifestation means turning your goals into reality. How cool is that? 

Vision Board It Up! 

My favorite way to manifest is to create a vision board. Your vision board can look like anything you want it to, but typically a vision board is a collection of images and words you feel represent your goals. Vision boards are so helpful because they serve as a visual reminder of your intentions for the year and will motivate you to achieve them. Now, I have a few choice tips for creating the perfect vision board. First off, I would suggest scrolling through Pinterest and finding images that resonate with you and align with your goals. Pinterest is specifically catered to you and your preferences, so if you search for images about improving health and wellness, you will likely find more images that align with your goals than you would if you were searching on Google Images. And, of course, Pinterest images are just so much more aesthetically pleasing, and who doesn’t want their vision board to be aesthetic? Next, I’d suggest going to your local craft store and purchasing a small to medium sized poster board depending on how large you want your vision board to be. Then, print out all of the images you found and resonated with on Pinterest and get to gluing! Glue all of your images, words, and anything else you want to display on your vision board down in a pattern or collage style that you love. Embellish your board with stickers, or rhinestones even if you’re feeling fancy, and have fun with it! After you’ve decorated your vision board to your heart’s content, find some open wall space in your room, your bathroom, or anywhere that you pass by everyday, and hang your vision board up. Being able to see your vision board everyday is important, because the repeated interaction with the visual representation of your goals will encourage you to work toward achieving them. And, if you’ve followed my tips, your vision board is undoubtedly fantastic and full of personal style, so will make a perfect, tasteful addition to your room’s decor. 

Now, vision board creation may not be for everyone, but I believe that goal-setting is. So, don’t fall into the trap that because it’s no longer January 1st, that it’s too late to set goals for yourself this year, or to create the life you want. You have all the power to manifest your goals right here, right now! And whether you chose to do that through creating a vision board like me, or simply through writing your goals down, your dream life is waiting for you and all you have to do is claim it. The power to achieve all of your goals lies in your hands; it’s up to you to decide what you want to do with it. 

Happy belated New Year, and Happy Manifesting, Huskies!

Kelen Tamurian

Washington '26

Hi! My name is Kelen Tamurian, I am a writer for the HerCampus team at the University of Washington, and I love writing and being creative more than anything in the world. My favorite thing about writing is the ability it provides to connect with others; I love how writing can bring people together, encourage difficult and probing conversations, generate smiles and laughter, and create a safe space for people to be vulnerable with themselves and with others. My hometown is Fox Island, Washington, aka the home of the most incredible sunsets on earth! My favorite food is sweet potatoes... I know, I know, it sounds weird, but hear me out, you can put literally anything on a sweet potato and it tastes good: avocado, peanut butter or almond butter, cheese, ketchup, chocolate, literally anything! My favorite activities are painting, making ceramic pottery, reading in the sunshine, going for walks along the water, listening to podcasts or music, and cooking or baking. My best friend is my little brother and family is everything to me!