I’ll never forget the first time I heard about vision boards. It was early 2017, and I was deep into YouTube and newly into the Law of Attraction.
One of my favorite DIY YouTubers, Amber Scholl, shared her “HOW YOUTUBE CHANGED MY LIFE” video, where she shared her story about her 2016 “Mood board.” Her backstory was incredible, and to watch her skyrocket to greatness, knowing that she had intentionally put all of those desires into the atmosphere just years earlier, was even more incredible.
I decided that year to try out making a mood board (or vision board) for myself. I bought a huge poster board and had so much fun cutting and pasting phrases and photos that reminded me of my goals. I put my biggest dreams (at the time) on there: a new mom truck with camel leather interior, a vacation to the Maldives, an engagement ring, even photos of people that I wanted to work with, and items I wanted to own.
Now here I am, 8 years later and I still make it a priority to make and update my vision boards at least once each year! I have manifested so many things from my life’s mood boards over the years, it’s so amazing to look back and see all of the things that came true!
Turns out, those “magical” poster boards really do work, but only if you know how to use them properly. This strategic visualization tool can help you attract the things you desire into your life.
In this post, I’ll guide you through step-by-step instructions for creating a vision board that works, share real-life examples, and offer you a FREE vision board template to get started right away!
Why Most Vision Boards Collect Dust (And How Yours Won’t)
Let’s be real; most vision boards just end up being pretty decorations. They hang on walls, looking all inspirational and whatnot, but as the days go by, you forget that they are even there, so they end up doing absolutely nothing for you.
The secret is that it’s not about the pictures or how pretty it looks. Of course, everyone wants to look at something super aesthetic, but the magic is in the intention.
What Makes a Vision Board Actually Work?
Visualization is a really powerful tool in the Law of Attraction, and there are many ways that you can visualize. Creating a vision board gives you a visual roadmap that speaks directly to your subconscious, pushing you toward action and making you more aware of your desires every day.
Step 1: Get Brutally Honest with Yourself
This is the planning stage; do not skip this; it’s a very important part of the vision boarding process.
Remember playing MASH (Mansion, Apartment, Shack, House) as a child where you’d playfully choose your future life based on random numbers?
The planning part is kind of like this. You are going to go through each of the categories that you’d like to manifest change in your life: love, money, career, health, lifestyle, family, etc., and ask yourself what kinds of things you’d like to see come into these areas.
Vague goals are dream killers. “I want to be successful” means nothing. But “I want to launch a digital marketing agency generating $10K monthly by December”? Now we’re talking.
Ask yourself these tough questions:
- What does success really look like for you?
- What would make you jump out of bed every morning, excited?
- If fear and money weren’t obstacles, what would you absolutely love to create?
Pro tip: Don’t just think about these goals. Feel them. Take a moment, and close your eyes. Imagine yourself living that life. Your body knows the difference between daydreaming and true manifestation.
Step 2: Choose Your Vision Board Style
Digital or physical? Both have superpowers.
Physical Boards
Some people (like me) prefer something you can touch, move, and feel. Something that lives in your physical space, reminding you daily of your dreams. A physical vision board is perfect for those who love a good arts and crafts project.
Digital Boards: Flexibility is King
Can’t sit still? Always on your phone? Digital vision boards might be your thing. Canva and Pinterest make designing these a breeze, and you can update them anytime, anywhere.
Cheat code: Why not do both? I like to create a digital vision board to keep on my phone and my desktop background. Then, I print that same board out as a poster or photo, that way I can hang them on my wall, put them in my planner, or even use them as a bookmark. Double the motivation! 🚀
Step 3: Gathering Images That Actually Mean Something
When I first started creating vision boards, my go-to was always old magazines, but my biggest hurdle was that I didn’t necessarily identify with the content in those magazines.
Cutting out random photos of Taylor Swift or Beyonce is a waste of time if these specific images don’t mean something to you. The images that go on your vision board should represent the things that you are trying to attract into your life.
If you want this to be the year that you start your family, find a picture of a nice stroller that you like or maybe a photo of a newborn baby’s hand. Maybe this year you’d like to buy your first home, adding a photo of the style of home that you would desire would be a good use of visual space, or if you don’t yet have a preference, maybe you could use a photo of a hand holding up a set of keys in front of a “sold sign.”
You’ll want to try to be pretty specific with your photos but it works to also use something that represents what you are trying to manifest.
Beyond Traditional Image Hunting
Ditch the magazines and grab your laptop, we are being intentional here. Welcome to the future of vision boarding:
AI is Your New Creative Partner
Can’t find the perfect image? Create it. Tools like DALL·E, Midjourney, and even Canva can help you generate images of exactly what you’re visualizing and create your own aesthetically pleasing quotes that resonate with you. Want to see yourself speaking on a TEDx stage? Done.
Personal Photos for a Touch of Reality
Use photos and images that remind you of feelings that you want to feel again. When I make my “Love/Marriage” vision boards specifically for my goals within my marriage, I love to add actual photos of me and my husband from vacations, dates, and just overall awesome moments that I would like to continue attracting into my life moving forward.
Step 4: Arranging with Purpose
It’s time to create your strategic life blueprint. Arranging your photos is probably the easiest thing that you will do during this project. When I get to this part I love to take my time.
Pour a glass of wine or a cup of tea, and play some high-vibrational music while you curate your vision for your future.
My vision board templates are designed to help you create different dedicated vision boards for each life zone but if you’re someone who prefers to have everything all in one you can start by organizing your photos by life zones:
- Career dreams
- Relationship goals
- Health aspirations
- Personal growth
- Financial freedom
Pro tip: Place your biggest goal right in the center. Since that is where your eyes are likely to go first, you make it impossible to ignore.
Step 5: Bringing Your Vision to Life
Here’s where most people fail. Once the vision is created that’s just the first step, the foundation. Your attention to the vision is what activates the attraction magnet.
This Is Your Daily Activation Ritual
- Look at your vision board for 2-5 minutes every morning
- Feel the emotion behind each image
- Identify one tiny action step that you can take today toward one of your dreams.
On my “Health” vision board, I have photos of what my dream-toned body looks like. Looking at this board in the morning really inspires me to start my day by eating healthy and caring for my body so that I can get to where I want to be in the future.
Step 6: Grow, Adapt, Celebrate
Vision boards evolve, just like you. You might attract some things so fast in your journey that you find you don’t need to look at that particular goal every day anymore.
You might decide that even though you put down a family vacation to Disney World, you might want to go on the Disney Cruise instead! No matter how your dreams evolve, your vision board should reflect it.
Here are some tips to keep your manifestation magic fresh:
- Review your goals quarterly and adjust for any changes. Digital vision boards are the easiest option for this.
- Celebrate every win! you could even buy little gold star stickers or pick your favorite color marker to circle the things that you have seen manifest themselves in your life.
- Be ready to redesign as you expand. Try to refresh your vision at a minimum once a year, I usually do mine at the end of the year, just after the top of the year, or around my birthday.
The Raw Truth: Dreams Need Action
80% action, 20% visualization. That’s the real secret.
Your dreams aren’t just possible. They’re probable when you combine crystal-clear intention with focused effort and once you can see the path that you want for yourself you will start to notice more and more opportunities to help you accomplish those things!
Your Turn!
Have you ever tried a vision board before? Was is a total game-changer or a total bust? Share your story in the comments! Let’s keep this dream-building conversation going. 🌟
Warning: Side effects may include unexpected opportunities, serious life transformation, and people asking, “What’s your secret?”
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